We Asked a Master Barber How To Cut Your Own Hair at Home Without Screwing It Up
In times like these, when so many businesses are shut down and people are locked up at home, it might feel frivolous to worry about your hair. But keeping up routines, whether it’s walking the dog or getting a haircut, can help things feel normal.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to get a haircut and practice proper social distancing at the same time. Even worse, learning how to cut your own hair at home is no walk in the park. Like anything that requires professional training, cutting hair requires specific skills and tools. However, with a bit of professional advice and the right products, you can learn how to do touch-ups and short trims all on your own.
To help give some guidance on where to begin, SPY spoke with Master Barber Ann Shim, director of education for Grooming Lounge & Grooming Lounge Barbershops in Washington, D.C. If you want to learn how to cut your hair at home without completely butchering your personal style, we’ve got some advice for you.
We based this guide in large part on her product and brand recommendations and sprinkled her advice throughout. By the time you’re through reading, learning how to cut your own hair at home might not feel so intimidating — and you might just avoid a fashion tragedy in the process.
Good luck.
Tips for Cutting Your Own Hair at Home…
You don’t need all of the hair cutting products on this list to cut your own hair. SPY’s managing editor can cut his own hair and he manages with just a handheld mirror, a trimmer, hair‐cutting scissors and combs. But depending on your needs, all of these tools can help, at least until you’re able to see a professional again.
And if you’re still a bit worried to begin, here are a few general tips Ann shared with SPY. Keep this professional advice top of mind.
Here’s how to give yourself a haircut:
Start with defining and understanding your look. For the average guy just learning how to cut his hair at home, you’ll basically want to stick to the same look and make it a little shorter. Always start on clean, product-free, shampooed hair. Hair products can change the texture of your hair, making it difficult to get a comb or clippers through. That means the lengths will be off. Pick a well-lit environment with easy cleanup; think bathroom and tiles, not the living room with the shag rug. Anything electric, such as clippers, should be done on dry hair. Household scissors will not work, so you need real barber shears. Scissor work should be done on damp, but never dripping wet, hair. If you switch between scissors and clippers, be sure to use a spray bottle or hairdryer to properly wet or dry the hair beforehand. If you plan to cut hair often or all-year round, it’s best to invest in a pricier tool. If you only plan to cut your hair once or only a few times, it’s OK to go for something cheaper. Some professional brands sell consumer products with similar names but lower quality and durability. If you can’t tell the difference, here’s a good rule of thumb: anything less than $60 generally won’t be professional quality.
If you do seek professional quality tools, Sally Beauty sells more expensive, salon-ready tools direct to consumers. However, most of the tools you’re going to need are available on Amazon. In many cases, you can find the same tools your barber uses.
All the Tools You Need To Give Yourself a Haircut… 1. Cricket Shear Xpressions
BEST SHEARS
Once you’ve figured out your look, Ann told SPY, you’re ready to think about what tools you’ll need to get the job done. There’s a good chance if you’re doing anything besides a buzzcut, you’ll need a legit pair of shears. “Scissors from your house drawer won’t cut it,” Ann said, but she recommended Cricket Shears for someone looking to cut their own hair at home. They’re made from stainless steel and are sharp enough to cut through hair with minimal effort.
Buy: Cricket Shear Xpressions $39.98 Cricket Shear Advantage Duo
ALSO CONSIDER
If you’re really looking to dive headfirst into cutting your own hair at home, the Cricket Shear Advantage Duo set comes with standard cutting shears as well as scissors for texturizing and finishing. This is definitely for those seeking a more advanced cut and the price reflects that, so buyer beware.
Buy: Cricket Shear Advantage Duo $139.99 2. Oster Professional Fast Feed Clipper
BEST CLIPPERS
The next thing you’ll want to consider adding is a nice set of clippers. Before we go further, we have to clear up a major misconception: Clippers and trimmers are not the same thing. Clippers tend to be a bit heavier and fit better in your palm. That’s because clippers are designed for bulk hair removal. On the other hand, trimmers tend to be lighter and skinnier because they’re designed to go around the edges of your head and handle detailing around the ears, neck and sideburns.
Now that that’s settled once and for all, Ann pointed us toward Oster’s clippers, the same brand your barbers probably use. We recommend Oster’s Professional Fast Feed Clippers. Though you should always use scissors on wet hair and clippers on dry hair, these clippers boast a motor powerful enough to handle both, and they come with additional plastic guards and oil for clipper maintenance.
Buy: Oster Professional 76023-510 Fast Feed Clipper $77.99 Nicewell Hair Clippers
ALSO CONSIDER
If you’re looking for a value solution, Nicewell’s hair clippers will get the job done in a pinch. These clippers come with a full set of guards and they’re also wireless, which makes cutting your own hair a little less cumbersome.
Buy: Nicewell Hair Clippers for Men $45.99 3. Kent 16T Fine Tooth Comb and Wide Tooth Comb
BEST COMB
You should already own at least one comb, but if you don’t, you should buy one with two sides, a fine side and a wide side, Ann told SPY. Having the two sides makes it easier to control your hair — you use the wide side for control and use the fine side when cutting. Thankfully, a decent comb doesn’t need to break the bank, so SPY recommends Kent’s 16T Comb. It features wide teeth and fine teeth to help you control your hair while you cut it.
