BC: Do it Yourself or Go to a Salon?

[GoingNatural]

I plan on doing the "Big Chop" next week. I want to cut my hair myself for fear that a stylist may try to cut the relaxed hair off AND cut some of the natural har to try to "style" my hair. I know I can tell the stylist what I prefer, and I have a stylist who is a good cutter, BUT this is kind of a big deal.

For those that did the BC yourself:
What made you do it yourself?
How many months did you transition?
How many inches of natural hair did you have?
Also, how did you manage to cut the back of your hair?

For those of you that went to a salon?
Did you go to a stylist you have frequented before? or did you go to a salon specifically for natural hair?
Did they just cut the natural hair or did they want to style (cut/trim) the natural hair too?

Anything I'm missing that I should know?

Thanks everyone!!!

 

[PaperClip]

For those of you that went to a salon?
Did you go to a stylist you have frequented before? or did you go to a salon specifically for natural hair?
Did they just cut the natural hair or did they want to style (cut/trim) the natural hair too?

Anything I'm missing that I should know?

Thanks everyone!!!

I went to a salon (actually an Aveda Institute--student) for my BC. It was my first time going to this person because I wanted to go a place that was more familiar with working with natural hair than I was. The student was the only person of color in the place, and apparently the instructors were not as familiar with "ethnic" hair. In any case, the student stylist was more than careful and cautious about trimming my hair. I had no pressure about getting my hair cut into a style.

 

[KiSseS03]

I did it myself on a WHIM when I came home from work one day over the summer. I was about 9 months post relaxer and had about 4-5 inches of natural hair. I just wet my hair threw in some conditioner and started chopping before I could chicken out. I had my sister cut the back for me. I still had straight pieces the next day, and got those by trimming the ends of my twists.

 

[bludacious]

I went to a Salon (JCPenney)...Had no problems!

 

[SilkyandSmooth]

I'm no longer natural but when I BC'd last November after an 18 month transition, I had my Mom do it. I wet my hair, threw some conditioner on, and she chopped away. We didn't have any problems at all.

 

[belle_reveuse28]

Hello there,
I did it myself. I must say though, I worked in a salon for awhile as a shampoo tech. I had a lot of down time to actually watch hundreds of ppl get their hair cut. So, when I started cutting my own hair, luckily I am one who learns usually just by observation and I did an amazing job. I actually cut my hair into a style and many others thought I went to a salon. Sorry I dont have pics to show you... but to answer your questions as follows:
What made you do it yourself?
Kishkas! Guts! I am a bit daring, but I felt confident that I could do a good job. I know how to comb out a section, cut it the length I want and then comb up the next section to meet with it and just use that as a guide.
How many months did you transition?
Being that my hair was shoulder length, I basically just cut it to about 3 inches. I have transitioned in the past to retain length and it took about 4 months but my hair was growing really fast during that time b/c I used no heat, wash and go, and conditioned regularly.
How many inches of natural hair did you have?
Right now I have three.

Also, how did you manage to cut the back of your hair?
With the back of my hair, because it was kinda long, it made it easy to cut. But I would slightly turn my head to the side, in the mirror, enough to see my hair on that side and directly to the back and I would use the hair above it as a guide unless I wanted the neck a little tapered, I would part out vertical sections above it and use my fingers as a guide to get shorter as I got near the bottom. Kinda hard for me to explain..

What else do you need to know?
NOt sure. I"m not an expert but if you're not looking for perfection but good healthy hair and a basic cut, I think you can do it! If you're really afraid and have no experience, not even in watching someone else do it, you might want to consult with someone professionally or someone experienced enough to help you and also stay within the guidelines you set for your hair! Be sure they/you use extra sharp shears, preferrably ones made for cutting hair. I was taught that dull shears actually produces split ends, which is what we are all trying to avoid.. the shaper the shears, the cleaner the cut on the hair strand and the healthier and stronger your hair will be! Bonne chance (Good luck) !

Hope this helps!

 

[NOEChic]

i went to a salon, she did not cut all the permed pieces off, she left it long enough so that if i wanted to perm it, i could have some length and a cut, if i permed it

 

[glamazon386]

I did mines myself, spur of the moment. I still have a few relaxed ends lingering but they're not that noticeable. I just cut them when I see them.

What made you do it yourself?

I just got tired of fighting with my hair. Whenever I got to a standstill I would do something drastic to it. This time I chopped it off. Last time I got braids.

How many months did you transition?

I was at the 5.5 month mark

How many inches of natural hair did you have?

about 3 inches

Also, how did you manage to cut the back of your hair?

I judged it by touch. Then I looked in the mirror.

 

[KhandiB]

Im doing kind of a big chop in January and I will be going to a salon!

 

[RainbowCurls]

I did it myself.

What made you do it yourself?
Dislike/distrust of salons.

How many months did you transition?
17.

How many inches of natural hair did you have?
Not sure... this much.

