Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Cut Your Man’s Hair

Let’s talk about DIY haircuts, shall we?

save-money-learn-to-cut-his-hair

This is one of those posts I never thought I’d write (it’s definitely not very home related) but due to a surprising amount of requests, here it is. I guess anything that has to do with saving money and doing something yourself is fair game, right? I have no idea how I got into cutting people’s hair, but throughout high school and college I just played around, cutting off a guy’s mullet here and giving my BFF a super short pixie cut there (all at my “client’s” requests, of course). Why did they trust me? I have no idea. Maybe I just have a trustworthy face? I most certainly don’t have any formal training. I just sort of treat hair like I’d imagine I’d make a butter sculpture. You just remove the extra stuff so you’re left with the shape you want. Confidence inspiring, huh? But a bunch of people actually noticed my latest work of haircut art on John’s head in party pictures yesterday, so… score! Haha.

Party Portrait Clara Reaching

The funny thing is that we realized I’ve been cutting John’s hair for seven whole years! And I’ve probably dished out 50+ other haircuts to other friends and family members throughout the last ten years (why yes I have cut my brother in law’s hair in the backyard of John’s parents beach house). So take this post for what it is, one not-professional gal’s take on how she grooms her man. An above the neck manscaping lesson if you will.

Haircut Before N After

But since it’s extremely impossible to tell you how I cut John’s hair and a lot more descriptive to just show you, we actually made a video, thanks to the help of our handy little tripod. Look at that shaggy hair John had going on in this “setting up for the video” shot:

Haircut Video Camera Bad Hair

It’s amazing what a little at-home clippage can do. How YOU doin’ hubby?

Haircut After Side

But on with the video! Let’s get up close and personal with those light brown locks, shall we? Oh yes, and I have primer/paint all over my hands from Clara’s birthday dollhouse (more on that tomorrow). You can watch it below or here on YouTube.

For anyone who can’t watch the video with the sound on (mehaps you’re at work?) it’s actually still pretty easy to understand on mute (since you just have to see what my hands are doing to get the gist). And I’ve included a few written tips in bullet form below, just to help anyone with a sucker on standby who’s ok with you experimenting on their head. I say that in the most kind and loving way, since all of my friends and family who have let me go to town on their hair are pretty darn awesome. I actually haven’t had an oopsie since college (I went a little shorter than I meant to on a gal in dorms, but she totally had the bone structure to work it). Although now that I’ve made that claim I feel like I should knock on wood. Or John should, since he’d be the most likely person to have to walk around with a potential hair snafu if it ever were to happen. Anyway, on with the tips:

  • I cut hair when it’s dry or very lightly misted with water because my experience when cutting wet hair has been that it “shrinks up” and is always shorter than I mean for it to be – which can lead to profuse apologies. Also hair that’s wet might not “lay” the way it does when it’s dry (ex: a cowlick might make itself known when hair’s dry and result in an uneven effect).
  • I cut John’s hair at night after Clara’s off to bed so we can get ‘er done without distractions (no toddler running through the hair pile on the floor- which Burger thankfully avoids like the plague).
  • I don’t use a buzzer and just shave John’s neck for him after the haircut with a regular shaving razor. That always makes things look nice and polished, and this way we don’t have to store a big hair buzzer (or pay for one).
  • I just use hair-cutting scissors that I got for like $5 from CVS. They don’t even have a brand name on them to pass along. Sorry!

Haircut Scissors

  • I use my fingers to keep things even. For example, when I cut John’s hair I cut it one-finger-length from his scalp, so it all stays that length. I go a little longer on top – maybe two finger lengths (see the video for more on this).
  • I always try to cut hair vertically (ex: parallel to John’s spine) – except for trimming the line around his neck – since it can look dorky and block-ish if you cut things horizontally (parallel to the shoulders). It’s really hard to explain in words, but the video makes this much more clear.
  • I’m not a pro, so this isn’t real hairdresser scoop. Haha. I’m just a crazy girl with a penchant for pickles and cutting hair – so this is just what works for me (and John, my sweet hair-model hubby).

Oh and here’s an after pic from the back, since that might help you guys visualize it from that angle.

