Manage Your Expectations
Since you're going to be doing this yourself or having someone who is not a trained haircare professional help you, be realistic about the results you're going to get since they're likely not to be on the same level as your usual hairdresser. Place your trust in that person or yourself and be prepared to deal with whatever happens, I told my husband not to worry and if he cut too much off, I'd just go to a pixie cut. It's hair. It grows back. Also be realistic about the style. This is not the time to experiment with changing your style up too drastically.
Do Your Research
Figure out what you want whether it be a trim or a full cut and learn the best methods for achieving that. Youtube is a really valuable resource for this since there are many instructional videos for cutting hair on there. We watched hours of them before attempting to cut our hair. You can always have it running while you're doing the actual cut as well for guidance.
Have Backup
If you’re doing this for the first time, ideally you’re not doing it alone. It's possible to go solo if you have mirrors with a 360-degree perspective but having someone else do it for you or be your eyes particularly in the back will lead to a better outcome. Better yet, if you can get in contact with your stylist to have them walk you through the process or offer up some tips.
Get The Right Tools
If you're serious about cutting your own hair at home, then having the right tools is crucial because you do not want to be hacking at your hair with your kitchen or crafting shears. Your tools will depend on the length of hair you'll be cutting (like clippers are pretty essential for mens haircuts) and you'll want to assemble everything you need before you even start. I have recommendations for some equipment you might want in your arsenal below.
Set Yourself Up
Ideally you want to do this is a well lit space with mirrors especially if you're going it alone. Clear up your work area so that you have enough space to move around and be sure to move any furniture out of the way for your safety. We found the bathroom ideal for my husband because we have a three way mirror in there and when we went to cut my hair, we set up a chair in front of the mirror in his closet in our hallway.
Start With Clean Hair
They always wash your hair before cutting it at a salon for a reason. That's because it's easier to for tools to work on clean hair without type of buildup or hair product in it. Tip: if using clippers, dry hair is better for seeing the lines and how the hair is laying on the head. For longer cuts, damp hair is better. Keep in mind that hair appears slightly longer when wet.
Cut In Increments
It's always better to cut less to start with because you can always cut more because you can't recover when you over cut.
Section It Off
If you've ever watched your hairdresser at work it's likely that he/she cuts our hair in sections which makes sense for manageability and you should do the same. Use clips, start at the back and work your way forward.
Try To Make The Best Of It
When you get to point of cutting your own hair, it's probably due to not being in an ideal situation (like a pandemic) so make the best of it and take this on as a challenge to learn a new life skill. And if you're doing this with a partner, it can be a fun new way to connect. I feel like this experience has made my husband and I even closer.
So as I said before, assembling a set of tools will be very helpful and worth the investment if you're going to cut your hair at home. These are some implements, we've personally used that work well and I would recommend.
While you don't need professional hair cutting scissors, it doesn't hurt. You should avoid using any scissors that already have another primary purpose. This pair crafted from high quality Japanese stainless steel is tempered with precise blades and hand-sharpened edges to evenly trim hair with ease. They are very reasonably priced at just under $25 with an ergonomic handle that makes it easy to hold and the length of the blades make it versatile to use on a variety of lengths. We also found out the hard way just how sharp they are. Bonus: you can send these back to the manufacturer for sharpening.
A good set of clippers is a multi-tasking tool essential for mens haircuts. You should be looking for a set that has multiple guard attachments which will enable you to start off longer and adjust to work your way down to your desired length while also allowing for adjustments around the perimeter of the hairline. Going for a brand like this one that is used by professional barbers is a good bet. These clippers have a lithium-ion battery for over 4 hours of run time and 5 speeds for versatility. I would recommend cordless over a corded model just for ease and safety.
A cutting comb with an embedded straight razor is a very helpful tool. It's very handy for thinning out hair as well as creating layers. I used this to finish out the top of my husband's hair and also like it for cutting my bangs. You will have to replace it once the blade dulls but since it's relatively inexpensive, that shouldn't be a big deal.
Combs are integral for precision cutting, blending and thinning and this 3 piece set has everything you need for just that. Using a comb is really helpful for holding onto the hair when detailing and it's also safer for your fingers. We used the large comb to blend the top of my husband's hair with the buzzed bottom and the small comb when he thinned out my hair all over with scissors.
These lightweight yet sturdy clips are perfect for sectioning off your hair.
