How to Make Straight Hair Look Choppy at the Ends

How to Make Straight Hair Look Choppy at the Ends
Written By
Donna Tinus
Donna Tinus
Published: Aug 24, 2011
Updated: Dec 13, 2021
2 minute read

Straight hair with choppy ends is a trendy, edgy look. You can achieve this hairstyle by cutting the ends of your hair at an angle instead of straight across. Cutting your hair in this manner allows your hair to move more freely. This works well for oval-shaped faces and adds movement to fine hair. If you already have a straight, blunt cut, you can get this messy, sexy 'do with a few snips of the scissors.

Shampoo your hair, rinse well and towel dry. It's best to start a haircut with clean, damp hair. Have the person sit in a chair, or if you're doing your own hair, stand in front of a mirror.

Grasp a 1/2-inch-wide section of hair between your forefinger and middle finger, and point it straight up toward the ceiling. Point the scissors vertically down toward the hair, in the middle of the piece of hair. Cut a "V" shape 1/2 inch into the piece of hair you are holding.

Continue in this manner around the whole head, grasping 1/2-inch pieces of hair and chipping triangular shapes into the pieces. This leaves you with hair of various lengths, and creates a choppy effect. Stylists call this effect "piecey."

Apply a texturizing gel to the hair by placing a pea-sized dab onto the palm fingertips of one hand, then applying it to the ends of your hair. Grasp 1/2-inch-wide sections of hair 1 inch from the ends and pull the gel through to the ends, then twist the hair into points. The twists will come undone, but some of the ends will remain stuck together slightly, enhancing your choppy look.

Donna Tinus

Donna Tinus has been a writer since 2005. She has a background in medical terminology and has written articles for various websites on topics such as family, finance, medicine, health, pets, gardening, beauty and relationships. Tinus holds…

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