Haircut After Back2

Hope that helps any DIY-haircutting-hopefuls out there! Does anyone else host haircuts at their house? The craziest thing is that I just calculated that we have probably saved at least $700 in the past seven years just by me cutting John’s hair (not counting all the times that I cut my own hair or ask John to snip a straight line in the back when I need a little trim and can’t reach – which might be an additional $500 in savings over the years). That’s a lot of cheddar ceramic animals…

Comments

  1. Katherine R. says

    My husband cuts his own hair (and does a surprisingly great job). He asked me to “do the back” with his electric clipper one time while I was reading a book. “This length?” I asked him and he said yes so I absentmindedly buzzed up the back of his head until he jumped away. By “the back” he meant just to neaten up the hairline…there was no guard on the clipper and he had to cut his hair a lot shorter. =)

    Reply

  2. Amanda- Hip House Girl says

    This is funny, because around here, my husband is the one begging me to give him a homemade haircut and I’m always the one resisting! I find it stressful, because I don’t really know what I’m doing. Also, the hair! You think you’ve swept it all but then it comes out of hiding a week later! Haha. But maybe now with the pro Sherry tutorial I will feel better about it. Thanks Sherry! (I still make him go get a “real” haircut for important events like our wedding and his first day of work. :))

    Reply

  3. Emily E says

    I used to cut my husband’s hair all the time. But, ever since he had a brain biopsy (from brain cancer), he’s got a rather large, deep scar on the left side of his head. So, I am nervous to cut it since I’m afraid I’ll make the hair look weird with it. But, maybe I’ll give it a shot again…

    Reply

  4. Briel K. says

    Sherry, you did a great job! It looks great and you can’t tell that you don’t have training. I also agree with the other commenters who said John looks different from the side. We are so used to seeing him face first. :)

    I have only tried cutting my own hair once, just for fun a few months ago. I only cut an inch or so off but I had a fun time doing it. I even took video too. http://www.youtube.com/user/briel79 I’m trying to get my sister to let me cut her hair but so far it’s a no go. haha My mom has pretty much always cut my brothers and dads hair and sometimes I’d let her cut mine. She also dyes my hair occasionally (as well as her own and my sisters). Good times.

    Reply

  5. Mary says

    Wow! And I especially love how the cut manages to hide the horns John’s sporting in the tripod photo. I have a cowlick that always requires strategic cutting, but I think this surpasses that. :) Actually, excellent job! It looks great.

    Reply

  6. Maura says

    Awesome, you guys! Hubby and I have been doing tag-team haircuts on him for millennia (ok, more like 19 years), and we have it down to a science now. He clips it short with a #4 (we don’t use scissors at all), then I do the sides and back and general cleanup. It’s quick and free and he can’t stand paying someone else to do it “wrong”! My mom always cut my dad’s hair (still does, afaik), so it seemed normal to me. I’m so glad home haircuts are alive and well!

    Reply

  7. Pippin says

    Been cutting my husbands hair for years. When we first started dating he use to cut his own hair with a Swiss army knife, and I kindly offered my hair cutting services. Luckily I did not cut him or give him a bowl cut. I guess my hair cutting skills was one of the few reason he married me. However, I don’t think it would be for him to cut my hair. That could be a deal breaker.

    Reply

  8. Barb says

    I cut my husband’s hair too (and my own – I’m REALLY cheap). I usually use a combination of scissors and electric trimmer.

    One time I’d finished cleaning up his neck with no guard on the trimmer when I noticed a hair that I’d missed on the top of his head. Forgot there was no guard on the trimmer and buzzed a landing strip right across the top.

    I screamed, threw the trimmer into the sink and ran into another room to bury my head. He, on the other hand, thought it was funny. He ended up buzzed to the wood and everyone kept asking him what happened. He still bugs me about it every time I cut his hair.

    Reply

  9. Kristin H. says

    I cut my hub’s hair too!! I have for about 3yrs now and started not having a clue what I was doing! By the time you got to the sides of John’s head though is about when my husband would have been passed out asleep. And he doesn’t ever want to listen that the head-bobbing-while-falling-asleep does NOT an even hair cut make!! Sometimes I consider cutting off a big chunk.. ya know, just to teach him. hehe kiiiddding… sorta.. ;)

    Reply

  10. Wilani says

    Sherry, I am amazed. I’m a former hairdresser of about 12 years and have made it a mission to teach my friends and family how to cut their own and their loved ones hair. Your technique is pretty dead on from what I see! Have you ever tried to use a comb (like a pro, long, fine-toothed one) to rein in all those side and back hairs? It’s not as hard as it might seem at first and can really speed things along once you get the hang of palming the comb while you cut. The combs are less than a dollar at any beauty supply store but make free cutting so much easier (the combs even have a ruler on one side) and could be used for little Clara’s trims or your own!
    I also cut my own layers frequently and urge everyone to at least try it once, if your hair is long enough, fixes are easy. I just take a piece of hair from the nape of my head and find the length I’d like my hair to end up, add about an inch then cut. I use this as my guide and piece by piece comb sections of hair straight up in the air and cut to the same length as my guide. When I’m done I have the hubby cut that extra inch off the back in a straight line. Voila, DIY layers!
    So, congrats, you’re awesome. Sorry if I’m a little long- winded, I tend to get passionate about hair!

