As hair salons around the US remain closed, and with many major in-person gatherings on hold, it's only human nature that some people are finding themselves tempted to grab the scissors and snip away at their locks — whether out of boredom, or in the name of self-care.
Celebrities like Hilary Duff and Dua Lipa have experimented with neon hair colors at home, and Bella Hadid apparently even got to the point of cutting her own bangs.
As of lately, quarantine haircuts have taken over TikTok, with many creators on the video platform documenting their at-home hair transformations. Some of the videos are purely entertaining, with users poking fun at the "trend" that has become of DIY haircuts in the midst of the pandemic.
@befitzgerald and that’s on being an Aquarius ##MakeTheLeap ##fyp ##xyzbca ##haircut ##HahahahHELP
♬ Vibe (If I Back It Up) - Cookiee Kawaii
@beyonka_smalls Seeing everyone dying and cutting their hair during this ##quarantine ##happyathome ##MoodBoost ##curlyhair ##newhaircut ##foryoupage ##4u ##4upage
♬ original sound - treclements
However, other TikTok users are making instructional videos on how they've cut their own hair. Here, one user shows how they trimmed excess hair at an angle to finish their newly cut bangs.
@mmmkayl.la Like for part 3! ##cuttinbangs ##bangs ##hair ##cut ##foryoupage ##fyp ##4upage ##bangchallenege
♬ original sound - mmmkayl.la
User Marresa Kazem, who makes
@marresak Hairdressers don’t come for me unless ur @bradmondonyc ##hair ##hairstyle ##besafe ##athome ##glam ##makeup ##tutorial ##persian ##beauty ##whileyouwerebusy
♬ original sound - marresak
Some creators seem to be using a twisting technique to trim their bangs, which involves gathering pieces at the front of the head, twirling them together, and carefully trimming starting at the bottom.
@glossy.k i cut them too short ##fyp ##curtainbangs ##haircut ##quarantine
♬ Goodnight n say so - broghansemrad
Many professional hairstylists advise against at-home haircuts, as one wrong snip could be tricky to reverse down the line
Insider previously spoke to hair professionals who each agreed that while a seemingly simple hair trim seems innocent, it's best left to the experts.
Any damage done by at-home treatments, whether it's a chemical hair dye or a trim gone wrong, could be expensive and time-consuming to reverse or fix at a future appointment, said Houston, Texas-based CHI hairstylist and colorist Joy Williams.
"Stylists can do anything with healthy hair," Williams said, saying that even if people can't get to a salon in the desired amount of time, there are alternatives to DIY hair trimming that are less damaging and can still make people feel like their hair has a new look or feel.
One way to give hair a refresh, Williams said, is to steer clear of permanent dye, chemical treatments, and hot tools while at home.
"Now is the perfect time to do hair masks and conditioning at home, so when you get back to your stylist, you'll spend less time and money repairing it," Williams said.
In other words, when it comes to taking the scissors to your hair, if you're not a trained professional, "it can wait," Williams said.
Nisa Anderson, a hairstylist and salon owner in Hollywood, California, said that now is the perfect time for people to embrace their natural hair through protective
"Whatever it takes to lay off the heat can really be beneficial for all hair types," Anderson said.
Fortunately for those who are skeptical of at-home cuts, some TikTok users are sharing hairstyle hacks that don't involve scissors
Here, TikTok users showed fans how using headbands and bobby pins can help create the illusion of bangs, or a completely new haircut, without any trims.
@leilali.n How I do my fake bangs hopefully this helps someone :) ##fyp ##foryou ##hairstyles
♬ Maryjane girls all night long - wc_crips
Even for people at home who have their heart set on emerging from quarantine with a new hairstyle, trying one of the faux-bangs tricks from TikTok might be a good place to start.
@hannahxo2 the lighting was grim sorry ##foryoupage ##fyp ##bangs ##foryou ##quarantine ##haircut
♬ hook from BOYFREN by LoveLeo - loveleo.o
The plethora of haircut TikToks prove that beauty regimens can take on a new meaning in tough times
It's safe to say that DIY bangs and haircuts aren't the biggest issues on anyone's plate.
But based on the popularity of hair tutorials posted on TikTok during the past two months — some with hundreds and thousands of views and "likes" — plenty of people have qualms about overdue haircuts, and many are finding comfort and joy in an uncertain time by switching up their hair.
Of course, taking steps to feel put-together at home is not something everybody has the privilege of doing, during quarantine and otherwise. That being said, one hairstylist said that in her opinion, people should not feel guilty for thinking about their hair.
Shvonne Perkins, who leads the training and education program at Madison Reed, which specializes in at-home hair color kits and resources, previously told Insider that people should be empowered to maintain whatever part of their beauty regimen they can at home.
"I think it sort of just comes down to a moment of taking this time for yourself," Perkins said. "Likely, where [people] are right now is that they're not able to access their normal beauty routines. I think it's totally accessible and really necessary to treat yourself and do any of those things that make you feel like yourself, or feel most in touch with the best version of yourself."
Perkins continued, saying: "Everything feels so out of control, and this is one thing where it's like, 'I'm going to do this for myself. I can control this element of how I look and how I feel.'"
Read the original article on Insider