A stylist explains why a TikTok DIY hack to get a perfect layered haircut in minutes makes sense in theory, but has the potential to go horribly wrong

Adventurous TikTokers are foregoing the salon and cutting their own hair using the "butterfly" technique, a viral hack that involves sectioning the hair into two ponytails and chopping the desired length off. 

The cut gained popularity after hairstylist Brad Mondo, who has over 9 million followers on the platform, posted a tutorial of the technique in October of 2022. It has since blown up — the original video garnered over 20 million views, and the #butterflycut and #butterflyhaircut hashtags on TikTok have 248.1 million views and 245 million views respectively. 

The trick promises to leave the hair with well-placed layers, despite only taking a few minutes to achieve. Users part their hair horizontally in a straight line from behind one ear to behind the other, and the bottom section of hair is gathered in a high pony at the top of the head, while the top section is tied into a ponytail in the center of the forehead.

Read more