DIY Hair Care Tutorial: 7 Steps On How I Cut My Long Hair

 

Cutting your own hair at home can save time, money and frustration.  If you have the patience and are willing to invest in a decent pair of hair cutting shears, you are 100% capable of cutting your own hair.

My Hair Story

I have been getting my hair cut and dyed for years.   My first hair stylist was a woman named Sue, who, to this day, still lives about 10 minutes down the road and cuts hair out of the basement of her house during evenings.  She gave me my very first haircut when I was a toddler, bangs when I was 10, highlighted my hair Christina Aguilera style in middle school, and went through every single one of my adolescent hairstyle fads with enthusiasm.

During college I was away from home and started frequenting Super Cuts.  It was at this point that I started to become frustrated with the way my hair was being cut.  Each time I would go I would get a random stylist, and each time he or she would cut my hair completely different.  I have been keeping my hair long since about the age of 19, and every time I went to the stylist I asked them to only take off as little as possible while trimming up my few shorter layers.  Many, many times I left with my hair at a shorter length than I desired, feeling as if they had taken off more than necessary.

How I Started Cutting My Own Hair

Wanting to keep my hair long and have it turn out exactly the way I wanted, I started cutting my own hair at home about six months ago.  I invested $15 in a pair of hair cutting shears from Ulta and a six pack of plastic hair sectioning clips.

The first time I cut my hair I was nervous.  Very nervous.  I imagined myself over-compensating for mistakes and ending up with lop-sided hair.  But instead of making my hair a disaster, I took my time and it turned out great.  I did some pre-research and watched several You Tube hair cutting tutorials.

I am not a professional hair stylist, nor have I ever been trained in how to cut hair.  The purpose of this tutorial is to simply show you how I cut my hair at home, and encourage you to look into it for yourself!  I suggest researching on You Tube the exact type of cut you want to try on yourself and becoming well informed on how to find guides and how to properly make a cut.

Let's Get Started!

Step 1

I wet my hair and comb thru it with a wide tooth comb, making sure everything is smooth and untangled.

Step 2

I separate my hair into three even sections.  I pin the top two sections into a bun to keep them out out of the way while I start work on the lower section first.

Step 3

I separate the lower section into two parts and bring them forward in front of my face.

Step 4

I take one of the two parts, bring it in front of my face with a comb, and make an even upward cut at an angle.  I then repeat this on the other side.

Step 5

I clip back my bottom section, un-clip my middle section of hair, and then clip back my top section to keep that out of the way as well.  I then repeat Step 3 and Step 4 on this middle section.

Step 6

I clip back the middle section with the bottom section to keep them out of the way.  I then un-clip my top section.  Parting my hair down its natural part, I then repeat Step 3 and Step 4 on this section.

Step 7

Un-clipping everything and bringing my hair in front of my face, I recheck the angle of each side with a comb to make sure they align evening.  I make any additional small clips in order to even out the angles on both sides of hair.

There you have it!  I just showed you the techniques I used to easily cut my own hair at home.  My goal in cutting it this way to to keep my locks trim and slightly layered, while still allowing my hair to stay as long as possible.

In the end, this is usually the small amount of hair that I trim off:

Let Me Know!

Do you or have you ever wanted to cut your own hair at home?  Do you do any other salon services yourself, such as dyeing hair or hair treatments?

 

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DIY Beauty: Easy and Natural Lip Scrub

 

This easy DIY lip scrub involves only THREE simple ingredients that you are guaranteed to already have in your kitchen.

As the days grow colder, your lips will inevitably become drier.  It is more important than ever to bring moisture and hydration back into your lips through exfoliation, and this easy and natural lip scrub recipe will do just the trick.

Why Use A Lip Scrub?

Exfoliating your lips before applying lip stick or any lip product is important for many reasons.  It will allow the product to apply smoothly and the texture to coat evenly. 

Using a lip scrub to exfoliate the top layer of skin will rid it of dead cells and then infuse hydration into your lips.

Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!

Most of us do not have time to exfoliate our lips on a daily basis.  In between using a lip scrub make sure you keep those lips soft and moisturized!

During the cooler Fall and Winter months I find myself constantly reaching for any kind of hydrating lip balm.  My favorite is Aquaphor Lip Repair, which includes Shea Butter and is free of fragrances, preservatives, and dyes.  When searching for a good lip balm look for a product that is non-petroleum based, such as Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter.

DIY Lip Scrub: Ingredients

1 tbsp. Brown Sugar

1 tbsp. Honey

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

DIY Lip Scrub: Directions

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.  Apply to lips with your fingers using small circular motions.  Wipe off with a tissue or wet cloth to reveal soft, exfoliated lips.

I Want To Know...

What great DIY projects have you found that are also great as gifts?

 

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Reader Showcase: Send Me Your Blogs!

Hello My Awesome Readers!

I have decided to start a Reader Showcase!  *Que the gold confetti and falling rose petals*  This will be held four times a year for Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter (kind of like fashion week).  The first one up is, of course, Winter!

The first Winter Reader Showcase will be posted in early January 2016.

The goal is to feature some of the best and most inspiring blog posts that fall into the categories of makeup, beauty, cosmetics, and style.  Let everyone see what creative ideas you have come up with!

Every blog post shared will be fully credited and include featured pictures, a direct link to the post, and up to two social media account links.

How to Submit Your Blog Post

• Submissions can be sent to contact@ashleyelizabethbeauty.com.
• Please include "Reader Showcase Submission" in the email subject.
• Please include your name, your blog's name, and a link to the post you would like to be considered.
• If you would like social media accounts to be mentioned, please include links for 1-2 accounts.
• Only submit a post that has been posted between September-November.

