The barber is booked, but your hair is a mess, and you have a date. What can you do? Looking at your beard trimmer, it seems like it could work, but should you try it? There could be issues you don’t know about, so I looked into it and found out everything about shaving your head with beard trimmers.
Can you shave your head with a beard trimmer? You can cut your hair down to almost nothing with a beard trimmer. It’s not as easy as it would be with hair clippers, and you won’t get a clean shave. If you want to be ‘Bic bald,’ then use your trimmers and followup with a hand razor.
Hair Clippers Vs. Beard Trimmer: What’s the Difference
If you look closely, there’s not a whole lot of difference visually between a basic set of hair clippers and a basic beard trimmer. The beard trimmer is more slender and uses less power. However, they both use similar blades and heads to vary the length. So what’s the big difference?
The honest answer is mostly packaging. Beyond the size and power differences, they do the same job in the same way. You can use them interchangeably, but it’s not as easy. Hari trimmers are wider for a good reason. They’re meant to shave larger swathes because they do a bigger job. Meanwhile, beard trimmers don’t have to work as hard or cover so much space. They do detail work better.
Should I Use Beard Trimmers or Hair Clippers on My Head
If you’re planning to do your hair at home, you may want to invest in a set of hair clippers in the long run. There’s no reason why you couldn’t use beard trimmers, but over time you’ll wear out the machine faster. You may want to use both so that you can get the hard to reach areas with the smaller beard trimmers and do the rest with the tool designed for that job.
There’s nothing wrong with being thorough. Just make certain that you have a good charge or cord on both and that the setting you’re using is exactly the same length. Otherwise, you could end up with some funky looking results.
To get the job done right, the first time at home (or on the go), I suggest you pick up the Wahl Clipper Home Barber Kit#79524-3001 from Amazon. Click Here for prices. You’ll get the mini cut clippers, cordless touch-up trimmer (beard trimmer), and a personal trimmer, plus cords, scissors, combs, heads, and everything else you could need in one neat package. You even get a hand mirror and carrying case because it’s a professional-quality kit.
How To Use a Beard Trimmer to Shave Your Head
Some men prefer the feel of a beard trimmer, others don’t have hair clippers, but whatever your reason for shaving with them, here’s a quick list of tips and tricks to make it easier.
- Make sure you have enough time. Trimming inch-wide sections of hair takes a while.
- Check your lighting. You can take hand mirrors outside for great natural light if necessary. Otherwise, you need to make sure you have a couple of bright light sources to see what you’re doing.
- Be patient. It’s worth the time and effort for a close shave. Going faster means you’re more likely to make a mistake. Plus, hair takes a while to grow out.
- Ask a friend or family member for help. I know I said this before, but it bears repeating. Someone else can see the back of your head better than you ever will.
- Invest in good equipment. I suggest you start with something like Amazon’s Abbicen New 5 in 1 Multi-functional Beard Trimmer Men’s Grooming Kit. Click Here to see current pricing.
Mirror-Mirror
Do it yourself hairstyles can be outstanding. Especially if you want to buzz everything down to barely-there hair, they aren’t hard to get right. There’s not much skill or training needed to cut your hair off. It’s all in the details and angles. Use your clipper head as a guide, and you’re good to go. However, some spots are incredibly challenging to see for yourself.
If you have a friend, spouse, or even a responsible older child, then you may want to ask for a hand. After all, looking your best is worth going a little out of your way for a minor assist. Sadly, there’s not always someone there to help when you need to see behind your own ears. With two mirrors of any size and enough patience and ingenuity, you can see everything. Take your time lining them up.
When you’re ready for an upgrade, you can get a Self-Cut System: Black Lambo 3-Way. Click Here to view reviews. This ingenious wall mounted mirror setup will let you bring your self-grooming game to the next level effortlessly.
Why Do It Yourself At All
Even if every barber in town is booked because there’s a massive hair convention, you’ll get in next week. So what’s the point in learning and buying the gear to do your hair? There’s more to it than having another skill in your ‘tool chest’ of abilities. Here are a few of the best reasons to learn to be your own stylist.
DIY Dynamite
- Reliability- Most barbers and stylists are great. They are trained professionals who have experience and talent. However, not all barbers or stylists are created equal. Whether they’re inexperienced or just having a bad day, it’s good to be able to rely on yourself instead. After all, you’ll never be overpriced, and if you mess up, you have no one else to blame.
- Timing- Sure, it’s unlikely that every place in town will be booked solid, but sometimes it’s just not convenient to get in when your regular hairdresser has an opening. Night shift workers, busy people, and the rest of us have schedule conflicts now and then. There’s no need to look a mess if you can grab your gear and fix the problem during a commercial break.
- Travel- Going on vacation or a business trip takes enough out of you. Rather than taking a risk on some new shop, taking your own equipment is a simple way to remove one more stressful thing from your life.
- No Strangers Near Your Head With Sharp Objects- Most people don’t even know the word ‘Tonsurephobia,’ but it’s a genuine condition. Specifically, the fear of haircuts can be debilitating. Rather than having some stranger near your noggin with something that could damage your skin, solve the problem yourself.
- Closer Shave- Beard trimmers generally give you a closer shave because the blades are smaller. It’s worth the extra time to avoid razor burn on your scalp while getting a great, very short shave.
The True Cost
Probably the biggest reason to spend a few bucks now and set yourself up with years of free haircuts is money. Regardless of whether you go every two weeks with military precision, or drop in when your ‘do’ looks a little lackluster, you’ll save a ton by learning to trim your hair. Cash in your pocket is never the wrong answer, as long as it’s legal.
You’re probably overspending on your haircuts and don’t even realize it. If you want a great classic beard trimmer that’s adjustable, try the Panasonic Cordless from Amazon. Click Here to see current pricing. It will give you the ability to choose your length, and it runs up to fifty minutes on the rechargeable Ni MH battery.
People can’t be spending that much on haircuts, can they? Well, I don’t generally consider Quora a great source of data, but Karl Kriebel is a Harvard graduate and a statistician. He says Americans are spending twenty-four to forty-five billion dollars a year on haircuts. Men spend anywhere from two hundred to four hundred dollars a year if they’re only getting basic cuts every couple of months. That’s a lot of dough that could be going into golfing, drinking, or your 401k.
Some Guys
Some men find it worth the cost to hire a pro. If you’re an eccentric millionaire like Kanye West, you can pay your favorite barber $500 a day to move so that you can keep your fade on point. Most people don’t have that big of a bankroll to throw around. Kanye has the cash to spare for sure, but Warren Buffet, one of the richest men on Earth, wouldn’t pay that much for a haircut. In fact, Buffet is famous for his frugality. He eats at McDonalds and shops for clothing at thrift stores.
Final Thoughts
As long as you don’t mind spending the time, cutting your hair with beard trimmers is a fantastic choice. The ability to get every detail is fantastic, and it doesn’t hurt that the shave is typically closer than a larger set of hair clippers will get.
The only pseudo-downside is the fact that trimmers have less power. Even the type you plug-in isn’t as powerful as a decent set of clippers. It doesn’t make that much of a difference as long as you make sure you have a readily available source of power.
Save yourself the money and hassle of scheduling haircuts. Grab your trimmers the next time you need to shave your head.
