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J. Elaine Spear
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Haircutting for Dummies Paperback – August 15, 2002

by J. Elaine Spear (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 473 ratings
A little off the top?

Want to cut hair but think you don’t have the talent? If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a painter, a sculptor, or a home decorator, you can cut hair. If you love sewing, drawing, or craft projects, you can cut hair. This book is designed to help you discover your inner artist, easily enhancing your loved one’s hairstyles while trimming big bucks off your family budget.

Haircutting For Dummies is for people who want to cut their family and friends' hair, as well as those who are entering the field of cosmetology. Cutting hair at home will allow you to save money, be creative, and do something nice for your loved ones. If you’re looking to become a licensed stylist, this book will show you how to do simple trims and styles while giving your own creativity room to roam. You’ll see how to:

  • Prepare men’s and women’s hair for cutting
  • Create short, mid-length, and long styles
  • Choose and care for your cutting tools
  • Apply advanced haircutting techniques
  • Seek a career in cutting hair

In this easy-to-follow guide, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for the latest short, medium, and long hairstyles as well as more involved techniques such as notching and texturing. You get plenty of expert advice in using your tools, following lengths and angles, and creating show-stopping styles, as well as proven guidance in how to:

  • Cut and style straight, curly, or kinky hair
  • Give the perfect shampoo
  • Judge the texture, strength, and health of hair
  • Handle bangs, layers, and sliced hair
  • Use a blow dryer, curling iron, and flat iron
  • Pump up the volume and fight the frizzies
  • Win your family’s and friends’ haircutting trust

Featuring detailed illustrations and model shots, tips on maintaining your own haircut between salon appointments, and special advice on cutting children’s hair, Haircutting For Dummies will have you achieving salon- or barbershop-quality results on all types of hair!

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  1. Print length
    370 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    For Dummies
  4. Publication date
    August 15, 2002
  5. Dimensions
    7.38 x 0.84 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    076455428X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0764554285
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The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Features tips for trimming and treating hair

Let the scissors fly and cut hair at home

Do you want to cut and style your family’s hair, but don’t know where to begin? Relax! This easy-to-follow guide shows you how to get salon- or barbershop-quality results on all types of hair – long, short, straight, curly, or kinky. You’ll discover how to care for your tools and maintain a haircut while you trim big dollars off your budget.

The Dummies Way

  • Explanations in plain English
  • "Get in, get out" information
  • Icons and other navigational aids
  • Tear-out cheat sheet
  • Top ten lists
  • A dash of humor and fun

From the Back Cover

Features tips for trimming and treating hair

Let the scissors fly and cut hair at home

Do you want to cut and style your family’s hair, but don’t know where to begin? Relax! This easy-to-follow guide shows you how to get salon- or barbershop-quality results on all types of hair – long, short, straight, curly, or kinky. You’ll discover how to care for your tools and maintain a haircut while you trim big dollars off your budget.

The Dummies Way

  • Explanations in plain English
  • "Get in, get out" information
  • Icons and other navigational aids
  • Tear-out cheat sheet
  • Top ten lists
  • A dash of humor and fun

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ For Dummies
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 15, 2002
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 370 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 076455428X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0764554285
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.38 x 0.84 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 473 ratings

About the author

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J. Elaine Spear

J. Elaine Spear

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
473 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book helpful for learning to cut hair, with one noting it's particularly useful for cosmetology students. The instructions receive mixed feedback - while some find them easy to follow, others say they are too complicated. The haircutting content and picture quality also get mixed reviews, with one customer noting it's best for women's cuts, while several mention there aren't enough pictures in the book.

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30 customers mention "Book content"28 positive2 negative

Customers find the book helpful for learning to cut hair and appreciate its valuable tips, with one customer noting it's particularly suitable for cosmetology students.

"...so I wasn't entirely new to the game but this gave me some insight into cutting men's hair, in particular...." Read more

"...for men’s barbering not what I was looking for however there are valuable tips and things to know in here ." Read more

"...clearly getting a lot out, of it as am I, as I am getting a better hair cut experience." Read more

"...I'm sure that this is a great book for the right audience, and should be offered under another title...." Read more

22 customers mention "Ease of follow"13 positive9 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about how easy the book is to follow, with some finding it easy and explaining everything in great detail, while others find it too complicated and difficult to follow.

"...I like the step by step instructions, and the author's witty writing, but think it would be more helpful to have pictures to go along with the..." Read more

"...I read the book and it's directions are easy to follow. If you cut your children's hair it has may great tips for us do it at homer's...." Read more

"Hated it, threw it out. It was too long, complicated, and totally difficult to follow or understand. Should have been condensed to 50 pages, max...." Read more

"...down to its most fundamental level, and give you practical, step by step understanding that you can build on. That's where this one falls down badly...." Read more

7 customers mention "Haircutting"4 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's haircutting content, with some finding it helpful while others express disappointment.

