Learning to cut your own hair has massive benefits concerning time, convenience, and saving money. No matter where you find yourself in the world, you’ll be able to give yourself a proper cut quickly and conveniently. Once you master this art, you’ll love maintaining your style with minimal effort and maximum advantages, which is why so many men are cutting their own hair at home these days.
- Decide on your style
First order of business is deciding what kind of style you’re going with. Know how much length you want to take off before you start in with the clippers or scissors. If you’re trying a new style, have a picture nearby to make sure have a good visual reference.
Choose a style that suits your face and the amount of hair you have to work with. If you’ve never cut your own hair before, now isn’t the time to experiment with risqué styles. Have a clear understanding of where you want your hair to go before you get started with the scissors or clippers.
Some of the best hairstyles for men according to MHN include the comb over fade, slicked back undercut, crop top taper fade, faux hawk, and spiked up hair.
- Get the proper tools
If you’re going to cut your own hair, do your due diligence and invest in some quality tools. Just like manscaping or grooming body hair, you’ll need a good set of clippers to trim the back and sides of your hair, and if you have a shorter style, the top of hair. Look for features like adjustable blades and durable guard combs.
A storage bag or case is essential, as you’ll need to keep the small combs together in one place. Don’t worry about making a huge monetary investment: a quality set of hair clippers can be found online or at your local drugstore for under $50.
Quality scissors-like single thinning scissors are the most important tool when it comes to getting a clean cut. If you have a good set of shears, your cutting job will be much easier, quick, and efficient. Find a good pair online or at your local drugstore for under $20.
- Find a good spot
Choose a spot with good lighting, a large mirror, and that’s relatively easy to clean up. The bathroom typically checks off all these boxes. If you haven’t already, gather scissors, clippers, towels, and a hand mirror for looking at the back of your head.
- Get your hair ready
Before you cut your hair, it’s important to get it prepped. Hair will be easier to work with when it’s clean and free from tangles. Wash hair with a quality SLS free and paraben free shampoo and rinse well. Leave conditioner on ends for a minute before you rinse to ensure a snarl-free cut.
Towel dry hair and detangle for a cleaner, even cut. Make sure hair is dry before you start your cut. Longer hair is easier to work with damp if you’re going to be using scissors. Keep a spray bottle nearby to wet strands if you’ll be scissor cutting.
- Start from the back
Unless you’re buzzing all your hair off, start from the bottom and work your way up. If you’re going for a buzz cut, start from the top of the head and work your way down.
Choose the appropriate clipper attachment based on how much length you’ll be taking off.
Start slow, working with a longer clipper attachment first and working your way down to a shorter attachment if necessary.
Use a large hand mirror to get a good view of the back of the head. Always go against the grain of the hair, starting from the bottom of the hairline up to where the hair gets longer on the top.
- Move to the sides
When you’re finished with the back of the head, move to the sides, focusing on one side at a time. If your kit comes with an ear taper, now is the time to use it.
Starting from the base of the hair around your ears, work the clippers up from the bottom to the top until you reach the longer hair on top of your head.
Tilt the clipper blade at an angle to create an even fade, always moving against the grain of the hair. Again, use a longer attachment first so you don’t take too much hair off at once.
- Cut the top
For scissor cuts on the top, make sure hair is lightly dampened. Comb hair in the direction of your part, either to the right or left.
Starting from the crown at the back of the head, comb hair straight up, sliding your fingers up to the length you want. Hair below your fingers stays on your head, and the hair above it will be trimmed.
Snip off hair in quarter inch sections at an angle so hair won’t look blunt and uneven. Whatever you do, don’t cut hair in big chunks using the whole scissor blade. The scissors should be used in short, angular bursts, not flat chops.
Move toward the forehead, continuing to scissor off horizontal sections of hair. When cutting a new hair section, use the part of the section you just cut between your fingers to use it as a length guide.
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- Blend the bottom with the top
You’ll want to blend the scissor cut with the clipper cut before you finish up. Run a comb through to the point where the clipper cut meets the scissor cut. Trim whatever hairs that poke through the comb, blending the harsh line that’s created from separation of the cuts.
- Make the finishing touches
Using a mirror, check your sides to make sure they are even. If anything looks uneven, go over it again with the clippers one last time.
Cut your sideburns with your clippers moving in an upward direction from the base of the ear. To make sure sideburns are even, use your fingers as a guide underneath each burn to visually inspect the length.
Grabbing your large handheld mirror again, go over the top of the neckline with the clippers on a lower attachment, making sure there is a straight line on the back of your head. This creates an even and neat look that will pull together your fresh cut.
With so many incredible online resources and courses for hair styling and cutting, it’s easy to practice a DIY haircut for guys.