How to Shave Your Genitals Male: 14 Steps with Pictures

Table Of Content

• How to keep your pubic area free of bumps and irritation
• Leave shaving until the end
• Infections
• How Bad Is It Really to Shave Your Pubic Hair?
• Ingrown hairs

Applying more pressure might sound like it equals grabbing more hair, but in fact it makes things worse. The harder you press, the more uneven your skins surface becomes, because you are creating dimples in where the blade falls. Heavy pressure means you’re more likely to create missed patches and razor burns. From reducing cuts, nicks and rashes to making sure you don't leave behind any strays, here's the WH seven step guide on how to shave your pubic hair.

How to keep your pubic area free of bumps and irritation

One study found that under the microscope pubic hairs had a thicker outer cuticle compared to those taken from the scalp. This is perhaps the reason that pubic hairs feel coarser in texture. The authors of the study hypothesise that this thicker cuticle may act as a barrier to skin damage from urine, which contains the irritant compounds ammonia and urea. Three years later [after I came out], my community of gay stuff existed purely online. There was this [satirical] blog [that] did a categorized thing of pubic hair, so [the writer] had each style of pubic hair and what it was called...

Leave shaving until the end

Eventually, though, your hair will re-grow just as thick. "With time, a full, mature hair grows in with the same diameter it was originally," he says. In other words, waxing doesn't have a huge advantage over shaving in this department. Waxing is done by applying strips of warm wax to a hairy surface and pulling hairs out from their follicles.

Infections

But don't be alarmed if it happens to you—folliculitis can be treated with a topical or oral antibiotic. If you groom your pubes, you have aesthetic options to consider. Only trim the hair that sticks above the comb’s teeth. Work with a small section at a time and make your way downward. Focus on one side of the groin area first and then the other. On the flip side, back off on exfoliating if your skin gets irritated.

Since pubic hair tends to be coarse and the skin is sensitive, you're more prone to irritation and ingrown hairs in the region if you don't take necessary precautions. Now I just trim or I’ll shave the top part maybe and not the bottom part, so right now it’s at least half-and-half, it’s a little lighter on the top, which is whatever. I think more people actually like hair there than not… For me, I don’t mind either [on a partner]. Turns out, your pubic hair plays an important role in protecting the delicate skin in your genital area. Ultimately, when you shave down there, you may increase your odds of health issues like skin irritation and infections. There’s no right or wrong way to handle your pubic hair.

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Reducing friction

[As a trans woman] I discovered my gender about seven years ago now. Before then, I hadn’t spent any time considering my gender. [As I was discovering my gender,] I had a really wonderful friend who...had me go to Target, pick up my first pair of panties, pick up a razor. And I proceeded to shave my whole body and get the worst razor burn of my life. So that was a transformative experience, you could say.

How Bad Is It Really to Shave Your Pubic Hair?

If you prefer your pubic area smooth, shaving isn't your only option. Here, Dr. Zeichner weighs in on other popular hair removal techniques and how they stack up against shaving. Things like using an old or dull razor blade just exacerbate your risk of developing these annoying bumps on your bikini line. And be extra careful around your scrotum and penis skin, which is much thinner.

Therefore, as the theory goes, pubic hair may trap pheromones, increasing how attractive we appear to potential sex partners. Some sources even refer to pubic hair as a “dry lubricant.” That’s because it’s easier to rub hair against hair than it is to rub skin against skin. Pubic hair acts like a protective buffer, reducing friction during sex and other activities. Some people prefer to let it grow, while others trim it, shave it, or wax it.

I didn’t really know how to fix it — shave it off, it felt gross, leave it on, it feels gross. It really affected the next several sexual relationships that I had, because I was so obsessed with how gross I must be. I would trim it if it got too long, but then I was like, Is it patchy, is it weird? … Counterintuitively this stress came from somebody within my own community.

Dr. Kihczak is a fan of Eucerin Advanced Repair Lotion. If you choose waxing or sugaring, go to a licensed professional with lots of experience. Watch that they follow hygiene practices (no double-dipping with the applicator, for example). If you’re worried about the pain, it’s OK to take an over-the-counter pain reliever before you go. But don’t apply numbing cream to your skin beforehand—if you get burned, you want to be able to feel it.

