How to Cut Your Own Hair with Clippers: A Beginner’s Guide

Although it is nice to go to the hairdresser, it is not always possible. In this case, the alternative is often to cut your hair alone. However, it is something that can be quite difficult, especially if you do not know how to go about it.

This is why we offer you this guide in which you will find all the information you need to achieve this and obtain a perfectly successful hairstyle. Cutting your own hair has several advantages. The main one is that it allows you to make significant savings.

Indeed, the price of a men’s haircut at a hairdresser can be quite significant and this figure can be even more so if we consider its annual cost. Also, it can sometimes be difficult to find time for a hair appointment.

It also allows you to save time, but also to be able to cut your hair whenever you want.

Why cut your own hair?

Most of the time it is a financial question. Indeed, a men’s haircut that is always clean requires very regular maintenance. It is not always easy to go to the hairdresser several times a month, it can quickly cost you!

Besides the financial aspect, we have all been disappointed when leaving the hairdresser. As long as our favorite professional is on leave and our head comes into the hands of a colleague…

And finally, you also have to find the time . We live at 100 per hour and it is difficult to find time for yourself. If you choose to cut your own hair, the time, the day, will only be details!

So for questions of savings or following a bad hair experience, cutting your own hair can be an adequate solution. In addition, with the latest confinements, many men have thrown themselves headlong into home made.

Cutting your own hair became fashionable and sales of clippers exploded. And ultimately isn’t that the best way to be satisfied? There is a quote that says: you are never better served than by yourself! So why not put it into practice with some wise advice!

What equipment do you need to cut your own hair?

Well, it’s fine to talk about all the positive points that a haircut done yourself can have, but it might also be interesting to talk about the equipment to have to achieve it, right?

The hair clipper is the simplest tool for cutting hair. To use it, you must first cut all of your hair longer than the longest hair in your future haircut. This will allow you to work on an even amount of hair. You must then trim your hair to the length you desire for each zone.

It is an accessory that allows you to cut your hair quickly and easily. Also, you can easily set the length of each area, so you can achieve different styles of haircuts.

Once you have finished cutting your hair, whether with a hair clipper or with scissors and a comb, you have to do some finishing touches. It is then a question of using a razor to remove the hair on certain areas, in particular at the level of the neck and around the ears.

You can also use your sideburn razor. However, some men decide not to touch them so that they are an extension of their beard.

Instead of using a hair clipper, you can also use a pair of scissors and a comb to be able to cut your hair. The comb will then allow you to define the length of your hair while the scissors will allow you to cut your hair. To use your comb, you must arrange it parallel to your skull and cut the hair that protrudes above your comb.

It is however a technique which requires a certain dexterity, in particular because it is necessary that the hair is cut in a homogeneous way.

The barber’s cape is an accessory that is not necessarily mandatory. However, it turns out to be very practical. It allows you to avoid getting hair everywhere, especially on your clothes. You simply have to put it on by putting it over your clothes. It is also an easy-to-use type of accessory that you will have no trouble using.

If you want to cut your own hair, you’re going to have to use at least two mirrors. The first of these is your bathroom mirror, usually located above your sink. It will allow you in particular to cut the hair located on the top and the sides of the head.

The second will be a pocket mirror that you will need to use to see the back of your skull, allowing you to cut the hair located there.

Wet or Dry Hair Cut ?

Both methods have their advantages. What you ultimately choose depends on your own preferences and the structure of your hair. A dry cut is suitable for hair that is straight and easy to grab. However, if you have curly hair or your hair is simply characterized by a stubborn unrulyness, then you should definitely wash your hair before you reach for the hair clipper.

Because the water automatically pushes the hair flat against the head, giving you better control. The strands no longer stand in all directions and you have a good view of all the hair. However, the wet condition also harbors certain pitfalls! The hair looks longer and falls differently. For this reason, the haircut must be done with great care and deliberation.

