Fuzzable
Learning to cut men’s hair at home can be simple and easy with the right steps. If you’re considering a DIY self-haircut and want to fade your own hair like a professional barber, then you’ll need to have the right cutting tools as well as the proper way to fade your hair short. The following guide will teach you how to fade your own hair to get the perfect cut at home!
Fading Your Own Hair
You can fade your hair on the sides and back with a little preparation and the right tools. A barber definitely has the skill to ensure a perfect finish, but here’s the thing – faded cuts require regular trips to the barbershop for upkeep.
If you can master doing it yourself, you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle in the long run. Not to mention the fact that you earn bragging rights. Just make sure to follow the steps listed below to the letter for excellent results.
Make Sure You Have the Right Tools For The Job
To get a fade haircut at home, you’ll need clippers and styling scissors. Pick a pair of clippers with multiple guard lengths (at least three) so you can blend the hair more easily. If you’re new to using clippers to cut men’s hair, we recommend checking out this beginners guide by MensHairstylesToday.
You’ll use the scissors to trim your hair if necessary. As a side note, scissors can also be used to achieve a softer finish when fading, with the hair left a bit longer on the sides and back. However, cutting a fade with scissors is not something we recommend you take on yourself; scissors are more difficult to handle on your own than clippers. If you’re after a scissor fade, a trip to the barber is generally the way to go.
Still, you can give it a go if you already have some experience in this department and aren’t afraid to take on a challenge. For the sake of simplicity though, this guide will focus on using clippers to achieve the fade.
Decide on the Type of Fade You Want
Fades can start higher or lower on your head, depending on how you want to style your hair from that point on. If you have thick hair with plenty of personality, a low fade would probably work best for you. On the other hand, it you want a cut that’s sure to turn heads, a high fade might be more up your alley.
For starters, we suggest you look up some examples online and figure out which type of fade would look best on you. There are also dozens of apps available that let you browse through hairstyle galleries and see how you would look like with a new cut. Don’t be afraid to give them a spin. Once that’s done, feel free to proceed with the steps below.
Wash and Dry Your Hair
When cutting fades damp, clean hair is the easiest to handle. Get ready by washing your hair with shampoo and patting it dry with a towel.
Bring The Hair To The Desired Length
When fading your hair, start with the portion on top. Maybe your hair is already the perfect length to support a fade, but that’s not always the case. If necessary, use the styling scissors to trim it. If you have bangs, trim them as well as required.
For best results, trim your hair in sections. Simply lift sections of hair from the top of the head, keep them between the forefinger and middle finger, and cut.
Trim The Sides and Back
Now is time to make use of those clippers. If you’re worried about cutting your hair too short set the clippers to a long guard length and buzz the back and sides of your head. Use a vertical movement starting at the hairline and up. We strongly advise you position yourself between two mirrors, so you can better see what you’re doing when tackling the back of your head.
This is the trickiest part. A good idea is to lay your other hand horizontally on the back of your head to prevent yourself from cutting too high. This is not the time to rush, so be patient and ensure an even finish. Gently sweep upwards, in thin strokes.
Once that’s done, move to a shorter guard and repeat the process for the lower part of your head. Finally, buzz the nape of the neck with the shortest guard setting, cutting in upward strokes around the head’s back and sides up to the desired height.
You can also approach the process in reverse. Start with the lowest guard setting for the nape of your neck and opt for a higher one as you move up the head. If you can see an obvious split between the layers, you’ll need to go a better job at blending them together. Cut around the head and over the line with the clippers in a more circular fashion to achieve an even fade.
Finishing Touches
Once you’re done with the fade, brush off any hair clippings and carefully inspect the end result. If you’re happy with your handiwork, great! Otherwise, consider what you can do to achieve a smoother finish.
Maybe you’ll need to work on blending the layers of the fade better, or maybe you want a higher fade. If it’s the first time you’re cutting your own hair, the sides might not be even. Whichever the case, take the time to go over every inch of your new cut with the clippers and make sure it’s in tip-top shape.
Now comes the fun part: styling. Use pomade, wax, or gel to style the top of your hair and give it the shape and texture you want. If you’re not sure how to apply a hair product, a quick YouTube tutorial can always be helpful. You’ll likely have to do style your hair on a daily basis, but it’s worth the effort. Fade cuts are effortlessly cool. Don’t be surprised if you turn heads.
Maintain The Cut
While fades are fairly easy to style, depending on the cut you went for they do require regular maintenance. Your fade should grow out evenly, but it can lose its shape during the process. For best results, we recommend you trim the fade using clippers every 4 to 6 weeks. Needless to say, you should use the same guard settings as you did initially. Not to worry – if you master the cut the first time around, everything that comes after is child’s play.
