Images - Pexels Copyright free
they say and let's face it, we've had to get creative in
COVID-19 times. Following all the rules because we're all in this together, and want to get back to our lives, our businesses, our jobs; isolation has us being creative in the way we entertain ourselves, our kids and how we get things done. After covering
indoor and outdoor amusements, recommendations on
Netflix, and
staying afloat in all ways, it's time to tackle the big guns. Hair!
At this point in time,
hair salons and barbershops have not been shut down. However, it's an eye-opener when the owners of said establishments are calling for a government shut down of their own industry because they're pretty worried and feel it unwise to continue operating as coronavirus spreads. Some salons have closed voluntarily because it's dangerous.
Though currently open but subject to, and adhering to current rules whereby only one person is allowed in the salon for every four square metres; you could be waiting a while for an appointment. Plus there are other considerations to think about, before you decide to waltz into a hair salon.
The hairdresser sees clients throughout the day and is in contact with clients who are not necessarily considering the dangers.
There is no 1.5 metres distance between you and the hairdresser who has been seeing a number of clients, in continuous exposure for over 30 minutes.
Not all clients they are dealing with have heads in great condition eg. psoriasis, eczema.
When hair is being blow-dried, particles of skin is going to be blown around and could carry the virus.
Most importantly, are you willing to take the risk and bring some of those possible dangers home to your family, your children?
Hair is a very personal thing and not necessarily something we trust others with easily. It's a form of self-expression in the way we cut, style and wear it. It goes from long to short to long again, with or without fringe, sometimes sporting a perm or colour, and some choosing to go naturally grey. However, unless you're a professional or a dab hand at doing your own hair, keep it simple for the short term (
hope) and don't be afraid to give it a go. Personally, over the years, I've been cutting my families hair at some point or the other, and even my own. Bowl cuts are a big no-no with me. I wear mine simply; long, natural and with a couple of layers and you'd be surprised how easily you can layer long hair.
We've already passed the first hurdle as we all know how to wash and dry our own hair and take care of it with available products to keep it from being dry, or to detangle it and keep it in place. Personally, I never went to a hairdresser for years at a time, until about three years ago when I moved inner city with a hairdresser a few doors down. Now I go about once a year (Ooops, still not often enough) for the luxury of pampering myself and getting it layered professionally. I read instructions about how to cut and layer long hair the easy way many moons ago, and stuck with it and have been cutting my hair successfully that way ever since.
Having a decent pair of
hair cutting scissors is paramount and I've got a few that I've had for years. They don't have to cost a fortune (
professional price) and you can easily get them at your local
Kmart or
Priceline. Mine cost between $50-$80 to give you an idea of the quality that has kept me happy for years and paid for itself a very long time ago. Keep in mind you get what you pay for, so pick one you're happy with. After washing my hair, while it's wet, I comb it thoroughly till I've caught every possible strand, and tie it high up atop my head into a tight ponytail.
If you have very long hair, you might want to tie it at several points. There are some who cut their hair without wetting it first, but I prefer to wet it because it ensures every hair is in place. Scissors in one hand, and the other pulling the length of my ponytail straight up, I snip directly across the hair, at the length I want. It's not easy if you have thick hair like mine, which requires me to hold on to that ponytail tight at the point of cutting, as it requires a back and forth trimming action, like attacking a hedge and getting that clump of hair even at the ends.
Remove the elastic band or whatever you're using to tie your hair tight, comb hair and complete the finishing touches. Meaning, the hair on the sides of your face will possibly need a little touch-up trim. It makes sense that your hair comes out layered as when you've tied it right up top, you've already created your layers from the various base point of the hair in different areas of your scalp to the top of the tie.
If you have slightly naturally wavy hair like mine, it's far more forgiving than cutting absolutely straight hair. If your hair is super long, you might find after you've combed it, that the longest layer might need cutting a little shorter to blend in with the layer above it because it's such a narrow width.
Here's a video that articulates it beautifully, and it's so much easier to imagine with visuals. You'll find many others on
YouTube. All you need now is
courage and an
adventurous spirit. You could probably use a lot of the tutorials on men's hair as well as a lot of them are sporting long hair.
Here are a few videos for women and men I've gathered from YouTube that I found most useful (keeping it short and to the point in most) and some entertaining. If none of these suit you, you know where to search. I've also added a couple of links to easy hairstyle ideas. Remember the basics. Get a cape of sorts as there's nothing worse than an itchy neck and body from a hair cut. Have all your tools and equipment at arm's length. Remember you can always cut it shorter, but can't command it to grow back if you make a mistake. Luckily no one will see you for a few weeks *smile*. Don't be afraid to learn a new skill for emergencies. It's a great way to cut cost and save a lot of money if you're currently financially tight, and you can practice on the kids *kidding* but not really. Remember to use the pointcut technique to feather and be very careful cutting fringes.
