To give myself a Ponytail Haircut?

[ThatOtherPoster]

My lovely hairdresser isn’t free for another month.

My hair is all one length, aside from a fringe. It’s about bra-strap length. I just want some long layers, and shorter round the front.

I have proper scissors. My hair is thick snd wavy. Should I just do it?

YABU - wait for your appointment
YANBU - hack!

@Cocopogo - I know I should do this. My head is telling me to do this. My heart, however, has gone scissor happy.

I've been doing the unicorn cut for the past year. It looks good as my hair is long. I end up with nice long layers and natural waves. Not sure how it would work on shorter hair though.

"A ponytail haircut is a DIY method where you gather all your hair into a ponytail then hack some off the end. It gives you layers and stuff and looks amazing"

Hahahaha.

Build yourself an extension while your at it, there's plenty of Tube videos and they look amazing.

@Ponoka7 When it isn't windy I tuck the very-uneven length into my coat.

Oh no! Sorry but that made me smile. Why not gave another go..? Or are you scarred for life?

Build yourself an extension while your at it, there's plenty of Tube videos

I thought I’d have a go at open-heart surgery too. I’ve watched 3 seasons of ER.

I did it during the first lockdown. My hair is pretty thin so it was one snip and done. It ended up really wonky and my husband had to fix it with nervous shaky hands. When I finally got to the hairdresser last November she asked if I was meant to have layers. She tried hard not to laugh when I explained what had happened.

@Throughabushbackwards I've been doing the unicorn cut for the past year.

I’m worried that you chose your username after you’d cut your own hair?

Depending where you put the pony tail determines the shortest point,ie on top creates shorter layers around the crown. You don't have to cut close to the scalp though, your shortest layers will be the length of the distance away from your scalp.
If you want a fringe pull hair forwards and make the ponytail just below the bridge of your nose, this'll allow room for some spring back from your hair and's easy to take shorter if needed.

@ThatOtherPoster thanks - not heard of this before..not sure I am brave enough though!! Good luck!!

I’m worried that you chose your username after you’d cut your own hair?

😭😂

@MilduraS It ended up really wonky

Wonky as in, a different length on each side?

I did this last year when I got desperate and I was happy with it, but I did it quite long. I cut it at nose level but it's probably mouth level by now. It didn't include the back which my dds cut instead. (They are teenagers. I probably wouldn't allow toddler dds to do it.) I found it needed redoing after a month which is shorter than it needs doing after a salon cut. I had my hair cut at a salon in December so it's not too bad for the moment (I dye it myself.) If it gets desperate I'll do the pony cut again

if you don't go to short, if you don't like it you can hide it with a french plait.
When my hair was long, but short at the front, I used to do them backwards - hang my head upside down, start at the nape of my neck & plait towards the short bits at the front, and pin the end of the plait on the top of my head.

*too short

@MuthaFunka61

Depending where you put the pony tail determines the shortest point,ie on top creates shorter layers around the crown.

I’m really trying to get this straight in my mind. So a ponytail on the forehead would create layers found the front?

The potential to mess this up is almost unlimited. I’m be quite daunted by my ability to wreck my own hair. Yet, still strangely drawn to it.

Haha OP, no. Username describes how I feel on the inside rather than how I (think?) I look

I've got wavy shoulder length hair and I've done mine several times. I pull the pony tail to the front so it looks like a unicorn horn, cut straight across at an angle so if you were looking at it from the side it looks like this /, shorter end nearer your head. To stop the ends looking too blunt cut, you then snip into the ends at a45 degree angle. For example, when you cut the angle bit the end feels like a paintbrush, all one straight hard edge. After the snip bit, it feels more like the ends of a shaving brush.
Mine is fine, wavy hair hides a multitude of sins!

@Quadrangle

I probably wouldn't allow toddler dds to do it.

LOVE your use of “probably” here. 😆 It sounds like you’re only 2 glasses of wine away.

I do the pony tail cut ,but I have very wavy hair so any mistakes are easy to hide ,.

My hair is past my waist and I’ve been cutting it myself for the past year. I just use proper hairdressing scissors and make it roughly all one length with some layers in the front. It’s easy!

I’m be quite daunted by my ability to wreck my own hair. Yet, still strangely drawn to it.
what is lockdown for, if not developing you creative skills?
(& slowing a pandemic)

I followed the instructions for the straight across trim and it turned out ok.

feyeselftrim.livejournal.com

What I’m hoping to achieve - photo 1.

What I’m scared I’ll actually achieve - photo 2.

I've done the unicorn ponytail haircut loads and it comes out great, with soft face framing layers. It's not drastic at all but it doesn't touch the length at the back. Start with dry hair. You must brush it all forwards until it is very smooth and gather it into a ponytail at the front, right in the centre and right on your hairline. Then chop an inch or so off and then take the tips of the scissors and snip repeatedly into the end of the ponytail, upwards, until the straight cut line is softened, like a barber's brush. Then shake out and admire! Repeat if the layers need to be a bit shorter. Do it op, honestly it's fine.

I've just done the first step of the two step haircut, and my hair looks great. I'm not going to do the second step, as I like it how it is. I have curly hair so don't have to be too precise.

Thanks for this tip!