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Is the hair salon near me safe?
We are currently in the middle of a pandemic. It’s normal to be overly cautious about the places we visit. A salon visit may put a family member in danger of exposure to COVID 19. It would great if you can give yourself or your family a haircut without depending on the barbers near you. With a a vacuum haircutting system, you won’t need to go anywhere or need to worry about looking like a mess. You can look well put together even if your emotions are all in a mess.
What is a vacuum haircutting system?
A vacuum hair cutting systems uses suction from a vacuum to pull your hair into a blade with spacer attachments and the blade cuts your hair off. Hair is sucked into your vacuum while the blade cuts it off so there is no cleanup. I am using an old vacuum haircutting tool, the flowbee, made in the 80’s. It’s meant to easily cut short hair styles without making a mess. Supposedly, anyone can cut their own hair with absolutely no haircutting experience in the comfort of their own home.
However, from my 10 experience using the flowbee, it has some flaws that make it hard to use. I’ve addressed some major flaws my first review the flowbee for long hair in the post, Flowbee Review & Hack: How to Cut a Long Layered Haircut (2019). In this post I will address the flaws, hacks and tips for short hair. The hacks and tips that will work for the lady or gentleman haircut, girls or boys haircuts.
I have used the flowbee since 2010 and my dad used it when he was young. It’s been through two generations. Once you have it set up, your haircuts will be a breeze. I have not found anything that works better and easier than the Flowbee yet.
Flowbee flaws and DIY fixes/hacks
The flowbee, at first, is an expensive investment but will save you tons of money and time in the long run. The flowbee has a few huge flaws. First, the spacers needs to be more securely attached and the gaps needs to be reduced to maintain suction. I use tape to seal the seams to create strong suction. Second, noise level is high and annoying, you can become deaf without using ear plugs. Three, it last a long, LONG…time but the blade will become dull making it harder to cut your hair. You will have to replace the blades or the system even if it’s not broken. A bonus feature such as a self-sharpening blade would put this vacuum hair cutter to the top.
Flowbee haircut transitions, short haircuts, medium haircuts and long haircuts for newbies
Cutting short hair is not as easy as portrayed in the infomercials. Some hair like my coarse hair will not behave easily. As a self haircut newbie we don’t have any knowledge of the anatomy of your head. It’s difficult to give ourselves the short haircut we desire. It’s also hard to see and control the back of the head for good results. When growing out our hair to different lengths, it can be especially frustrating in between lengths. After about two years of cutting my hair short I came up with some tips and tricks to help you cut any short length hair styles. You can transition back to a longer hairstyle with ease. The video below will show you how you can handle and cut your hair at different stages of your hair growth.
A vacuum haircutting system is a great investment
The first thing is, you will save money in the long run. I’ve written a detailed breakdown here. You can cut hair for the whole family.
Vacuum haircut system options
A flowbee has become much needed and hard to find tool in the pandemic. The price of a Flowbee Haircutting System + Extra Rubber Vacuum Adapter) in 2014 was $99.95 has gone up to $139.95 in 2019 on Amazon. The official flowbee website has sold out as of today’s post on 1/4/2021.
If you are interested in investing in a vacuum haircutting system, definitely explore other vacum hair cutter in the market. If you want to buy the Flowbee, I would suggest checking amazon to see if they restock and getting it on amazon for free shipping. Some people have had luck on ebay.
Since the flowbee website doesn’t allow returns during COVID 19, instead of hating what you got, a good alternative would be to try something similar instead. A vacuum haircutter very similar to the flowbee haircutting system is the AirCut – Self Hair Cutting Kit. I have not personally tried it but looking at the vacuum haircut system, the tips I’ve mentioned in the video above are still applicable. This is especially true if you’ve never cut your own hair before. You can use it to get an idea what it’s like to cut your own hair with a vacuum haircutter. If it works out, then there’s no need to buy a Flowbee. If it doesn’t work for you, you can have a peace of mind, you’ll be able to return it and not lose your hard earned money. For short hairstyles there’s a lot of other vaccum hair cutter options.
