4 Simple Methods for Trimming Natural Hair at Home

It’s that time of year again. After letting your strands whip in the warm air this summer, it may be time to trim and dust your mane for the fall. No need to rush to the salon, you can snip away raggedy ends in the comfort of your own home and save a few bucks in the process. Here are four simple ways you can trim your hair.

Stretch and Snip

This tutorial by NapturalElenor is straightforward and great for beginner self-trimmers. Part your hair in medium sized vertical sections. Next, spray your ends with water and detangle. Holding your hair between your middle and pointer finger, use your detangling comb to stretch your hair. While holding your hair taunt between your fingers, snip off your split or frayed ends with shears. Repeat the process over your entire head.

Trim To Frame

Regal Fro, who rocks her hair in a bomb afro, trims her hair by parting it straight across her head then separating the two sections. After detangling and stretching the hair, she stretches her hair between her fingers until she spots the split ends. She then trims the split ends with her hair extended out, not down. This method is perfect for those who wear true afros like Regal Fro. She trims her hair based on how her afro frames her face.

Twist and Dust

Vlogger and 4C natural Breanna Rutter uses the two strand twist method to trim her hair. Only using water to detangle, take a small section of hair and twist from root to tip, making sure to smooth the hair as you twist. When you see and feel rough frizzy ends, snip them off with the shears. Finally, take out the twist, detangle again and re-twist the same section. If you missed any damaged ends the first time around, you will definitely catch them the second time you twist. Be sure not to take off too much hair; you’re only dusting.

Straighten and Trim

Although you don’t have to straighten your hair in order to trim it, some may feel more comfortable going that route. Natural Hair guru Mo Knows Hair has an excellent tutorial on trimming straightened natural hair. After blow drying and flat ironing in small sections, part your hair into four sections. Start from the crown of your head and part straight down the middle. This will ensure balance in your trim. Then in the back of your head, separate a thin vertical section of hair and place your hair between your fingers. Finally, clip one eighth of an inch of hair. Never clip from the palm side of your fingers, always clip on the back side of your fingers. After each section in the back of the head has been clipped, comb down the entire section and snip any unevenness. Repeat the process on your entire head.

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