Ever sat in the chair at the barber's watching them execute an immaculate skin fade and thought to yourself "that doesn't look so hard, does it?"
Well it would seem that during the long hours of self-isolation, some people are finally succumbing to the temptation of cutting their own hair, with fairly disastrous results.
This Indian barber lights his customer's hair on fire:
Yes, it appears that some people simply cannot go without their weekly touch-up or skinfade, and the prospect of growing their hair out is simply unthinkable.
You can take a look at some of the quite startling results right here:
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Now, while attempting a Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders 'do the very first time you pick up a pair of clippers might be a brave thing to do, it's also likely to go at least somewhat wrong as these pictures surely attest.
If you truly cannot go without your haircut while in self-isolation or lockdown, then several sites have put together handy guides to cutting your own hair.
However, the Independent's guide to cutting your hair comes with a stark caveat from hairdresser and founder of Buller and Rice, Anita Rice, “I definitely don’t recommend anyone trying to cut their own hair. 99.5 per cent of the time it doesn’t come out how you imagined,” she said.
She did share some tips on how to avoid an unmitigated disaster, though;
“Use small blades i.e nail scissors, the smaller the blade, the smaller the mistake. For long hair trims, plait your hair to one side over your shoulder, tie a hairband one inch up from the very ends so you can see all the ends in one bunch, then hold the hairband and make small vertical snips (by doing vertical snips you will lessen your chances of cut lines). Once you feel you have trimmed all of the longest pieces undo the plait and repeat on the other side.”
The coronavirus pandemic has forced many of us to become hairdressers for the first time in our lives. And unfortunately, cutting hair, regardless of its length, is nowhere near as easy as it looks.
This woman's hair is an example of a quarantine cut that went badly wrong:
Thankfully, there's now a solution in the form of a spirit level that's been specifically made for cutting your own hair. Perfect if you've got overgrown bangs, but don't want to risk a totally risky chop!
The spirit level can also be used to add layers to hair too, so, in theory, with a steady hand, you can fix your hair to a totally acceptable (maybe even salon quality) standard at home.
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The spirit level's product description reads: "Great for cutting children's hair, trimming bangs, creating layers, or just maintaining a hairstyle between cuts and doing hairstyle.
"The blue straight size one is for haricutting the front bangs and trimming the rebundant hairs, and the large curved beige size one is for haricutting the back hairs and creating some layers."
However, the product isn't suitable for thick hair.
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And if the product reviews are anything to go by, this little tool is exactly what you need to keep your hair looking its best during the quarantine.
One happy customer wrote:"Love this. Saved so much on hairdresser fees. Really easy to use. Great value. Don't be fooled into paying £30 for the branded version this one works just the same. Would definitely recommend."
A second remarked: "A fantastic product, and with the spirit level feature it guarantees you having straight hair. I recommend this product highly, and the seller too. Would happily buy from them again in the future."
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If this spirit level looks like the answer to your prayers during this tricky time, then it can be purchased for just £3.99 ($5.00) here.
The coronavirus pandemic means that many of us are succumbing to the temptation to give ourselves quarantine haircuts.
While some are using them as an opportunity to get a few laughs, like this veteran who decided to get a mohawk, there are others who're simply cutting their hair with the intent of maintaining some degree of normality.
This is the moment this WWII veteran got a mohawk:
Unfortunately, when you're not a hairdresser, this can have disastrous results. Case in point, the woman who gave her husband a quarantine haircut that was so bad he was forced to go bald.
But one person who got luckier than most is Bella Hadid. She cut her own bangs in lockdown, and against the odds, she has still managed to look incredible.
Bella, 23, took to Instagram to show off her new look, and one thing's for sure, if she ever decides to leave the modeling world behind, she could easily get taken on by a salon. That, my friends, is natural talent.
Instead of opting for a look that would be harder to achieve at home like blunt bangs, Bella went for a softer look, and, as I'm sure you'll agree, the results speak for themselves.
At this point, it's worth noting that Bella had a similar-ish set of bangs in the not too distant past, so that likely made it easier for her to cut them back at home.
But if this has inspired you to cut your own hair, don't do so without at the very least taking some expert advice. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Meri Kate O'Connor, a colorist at Tabb & Sparks in Santa Monica, said that the best time to cut your hair is after a blow-dry.