Conclusion: I love my vacuum hair trimmer
Since I’ve been using a vacuum haircutting system, I’ve learned to hack the system to cut the longest layered to the shortest layered haircut. The transition from a super short haircut to a bob cut, to a medium layered haircut, to a super layer haircut has been a wonderful learning experience. I have total control of my time and hairstyle without worrying about messing up or having a mess to clean up after. Now, I love short hair. I able to go back to long hair effortlessly. It’s been fun cutting different hairstyles by myself. Here’s other haircutting methods I have tried cutting my hairs with.
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iPhone Battery Replacement Needed
I need an iPhone battery replacement for my old iPhone5, could I fix it / do it myself ? An iPhone repair is not something that I think I could do. However, I was super excited by the idea. I wanted to know how to take battery out of iPhone. Did iPhone5 battery replacement cost a lot? How complicated is it to do a iPhone battery repair? On the other hand I was also very intimidated by the idea, so my iPhone sat in a box collecting dust for over a year.
DIY iPhone Battery Repair Preparation
My mom was interested in playing with an iPhone but she didn’t want to invest so much money in a new iPhone. She does not intend to use most of the features. Remembering my iPhone stashed in the corner I decided to take a chance to see if I can fix it for her. I did some research and found a kit called IFIXIT iPhone5 Battery Replacement Kit . After watching more than 20 instructional videos I decided I could do it. To prevent myself from backing out I went and bought the kit at a local Fry’s Store. I went home and started the whole process with a live recording session. You can watch me stumbling through this challenge of my skills and nerves in the video below. I hope you will stick around to see if I succeed or fail miserably!!!
Conclusion
The kit only cost a little over $32 with taxes included, a much better option than spending a few hundred dollars for a new iPhone. My mom is very pleased and I am totally amazed that I fix it by myself. You do have to be prepared, be organized, be gentle, be careful and most importantly be patient in the whole process. It took me close to 2 hours from start to finish. I was taking my time so I wouldn’t make any stupid mistakes. It’s very rewarding to know I could do something that I thought was very complicated and impossible for me. This IFIXIT iPhone5 Battery Replacement Kit is excellent, I am super happy with it. I hope you will be inspired to try something challenging for personal your growth as well.
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YES, the Flowbee is My Haircutting Tool!
Flowbee is a really old vacuum haircutting system not targeted for haircuts for girls with long hair. Flowbee works great for short haircuts for women, men, kids and pets. If long layered hair or long haircuts for women is what you want, stick with me.
I got my Flowbee from my dad and he bought it between the 80’s and 90’s. The video I made below is to share with you Flowbee’s pros, cons and how I hacked the Flowbee to cut long layered hair. I wanted to share how you can cut your own hair with ease, no experience needed. You can use this method to cut really short or really long layers up to 15″. I have been cutting my own hair for the past 8 years with consistent good results.
Worth the Effort to Hack the Flowbee
With all the flaws the Flowbee has I can see why it’s not very appealing. If Flowbee did some design adjustment to secure the spacers and reduce gaps to maintain suction, reduce the noise level, and maybe a self-sharpening blade, I am sure a lot more people would be convinced to use it.
Good thing it only takes earplugs, tape and 1/2hr of time for the hack setup.  If you don’t have the system you do need to invest some money to buy the system. The system will more than pay for itself in due time. It’s been worth it for me, I only spent less than $40 dollars on extra spacers and oil. I have used it since 2010 and my dad used it when he was young. It’s been through two generations. Once you have it set up, your haircuts will be a breeze. I have not found anything that works better and easier than the Flowbee yet.
A Vacuum Haircutting System is a Great Investment
According to a google search, a girl’s haircut average to $43 and girls get their hair trimmed every 12 weeks and get a haircut every 6-8 weeks. Guys haircuts average to $28 and get a haircut every 3-6 weeks. There’s 52.1429 weeks in a year.
My haircuts averaged from $38 to $50 in Asian salons back in 2010 so I have more then recovered what I put in. If I had 6 cuts per year and if the price for my haircut stayed at $38 dollars per cut, in the past 8 years I would have spent $1,824 not including tips. My savings is for one person, imagine what a family could save.
As time passes by haircuts always goes up. Around 2002 – 2008 my friend’s haircuts were about $20 dollars but for me it was $28 dollars because I have super thick hair. I was upset I had to pay more. Prices spiked up to $30 dollars the next year and for me it was $38. My haircuts were always about $8 dollars more. Plus tips brings the cost closer and closer to $50 dollars per haircut. I have no idea how much a haircut would cost me now.
