Coronavirus: How to cut your hair at home amid Covid-19 lockdown

With the lockdown measures in place amid the coronavirus crisis leaving people unable to go to the hairdresser, many have opted to cut their hair at home.

It's a daunting task for most, so here are a few tips for those giving themselves or someone they live with a short back and sides (electric clippers needed):

Wash hair before cut, use sharp scissors

Before getting started, there are two basic recommendations to bear in mind: cutting freshly-washed hair makes the job far simpler, and try to use very sharp scissors, preferably specialised hairdressing scissors.

Two mirrors to see the back of your head

If it’s your own hair that you’re doing, you'll need to have two mirrors to hand, to allow you to see the back of your head while cutting that area.

Ensuring that your hair is dry when you use them, electric clippers will make the home-haircutting process far more straightforward.

Apply clippers in an 'up-and-out' motion

As the stylist Aaron Marino demonstrates on his Alpha M YouTube channel, start by brushing the hair on the top of your head away from the sides, then applying the clippers to each side of your head in an ‘up-and-out’ motion.

After this, apply the clippers to the back of your head, using two mirrors to see what you’re doing if you are cutting your own hair.

Dampen hair, cut tips clamped between fingers

For the top, dampen your hair and use a comb to pull up sections that you will then clamp between your forefinger and index finger, before horizontally cutting away the tips that come through your fingers.

Using a spray bottle filled with water is the easiest way of keeping your hair continually damp.

Most important of all: take your time!