How to Give a Man a Simple Clipper Haircut

Trying to save a penny or two? Today, money is an issue for most people trying to survive in a bumpy economy and $20 is far better suited in YOUR pocket than it is in an expensive hairstylists or barbers (IF you're brave and have a bit of patience that is!) Invest in a decent pair of clippers (which would be about the same amount of money spent if you went to a fancy salon anyway and take a stab at cutting your son's or husband's or brother in law's hair yourself at home!) Read on to discover how you can give a simple man's haircut with a pair of standard razor clippers in the privacy of your own home.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• a clipper razor with assorted size guards
• a brave boy or man
• patience

1. 
    
   Find a decent clipper.

   So you want to save some money and you're going to try to give someone you know a basic haircut. After you try it once; you really won't believe how simple it is! First you need to invest in a decent razor clipper which can be bought at most retail type stores or a beauty supply store. Make sure the clipper has a consecutive group of various sized guards so that you can blend the haircut properly.

2. 
    
   Make sure you're working with clean hair.

   If you don't have a salon cape; you can make a basic one from an old twin size flat sheet or even use a large plastic garbage bag draped like a cape over the shoulders and back and clipped at the neck with a hair clip or even a sturdy 'chip saver' chip clip! Make sure that your subject's hair is clean (or at least is gel, mousse, spritz free) for the haircut--all that stuff just clogs up your clipper and 'pulls' the poor guy's hair uncomfortably.

3. 
    

   Select the level of guard you want the majority of the hair to be. (Ideally this is the top 1/2 of the head or the 'bowl' of the head. Imagine taking a bowl and putting it on the top of the head like a cap. The section of hair that would be UNDER the bowl is typically the longest hair which would translate as using the largest size of guard to use. Most men like a 5 or 6 for the top of the head...but ask your subject how long they like their hair to be on top to be sure.) A 5 or 6 guard will leave hair about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long on top. *TIP: remember,you can always go SHORTER if you want; you can't put hair back once you cut it off; be safe and go with a larger size guard like a 6 or even a 7 until you get a feel for how short you really like it!

4. 
    
   Select your 3 guards to use

   Next; after the top 1/2 of the head is cut to the desired length by using the larger size guard; skip the next size down and select the next one in line. (For example; if you used a 6 on the top 1/2 of the head; skip the 5 and select a #4. I'll explain why in a minute.)..So; you've skipped the next size in line and selected the next smaller one. Use this size for the bottom 1/2 of the head (the area that would NOT have been 'under the bowl' if the bowl was capped onto the top of the head. Usually this is the part of the head from the tops of the ears DOWN to the base of the skull. Cut this hair with the smaller size guard. There will be a very definite difference between the length of THIS section of the head compared to the top 1/2 that you cut with the larger guard.

5. 
    
   Style and go!

   So now you have 2 sections of the head with 2 very distinct lengths of hair. Now; go back and select that middle size guard that you skipped over (the size between your largest guard used for the top 1/2 of the head and the smallest size used for the bottom 1/2 of the head...if you used the 6 for the top; you would have used a 4 for the bottom...now you need to use the 5 to 'blend' the two sections together). Blending is fairly easy if you've got a little patience. Imagine that bowl again sitting like a cap on the top of the head. Where the rim of that bowl would be sitting is the area that we need to blend now. Use that middle size guard and follow the 'rim' of the bowl around the head from the tops of the ears to the crown of the head in short movements. You don't want to take off much more from the top; you just want to make an even transition between the two lenghts of hair that separates the top 1/2 from the bottom 1/2. Once this is done and you're satisfied with the 'blend'; take off all the guards and just use the edge of the clipper itself to even up sideburns; trim around the ears (bend the ears down and away from the head to avoid nicking them with the clipper) and even up the back of the neck midway between the base of the skull and the lower half of the neckline. Have your subject 'square' their shoulders and sit strait; looking strait forward for an evenly cut neckline. Apply your styling products and you're ready to go!

Tips & Warnings

• clippers are sharp; especially if they are brand new; watch when you are using the clipper without the help of a guard as the razor can nick tender areas like the ears and neck.
• do not use clippers on wet hair or around water unless the brand of clipper you have purchased specifies that it is a wet OR dry clipper. Read all manuals and warnings before using.