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Grooming At Home | The Lockdown Survival Guide

Like many aspects of our daily life, grooming regimes have changed under lockdown. With barbers and salons closed, it has not only been impossible to get a haircut but potential access to our favourite products has also been limited. There are still Zoom calls to be had and occasional meetups albeit restricted. Which means we […]
WORDS BY: 
Sam Brady

Like many aspects of our daily life, grooming regimes have changed under lockdown. With barbers and salons closed, it has not only been impossible to get a haircut but potential access to our favourite products has also been limited.

There are still Zoom calls to be had and occasional meetups albeit restricted. Which means we should still be making an effort. Ok, this might be as full-on as it was before but making sure our appearance is presentable is the bare minimum.

Men's Haircare

Access to a trained professional is not possible right now. Which means some men will be panicking, others will take this as a chance to try something a little different. Either way, picking up some useful tips and tricks to cutting or trimming your hair is crucial in this current environment.

So, whether you are furiously Youtubing home haircut videos or just need a little guidance. Below are some useful pointers to consider when it comes to hair care during the lockdown.

Be Prepared

If you want to look like David Beckham, you will need to get the right supplies. As with all aspects of menswear, investing in quality products is crucial for getting the best cut.

We would never recommend anyone to rush head-on into cutting their own hair. If you are a newbie, start with just tidying up any hair over the ears or around the neck. It can make a surprising difference. For those adept at tackling more make sure your toolkit is fully stocked.

Essential Tools For A Home Haircut

  • Hair Scissors - not the ones out of the kitchen drawer
  • Comb - this will help to judge the cutting length
  • Styling Products - the usual pomades, clays and gels will do
  • Brush - perfect for longer styles
  • Handheld Mirror crucial for seeing the back of your head
  • Hair Clippers - for taking more length of the sides
  • Beard Trimmer - cleans up hairlines and stray hairs 

Go Easy

Lockdown orders tend to be in flux. If, for a glimmer of time, your local barber opens up, get a haircut that can be easily maintained. A low maintenance style will allow you to keep on top of things if we subsequently enter another lockdown.

Low Maintenance Styles

  • Regular taper or fade.
  • A straight razor clean-up is great because it can make the fade/taper last for a longer period of time.
  • Skin fades (these haircuts take around a week to grow back to original length).
  • Skin bald tapers (these tend to grow back quicker than skin fades.)

Grow It Out

Life under quarantine doesn’t have to be boring. This is can be an opportunity to try something entirely new. If you’re stressed out about the intricacies of maintaining a shorter hairstyle, you should consider growing it out. Just be mindful that even longer hair needs regular maintenance.

With longer hair, brush daily and regularly use conditioner in the shower. Since it can dry your hair out, avoid shampooing on a daily basis. Take it down to two or three times a week instead.

Keep your hair controlled with some product. Dependent on hair types and required finish, this could be a mousse or a light cream. 

Shave It Off

Another option and the most drastic is to shave your hair off. To get the best, symmetrical buzz, you must use hair clippers instead of a beard trimmer. With the hair clipper, use a 1.5 length if your hair is thick and dark. On the other hand, use 2 for finer, lighter hair. Whatever your hair type —always go against the grain. 

With so many hairstyles out there to choose from, it can be tough to decide which one is right for you. You will want to find one that is perfect for your taper/fade and with a busy lifestyle, you may not have the time to do extensive research. No need to worry — you can take a haircut quiz that can help match your face shape with a specific hairstyle. 

Facial Hair

Having a stylish haircut is only one aspect of keeping up with your appearance. You should also make sure to groom any facial hair. Similar to haircuts, there are various lengths and styles and you may find that this is the time to experiment. As we aren't interacting in person as much, why not try out that moustache style you have always been too scared to. Now is your chance to see how it would look.

Moustache Care

We have seen many celebrities over the past few years embracing some top lip fuzz. Moustaches have officially become mainstream again which means there is no better time for men to try it. With a range of different styles to try, the key is ensuring it keeps looking presentable.

Some loose hairs or rogue stubble will quickly dampen the dramatic effect of a good moustache. Make sure you identify and trim loose hairs with scissors to maintain the style. While the area around can be shaved with a razor or beard trimmer.

Beard Care

It can be hard to beat a barber's wet shave. The pre-care, baby smooth result and post-shave hot towels are all part of the shaving pageantry. Recreating this at home can feel laborious and a chore. As such, a lot of men will be embracing a beard through the lockdown. Especially those who no longer have the office uniform and its clean-shaven expectations to contend with anymore.

Shorter beard lengths should be trimmed regularly, as they can quickly look unkempt. Tidy up the cheekbones every other day and give the whole beard a once over with a beard trimmer a couple of times a week.

If your look is a little more caveman, with a longer, fuller beard. Then wash and moisturise to keep it in its prime. The best products for this are beard conditioners and oils that come formulated specifically for facial hair.

Men's Skincare

Studies have shown that with men spending more time in the home, sales of male grooming products remained more or less flat compared with the year before. This is versus the buoyancy of the current e-commerce market and the surge in online shopping. Guys are simply spending their money in other departments.

We can understand that without leaving the house for work or play and the dating game null and void, men are letting things slide. But as lockdown rolls on, the degeneration of a good grooming regime can be hard to come back from.

The key to reviving and maintaining could be in scaling down what has come before.

Keep It Simple

With many people furloughed or living under a cloud of uncertainty surrounding work, money can be tight. So, don't be suckered in by fancy marketing and focus on covering the basics.

  • Cleanse
  • Tone 
  • Moisturise

This simple three-step routine is all you need to keep your skin looking fresh. The products you use don't have to cost the earth and you can build on top of this strong foundation as you see fit.

Help Local Businesses

There will be a time where the pandemic is under control and we embark on a new normal. When this happens we feel everyone should do their part to help those around them.

So, when your barbershop or hair salon is back open, make sure you book an appointment. Also, see if any independents sell the products you love, they could do with the business. This pandemic has changed livelihoods and we need to support one another as soon as it is safe to do so.

Before that, there are other ways you might be able to help a business out. Such as:

  • Purchase a gift card that you will use once they reopen.
  • Book a barber for a Zoom consultation and pay them a digital tip. 
  • Promote and donate to their fundraiser pages.
  • Times are tough — if you can’t donate, spread the word to your friends and family who can. 

Just because you’re at home, doesn’t mean you can’t look good. Until those times when we can revisit our favourite places follow these tips to keep your grooming regime under control. Working on your appearance can really help to boost morale and we all need a bit of that right now.

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