Cutting Your Hair with Clippers in 7 Steps

That’s it, we decide to cut our own hair! Calm down! We remain focused on a clean men’s cut and we go to the essentials: a clipper in perfect working order, a quiet place where you will be comfortable to cut your hair, and a mirror!

Ok, ok, I will brief you step by step on how to proceed! Let’s go !

I know, it’s tempting, there are great cuts to make yourself! However, if this is your first time, do not complicate the task, choose a hairstyle that is easy to achieve alone. A little advice from you to me, for a first men’s haircut, choose a clog shorter than what you think you need. If you cut too short and things don’t go as planned, you may regret it.

It is therefore better to have a margin of maneuver when using your mower yourself because once it is mowed you will have to wait for it to grow back! So I repeat, take the time to define which clogs you are going to use.

For example to make a gradient 3 6 9 : the longest clog will be for the top of the head, the intermediate one for the sides and the back of the head and finally the shortest will be for the neck.

Choosing the ideal place to cut your hair is not trivial. Indeed, it is important to find a place as comfortable as possible . Because for a beginner, it will surely take you some time… Mean by that 1h, 2h… maybe more.

So prefer a room where you will be able to sit down, cut your hair without being afraid of the cleaning to be done afterwards, with a possible socket nearby, and provided with mirrors. Ideally a 3-sided hairdressing mirror, I talk about it a little further down.

Obviously, it seems logical that the bathroom is the right place for this, so you will have easy access to running water!

Let’s recap what you’ll need to get into the mouth of the wolf: an efficient clipper, clogs of different sizes, a pair of scissors and a mirror ! If you also have an apron, thinning scissors and gel, that’s perfect! You can add a touch of audacity to it! Lol!

First of all, if you have just acquired your mower and do not yet know it very well, take the time to familiarize yourself with it. Read the manual, learn how to use your hair clipper , where are all the buttons, how to change combs etc…

The ideal is not to need to consult the manual while mowing! You will already be busy enough. In addition, we were talking about a mirror, if you have the possibility of having one in front of you and one behind you, we would be great. I repeat, the goal being to have a maximum eye on what will happen

Before starting the delicate operation, it is important to prepare your hair well. Head to the shower to wash your hair and relax before the big jump. You can imagine that having wet hair is also important for the next part. Indeed, they will be easier to work with when they are clean.

So wet your hair under water and use a shampoo to wash it well, it’s important for the cut. If you have it and you have the time, you can put on a treatment or conditioner, it doesn’t hurt, on the contrary, even if it means pampering yourself, do it thoroughly. Be sure to rinse everything well.

When you get out of the shower, remember to untangle your hair with a comb, by eliminating any knots the cut will be neater and much more uniform. If you have hair that dries quickly, feel free to spray it until it’s fairly damp again.

If your hair hasn’t dried during detangling and is still very wet, towel dry it. Hair cuts well when damp, not soaked.

OK, so far so good. Now start by separating your hair into several parts. With a comb you will separate the hair on top from those on the sides and behind. It is done ?

Come on, let’s get started. Unsheath your mower, with the longest comb, to mow the whole head. This will allow you to roughen the work and then work on the same length. You can then mow them in the opposite direction to that of the growth to even out the whole thing. Do not hesitate to iron several times. And now, how to shave the sides and the nape of the neck when you are alone?

Unsheath the middle hoof! Make vertical stripes from the bottom to the top of the head. When you go up with the mower make sure you stay well in line. The mower must be straight (as if you had a square head after all). This will prevent you from following the shape of your skull and having a staircase effect. Take the time to cut one side of the head at a time.

Small tip: Cut your hair against the direction of its growth, starting at the bottom and moving the clipper upwards. Make a few passes to make sure you get all the hairs. We arrive at the third mowing, it’s time to take care of only the neck area with the smallest comb. We mow again and again in vertical strips, from bottom to top.

For the top of the head, the ideal is to use styling scissors rather than a clipper. This will allow you to be more precise in the cut. For good cutting scissors, I offer a kit a little further down in this article!

