How to Give Yourself a Haircut With Clippers

If you're considering cutting your own hair, you can look great without using scissors or giving yourself a complete buzz cut.

If you get the same haircut every time you go to the barber, have you ever thought about saving the $15 a month and doing it yourself? Most DIY haircut methods involve using scissors, which can be messy and inaccurate. Using clippers will allow you to give yourself the same haircut time and time again, and save on your monthly expenses.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Industry standard haircut clippers (Wahl seems to be the most common)
• #12 and #10 combs (sold separately from most clipper kits)

1. 
   A Wahl #12 comb

   Make sure you have a good variety of comb sizes for your clippers. Non-standard, longer combs like a #10 (1.25") and a #12 (1.5") can be found on Amazon for cheap (around $5 each). These will be what you use to cut the hair on the top of your head.

2. 
   Cut your hair in a location where it'll be easy to clean up

   Once you have your materials, the next step is finding a place with a mirror, good lighting, and floor surface that's easy to clean up. Your bathroom is most likely your best bet - lay trash bags on the floor to catch some of the hair that you're about to cut.

3. 
   Unlike scissors, using clippers with specific comb sizes leaves little room for error

   With a #12 fitting on your clippers, cut all the hair on the top, side, and back of your head. Guide the clippers thoroughly and slowly by resting the comb against your head and moving the clippers up and down - almost like you're mowing a lawn.

4. All your hair is now one uniform length (1.5"), so it's time to trim, crop, and angle the haircut. You'll avoid giving your head too much of a circular, poofy haircut look by cutting the sides and back of your hair shorter than the top.
   
   Use a #8 (1") sized comb to cut the hair on the sides and back of your head - leaving the hair on the top the longest. Unless you have two mirrors set up, you likely can't see the back of your head. Cut back there very slowly and feel where the comb is going with your free hand. You just want to make sure you're leaving the hair on top of your head alone when you're using the shorter comb.

5. 
   Blending the two lengths gives the haircut a natural look

   Now that the hair on the sides and back of your head is 1", and the hair on top of your head is 1.5", it's time to blend or "fade" the two lengths (unless you really want a mushroom cut?). This can be achieved using the adjustable head on the clipper itself. Notice how you can change the length of the metal head on the clipper. Use the adjustable head to make the clippers slightly longer - it will be less than a quarter inch - and then use the #8 comb attachment again with the longer head.
   
   This time cut slightly above the line where the 1" length hair meets the 1.5". This will "blur the line" where the two lengths meet, and give your haircut a natural and clean look.

Tips & Warnings

• After you've seen what a #8 looks like, consider using an even shorter comb (#3 or #4) for the sides and back of your head for an even cleaner, more trim look.
• Don't forget to fold your ear back and cut the hair behind it, otherwise it might stick out!
• Move the clippers slowly, if you feel it tugging on your hair instead of cutting, stop immediately. Your clippers are either too dull or your hair is too long. Cut off some length with scissors and try again, using extreme caution.
• Remember: you can always cut shorter, but you can never cut longer! Start off with the longest length (1.5") and slowly work your way to shorter cuts. Once you find the lengths you like, just remember what size combs you used and return to that formula in the future.
• Avoid cheaper, no-name brand clippers - these are often made with lower quality materials and struggle to cut through thicker hair

Resources

• How to Look Good With Thinning or Receding Hair
• Buy Wahl #12 (1.5 inch) Comb at Amazon
• Buy Wahl #10 (1.25 inch) Comb at Amazon
• Buy Wahl Clippers at Amazon

[brandy1123]

on 7/10/2009 great advise, and saves money also

[missforty]

on 5/25/2009 Very good description.

[Merriment]

on 5/6/2009 Very good instructions for cutting hair with clippers.

[Delaplane]

on 4/21/2009 Great info on how to give yourself a haircut with clippers.

[Upon-Request]

on 4/19/2009 Well done! I love your warning - it is so true when you're considering how short is too short.