Missing your barber more than some of your mates? Us too. We’ve got GQ’s Barber Of The Year finalist and Creative Director at The Refinery Mayfair, Anthony Mayes, to share his expertise and tell us exactly what we should be doing with our hair while in isolation.
Over to you Anthony…In my 15 years within the hair industry, I think it’s fair to say we have never seen a time like now. Despite hair being the least of our worries, we are all looking for a quick pick-me-up to try and make ourselves look and feel better throughout these difficult times. Usually no hairstylist or barber would ever recommend that anyone does their own hair, but this is the exception, so give it a go and have some fun with it. You're always going to return to your barber as they’re the ones with the skills, but in the meantime, what’s the worst that can happen?
For some people this may sound daunting, but I know there’s a lot of guys out there wondering what it would look like if they shaved their head, so now’s the time to try. If you buy a clipper, most come with universal grades from grade 1 to a grade 5, so always start with the longest grade and work your way down. If you want a softer look then start with a grade 4 or 3. If you want to sport David Beckham's most recent look, then you will want to go for a shorter grade 2 or 1. Hair grows approximately half an inch per month, so it is not the end of the world if you feel the shortness is a bit drastic.
I have a simple rule of thumb when it comes to a trim. Less is more. This is an area where you do have to take a bit more care and think about what you are doing. First things first, invest in sharp hairdressing scissors, not the ones from your kitchen. This alone will make a huge difference to looking groomed rather than butchered. Next, start with wet hair. This means that when you are combing the hair, the tension is even, ensuring you get a more precise and balanced length. When cutting the top of your hair, elevate the hair vertically from your head, holding the hair in the fingers with the fringe slightly combed up and back towards the crown. Use the tip of the scissors to cut off the small amount of length, creating a jagged edge, rather than cutting a blunt line. As for the sides and back, just gently cut the perimeter of your hair the with tips of the scissors again to create a softer look. Remember LESS IS MORE.
This is the preferred option for us hairstylists and barbers. We are not sure how long this pandemic will last and when everyone will come back to the chair for their monthly cut, but why not see this as time to grow it all out? Recent trends show that longer hair is a popular style, so try it out! You can always cut it off when everything re-opens, right? I'm sure that everybody has that one cupboard where they have a hundred hair products that they haven't used, so use these to experiment with different looks. Use a sea salt spray and go for the messy tousled look or a gel to go for a clean slick look to channel your inner Wolf Of Wall Street whilst working from home.
It is all a choice.
If you want any more tips and tricks on staying groomed, contact and follow Anthony @anthonymayeslondon