    Reply

  11. Ashley says

    This couldn’t have been more perfect timing! My husband was complaining about needing a haircut but hated shelling out the money. After he saw me watch your video, he said, “Hey, you should try to cut mine!” I was scared, but followed your directions and he loves it! So excited to save some moolah in the future! :)

    Reply

  12. Kyla says

    Hi,

    While I am not a professional, my mom has owned a couple of hair salons for right around 25 years. My husband and I are lucky that we get all free services but she has taught me a thing or two for the inbetween times. One tip you may want to try is to divide is hair in 4 quadrants. Meaning that he would have a front left quarter and so on. If you stick with your vertical clipping and use quadrants it will give you a all over even cut the first time and you will not need to hardly go back and clean up uneven spaces.

    Reply

  13. Erica says

    Our hairdresser is moving up in her business and won’t be cutting hair anymore :( We are so nervous to find someone new, but maybe I’ll have to try cutting my husband’s hair myself! Thanks for the post.

    Another question, completely off this post topic, is how do you make mood boards? I want to start making some as we redo more through our house but I’m not sure the easiest way. I enjoy photoshop elements and could pull something together on that, but I didn’t know if there was a website or easy way to look online at things and slap them together. Thanks!

    Reply

  14. Kathy says

    This is great! I would love to try it on my husband’s hair, but he’s already got it down with the Flowbee. Yup, he “suck-cuts” his own curly (forgiving) hair. It’s pretty awesome.

    Reply

  15. Diana @ frontyardfoodie says

    I’m right there with you girl. I always cut my hubby and son’s hair and am the designated cutter of my brother and sisters hair too along with a few friends.

    I’m not a pro at all, but I guess I’m fairly decent to have them keep coming haha. I also cut my own hair which I find the easiest of all as weird as that sounds!

    Reply

  16. Laura Beth says

    So I recently started cutting my hubby’s hair! His is curly, so lucky for me it’s kind of hard to mess up. The other night he did the math, and assumed if I cut his hair for the next 50 years it would save us like $10,000. Crazy!

    Reply

  17. Jena says

    My mom cut all of our hair growing up (probably didn’t get “real” haircuts until late high school). I tried cutting my husband’s once, but I think we both ended up in tears ;). He’s military, so has to get a fresh cut weekly (!). It’s such a time and money suck…so we might have to try it at home again!

    Reply

  18. Begen says

    Wow! You are certainly a natural at hairdressing! I should get my husband to watch it (he’s a barber) and give you some tips, but I very sure he would call you a “barber starver” lol!

    Reply

  19. laxsupermom says

    I’ve been cutting my own hair for about 5 yrs. My brother used to date a stylist who cut my hair, and I had gotten used to getting long layers cut in for free. After he broke up with her, I gave it a go, and it really wasn’t that hard. Nobody believes that I cut my own hair.

    My 15yo buzzes his own head and just cut his brother’s hair the other day, too.

    Now my husband’s hair is a whole different ball of wax. He has about 7 cowlicks, and even the pros look at his head with trepidation.

    Reply

  20. Kristy says

    I also have been cutting and coloring family/friends hair for years. When I offered to cut my now husband’s hair for the first time his response was “You know people go to school for that!” Now, 6 years later, he can’t imagine having to drive somewhere to get a haircut – and we’ve saved a ton of money in the process.

    I always thought it was pretty easy until I tried to teach a friend how to cut her boyfriend’s hair…let’s just say that after her first attempt he had the shortest hair he’d had in a decade. I’m still not sure if she just didn’t listen to me well enough or if I’m that bad at giving instruction.

    Reply

  21. Zoe Feast says

    Gotta love those home haircuts. I’ve been cutting my husbands hair for over 10 years and use clippers. Not only is it a money saver but time too… no more driving to the barber, waiting in line etc. The whole thing takes about 5 minutes.

    I used to cut my daughters hair too…but at 14 she now wants to go to have it done professionally!

