(Featured haircut is the undercut)
No man wants to emerge from weeks of pandemic lockdown resembling a bear coming out of hibernation. If your barbershop is closed and you’re doing your bit to fight coronavirus by staying at home, you may be feeling a bit shaggy right about now. Go from scruffy to stylish by taking clippers into your own hands and give yourself a haircut at home. Decide on a length and a style and gather up the tools you will need. Just remember the key to cutting your own hair is to cut less.
You can always take off more later. The only remedy once you’ve taken off too much is waiting for your hair to grow out. When you have a plan, the actual haircut is pretty simple. Here’s how to cut your own hair at home.
Find a guide to cutting your style.
Are you ready to tackle a brush cut or a peaked style? Do you want to try your hand at a fade or a buzz cut? Once you decide on a style, you have to find out how to achieve the look. A useful styling guide is available from Wahl, one of the premier sources for men’s hair styling tools. The brand features on its website easy-to-follow instructions for some of the most popular men’s haircuts.
You need the right tools.
Although one professional stylist may tell you the proper shears help but aren’t essential, you are no pro when it comes to cutting your own hair. You need the right tools to get the right cut, and the most important tool will be your clippers. Think of scissors and combs as important complements to your clippers. You’ll want them for the really focused work.
Look for a set of clippers with guards to handle hair of different lengths. Guards set the length of hair that’s left on your head when you make passes with your clipper. You’ll use a combination of guards according to the hairstyle you choose. Guards are usually numbered 1 for an eighth of an inch through 8 for an inch.
The Wirecutter is a good source for clipper recommendations, but their webpage is advising most hair trimmers are out of stock because so many men started cutting hair at home. Take note that Wirecutter has added a Braun Rechargeable Wet & Dry Electric to its list. Their tester calls the Braun a well-rated and ready-to-ship option.
You’ll want to see all of your head.
Set up a dual-mirror system for your haircut. Mounting one mirror on the wall and using another hand mirror will give you the all-round view you need. Here’s one that can serve both purposes.
Start by setting up a haircut station.
Your bathroom is a logical place to cut your hair since you’ll need good lighting and a floor that’s easy to clean. A nearby bathroom sink or shower will be handy for washing off pesky hair trimmings. Have a vacuum or a broom ready to sweep up fallen hair, or stand on a large towel that you can shake off into the trash later.
The process will go smoothly if you gather exactly the tools you need at your disposal. Have your clippers, scissors, comb and hand mirror ready to go.
Get your hair damp before you cut.
Many men like to follow up their hair wash with a cut, while others prefer to trim without taking time for a full shampoo. If you have product in your hair, shampoo it first; trimming wet hair is much easier and faster than trimming dry hair.
Don’t cut the back of your head blindly.
Use both mirrors to see the back of your head. Stand with your back to the wall mirror holding clippers in one hand and the hand mirror in the other. Hold the hand mirror so you can see the sides and back of your head reflected in the wall mirror. When you are cutting those areas, you won’t be cutting blind. This strategy makes trimming your neck easy. Save the scissors for trimming the hair you can see directly.