Cutting Your Hair At Home
I know many of you are itching for a haircut now that barbershops have been shut down in an effort to promote social distancing. If you’re used to getting regular haircuts, this can definitely be a hard time. Many of you have posted about wanting to pull out your clippers and cut your hair yourself. I, myself, have shaved my head many times on my own and thought I would give you all a few tips to make it a smooth experience rather than a horrific one (I’ve had a few of those) that will leave you wearing a hat at home.
TIP 1: DON’T CUT YOUR OWN HAIR
We go to professionals for haircuts for a reason. I know some of you may be rolling your eyes at this tip but I would feel horrible telling you all to do something that typically requires some type of skill and lots of practice. Barbers will definitely comment under this to not try cutting your own hair at home. If you are trying to give yourself a fade or design, I would surely discourage pulling out your own set of clippers. If you are just trying to achieve an even, shaved down look - then proceed with caution (at your own risk).
TIP 2: Invest in a decent pair of clippers
You don’t need the most expensive clippers in the world to get an even cut. Most stores sell budget-friendly clippers that can help you accomplish what you are going for. At a minimum, you need a pair of clippers that come with at least 3-4 guards. The best brands to buy are Andis, Wahl, and Oster. If you plan on cutting your hair consistently, then I would suggest investing in a more expensive set that will last you a long time. I always look to Amazon reviews when I am deciding if a certain model is for me.
Baldie Recommendations: Wahl Chrome Pro | Oster Fast Feed
TIP 3: ALWAYS use a hair guard
Never, ever, EVER cut your hair without a guard unless your goal is to go scalp bald. A guard allows for there to be space between the blade and your scalp, therefore controlling how low the cut is. This is the #1 mistake many people (including myself) make. The lower the number on the guard, the closer the cut you get. Make sure to pay attention to this as you start to cut your hair because the guard will determine the length of your hair.
TIP 4: Always better to cut less and go lower than to cut too much and can't go back
I start with a higher number guard and work my way down as I cut more hair. I do this because it is much easier to go lower in increments than to go super low at once and realize you cut more hair than you wanted to.
TIP 5: Cut your hair dry
Cut your hair while it is dry. Cutting your hair while wet will stop the blade from cutting your hair as evenly as possible, leaving you with a patchy haircut. If you have tight curls, comb or pick your hair out a bit to make it easier for the clippers to cut through.
TIP 6: Cut hair in the direction you want it to lay
Once you get to a good length you want to keep, start cutting your hair in the direction you want your hair to lay. For instance, in the front of your hair cut in the direction of the top of your head to your edges(back to front). In the back, cut from the top of your head to your nape. This will help your cut lay and cooperate once you are ready to rock your cut.
I plan on shaving my head soon so I will be recording a video and uploading our YouTube channel so subscribe :) I do not have any experience cutting my hair with a razor so I am unable to give any directions if that is the look you are going for. Let me know what you think of these tips! If you have any other tips, please leave them below. Stay safe everyone - wishing good health for you and yours.