With social isolation upon us and hair salons being closed, many hairstyles are starting to resemble what’s being called “Cousin COV- IT”.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and this might mean an in-home hair cut.
The Albrecht family from Kentville, N.S., recently did just that. Parents Jay and Storm decided to cut their sons’ hair themselves, starting with nine-year-old Bo.
Bo's hair, especially in the front, was getting very long and it was time for a haircut. The family figured he had some time before returning to school, so why not?
“Having seen old pictures of his Auntie Kim (Kim Albrecht Odegard) with a bowl cut in the early 1980s, Bo said he wanted one just like her,” says Jay.
Bo grabbed the bowl and put it on his head. Jay then started cutting straight across the front, with Storm finishing up the back. Jay thinks they may have gone a bit too high, as they went right up to the bowl, but the hair cut is a true reflection of the size of the bowl. It looks better from far away, says Jay.
“We couldn't stop laughing when we were done,” says Jay. “Thankfully, Bo has such a strong sense of humour; he kept laughing right along with us.”
Bo couldn’t wait to Facetime his friends to show them and still loves his unique bowl cut.
Jay says Bo’s next hair cut will be done by a trained professional, as it will need to be fixed before he returns school.
Leave it for professionals
Not everyone is as brave and adventurous as the Albrecht family to try unique cut. In fact, most hairstylists will tell you to try to not cut your hair at all during these long months.
Jolee Kenneally from ENVE salon in Kentville, N.S., warns that if you start cutting your own hair, you will have harsh lines that make it very hard to blend when you come in for an actual hair cut.
“This might mean you will be stuck with a longer-lasting ‘can’t blend it out and looks like it was cut with Crayola scissors’ look for much longer,” says Kenneally.
Or, according to Brannigan Bowlby of 2nd Glance salon in Berwick, NS, it might mean you will have to have your hair cut a lot shorter than you want.
If a haircut must be done, Kenneally says to make sure you don’t cut straight across, but rather to use point cutting, a technique where the scissors are positioned vertically rather than horizontally.
“This should only be if you feel it desperately needs to be done, and only to the bangs or around the ears,” she says.
Remember, says Bowlby, the less you take off now, the easier it will be to blend later.
Men’s hair can be a bit easier, especially for those who have home clippers. Michelle Burns of the Head Shoppe in New Minas, N.S., says if you are unsure of which guard to use on the clippers, always start with the largest guard first and if you want it shorter go down to the next size. Or, she suggests, use small scissors to trim around the ears or the back of the neck.
Colour conundrum
A Facebook meme suggests that by the time isolation is over, we will know each other’s natural hair colour, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Burns suggests adding a temporary root spray to your next grocery order. If you must colour your hair, just do a touch up around the face and part line as that is the area you notice the most, she says.
Kenneally suggests people reach out to their stylist, who might be able to suggest a root touch up spray or root colour shade or level you can do yourself.
“Keep in mind that hairstylists are not trained in drugstore hair colour and the leveling systems and tonality are very different from the colour lines we use,” she warns.
Burns urges people to only try covering regrowth and not put permanent colour on the ends of their hair.
“It is much more work for the stylist if the hair ends up too dark all over,” says Burns, who says this will help avoid color corrections when you get back to the salon chair.
Better yet, Bowlby says, just add some volume when you blow-dry to help hide the roots.
“Embrace your grey until you see your stylist,” she says. “A lot of us have extra time on our hands so maybe it’s time to experiment with a new way to style or braid, or something you wouldn’t normally have time for.”
Keannelly says to try some tutorials on braids, topknots, easy updos, quick styling techniques, or just push it off your face with some product.
“Sometimes a client thinks they want a colour change or a cut change or both, but most times, they just need a little change of their daily styling techniques,” she says.
Have some fun with your hair. Keannelly suggests letting your children play beauty salon - they could brush your hair, apply a conditioning treatment, add braids, twists or whatever else feels nice.
“It's a win-win as it keeps kids busy and feels great for us parents - plus, no scissors are involved,” she says.
Burns says this is a good time, if you are at home, to give your hair a break from hot tools. Do a deep conditioning treatment and use a protein treatment once a week. Healthy hair is more manageable, she adds.
If all else fails, Bowlby says, there’s always a hat.