You might also develop hyperpigmentation and inflammation of the hair follicles. Whilst you might think it’s harmless to keep your razor in the shower in between uses, it can cause you damage. Keeping your shaver in a wet environment will increase your risk of bacterial or fungal infection. After you shave, immediately rinse your razor well with warm water, pat it dry with a clean towel and store it in a spot where it won’t get wet. This removes any hairs caught in the razor and keeps it clean until you next shave.

A trimmer offers a great way to get a close, downy crop. Keep in mind that trimmers are different than clippers. If you prefer the look and feel of fleece, simply snip and shape to your liking.

I’m not a big fan of shaving your pubic hair because it can hurt sensitive skin, leading to rashes, ingrown hairs, and infection. If you choose to shave, use a new, clean razor every time, as used razors can carry bacteria. It’s best to shave in the direction of hair growth if you can, but that can be hard to tell. It’s common for pubic hair to grow in multiple directions. You'll need water so this is recommended to do in the shower or over the bath. “For proper shaving technique, it’s best to shave in the direction of hair growth to minimise irritation and ingrown hairs,” Amy explains.

The Pubic Hair Guide for Men Everything You Need to Know About Your Pubes

Table Of Content

• Is it a good idea to shave off your pubes?
• Razor best practices
• Trimmer use tactics
• So, How Bad Is It Really to Shave Your Pubic Hair?
• Can I get rid of shaving rash and razor bumps?
• Where did the concept of pubic hair removal originate?

Of course, grooming doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and individuals have long made their follicular decisions according to trends. Even the current natural-is-beautiful, pro-body-hair movement is a cultural product (and one that tends to focus on the hair of cis white women, at that). Beauty standards interact with gender identity, race, sexuality, relationships, and, yes, simple convenience to influence how we approach our pubes. But they can contain chemicals or other substances that cause allergic reactions or breakouts.

Is it a good idea to shave off your pubes?

Plucking can cause redness, swelling, itching, irritation, and damage to the skin. It can also result in ingrown hairs (where the hair curls backward or sideways under the skin) and infection. If you’re unsure how to get rid of pubic hair, remember that it’s completely optional. If you want to remove it, there are lots of methods you can try.

Razor best practices

So I do pull out my pubic hair, and that’s probably the only thing I’m still self-conscious about. I don’t think it’s that visible, but there’s still one spot that’s constantly free of hair. If you pull out a hair enough times, it just won’t grow back. I’m a queer person who has dated men, [and] I’ve really only had one partner that’s ever really commented on [my pubic hair].... It was one of the first times we were hanging out, and I didn’t tell [him] beforehand [that I let it grow] because I don’t really think it’s a big deal. Like the hairstyle on your head, the length you choose to keep your pubic hair is a matter of personal preference.

Trimmer use tactics

Fur's Ingrown Concentrate contains antibacterial tea tree and tamanu oils to eliminate excess oil and speed up cell renewal. Conditioning coconut oil and soothing chamomile extract round out the mix. Afterward, consider applying aloe vera to soothe your skin. "Applying a soothing scent-free oil or moisturizer will condition skin and hair follicles and help prevent the dreaded stubble itch," says Dr. Shepherd. Why pubic hair grooming is a personal choice, and how to do it safely.

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So, How Bad Is It Really to Shave Your Pubic Hair?

But then I realized that I didn’t really care and it’s almost more private and special if you have hair there. I still shave my armpits, but I trim and I don’t really shave that much down there anymore. And I feel like it’s healthier to have more hair there. And it felt sort of safer to have it, too, like you have this natural protection — it’s sort of ridiculous but it’s true.

Bathe before grooming

Vegan In-Shower Hair Removal Cream and Nair’s Hair Removal Cream for sensitive skin. Shave with the grain of your hair, moving the razor in the same direction your hair grows. This can help reduce your chances of getting ingrown hairs, says Dr. White. Pubic hair—we all have it and it’s nothing to be ashamed of!

Can I get rid of shaving rash and razor bumps?

Soften skin and expand the hair with 5 to 10 minutes in the bath or shower. Choose products designed for sensitive skin and avoid applying directly to the vaginal opening, anal opening, or urethra. While having pubic hair is completely natural and healthy, many people choose to remove some or all of it based on personal preference. For some, removing their pubic hair is simply a matter of personal preference. People who prefer to remove their pubic hair often cite comfort, routine, and sexual confidence as motivating factors.

Trim excess hair before you shave, shape, or tidy

This makes the hair very weak, and it can be easily scraped off. The technique gained popularity and is referred to as Brazilian waxing. The distribution of hair, including on the genitals, is often due to genetics.