What differentiates this from hair cutting capes at the salon, is the well that catches the hair being cut. While it is a little unwieldy to use especially in small spaces, I'd recommend using something like this since it makes cleanup a lot easier because the alternative is hair all over the place. With this, you can just empty it out into the trash afterwards.
So I showed the back of my haircut previously. Here is the front. I did cut my bangs myself with the razor comb because I'm particular about them but my husband did the rest and I'm so happy with how it turned out. Even though restrictions have eased in New York City and salons are open again, my husband and I still don't feel particularly comfortable/safe going to a salon and probably won't be doing so any time soon. Haircut appointments are not simple transitory encounters. They can last anywhere from 30 - 60 minutes with someone working in close proximity to your face which translates to a lack of social distancing. Sure face masks help but those reports about air conditioning in enclosed spaces being a factor in the spread is worrisome as is being in an enclosed space for a lengthy amount of time with people not in your bubble, The response to the pandemic has been bungled by a lack of government in the US so we're sequestered as if we're still in lockdown because a second wave seems inevitable and have prepared ourselves to keep cutting own hair at home. It's always nice to pick up a new life skill that's actually useful!
P.S. Wear your masks! They work!
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15 comments
Dear Rowena, these are some very helpful tips for cutting hair at home. You have written it at the right time. I'm also thinking about cutting my hair because it's been too long when I visited a salon. You are right that it can be risky to visit a salon these days.
Have a happy Monday<3
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What an awesome post, chingu!!!! Thank you! I think I told u before that I was finally able to cute my boys' hair, and it went ok, but I only really did a trim. TBH, I only know how to style ladies' hair because I had to do a bit of it when I was freelancing as a MUA, but never cut men's hair before. I totally need better combs for sure! Thanks again for this:) XOXO
PS Love your hair! Hubby did a fab job for sure. And yes...totally agree about not going to hair salons and barber shops for now. People think I'm being paranoid, but better safe than sorry.
That looks great..
My husband gave me a trim.. I usually have my hair cut in layers but that sounded to risky..
So useful post, really interesting!
Thanks for sharing Rowena!
Kisses, Paola.
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I cut about 80% of my hair out of boredom during the height of lockdown. I literally stood in front of the mirror with a pair of scissors and snipped it off. I think I needed it, not because of the state of my hair (it was healthy) but I was getting some sort of weird attachment to it and I decided to cut it off to cut of the attachment. I know, extreme, but I'm happy with my decision. I love my short curls.
xxxx
I hope you're doing better. Sending you all my love!
xxxxxx
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A new skill always proves useful. Your husband has done a great job with your hair and it is great that you can also cut his hair. Avoiding hair stylist and styling our hair at home makes sense. It is a great way to lower the risk of infection.I like your tips. Being realistic and getting informed makes sense. I used to cut my hair all the time as a teen I was always experimenting with hairstyles.
Great post! I always love trying a new style to my hair
xoxo
Lovely
http://mynameislovely.com
Love it.
My mother cut my hair all through the pregnancies and early phases of motherhood when I simply did not find the time to go to the salon, so I am not really depending on anyone else for that too. I am missing the color though, I am NOT going to start bleaching my hair at home.
I didn't use to cut my own hair but a few years ago I learned because I had to unexpectedly stay a couple months whilst away on assignment for work. I do miss dyeing it black though. I believe in learning new skills, as I have been all through the pandemic, it enriches our cognitive functions and more. Good for you, Rowena. I hope you are doing well this week. I'm keeping busy on a big project until the end of the year, so blogging might be touch and go. :) x/Madison
I know I so have to do this soon. I thought about putting it in a high pony and then cutting it and yup I saw this on YT. And thanks for the heads up on these tools. I so need a good pair of hair cutting shears. As I do believe I am going to have to cut my own hair very soon. And indeed, hubby did a GREAT job! Or you could just let it grow and next time I see you, you will look Kim K! ; )
Allie of
www.allienyc.com
This is such an informative post but I never didn't cut my hair at home. I only believe hair dressers.
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Your hair looks great, dear Rowena! Thanks for this helpful post! During quarantaine I cut the hair of my husband and our son and was relieved that I was successful. It happens that I cut my hair but this is not really a huge skill as I never wear my hair open and therefore nobody can see it if I make faults in this context :)
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
www.dressedwithsoul.com
Thanks for these useful tips. I need not to be a coward if I decide to cut my own hair lol.
I always cut my own hair! I do the two ponytail trick on each side of the head and using elastics, and it works really well. I had a few bad experiences with hairdressers and now I do it myself haha xo
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