Getting Started
To practice hair cutting without a person, use a doll, wig, or mannequin head. Begin with trims and long cuts to make them last longer. Here are some tips:
- Invest in good scissors.
- Flip your head upside down and trim modestly.
- Get feedback from someone who can evaluate your haircut from all angles.
- Watch barbers at work to observe how they cut hair, the tools they use, and how they interact with clients.
- Pay attention to the haircuts clients ask for and practice them.
- Ask barbers for tips.
Training and Techniques
Cutting hair is both fun and a useful skill, but it requires proper training, which typically involves 1-6 months at barber school, followed by additional months of practice before working in a shop. When cutting hair, it’s important to understand hair texture, density, and growth patterns that will guide your technique:
- Coarse hair should be cut in the direction of growth to avoid a frayed look.
- Thin hair should be cut at an angle to create the illusion of volume.
Barber school usually takes place once a week over the course of 2+ years, with tuition around $10,000.
Professional Insights and Further Learning
Visit barber schools to schedule discounted nail, hair, or makeup appointments—students need people to practice on. You can call schools to find a student who wants to practice cutting hair.
You should also watch professional barbers to learn various cutting techniques. Celebrity stylist Juan Carlos Maciques advises against cutting your own hair, but if you want to learn, you can start by building basic skills on fake heads to safely develop techniques before trying them on real people.