Cute Boys Hair Cut!!!

Hi crafters!!! It's me! Mary Olsen :)

This Friday I cut my sons hair as well as my two nephews. I didn't take step by step photos but next time I will be sure to take them and post for you all to see. For now a finished photo and written step by steps will have to do. I have been cutting my families hair for the past 14 years (Wow! That's sooo weird to say that I have been doing that for 14 years..time flies).
Why pay a barber or salon high prices to cut boys hair? It's soooo easy to DIY and here is how! All you need is:
*hair clippers (you can pick them up at a beauty supply place or Walmart and Target. I really like Wahls Peanut for the harder to reach areas and Wahls clippers in general. They last the longest!)
*1/4"(also called S-2), 1/2"(S-3), 5/8", and 7/8 attachments
*good haircutting scissors (or you will be cutting the same group of hair over and over again with terrible results and take too much time. Get them at a beauty supply place and get the medium grade (price range) or higher)
*spray bottle
*blowdryer (to blow away hair when finished or when child/husband complains of itch)
*large-medium towel or covering (I prefer a salon style covering to keep hair off the person getting the haircut. You can find them at your local beauty supply place)

*small hand towel ( to use to dust hair away from eyes, neck or wherever your child or husband feels itchy.)

1)To get started I place my child in front of the TV(so they are entertained) or outside (for easy cleanup) on a chair with the covering over them. I have a plastic bag hooked on the chair for easy convenient cleanup of hair.
2)Place the 1/2" (S-3) attachment on your clippers and begin cutting the bottom half of the head in an upward motion. This is typically from the nape of neck to where the head starts to round (about 1" above the top of earlobe). Follow this imaginary line around the head in an upward motion to avoid lines in the hair (if you cut with clippers from side to side you will see ugly cutting lines).
3)Take off the attachment and clean up the nape with just the clippers (no attachment). To do this hold the clippers at a 45 degree angle or more and lightly touch the nape (if the clippers are too hot from friction then skip this step and move to step 4 and come back to it after the clippers have cooled off). Cut slightly above the natural thinning if the hair on the nape. If the hair along the nape grows uneven then even it out. Be careful not to cut the nape too high! It looks really dorky. If in doubt just leave it. A duck tail nape looks cute too!
4)Now for the sideburns. I prefer them longer than "Spock" but you will soon figure out what you like. With the same 45 degree or higher angle (that you used on the nape) cut the side burns straight and lightly wipe down to remove all hair. I like to use that little bump by your ear hole as a guide. Pick a spot on the ear and use it as a guide so your sideburns are straight on both sides!
5)If your child's nape hair still feels too long , go back with a 1/4" (S-1) attachment on your clippers and cut up to half of what you just cut! Again make sure it is in an upward motion to avoid ugly lines!
6)Now for the top of head! Place 7/8" attachment on clippers and find the outside of the eye brows and follow it to where the head hair begins. Follow at an inward angle like a "V" 2" (this should be to about the center of the top of the head. Find the other eyebrow edge and repeat to finish the "V". When you are cutting the sides of head, make sure you are moving in an up and down motion with the clippers. Never side to side (unless you like those ugly cutting lines...trust me..you don't). For short front spiking then bring the "V" in more.
7) If the hair still appears too poofy at some spots (because of cowlicks) I like to go over it with the 5/8" attachment. This is also good to blend the line between the nape/bottom cut area with the top cut part of the head.
8)To finish I get out the spray bottle and wet the un-cut hair. Then I get the scissors. The mid-section of my fingers are a little under 1" thick so I use them as my guide. I comb my fingers front to back through un-cut hair and slightly lift at an angle and cut. This makes the hair towards the middle of the head shorter than the forehead hair. I continue like this until all the uncut hair is cut in this manner. You will notice that the hair makes a point in the front. Trim slightly so it is straight across.

*in this picture I did the ears before the top of the head was cut!

9) Now for around the ears. You can use the clippers without the attachment but I prefer the scissors. Trim around the ear by following the natural curve of the hair around the ear. We are just cleaning it up. If you cut too much it will look like he had his ears lowered!

It takes practice and I hope this has helped. I had to learn all of these tricks over the past 10 years of trial and error. You may make mistakes but they are boys and their hair grown back quickly. You will save a lot of money, bond with your kid (ask questions about their day or their future plans while you cut), and have a sense of Independence and accomplishment!!! Soon your kids won't want to go to the barber because you do a better job!!!
Let me know if this helped and worked for you. If you have any questions feel free to email me at anoriginalbymay@pacbell.net