First things first: Layering Medium to Long Hair

Why is this first? Well because if I finally work up the nerve to do it (stay tuned) next week I am giving myself a short haircut and will not be able to demonstrate how to layer medium to long hair for a LONG time (gulp).

Even though cutting your own hair might sound to some as almost as bad as taking out your appendix on your own this is a really no risk, even rather conservative, haircut that actually comes out more symmetric than a stylist's. This will cut the ends of your hair with a layering of around 15 cm (5-6 inch). It's great if you have long to medium wavy or curly hair and want a seasonal trimming of layers. And the neat part is that it's amazingly easy (thanks to FunkyHelix of metafilter for letting me in on it!).

What you need:

1. two hair bands.
   
2. a small hair band, rubber band or even a piece of tape to mark the new length you want.
   
3. scissors (I have the professional sharp kind. they're probably better for your hair. I imagine a blunt pair is more likely to fray the ends).
   
4. a mirror.
   

note: since I have curly hair, which is way shorter when it's dry (it curls up) I cut my hair when it's dry and recommend this for others. This prevents unhappy 'where did all my hair go?!' surprises.

Step 1: Look at your hair in the mirror and decide on the new length you want (the length of the longest layer in your hair). Mark the length on a strand of hair by putting the small hair band, rubber band or piece of tape just beyond it.

Step 2: With the hair band gather all your hair up into a tight ponytail on the highest point of your head.

For even hair all the way around have it exactly on the top (crown) of your head. For having your hair gradually a bit longer in the back have it slightly towards the back (where you'd make a high ponytail). Important: make sure it's in the middle horizontally, or your sides won't be even.

tight ponytail on the top

Step 3: Catch the end of your hair with the other hair band, creating a rope-like stretch of hair in between the two hair bands.

another band at the end

Step 4: In one fearless straight cut, cut your hair just below your marker.

1, 2, 3, Cut!

and Voila! You have just layered your hair evenly (that is IF you gathered your hair in the middle as advised back there)! The layers are created by the differences in distance from hair roots to the top of your head (the farther away a hair is from the top the longer it will be). Wasn't that amazingly easy? I am totally grateful to FunkyHelix for letting me in on this amazingly simple method of cutting hair. Enjoy!

* * *

and while I still have curls, here are two tips for enhancing curls (for those with hair with SOME tendency to be wavy or curly hair):

1. (the more important one) Do NOT comb or brush your hair - this combs/brushes your curls out (this might be a 'da' moment for you, but I didn't know this one). That doesn't mean that from now on you have a jungle of dreadlocks. Combing your hair when applying (washout) conditioner is enough. Then let it dry naturally or with a diffuser.
   
   
2. An optional second phase to cutting your hair to enhance curling: wash your hair with shampoo for curly hair and let it dry into curls (again: no combing!). Then curl by curl, gently cut the ends of curls diagonally ("/") from the outside in upwards. DON'T take a lot off (or you'll ruin your nicely layered haircut)! The idea is just to snip the edges of curls, leaving them with an ending that is easier for them to twirl into and form a curl. I admit I have never had the patience to do more than a few and have never even gotten to the back (so please don't ask me how!).