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Beauty treatments: When to DIY, and when to call the professionals

I woke up one day last week with a deep, out-of-the-blue, unquenchable desire for bangs.

I needed bangs. I created a Pinterest board detailing all the beautiful bangs I could get. I polled my coworkers. (They were split 50-50). I texted my best friend for her opinion. "They would hide your forehead wrinkles," she said. "Like Bang-tox!"

Way less toxic than Botox.

My need for bangs was so severe  I nearly took scissors to my hair myself that night.

Good sense stopped me just in time, and got me thinking: There's beauty you can DIY, and there's beauty best left to the professionals.

Here are beauty treatments I'm happy to attempt myself, and the cases in which I call in specialists:

You'll never find my nails not painted, but I haven't gotten a professional manicure in years. I have a steady hand and a robust nail polish collection, and having someone else do it honestly isn't something I enjoy. (My hands are ticklish!) Verdict: DIY all the way.

My eyebrows, as I've mentioned, were overplucked in years past, so they take very little maintenance with tweezers to keep them in line. But if you have the bushy, unruly brows I can only dream of, you'll want to turn to a professional for waxing or threading. Verdict: A toss-up.

Tanning is bad for you. Looking at my blindingly white skin on the beach would be bad for you, too. I swear by  St. Tropez Tanning Essentials Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse ($44 at Sephora). Believable-looking, non-orange color develops quickly; use the recommended Tan Applicator Mitt ($6.50) for goof-proof application. No need for pricey spray tans here. Verdict: DIY all the way.

I have dyed my hair myself many, many times. An at-home dye job really requires only a sense of optimism and the knowledge that, no matter what, hair grows back. That being said, a lot depends on what you're trying to do. Want to cover a few pesky grays? Check out the Nice 'N Easy Root Touch-Up kit ($6.99 at drugstores). Looking for balayage, a technique in which highlights are hand-painted on the hair? Head thee to the professionals, stat. Verdict: A toss-up.

There are at-home options for hair removal if you're looking for something more heavy-duty than a razor, but (call me crazy) I believe  the handling of both hot wax and lasers should be left to the experts. Verdict: Professionals only.

So, back to my bangs. I had bangs once before, and I confess  I trimmed them myself from time to time, but I'm thinking that, if I do decide to take the plunge, a trip to the professionals is in order for that initial chop. Verdict: Professionals only.