Some like their hair down there long and ‌au naturel‌ while others opt to go totally bare (which, by the way, isn't any more hygienic). To make the shaving process more effective and minimize irritation, first exfoliate your skin with a scrub. Use creams with natural moisturizing elements (e.g., aloe). Don’t use anyone else’s razor, and shave the hair in the direction of its growth. Finish up by rubbing your skin with an ice cube to close pores. When you take a shower or bath, keep shaving till the end.

For most people, a bit of stubble begins to grow back after a few days. Shaving does not remove the hair from the root; it cuts hair close to the skin’s surface. If your skin is very sensitive, then waxing can be very painful. A clever formula that helps to banish and prevent ingrown hairs. It contains active ingredients as well as natural extracts to exfoliate areas that are prone to ingrown hairs.

Using cream or gel can also allow you to see where you’ve just shaved so you can avoid going over the area twice and causing irritation. Exfoliation is a step that involves using scrubs or chemicals to remove dead skin cells on the surface of your skin. By removing these, you can help prevent blockages that lead to ingrown hairs.

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Early civilizations also believed lice and parasites traveled in body hair, which contributed to the removal of all body hair. The smoother and more hairless the skin, the more modern and perfect that person appeared. Chemicals are only safe for the exterior genitals and can cause burns when applied to sensitive areas. They can also cause skin irritation if left on for too long.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help alleviate irritated skin if you find a bumps appear on the skin. So how do you decide what to do with your hair down there? We’ve plucked some pointers and safety tips from the experts.

Burns from both DIY and professional waxing are also a concern, Buka adds. If you’re going au naturel, you don’t need to do anything. You can trim or shape to your liking using a dedicated pube clipper, trimmer, or haircutting shears. Ancient Egyptians considered body hair uncivilized and a mark of lower class status.

We recommend the Deo Doc Shaving Foam, which is fragrance-free to prevent unnecessary irritation and Flamingo Foaming Shave Gel. If you’re completely au naturel down there, you might want to use a trimmer first before getting a razor down there; these are the best bikini trimmers out there. This is so that you can reach your skin easily without making the blade blunt from all that excess hair. Many people wonder if they can use scissors and the answer is yes, but it requires extreme caution, so we’d always recommend buying a trimmer to be safe.

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Table Of Content

• After scandal, movie producer Randall Emmett is flying under the radar with a new name
• Cosmo Prof Rewards Credit Card
• CosmoProf Professional Salon Products and Equipment California
• KM-K32S Professional Hair Clipper
• How California’s worst fire season — so far — became a writer’s most powerful metaphor
• Wahl Elite Pro High Performance Hair Clipper Kit
• Hair Clippers & Trimmers

Ideally, when cutting hair you can adjust the lever with a finger, but it shouldn’t be loose enough that it slips due to a bump or vibration (otherwise you could end up with different hair lengths). We found that some taper levers were too easy to move accidentally while cutting hair. But among pros with the technical capability, a taper lever is an essential element for blending and fading between different lengths of hair, especially on the side of the head. For a home-haircutting enthusiast, though, its value is extremely subjective. Unlike with beard trimmers, with hair clippers there aren’t a lot of good-quality traditional reviews available (though there is an unbelievable wealth of information, including reviews and clipper-technique tutorials, on YouTube).

After scandal, movie producer Randall Emmett is flying under the radar with a new name

This model also has a thick but pliable 8-foot cord and a powerful—but exceptionally quiet—motor, making it a solid choice for cutting kids’ hair. Whether you’re a man or a woman, being presentable is super important. And, what’s better than being equipped with all the tools & techniques you need, to be a self-grooming expert. Check out Target.com to find beard trimmers, hair clippers, shavers & combs so you can start honing your skills. There are plenty of options to choose from, from a corded hair trimmer to a cordless electric trimmer, depending on your convenience.

Cosmo Prof Rewards Credit Card

This model is the best by far for smaller hands, and its mesh storage case takes up a minimal amount of room. The Oster Fast Feed Adjustable Pivot Motor Clipper is a staple of barbershops because of its power, ruggedness, and reliability—it can work all day without fatiguing the stylist or causing its motor to overheat. But compared with other pro-level models we tested, the Oster is considerably easier to use and generally less expensive. For our 2021 update to this guide, we also consulted freelance hairstylist Topher Gross and, separately, Simon He of Techni Salon NY.