Buy: Kent 16T Fine & Wide Tooth Comb $14.00 4. Andis Professional T-Outliner Trimmer
BEST TRIMMERS
You’ve successfully used your clippers to cut the bulk of your hair, but now you want to tidy up your ears, sideburns and perhaps any facial hairlines. For that, you’re going to need a solid trimmer. Ann recommended a few professional brands for clippers and trimmers, like Oster, Wahl and Andis, but Andis Professional Outliner/Trimmer stood out to SPY the most for its professional quality and its price point. If you’re planning on cutting your own hair at home for the long term, a properly oiled and cared for Andis trimmer will last you forever.
Buy: Andis 04710 Professional T-Outliner Beard/Hair Trimmer $63.50 Slimline Pro Trimmer
ALSO CONSIDER
Our best overall pick for trimmers may turn some men off due to its cord and lack of additional guards. If that’s the case, Andis still has a trimmer for you in its Slimline Pro Trimmer. It offers similar quality blades, it’s also wireless and slimmer than the top pick and it comes with additional plastic guards.
Buy: Andis Slimline Pro Li T-blade Trimmer $58.48 5. SELF-CUT SYSTEM 2.0 – LED Lighted 3 Way Mirror
BEST MIRROR
You should already have at least one mirror in your bathroom. That’s good for cutting the front, but if you want to cut the back, you’re going to need an extra mirror, Ann told SPY. One product she recommended was Self-Cut System’s lighted 3-way mirror. The additional lighting and viewing angles make touching up those tough spots a bit easier, and the mirror comes with a free app to help you learn how to cut your own hair at home.
Buy: Self-Cut System 2.0 - LED Lighted 3 Way Mirror + App $149.95 Protecle Hand Mirror
ALSO CONSIDER
If you’re not looking for a deluxe smart mirror, any old handheld mirror will do. SPY recommends this basic black mirror from Protecle because it’s cheap and the mirror is tall and wide enough to help you cut the back.
Pro tip: cutting the hair on the back of your head is really hard, so take your time.
If you have a friend, roommate or partner, ask them to help you even things out. If you are social distancing solo, take your time with the back of your head. After making a few cuts, check on the progress in the mirror. If necessary, use the trimmer to even out the hairline at the base of your neck.
Buy: Hand Mirror for Barber Hairdressing $6.99 6. YAMYONE Continuous Water Mister Spray Bottle
BEST SPRAY BOTTLE
You’ve probably noticed your barber or hair cutter constantly wetting your hair with a spray bottle and drying it with a hairdryer. That’s because, Ann told SPY, scissors need wet hair and clippers work best on dry hair. If you’re planning on using shears, a water mister spray bottle will help keep your hair damp, but not dripping wet, which is important for cutting hair properly. YAMYONE’s spray bottle sprays a fine mist, perfect for wetting but not soaking your hair.
Buy: YAMYONE Continuous Water Mister $6.99 7. BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Hair Dryer
BEST HAIR DRYER
If you’re planning on incorporating clippers into your haircut, you’re going to want a hairdryer because many clippers can’t handle cutting wet hair. Ann mentioned BaByliss hair dryers as an excellent option, and SPY recommends the BaBylissPro Nano Titanium Hair Dryer. It’s a little expensive, but you want something consistent, durable and high-quality. Anything less will only make cutting your own hair at home more difficult.
Buy: BaBylissPRO BABNT5548 Nano Titanium Hair Dryer $79.99 8. EWIN(R) Hair Cutting Cloak Umbrella Cape
BEST CAPE
Capes are optional for home haircutters because they’re handling all the cleanup. But if you want to save some time and don’t mind feeling a little silly, Ewin’s Hair Cutting Cloak Umbrella Cape will catch all the hair as it gets cut. This isn’t strictly necessary when learning how to cut your own hair, but if you want to go all-in, add this to your toolkit.
Buy: Hair Cutting Cloak Umbrella $9.50 9. EdgUp 2.0 – Neckline Shaving Template and Hair Trimming Guide
BEST NECKLINE SHAVING TEMPLATE
As we mentioned previously, getting the hairline on the back of your head nice and trim is where most DIY barbers go wrong. But there truly is a product for everything, even just to help you shave your neckline. It’s not something you’ll see in a legit barbershop, but EdgUp’s Neckline Shaving Template can help you learn how to cut your own hair. It’s a silicone guard that straps to the back of your head so you can move trimmers along the guard in a line. Ann said, “It’s gimmicky, but a lot of guys who cut their hair at home might appreciate it as opposed to eyeballing it.”
Buy: EdgUp 2.0 - Neckline Shaving Template $19.95 10. Carlisle Duo-Pan Dustpan & Lobby Broom Combo
BEST BROOM AND DUSTPAN
The bathroom is a great place to cut your hair because bathrooms usually have mirrors, good lighting and tile floors for easier cleanup. No matter where you cut, you’re going to have some hair on the floor when you’re done. If you don’t want to clog your vacuum with hair, we recommend Carlisle’s Dustpan and Broom Combo for a quick clean. The closed dustpan will help stop hair from floating away as you sweep.
Buy: Carlisle Duo-Pan Dustpan & Broom $16.30
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