With the lockdown extended till May 3, you are probably regretting not getting that haircut before the seriousness of the pandemic hit us almost a month back. I, for one, was planning to get my 12-year-old son a haircut just after Holi but other things took over and before I knew it we were under lockdown. Long hair and rising temperatures don’t work well for a child and so I decided to give him a haircut. Armed with YouTube videos and a pair of scissors, I went about chopping his hair. It’s not perfect, but it will do.

Once I gained confidence, I decided to trim my own hair and get rid of the split ends.

So if you are thinking of cutting your own hair or giving someone in the family a haircut, read on.

1. Tools

At a saloon, the hairstylist will use hair-cutting shears, hair clippers and a feather razor. But these are desperate times and we have to make do with whatever we have at home. A pair of sharp scissors and a fine-tooth comb does the trick. Start by cutting a bit of hair. If it cuts well without you having to saw at it, then you are good to go. For men trying to give themselves a haircut, clippers work the best, if you have them, that is.

2. Preparation

Hair is light and tends to fly all over the place. You definitely don’t want to add to your clean-up chores, so ideally cut in the bathroom where it’s easy to wash. You can also lay down a few towels and shake them out after. I cut my son’s hair out in the yard and mine in the bathroom in front of the mirror.

If you are cutting your own hair, you will need not only a well-lit mirror in front of you but also a hand-held mirror so you can check out the back of your head.

To avoid making a mess I cut a hole in a garbage bag and slipped it over my son’s head. It worked like a cape that salon’s wrap around us.

3. Style

Like everything else there are YouTube videos to help you select what style you want. Just follow the easy step-by-step guide. But it’s best to look at 2-3 videos before you decide on which one to follow.

4. Wet or dry?

“Whether you should cut your hair wet or dry is greatly dependent on your texture,” says Neelima Batra, a hairstylist with a Delhi-based salon. The aim is to get your hair straight and tangle-free for maximum control. “If you have wavy or curly hair, remember that once your hair is dry it’s going to shrink again. So be careful of the length when you are cutting it wet,” she adds.

So if you feel your hair needs to be cut or if you are simply bored and are looking for something new to do, go ahead give haircutting a shot. It may not be perfect but it’s only hair and it will grow back. And once the lockdown is lifted you can always go back to your stylist to fix whatever mess you have made.