When I spontaneously big chopped, I chopped off a chunk of my hair on the left front side. My logic was to cut my hair in an even afro. However, once I began cutting, I felt the urge to cut more and more. I was clipping chunks from the same area and it was like a dent in the front when I picked out my natural afro. To remedy the chunk I cut out, I simply patted my natural hair afro extra tight and I also wore puffs.
My mistake can make your journey easier. Spontaneity can be a great quality to have; but in hind sight I needed a plan that explained how I was going big chop. I needed to specifically understand what tools to use, a visual guide to ensure that I did not big chop too much and a gauge that told me when I had chopped off enough, that is – put the scissors down and back way.
After giving it much thought, I came to the determination that I could’ve used rubber bands to aid in the big chopping process. Below I’ll explain how to use rubber bands for your big chop.
You will need the following:
• Freshly washed hair. Do not blow dry or stretch your hair after you wash because you will need to clearly see the line of demarcation. The line of demarcation is where the natural hair and relaxed hair meet.
• Colored or white rubber bands are needed so that you can easily mark the line of demarcation.
• It’s important to use quality hair cutting shears. Please do not cut your hair with dull scissors. Dull scissors or low quality hair cutting shears may damage the ends of your hair.
• It’s helpful if you can see your hair from every angle imaginable, so I recommend using two mirrors. Having one hand held mirror and a one wall mounted mirror is optimal to achieve the viewing angles needed to easily big chop.
• You’ll need a comb to aid in making neat parts when you section your hair.
• Butterfly clips or duck bill clips will aid in keeping your hair together when you section through your hair.
• Use a Plastic Cap to help keep your hair damp as you section off parts of your hair.
• Spray bottle filled with water to spray your hair if it starts to get dry.
How to Big Chop in 5 Easy Steps
1. Using the comb, section off your freshly washed hair into four big sections using the diagram below as a guide. Remember to leave the plastic cap on the areas of your hair not currently being sectioned.
a. Part or section your hair from ear to ear. Use the blue line starting with 1 and ending with 2 in the diagram above as a guide.
b. Next, using the red line starting with 3 and ending with 4 in the diagram, part your hair down the center from forehead to nape.
c. Use the butterfly clips or duck bill clips to keep each section separated.
2. After the hair has been separated into to four big sections, working from the front right section just above your ear, make two parts so that you will have three equal sections. Use the diagrams below as a guide.
3. Working within the three sections, starting on row one, section your hair into square parts and place a rubber band right above the new growth. The new growth represents your natural hair. The size of the squares will be determined by the amount of new growth you have. If there is very little new growth the squares may be smaller. If there is a lot of new growth, the squares may be larger. The goal is to have each square sectioned off with a rubber band, so that the line of demarcation is exposed above the rubber band. Having the line of demarcation visible allows you to use it as a guide as you cut the relaxed ends off of your hair.
4. Continue to rubber the entire front right section. Keep in mind two things: 1. If you want uniform hair, align each rubber band with the one beside it. This will make all the rubber bands even. When banding a new section, be sure to use a previous banded section as a guide. 2. If you are not concerned about having even hair, then rubber band the hair just below the line of demarcation. This way, you have the greatest chance of cutting off all of your relaxed ends. Once you finish, there may be a need to go back and snip a little.
5. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for the remaining sections of your hair. Remember to use the mirror so you’re able to see the back of the head as you band.
Once your entire head has been sectioned off into banded squares. Cut off your relaxed hair, including the rubber band.
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About Jael Byrd
Thanks, this really helped. The permed ends are really starting to bother me and money is funny so I am going to cut it myself. This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for turning your experience into an instructional.
Hi Danielle! You are welcome. Keep us posted how your results
Omg, I am horrible at hair care but this made cutting off my relaxed ends easy! Thanks, chica!!
Hi Tabitha,
You are welcome!
Thanks for this! I believe I am going to cut my hair myself this weekend! Im nervous but this isnt my first big chop, but its been a while since my last one. This is my final one as well. Last time I wasnt mentally ready and went back to the relaxer but this time I am staying this way! Thanks again….
Kim,
You are welcome! You have to take pics and share with us!!! I am so excited for you. I am happy that mentally you have prepared yourself for what’s to come. Keep us posted on your progess and updates.
Jael
thank you thank you thank you for this. you were a god send. all the videos on youtbe were just sped up videos of people cutting off their hair, but none were a how-to. but this was exactly what i needed. i follwed your guide and ive been compliments ever since. i got bold tonight after contemplating it all morning and now that ive done i am in love! i love my new look. suddenly i feel so free. lol liek i should go and write a book or something on my life journey. but either way regardless thank you so much for this tutorial. it was so helpful. — Victoria
@ vashley07 – First off, congrats on your decision to go natural and an even BIGGER CONGRATS on deciding to big chop. I am very happy that our guide was a helpful tool in helping you to big chop. Don’t forget to update your album with pics so that we can see you sporting your new style.
Jael
Very good info here… I seem can’t get my head around how I am going to do it. My hair is already cut short and relaxed. The back isn’t a problem since it was tapered in the back. The front and top though seems like it is relaxed to the scalp and I don’t have any natural hair, LOL (if that makes sense). So do you suggest maybe I wait until it goes out to gain some natural hair?
