How to Trim your Own Hair

For those of you looking to keep your hair long, you probably don't cut it much, just an occasional trim to tidy up the ends and keep them free from splits. It is therefore beneficial to learn how to trim your own hair, as hairdressers may not always do things the way you want them to. Also, I find it rather expensive to visit the salon to trim that tiny bit of hair off the bottom.

While doing some online research, I found Feye's Hair Trimming Instructions. Feye provides very detailed instructions for self-trimming, including lots of step-by-step pictures for the straight-across, U-shaped and V-shaped cuts. She presents everything is a very very clear fashion, such that even first-timers should be able to do a good job on their own hair!

Her trimming instructions have really saved me a lot of time and money that would have been spent at the hairdresser's. I've been using her instructions for a U-shaped cut and it looks great every time. Make sure you have a sharp pair of scissors solely dedicated to hair cutting though. Dull scissors risk damaging your hair and causing splits. Do also note that your hair has to be long enough for you to split into half down the back of your head and bring to the front over your shoulders for Feye's instructions to work. Have fun trying out the different styles!

Apple Cider Vinegar hair rinse

If you suffer from hair that is frizzy, dull or rough to the touch, then an Apple Cider Vinegar hair rinse may be the answer to all your problems! As you probably know, vinegar is acidic. An acidic solution will help to close the cuticles of your hair, thus resulting in smoother strands that look healthier and shinier. Also, since the cuticles are lying flat instead of up, they are less likely to catch on neighbouring strands of hair, so you will have less tangles too.

My recipe for the Apple Cider Vinegar rise is as follows:
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (I used Bragg's, which has "the Mother" in it)
600ml of cool water (room temperature is fine, I just mean not warm or hot)

Use this as a final rinse after your shampooing and conditioning. You may choose to leave it in or rinse it out. I personally rinse it out with cool water to prevent my towels from smelling of vinegar. However, if you choose to leave it in, rest assured that the vinegar smell dissipates as your hair dries, so you won't walk around smelling like a salad. =) Do take note that using cool water for the rinse is very important! Cool water also helps to flatten the cuticles for that smooth shiny look. Oh, and those suffering from itchy scalp? The vinegar rinse will also help cure it! (or at least help lessen the itch) It balances the pH(acidity level) of your scalp to its optimum level, which is slightly acidic, and helps to clarify any shampoo or conditioner residue left. I find that leaving in the rinse works better to curb the itch, so I rinse my length with plain water after the vinegar rinse, but leave my scalp alone.

As always, everyone's hair is different, so you may have to play around with the recipe to get the best results on your hair. Increase or decrease the amount of vinegar as you deem fit, but remember that this rinse should never leave your hair feeling rough and unmanageable! If so, it is likely that you are using too much vinegar.

Frequency of this rinse is up to personal preference. I use it every single time I wash my hair (ranging from everyday to about once every 2-3 days), and it never comes out feeling dry. I do know some others who only use it once a week, once a month, or even once every few months. Just experiment with it, and have fun!