Do you often sport the bald look because it is more economical to shave it all off with an electric razor at home instead of going to a barber’s shop to have your hair styled? A lot of men are guilty of this activity – and probably fed up with it too – that’s why there is a good chance that you are reading this blog to reverse the situation.
Well, luck is indeed siding with you today because we are about to share tips on how to fade your own hair alone, at home, and even without years of haircutting experiences to speak of. Just to put it out there, fading is not synonymous to tapering. Many have gotten confused by hair fade vs. taper due to their close resemblance, but in fact, the guys who opt for the latter come out with more hair left compared to those who go for the former.
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It is a noteworthy topic because this is one cost-effective way to replicate the hairdo of some of the most famous male athletes and Hollywood celebrities. The magnificence of the steps below is that you may use them to recreate various kinds of fade as they share the same principle. All you need to do is to figure out how much of your scalp you want to show or how long of a mop of hair you wish to end up with.
This cut suits you in case you like to keep things clean while still looking rad, as what teenagers say these days. Its level of complexity? We will become liars if we claim that the job is as easy as snipping your fringes off the first time, but your hands and arms will get accustomed to the process once you have been doing it for several occasions.
What materials do you need before proceeding?
1. Electric clippers
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Ascertain the quality of the hair clippers you will purchase online or offline. A wise advice is to steer clear of the cheapest options and look at the mid-range and high-end products since the second-mentioned are typically the ones that have gone through detailed scrutiny.
Choosing a finely made clipper is imperative as it is going to be in contact with your head. If you have a top-caliber tool on hand, you can concentrate on thinking about the style you will try to reproduce without worrying about it exploding or, worse, changing your hairdo from ‘meh’ to ‘no way.'
2. Guards in different sizes
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Electric clippers come with a broad spectrum of clipper sizes since a single variety can only take you closer to being bald. To be able to apply the ideas you will learn on how to fade your own hair; you ought to have several guards within arms’ reach so that tasks such as shaving and blending can be done without a hitch.
3. Mirrors
It is essential for you to have two lighted mirrors as well because you should be allowed to see the haircutting progress, particularly in the back. Assuming that you will do it after a shower, you may utilize the bathroom mirror to check out the sides of the hair. A handheld type, on the other hand, is also necessary in case you do not wish to leave the fate of the back of your head to gut feel.
4. Hair clips (Optional)
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These are tools which you may or may not need when fading. The reason is that they are just helpful if you want to keep a few inches of hair untouched at the center while you are clipping the sides and the back. You will have zero use for them, however, if your goal is to achieve the short fade.
5. Comb (Optional)
A comb is quite handy to have when you require hair clips because it means that your locks are long enough to be parted accordingly. The regular-toothed combs are simply perfect when you are about to do the fade haircut.
Now, we have divided the steps into three portions to ascertain that each one of them gets a proper amount of explanation.
How to Fade Your Own Hair: Step by Step
First Part: The Pre-Fade
Conduct your own research on fade hairstyles
The entire process has to start with research. Spend some time online to find out the classic and modern fades available. This initial step can give you an insight on the fading cuts you may wish to try on your own.
Think about the percentage of hair you want to remove at the bottom
Make sure that you put your head shape into consideration when deciding if you will have regular, temple, or low fade. The easy trick for beginners is to fade near the ears as that is the basic style. You may go higher or lower from there.
Wash your hair
It is best to work with clean, damp hair at all times. Once satisfied with the haircut, shampoo your locks to get rid of oil, gel, and dirt particles which may be sticking to the strands. Check out how this guy starts with towel-dried mop:
Second Part: During the Fading Process
Keep the hair on top out of the way
You may skip to the next step if the locks are no longer than ½ inch. But if it is a bit long, get the comb to part your hair and clip it towards the center to ensure that you will not accidentally shear it.
Buzz the remaining hair with the biggest guard
The idea behind this step is to trim in an upward motion from the back of the neck up to where you will begin to do the fade. It can aid you to get a feel of the actual procedure before it becomes technical.
Use the hair clipper without a gauge to shave off the bottom layer
Remove the guard and make a line with it beginning on the sides of your head. How many inches the gap will be between your ears and the line depends on you. Continue doing this down to the back, and then clear the hair at the lowermost part.You can get a gorgeous picture of it here:
Attach slightly larger guards to begin fading the middle layer
On the fourth step, you will have the clipped top and the mostly shaved bottom layers. It may be practical to lay out all the gauges you own based on their sizes so that you will see which ones to use. The guide is to go from larger to smaller guards to blend your hair’s thickness.
Third Part: The Post-Fade
Inspect and clean your work
Use the handheld mirror while facing the bathroom mirror to check your new do from every angle. The lowest portion of the head should be clean shaven, so you may use the hair clippers once again to cut the stragglers closer to the skin.
Decide on what you will do with the top portion of the hair
It is your choice if you will trim the leftover hair on top, curl, or leave it as is. You may also shape the hair on the temple and ensure that both sides are equal. See how you can do that through the video:
The Verdict
The trick on how to fade your own hair is to gradually start from the bottom to the top so that it will not be hard to make a few changes along the way. Cutting the locks by yourself in a stylish manner needs a bit of getting used to, but learning how fading works can save you heaps of money.
For further questions about the process, help yourself in the Comments section below.
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