Yes, the barber is a pro and has likely many years of experience to get a premium fade, but do you really want to be paying for each trip when you can just pay upfront for a quality device that can do all that for you without having to leave the home? Chances are it's going to be much better for your bank balance in the long run and then at least you'll have a new skill to brag about to your mates.
Top hair clipper tips from a pro barber
Looking for some actual guidance from a proper pro? It's all well and good experimenting with your own head with wild abandon, but at some point, you'll want to take your trimming a bit more seriously. In order to help guide us away from amateur bowl cuts and into quality self-made trims, we've enlisted the help of Joey Anderson from Supply 91. With two hot barbers in London and a host of talent at its disposal, we've got some top tips from Joey that you need to take note of.
How do I use professional hair clippers at home?
So what sort of brand should you be using? Joey says, "I recommend Wahl Clippers – they come with grade attachments, they’re cordless whilst still being powerful, and if they are maintained well they will last a lifetime.
“For those looking for an effective interim between regular professional haircuts, I recommend using clippers to achieve a well-maintained taper look on the sideburns- freshly trimmed sideburns and edges can keep your cut looking fresher for longer.”
Cutting down on touch-up trips to the barbers is a must, so getting this technique down is crucial. To get your practice in, Joey also says, “Utilise various clipper guards; start with the longest grade all over the sideburn, then as you work down the sideburn, gradually moving each guard down, transitioning to lower-numbered guards to create a fading effect. A good rule of thumb, however, is to leave anything below a grade 1 to a professional.”
The modern-day versatility of such grooming devices means you can often use them across other parts of your body, including your jawline. Joey told us, “Clippers can be a great way of maintaining facial hair as well; choose a higher-number guard (you can always work down, taking more hair off, than the other way around!). To fade the sideburns into your beard, you’ll want to go with the grain. In a similar vein, clippers on a 2.5 grade are great for taming long eyebrow hairs.”
How do I achieve a skin fade?
In one word- don’t. Joey told us to save the technical cutting to professionals, and we'd tend to agree. It takes a huge amount of patience and finesse that we're simply not capable of. He told us, “A skin fade is a technical approach that takes even the best barbers years to master, so they are definitely one to leave to the professionals.”
How do I look after a hair clipper?
Proper grooming etiquette must be followed. Joey says, “After every use, it’s important to remove the grades and brush off any hair from the blades. I like to follow this up with spraying Andis cool care, which will clean and protect your tools. After a day of cutting, I dismantle my clippers, wipe every piece then spray Andis cool care before reassembling ready for the next day. My advice is to clean your clippers or trimmers after every use to keep them from rusting, overheating and allows them to run smoothly. It also keeps the equipment coming into contact with your skin nice and clean, minimising the risk of blemishes and infections caused by bacteria.”
What are the best hair products to style short hair?
“A good all-rounder is a matte paste, it's a very versatile product for most hair types and styles. My all-time favourite product is Supreme Matt Paste by Oway which offers a low-shine hold, whilst being super light in consistency and it's also organic. You just can’t beat an organic approach, it’s the best for your health, hair, and the environment. I also like to use pomade for slicker short styles, as it’s quite glossy whilst still offering a light hold. A good pomade, also by Oway, is water resin.”
