Zoe Scheltema: What happened when I cut my own hair

Opinion

It was surprisingly easy to get my hands on a pair of hairdressing scissors. Usually things that have the ability to cause harm and destruction come with warnings and age restrictions, like cigarettes and scratchies.

But here I was, hairdressing scissors in hand, about to ruin my own life.

I've always been a fan of a safe haircut. I've never really cared about chopping it all off in one go or trying something new. That's why I thought it would be a great idea to save some dosh, cut my hair myself and get rid of the split ends that were plaguing my mane and my self esteem.

Getting your hair done is expensive. The place where I was going to make an appointment charges almost $300 for a cut and colour. I would have just gone to the barber's down the road where you're handed a bourbon upon arrival, pay $30 and leave after half an hour. But it's called the Man Cave. Probably not a great idea, I decided.

This is what led me to take destiny in to my own hands. And because I've never really shied away from making a fool of myself I employed a "why stop now" mentality.

This is not to say that I don't find getting my hair done an enjoyable experience because, often, it is. But in the never ending quest to save money I figured, why not just cut my hair myself? My mum's done it before. She gave me a haircut which made me look exactly like the pop star Robyn which, at the time, was very cool. It is, therefore, in my blood.

Armed with my $10 pair of scissors, I set to work. Several snips later, I can hereby impart my DIY hair cutting wisdom to you.

I definitely didn't do the best job, but I don't have a mohawk either. Photo / Supplied

1. Do some research

I'm talking about YouTube. There are plenty of videos to reference if you want to cut your locks yourself. Make sure you follow the instructions for your type of hair: If your hair is straight as a pin be very careful. It does not hide a thing.

2. Don't get too trigger happy

If someone had told me how satisfying it is to cut huge chunks of hair off, I probably would have become a hairdresser 10 times over.

The thrill of chopping is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because, basically, you're just going to have a lot of fun. And it's a curse because, before you know it, your hair's shorter than when you were three days old.

So my advice is to start small because by the time you finish it will be at least 5cm shorter than you intended.

3. Think you know how to cut in a straight line? Don't be silly

Because you definitely don't. Unless you've stolen your dad's level from his tool shed, you are more than likely cutting at all sorts of angles.

4. Take your time

Cut your hair in stages. Have a break. Have a cup of tea. Sit and think about what you're doing. If you're starting to panic, don't keep cutting. Take it in steps. This could be a whole weekend long activity, if you want it to be.

5. Have a friend on hand

Because at the end of the day, you've probably cut it badly. Make sure you have a trusted friend you can yell "get over here and fix my hair right now!" to. This is very important.

6. Practice makes perfect

I definitely didn't do the best job, but I don't have a Mohawk either. And I have a wealth of experience to draw from for next time. In my book, that's a win.