I can’t remember when was the last time I went to the salon. The Flowbee is pretty much a guaranteed money saver and success for me.
Flowbee Prices Going Up
If you are interested in investing in a vacuum haircutting system, definitely explore the options out there to suit your needs.  If you want to buy the Flowbee, I would suggest getting it on amazon for free shipping. The Flowbee website shipping cost seems a bit crazy.
7.5″Â Flowbee layered haircut with one set of attachments.
Here’s the research I did for the Flowbee vacuum haircutting system in 2014 when I got extra spacers & oil from Amazon.
Replacement oil – I didn’t see any on amazon, it sold for $5 at Flowbee’s website. The old shipping was just under $3 but now it’s crazy.
2019 prices have gone up. Flowbee Haircutting System + Extra Rubber Vacuum Adapter) – $139.95. I suggest getting the one with extra vacuum adapter. The one sold without the extra vacuum adapter is the same price. The original vacuum adapter broke since my dad’s era, but there’s nothing duct tape won’t fix. If you have an extra vacuum, you won’t need to rip the tape out every time you need to clean the house.
Replacement oil – Not available on amazon and it still sold for $5 at the Flowbee’s website.
Conclusion: I Love my Vacuum Hair Trimmer
It’s nice to have total control of my time and hairstyle I choose without having to worry about messing up. My favorite function is no hair to clean up. I recently dared to cut a super short pixie after years of having long hair. Short hairstyle is really liberating and super easy to maintain. Now, I love short hair. I have lots of fun cutting different hairstyles by myself and hope you will too. Here’s other haircutting methods I have tried cutting my hairs with.
I went window shopping at Nordstrom and found these adorable Mary Jane. When I saw these from afar I thought they were so cute and maybe just a little too cute for an adult. I couldn’t resist and tried them on anyways. They had the same same gel padding as the sneakers, extremely comfortable.
The shoes are super flexible. It’s weaved with multicolored ribbons and glittery blue elastics. I could fit size 1, 1.5, and 2. I decided on a size 2 because it was looser and didn’t leave an mark on my foot. Size 2 had more toe space and the sole were wider and held my foot better. Size 2.5 was too big. The shoes are finely crafted and looks very slim. I especially love the bright playful colors. It reminds me of Japanese origami or a Japanese kimono. Very classy. The gel pad plus pink air sole is not only cute overload but also a dream to walk on. I’ve walked over 3 miles in these and it felt like I was stepping on a pillow. I didn’t expect them to be so comfortable to wear. This is a great addition to my closet, a splash of happiness. I love them :).
They sell for $49.95. Fortuantly for me I had a $20 coupon from Nordstrom that was expiring soon. So it this was a great deal for me. So happy!
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The personality profile of my hair is straight, thick, coarse and stiff. It is so stubborn that the baby hair sticks straight up at the top of my head even if blow dried. I could never have short bangs because they would stick out as well. The only solution was to grow it long enough to weigh it down. No side swept bangs for me :(. Haircuts are dangerous as well. If the wrong stylist touched it, my head would end up looking like a big broom. My mom, not a professional, has the most experience dealing with my hair. She has cut my hair since I was a baby. I only trust her with my hair.The broom look was not encouraging for me to go to a stylist. After moving out, I was itching to experiment with cutting my own hair. I thought to myself, “It would be great if I could cut my own hair just the way my mom did.” I played with cutting my bangs. Failed, my hair was not obedient like usual but I was hooked on how I could possibly control the outcome of my hair.
With lots of research on different ways and methods to cutting hair, I decided to order the Original CreaClip Set. It seemed diverse and easy to use. If the kid in the video could cut her own hair, I could too. While waiting for my CreaClip I watched all the related CreaClip instructional videos and saw a similar technique of cutting hair into layers using a rubber band. I’ve always wanted a layered cut, I was so gung-ho about it that I took a pair of scissors and a rubber band and started cutting. I was so inspired and eager try the technique. Sometimes I am very impulsive, when I want to do something really badly, I have to do it now. Are you thinking, “Oh my Ga…she just butchered her hair!!!!”? Don’t worry, I didn’t need to run to the barber shop. Originally I had a straight blunt cut with no layers. I was in a rush to cut my hair and totally forgot to take a picture.
