With winter looming and most areas of the country already seeing restrictions on social mixing, now could be the time to start planning your look for the next lockdown.
Too many of us got caught out last time, just a fews days off from that monthly trip to the barber, and woefully unprepared for Zoom conferences with colleagues and clients. So this time, preparation is key.
Bring back the buzz
As far as men were concerned, the isolation buzzcut was the look of the first lockdown. Sharp, slick, easy to both create and maintain, shaven heads were being touted as the next big thing by celebrities the world over.
Line of Duty actor Stephen Graham posted footage online of his son shaving his head for him, while footballer Héctor Bellerín shared his finished look with followers, captioning it: “Stay home, enjoy the sun”.
But while it might seem like the easy option, we’ve all seen enough patchy, scarred scalps to know not to get too blasé… So what can you do now to ensure that you look as good as possible in that next video meeting?
Take a trip to the barber while you still can
Let’s not beat about the bush – there’s a reason so many of us entrust our hair to these guys. They’re trained professionals, and if anyone’s going to know which grade of buzz will suit you best, it’s your barber.
Bear in mind that there’s a possibility that you might not be able to get there again for a few months, so make sure you get as many tips as you can while you’re there, so you can reproduce the look at home with minimal fuss.
If you’re married or have a live-in partner, you might even want to take them along – the ideal scenario is that someone else shaves your head for you, so you may as well prepare them too.
Make sure you have all the right tools
If you’re going to brazen it out and go for the full skin head, some men even use a disposable razor. But as a general rule, the better the razor, the better the end result. If you invest in some decent electric clippers now, you’ll be reaping the benefits in months to come.
You might also want to think about products – with winter approaching, we’re all going to be spending a lot of time in centrally heated environments, and that can play havoc with an exposed scalp. Consider splashing out on a decent scalp conditioner to avoid embarrassing flakes.
Fill in any patches
Finally, it’s worth turning a critical eye to your hair line and crown. Are there any thinning areas that might become more apparent with a shorter cut? If so, that doesn’t have to spell the end of your buzzcut dreams.
Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) offers a quick and effective way to disguise hair loss, using pigment injected into the scalp to mimic the effect of real hair. The procedure actually works best with a shaved head, so if a bit of patchy hair loss is all that’s stopping you from taking the plunge, this could be the answer to your prayers.
Book it in now and you’ll be smooth and suave by the time any more big announcements are made.