Also, how did you manage to cut the back of your hair?
Pulled sections round and cut off any bits that looked straight. Kept my hair shears around for the next few days to cut off the bits I missed the first time.

If your hair isn't straight, any uneveness doesn't really show

 

[Cichelle]

For those that did the BC yourself:

What made you do it yourself?

I don't like going to/don't trust salons.

How many months did you transition?

14 months

How many inches of natural hair did you have?

I really don't know. I cut off somewhere between 10-12 inches, though.

Also, how did you manage to cut the back of your hair?

Well, my hair was long enough that I could pull it to the side and see the line of demarcation. I wet my hair first and it was very clear.

 

[StartinOvah]

i bc'd in may. i went to a natural salon i have never visited before. i had about 5 inches of new growth going in, i came out with about 3. about 1 inch in the crown. no real style. just a short afro.

if i knew how to cut my hair, i probably would have done it myself. the cut was only $23 with poo/deep con. but i'm guessing i would have retained more length.

and he cut my hair with clippers, not a scissor. all my ends were split. so i had to cut another 1-2 inches off 5 months later. i don't recommend anyone using clippers for the bc.

 

[Ms_Twana]

Attempted to BC a couple months ago an chickened out. So, when I decide to do it again, I will go to the salon so that I won't chicken out again.

 

[Cheleigh]

For those of you that went to a salon?
Did you go to a stylist you have frequented before? or did you go to a salon specifically for natural hair?
I went to my regular stylist/oldest friend. It pained me just to trim my hair, so I knew I probably would have difficulty cutting 9+ inches of hair. I took her about 5 minutes. She cut dry, but the line of demarcation was very clear to her-I relaxed bone straight.

Did they just cut the natural hair or did they want to style (cut/trim) the natural hair too?
She added gel and set me under the dryer. She did a style (pinned in the front and afro in the back), but she didn't trim it anymore.

 

[Ms Lala]

I had a trusted friend do it. I wasn't really worried about a style I wore it slicked down. I had maybe an inch of hair when I cut it, probably less. It felt quite good to cut that stuff off!

 

[meia]

I did the BC myself because honestly, who can you trust more than yourself? lol and besides, if you screw up its not as big of a deal as someone you don't know who just might be trying to screw you up on purpose! weelllllll at least thats what i figured! I also knew that ultimately i controlled the cut, and that i didn't want to risk someone taking off more than i wanted off.

I transitioned for about a year and a half....it was starting to get pretty bad because when i tried to leave my hair out, it was all this new growth then straight and out of place ends so i had too....lol if i could've masked it for longer, i probably would have....i had about 5-7 inches of new growth which was shocking....it seemed like i had less than that but when i chopped it curled up right past my ear...

here was the basic step-by-step:
1. Washed my hair with Splendor shampoo (by philosophy- $22 @ sephora.com or you can buy the whole kit with the deep conditioning oil and conditioner for $35)

2. After washing my hair with splendor shampoo i then took splendor conditioner (very rich, thick, and only a small amount is needed for a lot of hair and i really did have A LOT of hair at the time) and applied it on my very damp hair working it through very well.

3. Curls automatically sprung up and after leaving it on for about 5 minutes, it clearly showed what was new growth and what was relaxed hair.

4. Took a pair of shears (they were my fathers but i believe he got them from walmart) and proceeded to cut the ends being sure to cut wherever i saw the ending loop of a curl turn into a straight lock of hair. Repeated this all over my head.

5. When finished washed conditioner out. Then washed my hair the next day to get any remaining cut bits out.

I honestly think for a few weeks after my hair was in a bit of shock so I did have problems styling because I had been used to longer hair for a while so i just left it out...that was back at the end of august but now i can manage a little bigger than itty bitty high ponytail which im plenty satisfied with and i'm now actually APL when stretched....

I'm glad i chose to do it myself... i don't think i would've been so happy to let it all go in the salon. I know from the moment you chop you'll fall in love with the softness and curls (albeit i was literally kicking myself for cutting all that hair off) but i can tell you that as your hair starts to attain length, you'll realize it was all for the best- not that you needed to hear that from me!

PS (ETA): the back wasn't hard to cut at all, i just grabbed back, used two mirrors (a bathroom mirror and a medicine cabinet mirror and just grabbed the hair and cut it until i had cut all of the pieces....the key is to pull the hair taut a bit so you can see where exactly you're cutting to make sure you've gotten all of the stray bits...GOOD LUCK!

 

[missnappylady]

What made you do it yourself? I was just looking at my hair one day and decided that I needed to do something about the mess on my head.
How many months did you transition? My transition was completely unplanned. I honestly forgot to relax my hair for 5 months and thought, might as well start from scratch. (it looked really rough)
How many inches of natural hair did you have? I think I had a bit over 3"
Also, how did you manage to cut the back of your hair? I just went by feel.

