Read Time: 3 min 58 sec
Without access to our stylists and barbers (we’re beginning to question if they should be deemed essential), some of us may be wondering what our options are for keeping up with our hair cuts, especially those who have short hair cuts since they seem to grow out so quickly!
Jacynda, inventor and CEO of TYME (and licensed cosmetologist) is here to get you through this rough patch and make your cut last until you’re able to see a professional again. Grab your clipper kit, sheers, a comb, and let do these quarantine cuts!
Just Getting By?
A few small details can go a long way while trying to keep your hair cut looking fresh. Here are a few tips for men and women with short hair looking to maintain the structure of their short cut, while still letting their length grow painlessly while practicing social distancing. Grab your edging clippers and let’s get started.
Neckline
When cleaning up the neckline, pay attention to the basic shape of the back of the hair cut. Is it square? What angle does the hair follow while traveling up towards the ears? Follow the line that is already there, and start by taking off a small amount to make this process foolproof. You can always remove more hair!
Cleaning Up A Hard Part
Use your straight comb to create a distinct part. Brush the hair in either direction to make the part clear and free of flyaways. Be sure to have a straight line with your section, as this is the line you’ll use to guide your clippers. Barely tap clippers along the part to create the line. Keeping the ears clear, closely follow the line that already exists from previous cuts. Remember to fold the ear out of the way so you have a clear line of vision and your loved one leaves this experience unscathed.
Trimming Sideburns
For a more natural look, we recommend finding the “v” around the middle of the ear. This is an optimal spot to cut off a sideburn from the rest of any facial hair. Create a straight line and slide clippers down to remove the rest of the unwanted hair.
Going All Out?
Follow all of the recommended steps above. After you have cleaned up the edges and made yourself a good outline to work off of, completely wet down your subject’s hair. Grab your comb, scissors, clippers, and desired guards.
Basic short men's hair cut cutting angles.
Basic long men's hair cut cutting angles.
Basic Tiger King hair cut angles. ;)
1. Is There A Disconnect?
If there is a long section that doesn’t match with the rest of the hair, brush the longer hair completely out of the way. Using your comb, pull the hair straight out, so the comb is parallel with the wall. Grab this hair with your pointer and middle finger and trim this excess hair with your scissors. If you end up with unsightly lines, use your comb to pull the hair away from the scalp vertically and barley trim the edges to soften the line.
2. Cutting The Top
Pull the hair directly up. Start small and cut directly across. If the side length is greater than the top length, comb this hair directly out towards the wall and cut it at a 90-degree angle. For people with thicker hair, this may result in a harsh line when the top and bottom hair is brushed together. Use your comb and pull the hair where these two sections meet, out at a 45-degree angle and cut into this section. Cutting into the section will lessen the look of a harsh line. Pro Tip: Trimming straight up and down on the sides and straight across on top will give the basic structure for a trimmed look.
3. Cutting At The Crown
Take the time to assess the length between the top of the hair vs the back. Cutting the crown is tricky, so it is important to game plan this section of hair. Ideally, you should be able to match the top length and the back length with a cut at a 45-degree angle. Start by matching the top length to the crown length with your 45-degree angle. After this length is matched, pull your crown length to meet your back length at a 45-degree angle and repeat the process.
FAQ
What Guard To Use?
Clipper guards are labeled in “weeks of growth,” so your #1 guard is one week, #2 is two weeks, and so on. Some kits are supplied with blending guards to help fade from guard to guard and make the cut appear seamless. Hair grows between a ¼ and ½ an inch a month. Keep that in mind so you know which guard to use.
Nervous To Start?
Always start with your biggest guard. This gives you the opportunity to backtrack with a smaller one without running the risk of accidentally giving someone a buzz cut.
No Guard?
Grab a comb! Use a scooping technique to make the hair stand out and clean up the ends with your comb! With longer lengths, you can pull the hair out with your comb and then pull the hair out between your pointer and middle finger. If you are using this method, remember that the first cut you make should start as your guide for the rest of the hair. Barely loosen your grip of this hair and use your comb to pull in a small section to cut alongside the section you just cut. Continue this process throughout the entirety hair.
Don’t Have Professional Shears?
Using shears that are not designed for professional grooming, usually results in cuts that are not precise. When working with unfamiliar blade sizes, remember to work in smaller sections. These smaller sections will give you consistency throughout the entirety of the cut vs chopping through large sections.
Cutting On A Toddler?
Put their favorite show on! Let them be entertained. They may be sensitive to the noise of the clippers, so don’t be afraid to use your scissors.
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