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The itch to play hairdresser while we’re cooped up at home is real. Whether it stems from the frustration of spotting split ends or the pure boredom of staying indoors, you’ve probably thought about taking the kitchen scissors to your own locks at some point.

If you’d rather save yourself a trip to the salon and snip your hair at home, we have just the thing for you: an invisible haircut.

What is an invisible haircut?

The invisible haircut involves cutting away your split ends only, so the shape of your haircut will be left completely intact. To prevent the split ends from travelling up and damaging the rest of your hair shaft, an invisible haircut can help you manage your hair during this period.

This technique isn’t a one-size-fits-all, though. The haircut works best for those with longer hair who don’t necessarily want to change the shape of their hair. It simply aims to maintain and improve the condition of your hair.

If you’re growing out your hair during the Circuit Breaker period, this would help keep your hair in tip-top shape while you do so. You can also check out our guide on how to style and care for your hair without booking an appointment at the salon.

What you need for an invisible haircut

1. Hairdressing scissors

Invisible Haircut Hairdressing Scissors

Nick Demou/Pexels

Instead of using your handy craft scissors or kitchen scissors, get yourself a pair of fine-point hairdressing scissors. You don’t have to shell out money for an expensive pair. If you’re planning on trimming your fringe ever so slightly, you can also get a pair of layering scissors. Try this sleek set on Shopee.

2. Good lighting

Unless you want a surprise reveal, avoid trimming your hair in a dim bathroom. Make sure you’re seated in a well-lit area with a mirror in front of you so you can see what you’re actually doing. The best lighting is, of course, bright daylight.

3. Lowered confidence

 

Alexa Chung’s hairdresser George Northwood (fun fact: he’s also the man behind Megan Markle’s hairstyles) recently guided Alexa on how to cut her own hair in quarantine via video call. One of the tips he shared with her is to not get bold while you’re trimming your hair. Otherwise, you might cut off more than you intend to. “Don’t get confident, don’t get cocky,” George advised.

How to give yourself the invisible haircut

1. Wash your hair

Shampoo your hair as you usually would to prep it for a session of trimming. You don’t have to condition your hair at this point. This would take the smoothness away to give you more control as you trim the ends of your hair.

2. Blow-dry and comb through

Invisible Haircut Blow Dry Hair

Blow-dry your hair with the cold setting on your hairdryer to prevent any heat damage before you begin your trim. Then, go through the length of your hair with a wide-toothed comb when it’s dry. This helps to lessen breakage and prevent static flyaways.

3. Identify the split ends

Invisible Haircut Trim Split Ends

Fancy Hair on YouTube

There are a few ways to identify split ends in your hair. You can twirl sections of hair between your fingers and run your fingers up its length to reveal any split ends.

You can also take a section of your hair and weave it through your index, middle, and ring fingers (above) so the hair goes over your middle finger. Next, slide your fingers down towards the ends of your hair and you’ll see that little hairs will start popping up along the way. Those are most likely your split ends.

4. Cut the split ends off

After you’ve located the damage, start snipping it off with your hairdressing scissors. Do it little by little, so you don’t go overboard and cut off way too much at once. Repeat the same technique on other areas of your hair that need a bit of sprucing up.

Remember, the aim isn’t to change your hair length, so don’t go in with a heavy hand.

5. Use a hair mask or conditioner

Invisible Haircut Olaplex Briogeo

When you’re done, apply a nourishing hair mask, treatment, or conditioner. This helps to seal the hair cuticles and prevent split ends from forming. The Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector Treatment (left) strengthens the hair from within and it’s practically holy grail for those with damaged, bleached tresses.

You can also try Briogeo’s Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask (right). It replenishes the hair’s moisture levels and coats it in rosehip and argan oils to make your hair sleek and shiny. Of course, if you don’t have a hair mask at hand, you can always leave your conditioner on for a few extra minutes to let it get to work.