 

[GoingNatural]

Thank you ladies!!!

I think I'm going to go for it and do it myself!

I never even thought of leaving conditioner in my hair to help define the curls!

8 more days until I BC!
(I'm mad I don't have enough patience to wait 7 more months!erplexed )

I will definitely be posting before and after pictures!!!

Can't wait to join you all on the natural side!!
<--That's me rolling to the natural side LOL

Thank you again!!!!!!!!!

 

[jasmine26]

hey congrats on your decision to go natural!

i did the bc by myself. i was tired of seeing my broken relaxed ends so i just went for it. i wet my hair and it was very easy to tell where my natural hair ended. the only problem i later encountered that my bc wasn't very even and my hair grew out uneven. i also cut the back of my hair based on the feel of the two textures. i did not transition for very long maybe a few months. i had about 1-2" of hair after my bc. if i were to do it all over i would go to a reputable salon so my hair would have grown out more even.

hth, jasmine

 

[lala]

When I did my BC in 2003, I went to a salon only b/c I didn't want to mess it up. I'm sure if you are clear about what you want done, it shouldn't be too hard to find someone. I would select a stylist that has experience with haircuts and someone who listens...

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I'm so tempted to try to do it myself, but I'm too chicken!

 

[GoingNatural]

I'm so tempted to try to do it myself, but I'm too chicken!

Yeah, I'm talking big..but lets see if I cut it myself, much less cut it at all!!!

I hope I dont chicken out!!

7 more days!!!

 

[meia]

honestly, i can definitely tell you that if you try not to contemplate what you're doing and just do it it makes it so much easier, it is....then once you do it and its all done contemplate it as much as you want....and since its done all those afterthoughts wont have mattered!....

also a good thing to keep in mind (mind you i'm the most inch counting and conscious person in the whole world when it comes to length....) is that its just hair. it was hard for me to cope with that because i was the type of person that would cry if i was getting a 1/2 in. cut but i definitely knew that i could never relax again so i realized even if i didn't want it, i had to just anti up and get it done otherwise i would be stuck with broken off ends and straight-out-of-prison new growth! lol hope that helps!

 

[Ayeshia]

I did it myself sporadically.... 12-16 inches of relaxed hair...GONE! within 15 minutes

 

[GoingNatural]

Thanks!!! I cut it all off!!! about 10 inches of relaxed hair on the bathroom sink, shower, floor etc lol!!! I'm still chopping at some of the relaxed pieces.

I have pics of my hair in my fotki album.

Thanks for all of the advice and ecouragement!!!

 

[cmw45]

I did it myself...it was like a moment and I was really happy afterward...the next day I went to the barber and got him to 'neaten it up' for me...which turned out to be a bad idea because he shaped my hair and now I have like 4 inches on top and three in the back

 

[RainbowCurls]

Congrats GoingNatural!
You did a good job. It looks really good.

 

[GoingNatural]

Thanks!! I just need to be able to get it in a ponytail and life will be great!!

Until then Iam keeping my hair in weave because I don't know what the hell to do with short hair.

My whole family and my bf's family is upset that I don't wear my hair out even though it's short..they love it..but i am not comfortable so it doesn't matter

 

[glamazon386]

Thanks!! I just need to be able to get it in a ponytail and life will be great!!

Until then Iam keeping my hair in weave because I don't know what the hell to do with short hair.

My whole family and my bf's family is upset that I don't wear my hair out even though it's short..they love it..but i am not comfortable so it doesn't matter

That's how I felt at first as well. It's long enough to gel back into a phony pony now. And I felt more comfortable with it once it got to that length. I had already made an appt to get my hair weaved on a friday. I chopped it that thursday evening. And still went and got my weave the next day. I'm comfortable wearing it out now. My family has seen it now. But I'm in weaves again so that I can stop messing with it. I plan to get it straightened and cut into a style on the 8th so I'll oprobably wear it out for a bit then. But after that it's back to weaves and braids for the rest of the year.

 

[GoingNatural]

That's how I felt at first as well. It's long enough to gel back into a phony pony now. And I felt more comfortable with it once it got to that length. I had already made an appt to get my hair weaved on a friday. I chopped it that thursday evening. And still went and got my weave the next day. I'm comfortable wearing it out now. My family has seen it now. But I'm in weaves again so that I can stop messing with it. I plan to get it straightened and cut into a style on the 8th so I'll oprobably wear it out for a bit then. But after that it's back to weaves and braids for the rest of the year.

Yeah i cut my hair on a Wednesday I think, and had a weave appointment waiting for me on that Sunday. Ended up weaving on Friday instead because I had to go to a Wizards game.The weaves do serve a twofold for me..definitely save sme from messing with my hair every second, because i DO LOVE my curls and it helps me feel comfortable until i get a length that i am more comfortable.with the length of my weave

I may do weaves the rest of the year, but I plan on stopping when 2008 begins