You therefore understand it well, do not use household scissors, they will not be sharp enough and you would be likely to have several imperfections in your final hairstyle.

To properly trim the top of your head, you can use your fingers (like hairdressers do) or a comb to lift your hair. Make sure the lifted section of hair is parallel to the root!

Above all, do not take too much hair between your fingers, more or less 5mm (wide) of your mane should be enough. All your hair should be perpendicular to the root when you pull it up. If so, move on to the next bit!

Finish by equalizing everything, check that there are no flyaways. Be careful on the top to leave the front locks a little longer so that the cut is harmonious!

That’s it, we’re almost there! For a clean men’s cut, finishes are essential! You will therefore have to make your own outlines !

And for the most meticulous among you, you can finish your cut with a trimmer ! It is very important to be able to make the contours with a trimmer with a smaller head. It will allow to pass in the most difficult places of access.

Shave the hair at the nape of the neck to really assert the contrast of the gradient and that your cut is neat and clean. It’s important, like the icing on the cake, you know? You can also finish the contours of your gradient with a razor!

Then wash your hair, dry it and style your hair as usual!

How to cut your own hair (for men)?

How you should cut your hair depends on the type of hairstyle you want to achieve. Here are the main hairstyles you can achieve.

This is one of the easiest hairstyles to achieve. This is partly because you only need a comb, a mirror and a pair of scissors. To start, you must first wash your hair and detangle it well so that there is not the slightest knot.

We therefore advise you to keep them moist, which will allow you to facilitate the passage of the comb and scissors. You should then cut your hair as desired, using your fingers or the comb to cut it all evenly. You can then choose to cut them all the same length or make yourself a gradient.

For short hair, the approach is somewhat different. However, you still need to make sure to wash your hair well and dry it while making sure it’s still a little damp. For short hair, the easiest solution is to use your hair clipper. However, if you have relatively long or thick hair, you can start by cutting and thinning it using your comb and scissors.

This will make mowing easier since there will be less material to deal with. Once that’s done, you can use your clippers to trim your hair. You must then start by using a hoof larger than the length you want to achieve and make several passes, reducing the length as you go until you obtain the desired length.

This will allow you to obtain a much more homogeneous whole. Of course, the task will be much easier if you cut all your hair the same length.

Much more complicated to do than a classic short cut, a short layer will require some technique and a lot of attention . It is also a hairstyle that is very fashionable and offers you a lot of freedom. To achieve this, the first thing to do is to mow all your hair using the largest comb you have.

This will allow you to have a more homogeneous hair and it will be easier to work. You must then delimit the different areas and the length of hair you want on each part.

For example, if you only do two parts, the delimitation will generally be at the level of the forehead and on the lower zone, the hair will be much shorter than on the upper zone. However, you can choose to make several zones, especially in the lower part.

This is what is generally called a gradual gradient. With this type of gradient, the length of the hair increases as you get closer to the top of the head. This makes it possible to obtain a much less marked border between the zones and therefore, to obtain a more natural result.

To make it easier, you must therefore start by mowing the area in which the hair is the shortest and gradually move towards those where it is the longest. Once you’re done, all you have to do is take care of the finishing touches.

Sometimes technical finishes

On the side, the finishes, which you must make with a razor, concern the areas around the ears and at the level of the legs. For the ears, you must first define the area that will be clean-shaven and ensure that it is identical for each ear. Ideally, draw a rounded line around each ear and get rid of any hair below that line. As for the legs, it all depends on your preferences.

You can indeed choose to shave them so that they make a certain length, which you will have previously defined or leave them as they are, so that they blend with your beard. For all of these finishes, you simply need to use your razor to remove all the hair, just like you would your beard.

As for the back of the head, you should use your razor to get rid of the small hairs at the nape of the neck. To do this, you must first define a nape line, below which you will shave all the hair. To do this, you must first apply a transparent shaving gel, which will protect your skin and shave your hair thoroughly.