"When hair is wet, it stretches, so if you're cutting your bangs when they're wet, you'll probably end up cutting them too short - and you won't realize it until they're dry," she said, adding that you'll have better luck if you chose to get a pointed cut.
"It helps create texture and softens the line, so if you do cut an uneven line, you won't be able to see it as much as you would with a straight-across cut," she added.
Now that the vast majority of us have been told to stay inside during the coronavirus pandemic, it's fair to say that some of us will be relaxing our attitude towards our appearance somewhat.
Indeed, if you can't leave the house then there can seem little point in spending ages beautifying yourself. So, it's pretty unlikely that a posh haircut will be top of anyone's priorities at the moment, with most men opting for tangled mops, scruff beards, or just a buzzcut for simplicity's sake.
However, other people have been attempting to cut their own hair, and thus far the general results have been... mixed. Some people have discovered a surprising talent for hairdressing, while others have ended up with something totally disastrous.
Take a look at the latest haircut attempt to go VERY wrong in the clip below:
The latest example of a quarantine haircut fail comes from a young couple from Ohio called Emily and Cory Pendergast. This week, Emily took to Facebook to share a video documenting her ill-fated her attempt to cut Cory's hair, which turned out to be such a catastrophe that he opted to go bald afterward rather than live with it.
As you can see in the video above, the footage begins with Emily snipping away at Cory's fringe, before accidentally shearing off a big chunk of hair. The video even captures his mortified reaction to the haircut, and he and his housebound spouse have a good laugh over it.
"It has been nice hearing that the video has been a fun distraction for those who need a good laugh during a time like this ... Cory, as you can tell, is incredibly positive and lighthearted. When he saw his ‘bangs’ in my hands, I think he was fully dumbfounded."
Due to the ongoing global situation, many of us are doing exactly what we should be doing and self-isolating. And with the knowledge that people don't have to see my friends or colleagues for weeks on end, some people are forgoing their usual beauty routines and/or trying out new looks.
For example, my wife has decided not to wear makeup throughout isolation to give her skin a break from cosmetics. And I decided to shave my beard off and leave a mustache on my first day working from home.
But what is more bizarre is seeing celebrities doing the same thing. Stars like Katy Perry are sharing makeup-free selfies and Kylie Jenner recently showed off what she looks like without hair extensions/wigs.
Check out Kylie's natural hair below (I didn't expect it to be so light):
However, I don't think any of us were prepared for just how gorgeous Ariana Grande's natural hair would be.
Taking to social media to share a candid selfie with her fans, the 26-year-old American singer showed off what her hair looks like out of her iconic high ponytail. Sharing the snap with her 72.5 million Twitter followers, Grande captioned the pic: "get a load a dis".
And I think we can all agree that not only does Ariana look so different, but she looks absolutely incredible with those curls.
Since sharing the selfie to Twitter yesterday, it has since received more than 47,000 retweets and over 419,000 likes, as well as a barrage of comments begging Grande to forever keep this look.
And just in case you were in any doubt about whether or not these are actually Ariana's natural curls, Grande's mom Joan responded to the singer's snap, saying: "Your natural hair/curls is a world of its own."
It's often said that a good haircut can change your life. When your hair isn't looking its best, it can really take its toll on your self-esteem. Sometimes, when I'm having a particularly bad hair day, I don't even want to leave the house. But luckily, hairdressers and barbers are wizards in their own right - and, in some cases, create transformations so dramatic they could be mistaken for plastic surgery.
So, to celebrate the life-changing power of a good haircut, we've compiled a list of 35 of the best barber transformations the internet has to offer. Seriously. It's impossible not to be impressed by this list.
There's no doubt that some people can rock dreadlocks, but unfortunately, they're not for everyone, and when they get particularly long, they can weigh you down in more ways than one.
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"One day after cutting off 11 years worth of dreads," this man wrote. Now, I have to admit, this is one heck of a transformation. Doesn't he look handsome?!
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[post_page_title]From Homeless To Hipster[/post_page_title]
Poor personal hygiene let alone haircare is a day-to-day reality for homeless people, which can make it even harder for them to land jobs and turn their lives around, but as this transformation demonstrates, with the right barber, even the most unkempt of people can end up looking like a movie star.
