Cutting our hair is a tricky task. Whether we want to save money on haircuts or explore and try it ourselves, achieving the desired look comes with inevitable mistakes. While faded cuts would be such a great option, it seems impossible without seeking a barber or professional help. With that said, we wouldn’t prefer to risk our image getting ruined instead of aiming for our ideal cut. But do not fret, if you follow these tips using hair clippers, you can achieve your perfect fade look.
Give Yourself a Fade Hair
Having a short cut from the bottom while it gets longer towards the above, is a top new desired hairstyle nowadays. Guys can start from practicing blending techniques before trying to cut some fades to avoid worst-case scenarios. While others start practicing giving cuts to their friends, some prefer doing the hard work by themselves. And if you’re ready to give yourself a fade, remember that there are some things you need to know.
Before Fading Hair
You’ve got to identify first what style or type of fade you would like to achieve. There are many unique styles you could choose from, and make sure you try out what’s the best fit for your hair. Aside from that, here are some keys you need to consider beforehand.
- Prepare all the necessary equipment while ensuring it’s all free from dirt: a recommended hair clipper, a towel, a spray bottle with water, and a comb.
- Make sure your hair has been washed within the last 24 hours. It’s easier and more convenient to cut conditioned hair.
- Do not forget to keep up a good posture, which means keeping both sides even. This way, you’re able to avoid troubling results.
- Consider the basic and simplest rules of barbering, you might acquire more tips and insights while practicing.
- Remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect, especially if it’s your first time. You might be needing guidance throughout the process, do not hesitate to ask for it.
Giving Fade Haircut
Now that you’ve acknowledged the prerequisites of cutting hair, here are the steps you need to follow while giving a fade haircut.
#1 Damp the Hair
Pick the spray bottle with clean water up, then evenly spray it towards the hair. It helps soften the hair for easier molding and cutting. Remember that it should be lightly damped, not soaked. You could now proceed in combing the hair partly.
#2 Choose the Appropriate Size for the Fade Line
Select the right guard size according to your desired style. Take note that a lower size means a shorter cut. For starters, the number three or something similar would help you best.
#3 Position the Fade Line
The fade line will help you determine where you should start tampering. Switching from shorter to longer cuts, keep in mind that you should keep your line at least two to three inches above the ear.
#4 Move the Clippers Vertically
At this point, start shaving the sides while applying short strokes across the head. Always move the hair clipper in an upward motion or the opposite direction where the hair grows.
- To ensure a smooth and even cut, lightly press the clipper down the scalp.
- You could switch guard and repeat the process since the style and results depend on the individual.
#5 Trim Some Parts
It’s not always the clipper who would get the job done. There are instances where the top of the head is hard to deal with using merely clippers. Meaning, some areas should be treated with tooth scissors to achieve a certain ideal length.
#6 Clean Up the Fade Line
After achieving the desired fade line, start cleaning the fade using a regular comb. It will guide you to achieve a natural look since it minimizes layers as you move the sides when changing lengths.
#7 Making Final Cuts
Finally, to make sure you’ve done it correctly, try having an overall look to cover up finishing touches.
- Look for patches or areas where the hair isn’t evenly sectioned, and make sure to blur out visible lines using your hair clipper.
- Clean the edges using a trimmer, and brush off loose hairs by applying pomade for a finished look.
Reviewing the Haircut
Ultimately, you should not hesitate to inspect your fade in order to recognize some things you might have missed. It’s pretty normal needing to fix some mistakes with the help of a barber for first-timers. But if you think you’ve done well, you would want to try some challenging and better styles! You don’t have to be a perfectionist to spot some uneven areas.
Tips and Insights
- Ensure you have all the necessities and primary tools before giving it a shot. It also comes with a prepared and determined mindset, wanting to try a fade cut.
- Cutting and fading when achieving the fade length varies on the guards you have been using. Note that there are three different guards, raging from longest to shortest cut: higher the number, the longer cut.
- It’s recommended to ask some friends or professionals for advice and opinions when choosing the right style, but it all depends on your final thoughts.
- Gather more patience and take time before experimenting. It would help you enjoy what you’re doing while striving for the best style.
Summing Up
Giving yourself a fade cut might be more difficult than you could imagine. Fortunately, you could ease some hardships and skip problematic areas by following the offered insights and steps. Frankly, the hair clipper you would be using plays a major role in tampering yourself, so make sure that you’re applying the recommended ones.
If you are interested in cutting hair with different styles, do note that it requires a bit practice and persistence to do so. There are some research barbering areas that would offer you programs, primarily in teaching about things you need to know.