Alright y’all, buckle up because today’s adventure started with me staring into the bathroom mirror, fed up. My hair looked like a deflated balloon after one too many budget haircuts gone wrong. Seriously. Needed something fresh, something that wouldn’t make my wallet cry. Spotted a bunch of Pinterest pics calling things “effortlessly chic” and “budget-friendly bangers” – yeah, right. Time to put that to the test.
Step 1: The Inspiration Hunt & Reality Check
First things first, grabbed my phone and dove deep into Pinterest and Instagram. Searched stuff like “cheap cute hairstyles,” “diy haircuts easy,” and “best drugstore hair products.” Found this curtain bang thing looking super soft and ‘expensive’… on a model with perfect lighting and probably a pro stylist hovering nearby. Okay, challenge accepted. Also kept seeing blunt lobs – chin to shoulder length – with face-framing layers; looked polished but supposedly doable? Weirdly, messy buns and high ponies kept popping up too as “wow” styles. I figured, well, those cost zero dollars, so sure, throwing those in the mix.
Step 2: Raiding the Budget Stash & Facing Facts
Went rummaging under my sink. What did my broke self already own?
- Scissors: Sharp ones? Nope. Found the pair from the kitchen junk drawer I used once for wrapping paper. Desperate times.
- Products: Half-empty bottle of cheap drugstore texturizing spray (smelled vaguely like coconuts and regret), some basic hairspray that felt like glue, and dollar store elastics.
- Mirrors: One bathroom mirror. The whole ‘two mirrors’ trick? Yeah, I don’t own a second one.
- Hair: Mine: straightish, boring brown, just past shoulder length. Definitely needed something.
Right then. No fancy tools, just grit and cheap products. Let’s do this.
Step 3: Attempting the Curtain Bangs
Started with the scary part: the damn bangs. Watched one shaky YouTube video where someone said “just part your hair down the middle and snip horizontally!” Easy for you to say, pixelated person.
Took a deep breath, parted my hair dead center. Grabbed a section maybe two inches back from my hairline on each side. Held the hair straight out from my forehead, crossed my fingers, and snipped… way higher than I should have. Like, almost eyebrow level high. Instant panic. “Okay okay, too short,” I muttered. Forced myself to stop before I made it worse.
Tried point-cutting into them vertically like another video sorta mentioned to soften the edge. It felt hacky, but hey, they looked less like a helmet visor and more like… something. Applied the texturizing spray like crazy, ruffled them with my fingers. Looked in the mirror. Honestly? Not terrible. Kinda shaggy, kinda hiding my cowlick a bit? Small win. They definitely didn’t look model-perfect, but they looked different. And you could see my eyebrows! Progress.
Step 4: Chopping the Blunt Lob
Since I was already cutting bits off, figured I’d tidy up the ends aiming for a blunt lob. Pulled all my hair forward over my shoulders. Wanted it roughly chin-length? Maybe a smidge longer?
Used my fingers as a guide – no fancy clips here. Pinched a section between my fingers roughly where I wanted to cut. Took the scissors… slice. Felt weirdly satisfying. Did this all the way around. Definitely uneven in spots where I couldn’t see properly. Especially the back? Lord knows what it looked like. Turned around, twisted to peek. Good enough! Added a few very subtle snips into the very ends of the layers around my face I’d seen online, hoping it wouldn’t look like I attacked it with a weedwhacker.
Step 5: The Magic (Cheap) Styling Hacks
Now for the “wow” without spending more than five bucks.
- The Voluminous Ponytail: Did the usual flip upside down, gathered hair super high. Secured it tightly with a sturdy elastic. Here’s the kicker – just before the final pull-through, stopped halfway, split the ponytail, then pulled the tail through only partway creating a loop. Pinned it down slightly with a bobby pin hidden underneath. Instant volume bubble! Sprayed it within an inch of its life with the dollar hairspray.
- The “Effortless” Messy Bun: Second-day hair is best. Made a regular medium-high pony. Twisted it around the base loosely. Instead of winding it tight, sorta mashed the twist into a messy knot shape. Used another cheap elastic to secure the lumpy mess. Pulled out lots of pieces around my face and especially near the neck. More texturizing spray on the pieces, scrunched. Boom. Looked like I tried, but didn’t overtry.
Final Thoughts: Did It Wow On A Budget?
Honestly? Yes and no. The DIY cut itself? It’s passable. The bangs aren’t perfect, but they frame my face better than before. The ponytail and bun tricks? Total game-changers for literally cents. They looked way more polished and intentional than anything I’d done before with the same crappy products. The overall look feels fresher and more “done” than I expected.
Was it easy? Heck no. My bathroom floor looked like a barber shop exploded. Was it worth saving a salon trip? Absolutely. You can definitely find affordable styles that pop using cheap products and YouTube courage. Just maybe practice the big chop on small bits first! 10/10 would stain my sink with cheap hairspray again.