Cutting my own hair using the Rubber Band Method VS CreaClip: Back
Cutting my own hair using the Rubber Band Method VS CreaClip: Left
Cutting my own hair using the Rubber Band Method VS CreaClip: Right
Rubber Band Method:
(Updated 12/28/2013: The original Rubber Band Method video I saw is missing on Youtube, the pictures below are recreations of what I did.)
Cutting my own hair using the Rubber Band Method: Front view, Steps 1 & 2
Comb and flip hair to the front.
KEEP CHIN TUCKED, Tie hair with a rubber band. Pull rubber band straight down until you reach a desired length.
Cutting my own hair using the Rubber Band Method: Side view, Steps 3 & 4, Pictures are showing more then you should cut. Cut horizontally about 1/16″- 1/4″ at a time. Repeat until you reach your desired length.
Using sharp hair cutting scissors, cut horizontally, 1/16″- 1/4″ off at a time to remove split ends or shorten the length. This creates a blunt edge. This step can be repeated until you reach the desired length.
To feather the ends, point scissors vertically and cut OR use feathering scissors if you have one.
Cutting my own hair using the Rubber Band Method: Back view, Step 5 is optional
Optional: If you prefer a U shape, tie hair at the back and pull downwards, trim a little at a time. Release and check often before you cut more. (This step, if done alone, creates a straight edge.) Repeat Step 4 for the feathering effect.
Release rubber band and brush.
I basically followed the exact steps in the CreaClip video below but instead of using the CreaClip I used a rubber band to hold all my hair together. The rubber band was still tied to my hair after the cut. I used layering scissors at the tip to refine the cut for a feathered look
Pros
Easy to tie hair and cut.
Good for long hair.
Require only scissors and a rubber band.
Saves money.
Cons
No defined guide to see if hair is even. I used my nose, lips, chin as a markers for keeping my hair leveled.
Tough to cut through with one clean-cut. To ensure evenness it took lots of patients with slow tiny cuts. If you have thin hair it might be easier.
Edges of my hair turned out jagged. I had to do lot of correcting with thinning scissors afterwards. Maybe because my hair is super straight and thick even small flaws can be seen. If you have curly hair you may not have my issues.
Can’t be used on short hair or guy’s hair.
CreaClip Method:
Cutting my hair with CreaClip step by step, TL) Clipped all my hair together in the front. BL) Made sure the bubble is balanced BR) Scissors pointed up, cut my hair a bit at a time. TR) Package from CreaClip.
🙂 I kept it simple with a basic long layers cut for my first haircut with the CreaClip.
Pros
Fast and easy to use.
Spread my hair evenly which made cutting faster and easier.
Evenly defined results. You can clearly see the V shape in the back. I didn’t have to do any correcting.
Can cut many endless possible stylish cuts, bang trimming, short or long styles, layered or blunt.
Can be used on short or long hair.
Effective and easy tool that will save money for the whole family.
Cons
The white clips is a bit too flimsy for my hair thickness. It may be better for finer hair. It’d be perfect if they could make it the same firmness as the blue one for the bangs.
Conclusion
Both method gave similar results for this layered look. The Rubber Band Method cost practically nothing but took a lot longer with unpredictable results while the Creaclip is a small investment with a guarantee of ease of use and diversity in the styles you can produce. Overall I loved playing with cutting my own hair. For a hair cutting newbie like me, the CreaClip was a super simple tool that gave me courage and confidence to start creating experimenting with cutting my own hair. I felt safe and sure that I wouldn’t mess up my hair. Tip: Go slow and cut a little at a time. Hair can’t reattach itself. I can’t wait to try the “A line” cut or trim my bangs in the future with the CreaClip. It’s been lots of fun, I love it.
Want the CreaClip?
You can find the Original CreaClip Set and Scissors Package on Amazon. It sells for $39.99 plus shipping and handling. Customer service was friendly and fast. You can shop similar products for a lesser price. I did not try the other products similar to creaclip so I don’t have any thoughts on these items.
* This product was sent to me for consideration. This is NOT a sponsored post and contains affiliate links to help keep this website up and running. All views and opinions are my own.
