When growing a healthy head of hair, it is essential that you trim your ends regularly! This can be a scary experience with natural hair especially for those who are working on retaining length. I trim my own ends at home but I use  a method called “dusting”. I trim small amounts of hair more frequently to avoid having to have a big trim. I may dust every 3-4 weeks instead of trimming every 6-8 weeks.

If you are uncomfortable with cutting your own hair, interview a series of stylists familiar with your hair texture and pick the one you have the most confidence in. If you want to try it yourself until you find a  stylist or if you just want to do it yourself at home then the method I use may work for you.

I twist my hair in several small two-strand twists. Make sure the twists are smooth ensuring the curls have taken on their natural pattern. I use hair cutting shears. I found a pair at the beauty supply store for about $14. Extend the twist and clip the ends. I clip about the same amount off of each twist. I take off about a centimeter. That’s a little less than half an inch.

Clip the ends of your twist or braid when dusting. This is a demo braid!

Notice how the braid is smooth until it gets to the end and then gets fuzzy. This is the portion you want to cut because it has had the most styling damage! Like I said in the caption, that is a demo braid just to give you an idea. You want all the braids or twists to be about that size or smaller if possible to ensure you get as many damaged ends as possible. I usually use twists when I dust my ends because I follow-up immediately with a hot oil treatment  with hair still in twists. The twists mostly come undone themselves during the hot oil treatment so it reduces my takedown time before the shampoo.

“Dusted” ends

After dusting my ends and doing the hot oil treatment, the result is soft, full, even hair that I can comb through with virtually no tangling! I hope you have equally as pleasing results!