A Definitive Guide on Cutting Your Own Hair

In general, it’s always best to go into a local hair salon and have an educated and trained professional cut your hair. They went to school for this kind of work and, typically, will give you what you’re looking for. With that said though, there are times where you might want to cut your own hair. Perhaps it is in between haircuts, or you’re suddenly finding yourself stuck at home for an indeterminate length of time. Whatever the reason, it is a good idea to know how to cut your own hair. Men, with this ability, you can put off having your hair cut for longer periods of time, which will save you money.

Depending on the kind of haircut you’re interested in, you might be able to avoid getting a haircut. With just a few tools of the trade and some basic pointers, you’ll quickly learn how to cut your own hair.

Men, Why Cut Your Own Hair?

image via pixabay

There are a number of reasons why you might want to cut your own hair. First, you don’t always have the time to go in and see your barber or stylist. They may be booked, or it just might not fit into your schedule. Whatever the reasoning, you’ll be left without a haircut which means your hair might grow long and out of shape.

On top of not being able to make it into the local hair salon, you’ll save money by cutting your own hair. Even if it only pushes your hair cut back a week or two, by being able to go six weeks without a haircut instead of four, you’ll end up trimming off several haircuts every single year, which is a sizeable saving. Plus, do you really want to pay for a haircut just to have your neckline trimmed? It’s an expensive price to pay just to have your neck cleaned up.

Depending on the hair you have and the kind of hairstyle you’re interested in, you might not really need to go into a salon for the look. Perhaps you’re interested in shaving your hair down close to the scalp, or maybe you like the buzz cut look where your entire head is cut onto one level of a trimmer.

Whatever it is, you’re able to accomplish this with tools easily purchased and used at the house. So if you’re ready to cut down on the amount of money and time you spend on haircuts, now is a great opportunity to learn how to cut your own hair.

Different Men Hair Styles

image via unsplash

There are all sorts of hairstyles for men. Many uses shaved or trimmed downsides, which means routine maintenance. Some cuts you should consider (both giving yourself or receiving at a salon) include the high bald fade with a thick quiff on top. The low fade with slick back hair and slight facial hair. The high skin fade with messy hair on top. The undercut with a long comb-over. The quiff with tapered slides as well as the spiky hair with undercut fade.

How to Cut Your Own Hair: DIY Men

image via pixabay

In order to begin with how to cut your own hair men, you need to have the right tools. The right tools will ensure you’re able to do a better job at cutting your own hair (it will also help you avoid major problems and big mistakes later down the road as well). From there, you’ll be able to begin cutting your own hair.

Getting the Tools

image via unsplash

For starters, you’ll need a pair of scissors. Don’t go for the all-purpose scissors as these are not designed to cut hair. Instead, go specifically for scissors designed for cutting hair.

You don’t need the same kind of scissors your stylist uses. The smaller the pair of scissors the smaller the mistake. You haven’t been trained in how to use the scissors, so it’s better if you keep to getting the small pair.

You’ll want a small-tooth comb. This will help control the amount of hair you collect and trim at a time. When cutting your hair, it isn’t a race. If you’re in a rush to cut your hair then stop what you’re doing.

You will want to pick up a pair of hair trimmers. Hair trimmers that allow you to change the cutting length is a valuable tool to have. However, avoid buying the cheapest pair you find. These will break down, and the cheap ones become dull quickly as well. Cheap trimmers can also pull the hair from your scalp instead of cutting it properly – ouch!

Lastly, you’ll want a razor. After you trim down the hair around your neck, you need to pull out a razor and remove the remainder. Using an electric trimmer for this will leave some stubble and constantly pushing the trimmer up and down increases the chance of an ingrown hair.

A Vision to Behold!

You should pick up a mirror you can hold up as well. Yes, you have the mirror in the bathroom, but you’ll want to see what’s going on behind your head as well. This is where most mistakes happen as you’re working behind your head. With the handheld mirror, you’ll turn around, hold the mirror in front of you and reflect the image back off the wall mirror.

By doing this, you’ll see what’s going on behind your head. You can pick up quality mirrors for just a few dollars at a local grocery store. To make it easier still, there are three-way mirror systems. These are actually two mirrors, but one will fold out, which reflects the first mirror off of the second mirror, allowing you to see behind your head, all without holding up anything.

Cutting Your Hair

image via pixabay

Before you begin, take a shower. If you’ve already taken a shower and least wet, the hair down and remove any product that might be in it. Dry your hair, so it is just slightly damp. This will make your hair easier to hold on to and work with.

Now, start at the bottom and work your way up. If you are using clippers, select the clipper size for your hair. It’s always best to use the longer setting first to see what it looks like before moving your way down.

Mistakes are not as noticeable with longer hair. With shorter hair, there is less room for mistakes, and each mistake becomes significantly more glaring.

Work your way to the top of your head. If you’re using trimmers for the entire look, you’ll want to consider whether you want to use differently sized trimmer guard for the top of your hair. The sides of your head grow hair faster, so if you have a thick, full head of hair, go with a slightly tighter trimmer guard on the side of your head.

Tips for Thinning Hair

However, if your hair is thinning, a trick you can use is to use a slightly longer trimmer guard on the top of your head instead of the sides. This way, the hair on top is slightly longer, and yet will blend in with the sides better (if everything is the same length, the thinning hair will stand out more).

Focus on the edges of your hair. Using the trimmer is great for haircuts, but you’ll need the scissors for the finer points. Trim around your ear and catch any flyaways. If you are cutting the top of your hair with scissors, comb the hair out, so you have an even amount, then cut above the comb.

Conclusion

image via unsplash

The ability to cut your own hair comes in handy when in a pinch. It allows you to go a few weeks longer without getting a haircut. It will also help you save money. There are plenty of reasons as to why you might want to cut your own hair and why you should learn how to cut your own hair men. Once you learn this and you have the necessary tools on hand, you will never again need to fret if your hair isn’t looking as hot before a date or a big event. All you’ll need to do is pull out the tools, and you’ll be ready to give yourself a great looking haircut.