CosmoProf Professional Salon Products and Equipment California

Multi-purpose trimmers with specific length settings can help maintain your beard, sideburns & even help you get a DIY haircut. Just spray some water into dry hair, and you can start trimming whenever you like. Some trimmers even come with an assortment of different tools so you can clean up unwanted facial & body hair in a jiff. The Wahl Elite Pro High Performance Hair Clipper Kit met or exceeded the quality or performance of all the other models we considered in nearly every way. It has the most reliable and easy-to-use guide combs of any clipper we’ve tried; in our tests, this turned out to be a key differentiator between an okay hair clipper and a great one. The Wahl Elite Pro also features sturdy housing and a pro-grade power cord, a powerful yet quiet-enough motor, and a useful and rugged hard-plastic carry case.

KM-K32S Professional Hair Clipper

And one way to really mess up is to cut hair without using the right tools. For the cost of an average haircut ($25 to $60 or so), three of our picks will easily handle the job for you. Clippers tend to last an extremely long time, so for not much outlay, you can have a useful device on hand for many, many years to come (one expert said he knows of barbers who have decades-old clippers in daily use at their shops). Since the pandemic hit in 2020, more and more people have been doing at-home hair maintenance—for themselves and others. If you plan to continue maintenance trims or shaves between professional cuts (or skip salons and barber shops entirely), it’s worth investing in a tool that you like to use and is easy to maintain.

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Almost all clipper kits come with at least one questionable accessory—like cheap scissors or a garbage-bag-quality cape—that seems great until you have to tuck it in a drawer or root through a pile of them to find what you want. Our pick comes with a useful assortment of 10 combs that are clearly labeled and easier to sort than those of most competing models; most have combs with impossible-to-read, raised black-plastic numbers on black plastic. Many longtime owners consistently give the Color Pro Plus high ratings and agree that this clipper is a great value overall. Some reviewers note that they’ve repurchased this kit once the clipper blades dulled, though many say that they did not perform the suggested upkeep (oiling the blades, sharpening them, and cleaning them out) between uses. The Color Pro Plus’s storage box is a little smaller than the Elite Pro’s, and it’s not quite as sturdy. If space is a deciding factor for you, this kit will take up less space overall than our top pick.

Budget pick: Wahl Color Pro Plus Haircutting Kit

During our at-home testing, we were able to try out clippers on a wide range of hair types, from extra-fine to thick, from straight to kinky, and from thin (or thinning) to dense. The authors tested a range of clippers on themselves and members of their households. In 2016, we recruited an expert barber, Eric Aleman of the King of Kings Barber Shop in Brooklyn, to test several contenders on a client and to offer his opinions and insight. In 2021, before narrowing down the options, we recruited Simon He at Techni Salon NY to similarly test contenders.

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Wahl Elite Pro High Performance Hair Clipper Kit

To regularly give haircuts at home, we’d reach first for the Wahl Elite Pro High Performance Hair Clipper Kit. The combs are made of a rigid yet smooth plastic that doesn’t bend when pushed against a scalp. And thanks to a metal retaining clip on the back of the combs, they stay seated and straight on the blade better than any other set we tried. They also add great value, considering that a competitor’s replacement combs (of equal quality) cost about half the price of this entire clipper kit. In our testing, the taper lever on the clipper’s side didn’t slip from vibration (something we’ve experienced with other clippers). This model’s hard-plastic carry case and a relatively nice pair of shears round out the package.

And maybe it’s no coincidence that “personal is political” was coined by feminists in 1970 — the year before my mother’s suicide attempt, when people were fighting for many of the civil rights being rolled back now, state by state. We previously recommended the Remington HKVAC2000A as an option for easier cleanup. But our 2021 testers consistently found it to be the most flimsy model overall, the hardest to hold, and very loud. The vacuum feature—this model sucks up loose hair so it doesn’t land on you or the floor—is the best and only thing this model has going for it. But frankly that’s not enough of a priority, especially considering that you get better precision with smaller clippers we tried.

