Hey curlfriends!! Spring is in full swing here in the Northeastern US and I’m sure in many other places around the country. I don’t know about you, but one of the first things I like to do when weather gets nicer and bottoms get shorter is to lop off several inches of hair. The last time I went really short was in college after a bad breakup when I felt as though I needed a fresh start. Now I’ve done it again, but for an entirely different reason.

After my wedding, I decided that I was sick of babying the long locks that I had been growing out for almost a decade. I had been itching to cut it all off even before the wedding, but made myself wait so I could have a more versatile hairstyle. As soon as we returned from the honeymoon, I partook in a somewhat customary fresh-start ritual and had my stylist cut off about 10 inches. In curly hair world, that’s like two feet. She layered it a lot because I always say I want a nice big round look, but we left enough length so that my curly bottom layer would still reach my shoulders.

But was I satisfied? Of course not! About a month later I started to develop a bit of what I will unapologetically call a “mom cut” and it was just boring the heck out of me (sorry moms who have plenty of other important things to worry about) as it was starting to shapelessly inch past my shoulder line. This time I took to the shears myself, which by now you probably know I am fearless about (after lots of practice) and I just started chopping. I cut it so it was basically even all the way around, and when dry it comes to about two inches above my chin. I didn’t layer much, but I did snip a few chosen pieces an inch shorter than the longest strands to add a bit of personality.

Now my hair is shorter than its been since college, but it looks 1000000x better because I am now a Curly Girl devotee! I didn’t even put in any gel this morning and it’s fluffy, composed and I love it. As always, I left in a good amount of conditioner after my shower to ward off humidity (it did rain this morning). I don’t have to oil treat as much now because I keep cutting it each time it gets too long for my liking which nixes split and dry ends.

Number one tip when cutting your own hair: Let it take days, maybe even a week to finish. You will see pieces that aren’t quite working for you here and there, and it may even feel a bit uneven in some places. Just slowly snip off little tiny amounts until you’re happy with the final result. Then do it all again in about two months! To do the back, I look at my profile and snip, then compare to what I see in a mirror, using another mirror as a reflection. It sounds laborious but it’s not so bad.

If you feel totally uncomfortable cutting your own hair, just make sure to find a great stylist who listens and understands you. I have two motivators to cut it myself: I’m in graduate school and broke, and I don’t usually find that others understand exactly what I want my hair to look like. When I do it myself and take my time, it comes out perfectly every time.

More proof that short curly hair rocks here, and below. Enjoy!!