    Reply

  22. marie says

    i tried to cut my sons hair once. ONCE. his hair was white blonde and stick straight…you could see every mis-chop i made. i hung up my scissors after that. lol i love how you whipped john’s head around while cutting it. hee hee

    Reply

  23. Victoria says

    hair cut looks nice, but my comment is going back a few posts – to the worms. i have the weirdest thing to share…after seeing the clip of clara saying she dreamt about worms, i decided to ask my little guy what he dreamt of. today i was changing him after his nap and i asked “what did you dream about?” AND. HE. SAID. WORMS. ?!?!?!!??! whatha??!?!! is this the toddler theme dream????!!!! sooooo weird!!!!

    Reply

  24. Heather says

    I’m laughing so hard I can’t type because my husband Flowbees his hair – I’m not joking. It drives me crazy, but honestly it looks good. I come in and shape it up with the clippers and scissors when it gets a little out of control. He went without a haircut for 6 years and last year he decided he wanted a cut so he went once and then went back to the Flowbee. It has saved us so much money so I really try not to complain.

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  25. Stephanie/SwoodsonVintage says

    It looks great! I’ve cut my own hair since high school, cut my husband’s hair the last year, and cut our dog’s hair the past 3 years. I figure I’ve saved us thousands – I think everyone should at least try it a time or two themselves. If it goes awry.. then you just get it cut like a professional and you’ve only lost an hour and a pair of scissors!

    Reply

  26. Elizabeth says

    So funny, I remember you mentioning you cut John’s hair a long time ago. Yesterday when I read Clara’s Bday post I was wondering if you had cut his hair!

    Reply

  29. Katie S. says

    My brother cuts his own hair with a special trick to get it to stick out all over so he can see how long it is: Vaseline! Just slathers it all over. He gets a lot of grief about it (especially from his big sis) but he ends up with a pretty nice looking do. After he thoroughly washes his hair that is.

    Reply

  30. sarah says

    yay for saving money. i buzz the hubby’s head every few weeks, and if i do say so, he looks pretty sexy in a David Beckham buzz kinda way. i love it super short. i just attempted to cut the 2 year old’s hair for the first time (he had it done professionally 4 times and was great with her) and guess what, it worked. we did it outside and just let him sit and play in the grass and dirt, and i cut it….and then finished the trimming with the buzzer in the bathtub. he did wonderfully. and it doesn’t look too bad either….still learning the blending tricks with the buzzer….but i def trim parallel to the spine like you do, sherry.

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  31. Melissa says

    Thanks so much for your tutorial! My husband has a similar haircut, and I think he’ll let me give this a try (since he hates taking the time to go out and get a cut). I used clippers once in college and gave him a horrible bowl cut, but your post has inspired me to try again. Love your blog!

    Reply

  32. Tet says

    this has nothing to do with haircut but kuddos just the same to your DIY styling on John’s hair :-) I just can’t get over that bubble on the foreground. I first saw “it” yesterday when I read your post on Clara’s party (happy birthday Clara!). Then, I saw “it” again today. I don’t know if it’s my eyes playing tricks on me or just too much tv but when you look inside that bubble, you can clearly see spongebob squarepants wearing square glasses. I’m guessing it’s too much tv ;-) btw, you guys rock! really!

    Reply

  33. Jessica D. says

    I cut my dad’s hair for years and now I cut my fiance’s and future-brother-in-law’s hair. They all went with the super simple buzz cut… I just have to remember which person gets which length! For some reason, getting the bottom edge to look decent is the hardest for me – I use a regular shaving razor for the neck because they like the closer shave!

    Reply

  34. Melissa Renno says

    Hey! I must admit that coming from a hair stylist (that’s me :) that was horrifying to watch LOL but your end result looks pretty darn good :) Nice work!

    Reply

  35. Jen R. says

    I’m a professional hairdresser and I loved watching your video. Your techniques totally had me terrified but the end result is so good, I guess it doesn’t really matter! I cut my husbands hair and he is one of my least favorite clients cause he is so particular and criticizes and asks annoying questions before I’m even done. Anyways, great job!

    Reply

  36. Michelle says

    I just cut my hubby’s hair yesterday…funny:) I use clippers to cut his hair and the little nob that you move up and down to make each guard a little longer BROKE! So I basically shaved the back of his head…ahhhh! Thanks to my mad clipper skills (hah) I was able to figure it out. That was the first time, in 8 years, that anything like that happened. Phew!!