"...had never cut hair before in his life (nor have I) I emerged with a great cut and surprisingly little hair gone...." Read more

"...While I did get one great tip from it, this book is not that helpful for people at home cutting their family's hair...." Read more

"Good haircutting tips..." Read more

"This really does not help you cut hair... or give clear ideas of how hair cutting is done. So... I guess I'm the dummy for buying it!..." Read more

5 customers mention "Picture quality"0 positive5 negative

Customers find the picture quality unsatisfactory, with multiple reviews noting there aren't enough pictures and one customer specifically mentioning there aren't enough photos of steps.

"...haircuts (about a third of the book) are too complicated and not well-illustrated...." Read more

"...to flip through it at a bookstore....as a beginner, I think there aren't enough pictures and/or diagrams to illustrate the instructions and..." Read more

"This book is too wordy and not enough photos of steps showing a Dummy how to actually cut the hair...." Read more

"Too complicated, long, & detailed with very few photos......" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • A. J Terry
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on home haircutting
    Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2005
    Verified Purchase
    I've been growing my hair for over five years. And the only way I've been able to do it is to avoid hairdressers entirely. No matter how strongly you tell any of them that you just want a tiny trim, no matter how sincerely they promise to cut "just an inch," sheaves of hair wind up on the salon floor.

    However, my hair didn't grow 100% evenly. After five years the ends were looking pretty ragged. But I was afraid to go to a hairdresser for fear of having five years of hair growing undone. Furthermore, my hair had been in an oval cut and I wanted one straight across. But, without losing a significant amount of hair. (I did a consultation with a local hairdresser who wanted to level my hair to the length of my ex-bangs, which are at least eight inches shorter than any of the rest of my hair, and which would have given me a short cut all around.)

    So I finally decided to take matters into my own hands. I bought a copy of _Haircutting for Dummies._ I read the relevant sections, which turned out to be only the ones on buying tools (most of which I had), a few basic rules, and then info on the one haircut I wanted. I marked these sections for my husband, and he spent about twenty minutes reading them. Then we spent twenty minutes cutting my hair--which included setting up a chair and a mirror in the bathroom.

    Even though my husband had never cut hair before in his life (nor have I) I emerged with a great cut and surprisingly little hair gone.

    If you are in my situation, I could not recommend this book more highly.
    29 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • mustang girl
    5.0 out of 5 stars Informative And Helpful
    Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I started cutting my husband's hair after the Covid pandemic hit and I needed some styling hints. I had cut my own hair when I was younger so I wasn't entirely new to the game but this gave me some insight into cutting men's hair, in particular. I'm glad I have this in my digital library to refer to when needed.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Alex Coronado
    4.0 out of 5 stars If your looking for cosmetology this is your book
    Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I was looking for something for men’s barbering not what I was looking for however there are valuable tips and things to know in here .
    Helpful
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  • Jenn
    3.0 out of 5 stars I like the step by step instructions
    Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I have been "cutting" my family's hair for years, and hoped this book would help me learn to take it up a notch.
    I like the step by step instructions, and the author's witty writing, but think it would be more helpful to have pictures to go along with the vocabulary.
    18 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Tricia50
    5.0 out of 5 stars haircutting
    Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I haven't had a chance to read this book. It looks interesting and I'm sure that I will learn alot about cutting my hair.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Madeleine Humphrey
    5.0 out of 5 stars haircut
    Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I gave this book to the person who cuts my hair as they aren't a hairdresser and have no hair dressing experience but I cannot afford the real deal, so friends and family have to do and this time the person cutting my hair did a much better job than previously and I am sure therefore that this person is reading this book and is clearly getting a lot out, of it as am I, as I am getting a better hair cut experience.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Linda Adair
    1.0 out of 5 stars Too complicated, long, & detailed with very few photos...
    Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Hated it, threw it out. It was too long, complicated, and totally difficult to follow or understand. Should have been condensed to 50 pages, max. And should have been mostly photos with concise instructions.
    Helpful
     Report
  • mrsdmr
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good haircutting tips
    Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this book because I wanted to learn how to cut my own hair since I am handicapped
    and it is difficult for me to go to a beauty salon. I read the book and it's directions are easy to follow.
    If you cut your children's hair it has may great tips for us do it at homer's. Easy to follow instructions.
    I am very pleased with this purchase
    6 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in India on November 28, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Good .
    Report
  • Raj
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thanks
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Thanks
    Report
  • Hand Cleaning Brush
    5.0 out of 5 stars From Beginner to Advanced Haircutting Instructions
    Reviewed in Canada on October 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent buy for someone just starting out with hopes of advancing to pro!! It also has a section on how to open your own shop!!
    Report
  • Cyberwip
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have crash course to get off to a good start
    Reviewed in Canada on June 18, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I have many books and training manuals for hair care some costing over $100 and the problem is they contain far more than you need to know to do a basic hair cut.
    So you don't want to be a stylist and start a life of cosmetology, you just want to be able to give a decent hair cut.
    - This is your book - easy reading and straight to the point
    * The hardest part of learning to cut hair is 'finding volunteers'!
    Report
  • Bella
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very descriptive
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent book very descriptive this is aimed towards people with no cutting skills what so ever as a qualified hairdresser I would say it sounds and looks easy until it has to be done and has to be straight nobody wants a wonky cut you could probably do it with the help of this book but don't go running out thinking your going to be able to do it straight away it takes practice and read this book but this obviously doesn't make you qualified
    Report