At-Home Master Class

The DIY Haircut by Stylist Julien Farel

04/17/2020

Stuck at home and in desperate need of a haircut? Before you grab the scissors and the nearest bowl, read this. We went straight to the pros and spoke with stylist Julien Farel—who has counted Kate Moss, Ines de La Fressange and Salma Hayek as clients—for his insider tips on an at-home salon session.

What You'll Need:

There are four essential materials—see below. If you have a spray bottle, comb and clips, make sure to get a pair of hairdressing scissors. Household scissors are not good for cutting hair.

1. Comb
2. Scissors
3. Spray bottle for water
4. Plastic hair clip

P.S. Here's a good haircutting kit you can get on Amazon.

Julien Farel at his Restore Salon & Spa in New York

The Steps (For Chin- to Long-Length Hair)

To start, hair must be wet! Also, you’ll want to keep the hair wet when you’re cutting for more accuracy, so continuously spray with water and comb hair throughout the process.

Of course, I recommend the healthiest and easiest way to wash your hair is to do it with Julien Farel Restore, our non-foaming shampoo treatment, which is formulated in Italy—it's one product, one step to wash and nourish your hair, scalp and roots. There are versions for colored, chemically-treated hair as well as non-colored, natural hair—both give beautiful, conditioned hair while making it simple to manage, and keeps your follicle and hair growing forever!

Remember this is a non-foaming shampoo. No need to use conditioner.

Step 1
Using a long comb, part hair evenly in middle.

Step 2
Clip up one side of your hair completely, so it is out of your way.

Step 3
Twist the hair on your right side and trim ends half an inch.

Step 4
Check in the mirror to see if your hair is on an angle, and follow the line—or for a straight bob or a cut that's all one length, cut straight across. It won’t be perfect, but do the best you can! It is also helpful to have someone else do this with you.
Then, clip the right side up, and cut the left the same way you did the right.

Step 5
Now, onto the bangs. Make a triangle in front and twist your bangs. Snip a small bit, because bangs will be shorter when they dry.

Step 6
Comb the hair hanging down and trim any longer pieces at the ends.

Step 7
Pull hair to the back and snip again to remove any longer wisps.

Steps 8-9
Pull the hair up all together over your head and snip off any wisps

If you like math or architecture, above is a drawing that shows how to think of the diameter of your head and perimeter of your hair as a reference for cutting points.

If you have short hair, do not use a trimmer, unless you want a disaster! Trimmers are not the way to go for self-use. These are the biggest hair disasters!

To Dry
Use round professional brushes—100% natural boar bristles are best—to smooth better and not break your hair. There are different sizes so you can choose a smaller brush for shorter hair and larger one for long hair.

Then use a professional hair dryer, at an affordable price, for speed and heat settings.