    Reply

  37. [email protected] says

    I did attempt to cut my husbands hair one night, and he went to the Hairdressers the next day to get it fixed ;)

    But did you notice in the photo os Johns “shaggy hair” that he has horns growing out of his head as well, did you also trim those? ;)

    Good job!

    Reply

  38. Johanna says

    Great job, Sherry! I cut my own bangs (and would cut my hair if I could see it) and use a buzzer on my husband (he bought one on sale ages ago). I think you do a better job than we do though!

    Reply

  39. Michelle N says

    While we are on the topic of hair….Avalon Organics has a $3 off coupon on their Facebook page!!

    Reply

  40. Jessica says

    So, I’m sorry if you already answered this question. I didn’t read through the 350+ comments. :)

    Sherry, when you got your “dramatic” haircut when you chopped off a ton of your hair and had that cute bob cut, did you do that yourself or did you leave that to the professionals?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh that was a pro! There’s a cute salon here in Richmond that I go to about once every two years, just to undo all the terrible things I do to my own hair over time- haha!

      xo,
      s

  41. Lis says

    I cut my husband’s and my son’s using the same exact techniques you do. Been doing so for the past year or so. I’m not a pro either! Definitely a money saver, and we all like the cuts better than with a stylist. Though now that I have a daughter (still a baby with not much hair) I don’t know how I’ll feel eventually about doing hers, haha.

    Reply

  42. Asia says

    It is WAY past overdue for my boyfriend to get a haircut, yet I don’t think he would trust me, nor would I ever trust myself to take the good old fashion clippers to him. LOL! But hey, it seems like you have talent in the hair cutting department, so keep it up!
    Asia

    Reply

  43. Kristy says

    lol at the wolf whistle on the internet.

    I’ve been cutting the 4 boys hair (3 sons, one DH) for ages, and even my DD1 when she decided she wanted it short short like the boys. In return, I get DD1 or DH to cut my hair (it’s only a simple cut for length).

    Saves us $25-30 each x 6 people + the 15-30mins per cut x 6 people.

    I just watched the hair dresser a few times then did the same myself. DH often gets positive comments back, so do the boys.

    Even though my hairdresser at the time did a wash, cut and footspa with cuppa for (way back then) $25, it’s still another cost and time saving I am happy to make.

    So go you :)

    Reply

  44. Eileen Treitler says

    Do you remember cutting your cousin Tim’s hair at Thanksgiving when you were teenagers? Love you!

    Reply

  45. Shannon Hoving says

    I’ve been cutting and coloring my own hair since I was twenty. My sister went to cosmetology school, and she taught me how, so my broke self could save some money. I can afford salon visits now, but I kinda like doing it myself. Three months after I started dating him, That Man of Mine handed me the scissors and said, “Here, have at it.” (For the record, they were kitchen scissors. Fortunately for him, I have my own hair cutting scissors.)I had never cut boy-type hair before, and I was so nervous my hands were shaking. “Why are you so nervous? It’s MY hair that will be jacked up,” he said. “Yeah, well, I’m the one who has to be SEEN with a guy with jacked-up hair,” I laughed. I must not have done too bad a job, because seven years later, I’m still cutting his hair, his son’s hair, and I even give the Yorkie haircuts. (I tried to talk her into some highlights, but she wasn’t havin’ it!)

    Reply

  46. Heather says

    I have only ever had my hair professionally cut 3 times in my 30 years! My mom always cut it until I went to college and took over the trimming myself.

    I also love cutting my two year-old’s hair. I give him the “Lyle Lovett” which he can totally pull off with his cute blond curls. Little boy bed-head? All the better for the style.

    I should add that I got my start in hair-styling from my Barbies- many of which ended up half bald.

    Reply

  47. Tisha says

    I married a barber and had two boys. Its a non issue with me. :) My boys go every other week for a free cut!

    Reply

  48. sarah o. says

    I love your little video!
    I’ve cut my husbands hair occasionally, but I definitely don’t do as good a job as you do! I’m thinking you could open a salon for all of us local readers. : )

    Reply

  49. Anna says

    You really impressed me by doing that entire haircut without a comb!! I was literally on the edge of my seat! That’s apparently what’s exciting for a hairstylist at the end of a LONG day!! I saw the post go up midday, but didn’t get to watch the video until now! Well done :)

    Reply

  50. Ashley says

    You guys are too cute! Nice job Sherry :) I like both! the before and after! and loved a little random haircutting post! Love everything you guys touch really :) Keep up the awesome work!

    Reply

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