Oftentimes, the hair on the back of your neck grows faster than you’d like and a haircut with a barber just isn’t worth your time or money. Neck hair can also ruin the best men’s hairstyles by making your hairline look messy and unkempt. Fortunately, there are ways to shave the back of your neck by yourself at home.
With the right hair cutting tools, you can trim and clean up the neckline until your next visit to the barbershop. Specifically, all you need is a quality neck hair trimmer, a handheld mirror and a good razor, and you can shape, line up and cut a clean neckline for a well-groomed look. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll explain how to shave the back of your own neck to keep a trimmed hairline.
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Get The Proper Hair Cut Tools
A good hair trimmer is an essential haircut tool for men. Unlike clippers, trimmers are specifically designed to trim your neckline, sideburns, and beard. The best trimmers come with self-sharpening blades, a powerful motor, rechargeable batteries, long run times on a single charge, and a complete set of comb attachments. For this reason, we highly recommend you invest in the Philips Norelco Multigroom Series 7000.
Guys will also need a large handheld mirror to see the back of your head properly while shaving. If you plan to trim your neckline regularly, get a 3-way mirror system. Otherwise, if you feel comfortable holding up a mirror with one hand while you shave your neck with the other, then a cheap handheld mirror is perfect.
Finally, you’ll want a pre-shave oil, shaving cream, and a quality razor. Although a trimmer can cut the hairs with less irritation, a razor or electric shaver delivers a smooth, clean finish. If you prefer the look and feel of a shaved cut on the back of your head, then you’ll need to cut the long hairs with a machine and then shave the neck.
Guys can choose between a traditional cartridge razor, a DE safety razor, an electric shaver, or the foil shaver barbers use for skin fades.
Create Your Workspace
If this is your first time cutting your own hair, then you’ll need to choose a suitable workspace. The best places to cut hair at home can be your bathroom, kitchen, or any open area with good lighting.
You’ll need two mirrors to see the back of your head, which is why most men use their bathroom mirror. If you have a 3-way mirror you can hang in a doorway, then you have plenty of options. Wooden or tiled flooring also makes for easy clean-up.
Shaving The Back of Your Neck
Trim The Bottom of Your Neckline
Hold the handheld mirror in front of you while your back is turned against the bathroom mirror. Adjust the angle of the mirror until you can see the back of your head and neck.
You’ll want to remove any guards attached to your trimmer for the shortest cut. Angle the blade against your neck because you’ll be cutting a straight line across the back of your head as a guide. This tactic is to ensure your neckline is trimmed evenly.
Begin with one cut to create a starting point for reference. Now carefully move the clippers in a downward direction to clean the hairs below your hairline. Being as precise as possible, make small strokes along the neckline to fashion your desired shape at the bottom.
Keep in mind, it’s better to start slightly away from the hairline to avoid any sudden accidental movements. You’ll want to get the hang of handling your trimmers while holding the mirror. Once you’ve worked out the hand-eye coordination, you can trim your actual neckline.
Clean The Sides
There are many different types of neckline haircuts. For a rounded look, you’ll need to curve around the bottom and up the sides. Some barbers recommend trimming around your ears and down to the neck, while others start with a straight neckline, shave off the corners on both sides, and then line up the sides.
Keeping the trimmers facing down, make small lines along the sides and slowly move up or down as you trim the area above. Be sure to follow your natural hairline for an even cut. As you create the lines, you’ll want to pull your trimmer down to remove any stray hairs from the surrounding areas.
Work your way up the sides and behinds the ears.
Touching Up The Back and Sides
In the last step, turn your trimmers around so that the top is facing up. Lay the blade flat with your neck, and trim and shape all the edges. Try keeping the cutting process organized to help you understand where you left off last and never miss a stray hair along the way.
Shaving The Back of Your Neck
For a clean, close cut, you’ll need to shave the back of your neck with an actual razor or electric shaver. Preferably, a double-edged safety razor or a straight razor so you can make defined, distinct cuts. A cartridge razor can sometimes make it hard to tell exactly how high or short you’re cutting.
Lather up and apply shaving cream on your neck and sides. Spread it around to create a thin layer of protection that still allows you to see your hairline.
With a gentle touch, begin shaving the back of your neck in short strokes. Work around the neckline until you’ve shaved the entire area. The result should be a smooth feel without any fuzz.
Consider applying a moisturizer to ease any redness or skin irritation after shaving.