Hi Twilla,
I definitely suggest that you wait until your hair grows more.
Now, if you are comfortable with very short hair, you can shave it off and rock a brush cut/Caesar. The choice is up to up you and depends greatly on your comfort level.
Also, you can always transition with braids or a wig. If you decide on a weave, be sure to do a full installment because a partial installment where part of your hair is left out will cause you to have uneven new growth.
I hope this info helps!
Jael
Thanks so much for this info. Very helpful. I plan on having my cousin come over tomorrow and cut my relaxed ends off. I’ve been growing out my hair since January and it is now july. I am feeling pretty comfortable with the length of my new growth. I do believe it’s time to stop fusing with these ends.
How exciting! You should send in your story and be featured!
Wait a minute, no no no no… ya’ll are making me nervous. Ok I’m sorry. Let me start over. Whew…ok um let me just start off by saying that I have been natural for over ten years and have done the BIG CHOP many many times. I’m not hating on using scissors/hair cutting shears to cut your hair as long as you know what you’re doing. Now if you are like me and you have no experience what so ever with cutting hair, stay far far far away from a pair of scissors/shears. I’m telling you from experience, if you don’t know what you are doing, you WILL mess your head up. I have jacked my hair up many many times. So I learned the hard way. Please, I beg of you, if you just refuse or are too scared to go to a barber shop or beauty salon to do the BIG CHOP, please go to the store and buy you some CLIPPERS. There are some women that are against clippers, but I have always had very good results using clippers. Now this is NOT for the girls who are transitioning…your hair may be to long for this, and you may need shears. But for the big choppers, when u get ready to cut your hair, use the biggest guard that comes with the clippers, just to start. If u still have some relaxed ends left, use the next size smaller guard, and just keep going thru all the guards from largest to smallest until u find the one that leaves u without any relaxed ends left. Now what I’m about to say is just my opinion, but I get the best results when I do this. When u are cutting your hair with the clippers, go from back to front. Instead of doing what comes natural which is cutting from front to back, u cut starting in the back of head (neck line) and go up toward the front (forehead line). And do this all over your head. In my experience, when u use the clippers cutting your hair going from forehead to neck, u end cutting off way more hair than u want to. And your hair will most likely be uneven in some areas. This is something that I have learned from a barber. And this information has really been a blessing to me. If you do what I just explained, I promise, no… I guarantee that you will have a perfectly even afro or teeny weeny afro. Now after u cut it wash your hair twice, then use a deep conditioner and comb thru and detangle your hair, letting it stay in your hair for at least 30 minutes to and hour (covering it with a shower cap). And once u rinse out your conditioner, gently pat your hair dry, do not rub or scrub your hair dry, that can damage your hair. Use just a regular hair oil moisturizer or lotion (at least just for now) so that u can see what your real hair texture really looks like. Do not comb hair after applying the moisturizer unless u want to rock a cute fro. But if want to see your natural hair texture or curl pattern, just rub the moisturizer in your hair very well, rubbing your hands back and forth to bring out your texture. I say this because I think a lot of women go straight to hair gels or curl puddings to define their curls, before even checking out their natural texture with just a regular moisturizer without manipulation. It’s very important that u embrace and fall in love with your hair just the way that it grows out your scalp (the way God made it) before u get sucked into a routine where u can’t leave the house without your curls being perfectly defined. Not that there is anything wrong with defining your curls, but just try not to get to the point where u are too embarrassed to go out with your natural hair without applying water and gel constantly everyday. It’s nice to fall in love with your hair both ways (defined or not), cause when winter comes, those wash and gos and curl defining routines will be much harder to maintain. And on another note, when u use certain curl defining gels or puddings, u could end up having a lot of people asking u if you just got a jerry curl or a texturizer. These kinds of questions never bothered me when I defined my curls, but this may upset some naturals, especially if u want it to be obvious and clear to the world that u are now natural, Sorry for such a long post, I just don’t want any new naturals to go thru what I have been thru these past 10 years. If I have offended anyone, I apologize in advance. I really hope that this helps someone.
Hi Chotsani,
Thanks for your comment and I think it is great that you have been natural over 10 years!
Let’s keep in mind that alot of what women choose to do with their hair is their personal preference, including whether to use shears or clippers to big chop & to either DIY or have someone else do it. Just because a person uses shears/scissors does not mean they are going to mess up their hair.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with using scissors/sheers to big chop. I have experience with clippers and I opted for the scissors. Adding vibrating clippers to an already high spirited time doesn’t mix well. I am happy with my decision to big chop myself using scissors because I was most comfortable with that. Also, all the emotions and feelings that were wrapped up in the day that I actually big chopped will always be my cherished memory.
We have received many emails and read comments where natural women have used our guide as a tool to big chop and it was helpful and they achieved their desired results. I know when I big chopped, I didn’t want a fro as the end result and I don’t believe that everyone woman that big chops want a fro either. For those that do, generally, go to the barber to have it evened and rounded, after they have big chopped or they go the barber to begin with. Again, all of this is a personal preference.
Thanks for your comment and tips,
Jael