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How to cut your hair yourself during the coronavirus outbreak

Should you cut your own hair during Coronavirus outbreak? Short answer is no. (Getty Images)
Should you cut your own hair during Coronavirus outbreak? Short answer is no. (Getty Images)

They may not have been officially ordered to close, but many hair salons in the UK are taking it upon themselves to hang up their scissors during the coronavirus outbreak.

Following social distancing guidelines issued by the government many hairdressers and barbers are making the responsible decision to close their doors in the coming weeks to protect their staff, their customers, and all the people they might interact with during and following appointments.

But, where does this leave you if you’re in desperate need of a tidy up?

Sure we know there are more important things to worry about right now, not least those very jobs and businesses of those who work in the beauty industry, but many have been left wondering what to do between now and their next professional snip.

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So we’ve spoken to the hair experts about what you can do if you’re in between cuts and colours and potentially months from your next salon visit.

Just a word to the wise: what NOT to do is equally as important.

Don’t go rogue with the scissors

Let’s start with a not. General consensus among the hair pros is don’t be tempted to give yourself a DIY cut. Remember when you took it upon yourself to give Barbie a quick trim? Yeah, well it’s likely to be the same result.

“Try not to lose patience with your hair!” advises Ricky Walters, founder of SALON64. “In my years within the hairdressing industry I have only ever seen disasters when clients cut their own hair. Whether it be a little trim of the fringe or simply cutting out the split ends it never ends well!”

Instead he suggests waiting for things to, hopefully, blow over before returning to your salon as usual.

“Your local salon will welcome your support,” he explains. “Better yet, purchase online or over social media a voucher to help your local salon business during this tricky time.”

Read more: Coronavirus: The impact self-isolating or working from home can have on your skin

Tame a too long fringe

No longer able to see through your fringe, while most hairdressers don’t recommend giving it a quick snip yourself, there are ways to bring too long bangs under control.

“Whilst fringes look simple, they are notoriously difficult to get right,” warns hairdressers Michael Van Clarke.

“As more and more comes off trying to correct the errors, an unintended 'suicide fringe' may be the outcome.”

Van Clarke suggests it could be a good time to give some thought to life without a fringe.

“LifeSaver UV Leave-in Styling Treatment is a great way to keep hair back off the face while growing out fringes,” he says.

“So much of this modern era has been retro it may now be time for the hippy and glam rock hairstyles of the 60s and 70s.”

What to do if your roots are coming through. (Getty Images)
What to do if your roots are coming through. (Getty Images)

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Get an at-home colour fix

We’ve heard the ‘we’re about three weeks from knowing everyone’s real hair colour’ jokes doing the social media rounds. For those worried about roots coming through while stuck inside and unable to visit their favourite colourist Walters recommends one miracle cure; Colour Wow! “Applied like eye shadow, it disguises your greys and regrowth. No more roots!” he explains.

Walters advises staying away from box dyes and at home hair dyes you can purchase from the supermarket.

“These dyes stay in your hair for a very long time and make it impossible for a hairdresser to correct quickly.”

Concentrate on condition

Self-isolation is the perfect excuse to actually look after your hair’s health, says Walters. “For those staying inside anyway, wash your hair and leave a deep conditioning mask on your hair all day!” he suggests.

“You may look a little slick but who cares when working from home! Rinse out in the evening and you will be left with silky locks. I love all the deep conditioners from R&Co!”

According to Richard Ashley at haircare retailer, Additional Lengths taking the time to look after your locks during lockdown will mean your hair will remain in better condition in between cuts and colours, particularly as it's likely you'll have more time to wait for your next salon visit due to the pandemic.

“If you have extensions, stick to hair care products that are made for hair extensions specifically, as many leave-in treatments might break down the bonds,” he adds. “Remi Cachet hair oil and miracle mist are ideal for this. Never try to remove your extensions without professional help,” he adds.

Read more: What to do if your wedding is impacted during the coronavirus outbreak?

Disguise your do

There are a ton of ways to disguise hair that needs a cut. “A loose boho pony-tail or messy hair up is a fantastic cover up,” suggests Walters.

“Adding hair jewellery higher up the hair is a great way to distract the eyes looking at your split ends and add a sense of glam, care and being polished.” Ideal if you want your hair to look super fancy for your next virtual house party.

Take the opportunity to get your hair in tip-top condition. (Getty Images)
Take the opportunity to get your hair in tip-top condition. (Getty Images)

Stay in touch with your stylist

So you might not be able to actually visit your hair stylist in person, but that’s no reason you can’t keep in touch with them virtually.

“If you can, try to keep in touch with your stylist for advice directly as they know what will work best for you and your hair,” advises Ashley.

And for the men

It isn’t just women who are looking for solutions on how to keep their hair looking good during lockdown.

“Many of our customers visit as regularly as once a fortnight, so obviously they are concerned about their hair getting out of hand,” explains Joseph Lanzante, Owner of The Men's Room.

“Even if they're working from home they maybe doing video conferencing so they still need to be mindful of their appearance.

Lazante says men have a couple of options.

“Either you can let it grow it out in which case I have some tips for styling you, or you can clip it off like Hollywood's greatest action stars Jason Stratham or Bruce Willis,” he says.

“If you opt for the latter and take it off, my advice would be to invest in a really decent pair of clippers from Wahl, which you can buy from Amazon.

“The clippers will come about 4-5 different grades which will determine the length of your hair 1 being the shortest and 5 the longest. My advice is to start at 5 then gradually take it down until you reach your preferred length,” he adds.

“Using two mirrors, one in front and one behind, clip against the hair growth, so bring the clippers from the nape of the neck upwards and slowly work your way around. Always use a good moisturiser and even an SPF if you're social distancing outside.”

If you want to maintain your normal style, Lanzante suggests investing in some styling products to keep it looking tidy.

“My advice is to wash it every day or every other day with shampoo then apply a small amount of conditioner on the ends. Don't rub it into the roots as it will make it look greasy.

“Using a hairdryer, blow dry your hair to create volume, then apply a pomade or wax to style it in place. If you have particularly fine hair use a powder to create texture and volume,” he adds.

Lanzante says that if you have a beard, you can use the same clippers that you use for your head to keep it tidy.

“There are also some great beard products on the market now such as oils and conditioning treatments to create shine and gloss,” he says.

If you absolutely can’t wait to get your hair cut

Rosie Morris, Training Manager at Capital Hair and Beauty has given her top tips for those thinking about cutting their hair during isolation

  1. Only attempt if you’re absolutely desperate, and keep it simple, don’t try and restyle your hair.

  2. When cutting, cut with the scissors in an upward angle. This is particularly important when trimming your fringe. Holding the scissors at 90 degrees to your fringe will give a softer and more forgiving effect, rather than going across

  3. For pixies cuts or men’s hair, trim the sides lightly using a comb to hold hair outwards at a length and stop you cutting patchy lengths

  4. As much as you can, avoid cutting length or layers, instead opt for keeping hair as healthy as possible, try using hair masks, avoid heat and braid hair when its wet for a wavy style.