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It's hard to believe that the man on the left and the right are the same person. Here's hoping that this haircut helped to change this man's life for the better. Everyone deserves to be happy.
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[post_page_title]From Rock Star To Rockin'[/post_page_title]
Long hair on men - you either love it or hate it. While some men can totally pull of the Axl Rose look, others look much better when they opt for a more traditionally masculine look.
"Lopping off that length for a good cause," this man captioned. Like many others you'll see on this list, he donated his long locks to charity. But, as I'm sure you'll agree, he is one of the lucky people who can rock long and short hair.
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[post_page_title]From Homeless-Looking To Hottie[/post_page_title]
If you're lucky enough to have naturally straight or curly hair, long hair can be a good look for you. However, if it's on the frizzy side, even if you aren't homeless, you could end up looking that way.
"He's had long hair since he was 14 years old and today we did the big chop and donated it," this picture was captioned. He looks like a new person! Top job, barber!
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[post_page_title]This Looks Like A Wig[/post_page_title]
Sometimes, a person's hair can be so unkempt looking that when they finally get it chopped, it looks like they've secretly been wearing a wig for years. Case in point...
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This guy has been transformed not just by having his hair cut, but his beard trimmed too. He's gone from looking a little like Jesus to the kind of guy who'd get swarmed in any club.
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[post_page_title]His Age Dropped With His Hair[/post_page_title]
The wrong hair can age a person astronomically. It's why makeover programs are so popular. When stylists see some poor unfortunate soul hiding behind a mass of grey hair, they know exactly what to do.
All this guy needed to look ten - okay 15 - years younger was a good haircut, a beard trim and some tactically placed wax to slick back his hair.
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[post_page_title]What A Difference[/post_page_title]
It's an unfortunate reality of life that the vast majority of men lose some form of hair. As a result, when they keep what they have left a little too long, it can look, well, to put it bluntly, ridiculous.
Seriously, you have to work with what you have. This guy's hair doesn't even look like it's receding now he's had a complimentary haircut. And, as we've seen with a few of the others, it's made him look a whole lot younger to boot.
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[post_page_title]He Suits It Both Ways[/post_page_title]
As you'll see, some of these transformations simply prove that if you've got the right face for it, you can pull off just about any hairstyle. This is another guy who suits long and short hair.
This guy's beard came is on point. Although, in fairness to the barber, I imagine that the second style is a lot easier to keep. If long hair isn't washed properly, it can look disastrous.
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[post_page_title]Smouldering[/post_page_title]
One of the problems with long hair is that, in the modern world, it's not seen as the most masculine look in the world, especially if it's straight and layered, which can give it a feminine appearance.
While there's no doubt that this guy suits long hair, he definitely looks more masculine with a shorter do. Plus, as I've mentioned before, short hair requires so much less maintenance.
Chopped hair doesn't have to go to waste - contrary to popular belief. It doesn't matter what sex you are, providing that it's not in terrible condition, it can be used to help someone in need - like a child undergoing chemotherapy.
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"Just donated my hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths," this guy captioned these before and after pictures. Phwar! Handsome and has a heart of gold.
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[post_page_title]Flat To Bouyant[/post_page_title]
Some people really do suit having a little height in their hair. Although mine is long, I know for a fact that when it's partially in an updo, it looks a hundred times better. Clearly, this guy has a similar thing going on.
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While there was nothing wrong with his long hair per say, it does look very flat, which isn't complimenting his facial structure nearly as much as the style on the right.
Even if you're hairline isn't receding, because men naturally have thinner hair than women, when they have long hair, a lot of the time, it can look like they're in denial about what mother nature intended.
"This little makeover happened on Mr Best," this picture was captioned. Isn't this difference jaw-dropping? He's gone from looking like a balding man to having a pretty decent hairline.
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[post_page_title]From A Jesus Lookalike To A Model[/post_page_title]
Because of classical representations of Jesus, any man with shoulder length long hair and a beard is at risk of looking like the son of God.
