How to Trim Your Own Split Ends at Home (Without Ruining Your Haircut!), by DIY Hairschool on YouTube. 11 min 49 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 49 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Start with hair that is washed, fully dry and detangled. Dry hair shows exactly where the splits are, so you can see how much actually needs to come off.
Comb everything smooth with a large comb. Part your hair down the middle and bring each side forward over your shoulders so the ends sit in front of you.
Work in small sections about an inch wide. Clip the rest of your hair out of the way so you only deal with one section at a time.
Hold a section between two fingers and slide them down the hair shaft. Stop where the texture turns rough or thin, since that is where the damage starts.
Cut straight across just above the damage with sharp hair shears. Take off about a quarter inch (6 mm) at a time and check before cutting more.
Keep your fingers between the blades and the rest of the section, squeeze gently and cut slowly. Sharp shears can cut skin, so never cut towards a finger.
Move through the whole head, matching both sides as you go. Compare the left and right sections against your shoulders so the shape stays even.
Check the back with a hand mirror held in front of a bathroom mirror. Trim any stray split tips you missed, then style your hair as usual.
Tips and common mistakes
Use real hair shears only. Kitchen or craft scissors crush the ends and cause fresh splits within weeks.
Trim a little at a time. You can always take off more, but you cannot put it back.
Cut dry hair, not wet. Wet hair stretches and hides splits until it dries shorter than you planned.
This trim only maintains your current shape. Book a salon cut every 8 to 12 weeks if you want a new style or layers.
Questions
How much should I take off?
Start with about a quarter inch (6 mm). For fine hair with light damage, a few millimetres is often enough to remove the split tip and keep your length.
Will trimming make my hair grow faster?
No, hair grows from the root. Trimming only stops splits from travelling up the strand, so your hair looks thicker and healthier as it grows out.
Can I use regular household scissors?
It is not ideal. Blunt household scissors crush and bend the ends, which leads to new splits quickly. Sharp hair shears give a clean, straight cut.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