Please note that you must ensure that this line is symmetrical and that its shape is suitable for the type of hairstyle you want to achieve.

How to cut your hair at home – 3 different hair cuts for men

Do you cut your hair at home? Going to the hairdresser’s is cool, but in times of Corona Virus and isolation, one has to take measures at home. I am going to teach you how to do 4 men’s haircuts:

The classic buzz cut is the easiest style you can do at home without help. This simple look never goes out of style, you have it done in less than 10 minutes and if you use a peeling machine like this one, you have it even easier:

The only thing you have to look at before making a shaved haircut is the shape of your head. If you have war marks, ears or big heads, it is better to avoid this look because it exposes everything.

Choose the length you want: #1, #2 and #3 for a summery look So that the wood doesn’t show so much or for a rounder and more natural finish, #5.

Start on the sides, cutting against the grain and making smooth movements to the rhythm set by the razor.

Work your way up the back, following the natural shape of your head until you reach the crown of the head.

For the top: Start at the forehead and cut towards the crown of the head.

Make a second pass over the entire head, until you stop hearing the cutting sound.

Remove the guide comb and turn the head of your clipper to clean the area of ​​your sideburns.

A cut to two measures is also very easy to execute. With short sides and a slightly longer top, this look is another easy choice for beginners.

This cut has short sides and a slightly longer upper area. You don’t have to do any fading or grading and sometimes the bottom is shaved flush, to give it a more aggressive finish:

Cut ALL of your hair with the guide comb you want to use for the top. This is how it will look long and you also reduce hair from the bottom to start with a cleaner surface:

Change your guide comb to a shorter number. If you have used a #1 before now play #0, if you have used a #2 now play #1…

Visualize the width you like for the top. You can mark this area to your liking but the good position is just above where your head begins to curve on the sides.

With your short guide comb in place, work from the nape up around your head in horizontal sections until you reach just the imaginary line you chose in the previous step.

He patiently perfects the line that separates the lower/upper zone. Use your razor in short strokes and little by little to go around the head WITHOUT touching that imaginary area.

The only complication with this cut is perfecting the line that separates the two zones, because nobody likes to wear a crooked helmet. My best advice for not going astray? Look patiently for symmetry by doing the sides first, help yourself with two mirrors for the rear and everything will be fine.

This is the classic men’s cut with graduation that they do in the barbershops. It takes a bit of practice and a lever clipper (a must to make the transition smooth) but it’s a really nice faded look where you don’t see any lines of weight.

Calculate which guide combs you are going to use. The fade effect is achieved using many guide combs with little difference in size between each one. For example: #1, #1 and a half, #2, #2 and a half, #3, #3 and a half… and so on up to #6.

Trim section A using the #1 guide comb and section B with #2. Try to make the line you mark around your head as clean as possible (it is the ideal moment to help you with a couple of mirrors)

Blend the weight line you’ve created with a medium cut measurement. We are going to create ZONE C to soften the line between sections A and B. I have marked it in red because THIS is the section that you are going to trim using a medium size cutting comb, in this case #1 and medium:

Don’t skip this step. The idea here is to work ONLY on the weight line, making short, controlled strokes with the clipper until the “shear” between the two sections is gone.

Now you are going to repeat the process with the upper part. Starting at the crown of the head, trim section “A” with #2 and section “B” with #3

Change your guide comb to #2 and a medium to blend the weight line just like you created in the previous step.

Now switch to #4 guide comb to trim a new section and then switch to #3 and a half to smooth out the weighted section you just created.

Now it’s time to go to guide comb # 5 to cut a new section and then go back to # 4 and a half to blend the weight line

The general idea to mark any fade is to go up in numbers, going back after each section to work the union of sections with an intermediate size guide comb.

You already have some tips to create 4 classic looks! With a decent clipper like this (and a little practice) you can perfect them in no time.