While there's nothing wrong with this look (whatever you're into!), if you're a bigger fan of looking like a moder modern kind of guy, the second hairstyle is defintiely the superior choice.
Dreadlocks aren't a look for everyone. You do, after all, have to let your hair do its thing naturally for a long time if you want them to form - and sometimes it takes so long that you forget what your untangled hair looks like.
If a poll was held anywhere about what look suited this guy more, I'd be willing to pet a hundred bucks that every single person would vote for the shorter style.
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[post_page_title]Short Hair Is Easier To Style[/post_page_title]
Anyone with long hair will attest to the fact that there's only so much you can do with it. When you've got a shorter do, you can style it in more ways and it takes less effort to boot.
I love how this guy kept a little of his original style by still having a relatively unkempt beard. While he did suit long hair, there's no doubt that his shorter look is a lot more stylish.
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[post_page_title]From Homeless To Hottie[/post_page_title]
This is another incredible transformation of a homeless man. Isn't it amazing what a good haircut and a new set of clothes can do? He's transformed - inside and out.
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"Barber gives free haircut to this homeless man Mark" these before and after pictures were captioned. "He looks like a totally different person now."
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[post_page_title]The Time Machine Haircut[/post_page_title]
Just like with clothes, there are some hairstyles which have become synonymous with certain historical periods. Take long wavy hair on men, for example. It's almost impossible to look at without thinking of the 70s.
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"Gave all my hair to Locks of Love," these pictures were captioned. Not only did this guy do a charitable thing, but he also looks like he's stepped in a time machine and been transported from 1973 to 2019.
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[post_page_title]Charles Manson To Dapper Manson[/post_page_title]
Sometimes, when a person becomes so notorious for their misdeeds, they forever ruin a hairstyle for other people. Charles Manson is definitely one of the most famous examples of this.
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"Got a haircut and trim from the Art of Shaving. I went from Charles Manson to Dapper Manson," this man captioned these incredible before and after pictures.
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[post_page_title]Another From Homeless To Hottie[/post_page_title]
While this man wasn't exactly homeless, his throwback emo hairstyle certainly gave off that impression - as did his face fuzz. But then a miracle-working barber stepped in...
Who'd have thought that such a hottie was lurking under that emo cut? This list really is a testament to the fact that a good haircut can change your life - and a bad one can ruin it.
Who'd have thought this man's mane could be tamed? I certainly wouldn't have. Another picture that proves that barbers can be as good as plastic surgeons.
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[post_page_title]From Shaggy To Spikey[/post_page_title]
This is another guy who suits long and short hair, but as we've seen quite a few times already, longer hair is harder to keep and can create a pretty unkempt appearance on men.
With the shorter style, this guy's hair automatically looks a lot cleaner - and it will be a lot easier for him to maintain than his previous shaggy look.
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[post_page_title]He Did It For Love[/post_page_title]
Long hair on men is often associated with a rock 'n' roll lifestyle. But sometimes, if your partner dislikes something enough, it can inspire you to change it.
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"Before and after for my fiancee," this man captioned these before and after pictures. Let's just hope he donated his hair! That ponytail could make a pretty awesome wig.
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[post_page_title]Another Very Long Pigtail[/post_page_title]
Now that the popularity of hair donations is slowly but surely increasing, many people are growing their hair out specifically for this purpose. I'm one of them. I've not had my haircut in nearly ten months.
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"I just got my first haircut in 6 years. What do you think?" this guy captioned these pictures. To be honest, I'm surprised that this is only six years worth of hair not having haircuts.
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[post_page_title]Smouldering[/post_page_title]
Personally, I think this guy looks better with longer hair, but I'm sure there will be some people reading who prefer the after look.
One thing's for sure, if you've got dark, thick hair, either of these looks is likely to be a winner. I wonder which one he prefers? It's impossible to tell from his facial expressions!
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[post_page_title]He Instantly Looks Ten Years Younger[/post_page_title]
Now that we've seen more than few dramatic hair transformations, it only seems right to end with one of the most dramatic - and a further testament to the fact that long hair and a receding hairline are a match made in hell.
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"Donated my hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths," this guy captioned these impressive before and after pictures. With every lock of hair he had chopped, he also chopped a year off his age. That's one to turn back to the clock!
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