I am looking for 15-20 awesome blog posts!

All submissions will hear from me by early January if they have been chosen to be featured.

I cannot wait to connect with YOU and to showcase your amazing blog and all of your hard work!

 

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October Loves and Favorites

I cannot believe another month has gone by and it is already time for my monthly favorites!  I went apple picking, baked apple and pumpkin pies, apple crisp, and drank more Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks that I will admit to.

I discovered and loved each of these products during October.  I found myself seriously changing up my beauty routine and makeup products as the days cooled and my skin became dryer.  Fall and winter are also the months I usually get really into anti-aging/cellulite/wrinkle/everything creams in anticipation of looking fab for next year's warmer weather.

NYX HD Finishing Powder in Banana

I started using this as my every day highlighting powder when I started to hit pan on my Kat Von D highlighting shades.  The NYX powder isn't as creamy as the Kat Von D and is definitely more sheer, but it sets my concealer beautifully.  I apply this with a setting brush over every place I apply concealer, including under my eyes, my chin, and right above my brows.  I usually apply a little extra and let it sit on my skin while I finish contouring, and then brush off the excess with a fan brush.  The results of this powder are flawless and creaseless and expect your makeup to stay set all day.

NYX Angel Veil Primer

I had been considering purchasing this primer for months, and when I finally did I understood what all the hype is about.  This primer erases every pore on my face and creates a beautiful canvas on which to apply my makeup.  It comes out of the tube white but turns clear when you blend it into the skin.  It leaves a silky soft and smooth finish without leaving your skin and hands feeling oily and greasy. At half the price of my regular high-end primer with the same results, this one is most definitely going to remain a staple in my makeup routine.

Milani Cosmetics Brilliant Shine Lip Gloss

I stopped by the Milani Cosmetics section of my local Walgreens about a week ago and saw that is was stocked with lip glosses in the most beautiful of fall shades.  I only picked up three but I am definitely going back for more.  I grabbed Berry Tempting, a medium berry purple, Bare Secret, a soft tan nude, and Brownberry, a dark sparkling purple.  All three colors are sheer, long lasting, and look stunning on my lips.  They do well by themselves or paired over a lipstick for extra glossiness. 

Mario Badescu Facial Spray

After hearing Carli Bybel rave about this facial spray and keeping in on my Amazon beauty wish list for a couple months, I finally decided to purchase it.  Point blank: it's amazing.  It contains aloe, herbs and rosewater for setting makeup and hydrating your skin and hair.  I have not tried it out of my hair as of yet, but damn does it work great as a facial/makeup setting spray.  It sets my makeup as well as the other high end sprays.  It is light, refreshing, moisturizing, hydrating, and smells amazing.  The scent is fresh and girly, with a just a hint of powder and rose.  At half the price of my favorite Urban Decay All Nighter makeup setting spray, it is a steal.

Oz Naturals Super Youth Eye Gel*

Since my late teens I have been trying every eye gel and cream sold on the market to decrease the appearance of my under eye bags and circles.  Some things have worked, and some things have not; I basically consider myself a product expert when it comes to this area!  I have only been using this eye gel for a couple of weeks to combat the dark circles and puffiness beneath my eyes, and I have already started to see a significant difference.  I've seen a decrease in my dark circles and a significant decrease in puffiness.  

It applies smooth and non greasy and I have been applying this once in the morning and once at night.  Made with plant stem cells, this vegan formula can be used around the eyes, forehead and cheek area, or as an all over the face treatment.  I have not yet used it anywhere else but beneath my eyes, but I am most definitely going to start testing it's anti-aging effects on the center of my brow bone, where an adorable small wrinkle has recently decided to make its presence known.  Time has come to die, little wrinkle.

CSCS Advanced Slimming Cream*

I have had a life long struggle with some small cellulite on the back of my thighs.  When I was a teenager dedicated to ballet and the performing arts, taking eight two-hour classes a week of ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, pilates, and modern dance, I still had cellulite.  Even when I was in my early twenties, going to the gym almost daily, eating healthy, and in the best shape of my life, the cellulite still remained.

I was initially nervous to try this product when I received it and read on the back of the bottle that it may cause a 10-15 minute warming sensation.  I tested a small spot on my arm and didn't have any kind of reaction, so I continued and applied it to the back of my thighs.  The warming sensation lasted at least 20 minutes, but wasn't uncomfortable.  I understood what the warming sensation was doing: decreasing water retention and firming my skin.  I have been using this product for about a week and a half and have already noticed a difference.  My cellulite is much less noticeable, which I fully expect to become less and less as I continue to apply the product. Of course, like every cellulite cream I have ever used, after discontinuing you can fully expect those little dimples to become more noticeable.  However, at least for now with this cream, they are on hiatus.

The Time Garden*

 When one of my friends showed me her "adult" coloring book that she uses for de-stressing, meditation and creativity, I knew I had to get one for myself.

The Time Garden is a beautiful and fanciful coloring book befitting for many ages.  The intricate pen and ink drawings take you on a magical journey through a young girl's dream of detailed night skies, midsummer night trees, clock gears, chocolate factories, fairies and owls.  Each page is filled with fascinating detail and captivating design, able to be customized through each reader's imagination through their own vision of color.

Coloring books are no longer just for children.  More frequently adults have been picking up coloring books as a form of relaxation and meditation.  Gel pens and soft pencils can breathe color into this journey and stimulate creativity.  Each page reveals illustrations that allow for the expansion of the imagination into unique and magical worlds filled with decadent chocolate and fairy tale trees.

Read my full review here.

Let Me Know!

What were some of your most loved products from last month?

 

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