How to Successfully Give Yourself a Buzz Cut at Home
Step 1: Start with clean and fully dried hair.
It’s important to start your buzz cut at home with clean and fully dried hair. You don’t want oils or wet hair to potentially mess with your clippers and prevent them from getting a clean, even cut. Any hair that isn’t clean and dry can be more different for the blade to cut through. Prep your strands with a shampoo and conditioner duo like Dove Men+Care Hydration Fuel 2-in-1 Fortifying Shampoo+Conditioner.
Step 2: Choose your guard size and grab a mirror.
When it comes to guard size, going the traditional route of the golden 3-2-1 rule is recommended for a full-on buzzcut style (we’ll explain in a bit!). If you’re just trying to clean up the sides of a fade style, you can still use the 3-2-1, but you may only need a 2-1. Decide which style you want and remember the think about the gradient you want to create. Every time you want the hair to start looking shorter, move the guard down a number. Since you’re doing this alone, you’re going to need a handheld mirror. Use it to hold when you cut the back of your head, so you can see what’s going on.
Step 3: Start at the top.
You’re finally ready to begin the buzz. Start your style at the top with your #3 guard on your clipper. Move all the way down your head. Continue until everything is the same length. Alternatively, if you’re just shaving the sides, begin where you want to work on the fade and leave the very top alone.
Step 4: Move down to buzz cut the sides.
Now it’s time to create that gradient. Switch to a #2 on your guard and buzz down the sides. Using a #2 on the sides will make everything look even, so if you want to create even more of a gradient, bring in the #1.
Step 5: Clean up the edges and style.
Once you’re content with how it looks after the #2, use the #1 to clean up the edges, like your neck and sideburn area. Now that the buzz cut is complete, give it a style to see if it’s to your liking. If you kept some length at the top create a quiff style with some AXE Texturizing Cream. This cream offers a medium hold while creating stylish volume and shine for a natural look. That’s all there is to the buzz cut at home! Remember, it might take a little practice, so go in confidently and let the clippers do the work.
