Looking good is important, but you don't have to go all the way and spend money on a haircut. Read the wikiHow article below to learn how to cut your own hair.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Haircut Preparation
Step 1. Decide on the hairstyle you want
Usually, you'll want to keep your hair pretty much the same as before, at least for the first few times you've trimmed your own hair. However, you may want to consider small changes, such as letting your sideburns grow or trimming them off altogether.
Step 2. Choose the right size of scissors
Home barbering kits often come with the type of shears barbers usually use, which are long, thin, and pointed. These scissors are easy to use for trimming other people's hair, but you might find it difficult to use them to trim your own hair. Instead, try using shorter-bladed scissors, such as the following:
- Mustache Scissors
- leather scissors
- Children's scissors
- No matter what type of scissors you choose, make sure the blades are sharp so that you can trim your hair perfectly.
Step 3. Take a fine toothed comb
This comb will be used to part and lift your hair, removing any tangles that would make it difficult for you to get the cut you want. It is recommended that you use a long comb that barbers use instead of a short pocket comb.
If you don't have a comb of this type, use a pocket comb to tidy up and your fingers to pull the hair while trimming
Step 4. Wet hair
Although old-fashioned barbers usually cut hair dry, modern stylists generally find it easier to trim hair when wet, especially for thick hair. You can do one of two things:
- Rinse your hair, or at least completely wet it under the shower. Dry until damp before pruning.
- Wet hair while trimming, using a spray bottle.
Step 5. Position yourself near the mirror
You'll want to see exactly what you're doing. A large mirror on the bathroom wall or medicine cabinet will help you see what you're trimming on the front or side.
If possible, have a second mirror ready so you can see the back of your head. The second mirror can be hung on the back wall or held by your assistant
Step 6. Divide the hair into sections
Comb the hair back from the outer ends of each eyebrow to part the hair, then comb the hair between the partings and the ears down. Do this on both sides. These sections leave the hair on the top of the head.
Part 2 of 2: Haircut
Step 1. Comb the hair around the ears and temples forward
Step 2. Lift the hair up with a comb or fingers
Step 3. Move the comb (or fingers) away from your head
This step will define the trim margin of the scissors. The further you move the comb or fingers from your head, the less hair you will trim.
Step 4. Trim the ends of the hair, with scissors perpendicular to the comb or fingers
Trimming with the scissor blade perpendicular to the comb removes some hair without damaging it, as long as the comb stays between the scissors and the scalp.
Every few cuts, stop and see the results. If anything is uneven, repeat again and trim a bit here and there until it is even
Step 5. Work from top to side
Trim the hair around the ears in the same way: Lift the hair away from the scalp with a comb and trim perpendicular to the comb using scissors. Stop every few cuts to check the results and correct errors.
Step 6. Take the top hair little by little
Use a comb or fingers to lift your hair straight over your head and trim it 6 to 13 mm long). Work slowly and carefully, as if you were trimming the sides.
Haircuts on the top of the head are more pronounced than haircuts on the sides of the head. A slight uneven cut on the sides of the head can be considered as an attempt to look punk style, while an uneven cut on the top can be considered as the beginning of male pattern baldness
Step 7. Smooth the edges of the hair
Once you've trimmed the sides and top of your head, all you have to do is work on the sideburns and the back of your head.
- You can trim your sideburns with either a razor or an electric shaver. If you want long sideburns, trim them from under the ears; if you want something shorter, you can use the curve under your cheekbones or the tragus (the thick skin flap in front of your ear) to define the bottom of your sideburns. Place a finger under each sideburn to check that they are even.
- You can use a beard trimmer to trim the "wings" of hair at the back of your head. Start by trimming the top of the neckline, then move closer to the nape of the neck. (This is where you need a second mirror to see what you're doing.)
Tips
- It's a good idea to cut your hair yourself just to reduce your visits to the barber or hairdresser, not to stop it altogether. That way, you can trim your hair just a little bit and visit the barber if you need a more thorough haircut.
- It's a good idea to wear an old T-shirt or other cover to cover the haircut before starting. If you're doing this in a bathroom sink, cover the drain to prevent hair from getting into the drain.
- There are also special shavers, which are designed to trim your hair.
- When you first cut your own hair, don't trim it as short as you normally would. That way, if you make a mistake, you can correct it without cutting your hair too short. You are bound to make mistakes the first few times you cut your own hair until you get used to it.
- If you have an electric shaver, you can use it to clean the sides of your head and back of your neck, and behind your ears. If you want a very short haircut, you can also use it for the top of your head, holding it vertically with the blade down, palms facing you. Do it slowly from front to back.
