With barbershops closed, Canberrans may have to hit the clippers and risk a botched DIY job. Photo (pre-COVID): Daniella Jukic.
If you were hanging out for restrictions to ease on 17 September so you could hotfoot it to the barber or hairdresser for a much-needed trim, yesterday’s announced lockdown extension to 15 October was the last thing you wanted to hear.
After weeks without a cut or shave, many men are left with just two options: let their hair grow wild and free, or throw caution to the wind and dust off the discount clippers for a risky DIY job.
Managing director of Truefitt and Hill barber, Kushwant Dhanoa, said lockdown may have come at a bad time for those who were already overdue for a trim.
People with a fade cut and well-maintained beard would frequent the store every one to two weeks, according to Mr Dhanoa, while those who prefer to let it grow out a bit and keep their beard bushier might come in every four to six weeks.
We’ll be well past that stage by 15 October.
“It is bad luck for those people where the six weeks crossed into the lockdown and it is now really getting out of hand,” he laughed.
“There are a lot of clients who would like to come in and get their beards sorted out. I had a discussion with a customer who said he had a pair of clippers and was just going to set it at number two and see what happens.
“He didn’t send me the results; we both figured it would not turn out too great, but he said as soon as lockdown is over, he is going to come straight in and get it sorted out.”
If you are going to brave it yourself, Mr Dhanoa’s advice is to not start at the extremes.
“It can be a disaster when people are not sure what they are going to do,” he said.
“If you have clippers, the part that usually gets a bit more unruly is the sides, so using a clipper guard that is not as aggressive as a number two, you can try and taper it up on the sides and the back and that should hold for a couple of weeks.
“With regards to beards, most gents who keep beards should be able to groom it relatively well. Maybe not to perfection but enough to keep the bulk of it in check.”
At this stage, lockdown is scheduled to end at 11:59 pm on Friday, 15 October.
Have you been holding out for a cut? Have you tried a DIY solution? Share your best – and worst – efforts on Facebook.
Loading ...
