Cutting my own hair - Chapter 5

Tip number 3 - Work in good lighting. Good lighting is just the basic title of this tip. It goes well beyond lighting. For most home haircutters this is the first place where they go wrong and as such they start at a disadvantage. The expanded tip would be to cut in the best possible overall environment. The kitchen is too dark. The bathroom is too cramped. The wind in the yard on the back deck will mess with the hair. No one wants all that hair in the living room. You will never stop finding clippings in the room you choose. My best suggestion for home haircutters is to cut in the garage. We can worry a bit less about the mess. We can set up temporary lighting. We have plenty of room. Good lighting will fill in shadows and give your best chance to see what you are cutting. If you live in a warm climate and can put up the overhead door this will let in all the light you will ever need. Unless you are doing this at night.

I have a haircutting area already set up in my basement where I cut my kids and wife, my brother-in-law and any other home cuts I do. The tools are there. The light is good and the power is ready.

My biggest issue was to be the mirror. I do not use a mirror much when cutting. Despite the fact that this is one of the most important principles I teach when instructing others. Use your mirror as the cutting tool it is intended to be. I do most of my cutting on stage for the benefit of others. I have developed the ability to do much of my cutting without a mirror. Seldom, in educational circumstances, do I have a mirror even if I need one. Fro my own haircut I will need one.

The wall mirror in the guy’s bathroom upstairs would be the mirror of choice. It easily comes off the wall and is light enough to move easily. It can be positioned on the counter where I have y tools. This will work well. The light down there is good since I had repositioned ht ceiling cans for the haircutting I normally do.