Trendy men’s haircuts in 2023

Before cutting a man’s hair, one must choose the hairstyle. If you want to follow fashion, here are the 3 trendy men’s haircuts in 2023:

The very short cut is always trendy for a man in addition to being easy to do yourself. If you want to have the look of Matt Pokora or David Beckham, this is the short haircut for you.

Having very short hair on the side and long on the top is the trend of 2023. Inspired by the 50s, it is coming back to the fore. In particular thanks to Cillian Murphy alias Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders who will have brought this cut up to date.

Men are increasingly daring to wear long, medium-length or square hair. And especially the new generation who loves the rebellious side of this type of hairstyle for men!

Best Tools For Cutting men’s Hair At Home

Let’s face it, the easiest way to cut your own hair is to shave your head completely! How come you don’t want to come to this ?

So, it’s simple, you will need a minimum of equipment and accessories! I offer you below three pieces of equipment which, in my opinion, are essential to be totally serene:

Philips QC5580/32: The trimmer with 180° head

It is not always easy to find a quality device to cut your own hair! In the middle of all these brands, I found you a mower specially designed to launch you into this new adventure!

It’s really not easy to cut your own hair. That’s why I offer you the Rolls-Royce of hair clippers! With its 180° pivoting head and 14 cutting heights, this is the product you need to calmly start a great career as a hairdresser at home! The pivoting head will allow you to control the angle of your trimmer and reach hard-to-reach areas with ease.

And as above we talked about knowing your mower well before starting, this mower will really make things easier for you.

To change the cutting height, nothing could be simpler, just turn the wheel under the cutting head and select the desired height. The Philips QC5580 mower also offers a wide range of use from 0mm to 15mm, what do people want?

If you are looking to get started and cut your hair by yourself, I highly recommend this hair clipper which will charm you with its many qualities!

Self Cut Mirror: The 3-sided hairdressing mirror for cutting your hair alone

It will become your best asset for a perfect men’s haircut: The 3-sided hairdressing mirror! A 360° view to cut and style your hair yourself! It has never been easier to do things on your own!

We were talking about seeing as much as possible of what we are doing for our mission under high tension. I recommended you the benefits of a mirror in the front and behind! Well here is the second product that I suggest to cut your hair easily: the Self Cut Mirror!

This 3-sided mirror with 360° vision allows you to have an ideal view of your whole head and will save you a lot of torticollis and other stairs on your head.

This hairdressing mirror is all the more brilliant as it is easily transportable. Light, resistant and compact, it has two hooks and can be hung anywhere. The height is also adjustable according to your height. This mirror will therefore make it easier for you if you want to cut and style your hair alone.

Emocci: The complete accessory kit for cutting your own hair

Have you requested a complete kit for an exceptional men’s haircut? Then these scissors and other accessories for cutting hair yourself will charm you. I present to you the Emocci brand which offers all the equipment necessary for your hair well-being!

I don’t do things by halves, you know me! And as a good complete kit of accessories is essential for cutting your own hair, I offer you one here! The Emocci brand presents this set with a hairdressing scissors, a thinning scissors, a comb, a voltage regulator and a cleaning cloth, all stored in a super case.

If you are looking for quality equipment, it is clearly this set that I recommend. The excellent Japanese stainless steel blades guarantee optimal use and a clean, sharp cut. In addition, the ends of the scissors being rounded, they avoid any unfortunate injury.

The brand therefore offers us a great kit if you want to cut your hair yourself with quality products without wanting to dip too much into your wallet.

Thoughts

Now that I’ve looked into this for the first time, I know that many men have been cutting their own hair for a long time. And now that I’ve practically been forced to try that too, I’ve already become a fan of it.

Cutting my own hair saves money and time, saves me appointments and makes me flexible.

Even while I’m sitting at home because of Corona, I don’t have to grow a poodle hairstyle, and it will work just as well when I’m out and about in the camper van.

Is it for everyone? Certainly not. But if you – like me – don’t have the ultra-high standards for your own haircut, you can definitely try it out. Especially during the Corona curfew nobody sees you anyway, and hair grows back.