Among the clippers we tested, there was some variety in blade materials. But our experts agreed that for most home users, even a low-end blade will dutifully cut hair for years or even decades. All clippers have a pair of stainless or carbon steel (or, at the high end, ceramic) blades with teeth; the bottom blade is fixed, and the top blade is connected directly to the motor and oscillates side to side to cut hair. When oiled, carbon models self-sharpen, but they are susceptible to rust. The hair length that a comb-less blade leaves depends on the clipper, though it’s often one-sixteenth of an inch; if the clipper has a taper lever (more on that in a minute), you can adjust that length. Cutting your own hair isn’t terrifically hard, but it is easy to mess up.

At the end, we asked participants to pick the model they favored and would be most comfortable using themselves. It’s a touch larger and heavier than the Elite Pro, and its combs are not reinforced like our pick’s. “I can feel the added weight, but it’s offset by the grippier body,” our tester said.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Gross—who has been cutting hair for decades—taught people how to cut their own hair, on Zoom and other online platforms (and occasionally outdoors). Separately, He and the staff at Techni Salon NY tried all the clippers we considered in 2020 and 2021 to compare them with their favorite tools and provide technical feedback to help us narrow down options for our at-home testers. In our testing, the Wahl Color Pro Plus Haircutting Kit was a close contender to the Elite Pro. The biggest difference between them is that the Elite Pro’s guide combs are more durable. Whether you favor the Color Pro Plus’s all-plastic, color-coded guide combs over the Elite Pro’s stiffer, metal-plated, black plastic combs is ultimately a matter of preference. The Color Pro Plus is more playful-looking and slightly larger in the hand, and it has a different grip style.

We also relied on input from guides published by Buzzcut Guide and Balding & Beards, and we consulted thousands of detailed customer reviews. With its terrific build quality, powerful motor, sturdy not overly stiff guide combs, and long cord, this model will satisfy the needs of most people who cut hair at home. The Wahl Professional 5-Star Series Magic Clip Cordless is a pro-level machine, but the 90-minute battery life isn’t ideal. It comes with eight guide combs (double the number that come with our corded upgrade pick, the Oster Fast Feed). But our testers found the experience of using this clipper to be very similar to using the less-expensive Fast Feed and Wahl Elite Pro models we recommend. The clipper’s eight included guide combs are made of rigid ABS plastic, so they don’t deform and leave track marks or trap and pull out hair when pressed against your head.

Adjustable Taper LeverControl the cutting length with the adjustable taper lever to make minute adjustments to move the cutting edge of the teetth for seamless blends and fades. These blades cut through thicker and coarser hair with ease and stay cooler during use.Corded/Cordless FunctionWith an internal lithium cobalt battery, the KM-K32S can be used for 240 minutes run time in between charges. However, if cutting should go longer, the stylist can switch from cordless operation to corded operation for uninterrupted use and performance. The Wahl Elite Pro’s build quality is a noticeable step above that of most mid-tier models available in big-box stores. The upper part of the housing isn’t hollow-feeling; it is made of rigid plastic, with texture for a secure grip.

Avoid 3-In-One, WD-40, or other non-food-safe lubricants, which may cause a skin reaction. The Virtually Indestructible is the only one of our picks covered by a lifetime warranty (blades excluded). Compared with many of today’s household devices, hair clippers are decidedly low-tech.

Still, most of our 2021 at-home testers preferred the Color Pro Plus’s combs. “The color-coded guards were like … transcendent,” one tester said. On the advice of our experts and owner reviews, we primarily looked for corded models simply because they’ll reliably power through the job without needing a recharge. A haircut can take a while, and the risk of getting left with a drained battery and half a haircut isn’t worth the extra convenience. We did opt to try two cordless models, since they can be handy for outdoor use. Though this model lacks a taper lever for finessing a fade or blend, most of our testers didn’t miss it for at-home uses (none of our haircutting novices attempted to do their own fades).

Wahl : Hair Clippers & Trimmers : Target

Table Of Content

• KM-K32S Professional Hair Clipper
• Budget pick: Wahl Color Pro Plus Haircutting Kit
• Oster Fast Feed Adjustable Pivot Motor Clipper
• Opinion: My mother set herself on fire. Why do people choose to self-immolate?
• Also great: Remington Virtually Indestructible Haircut and Beard Trimmer

And we recommend a smaller, quieter model that’s ideal for cutting your own or kids’ hair. Similarly, the Wahl Deluxe Chrome Pro is a 25-piece kit that, like the Andis Headliner Combo, has flimsy guide combs that didn’t seat reliably for us. The included battery-operated trimmer is useful and is in fact a missing element from our top pick. Pro models have thick, round, shielded power cords that are 8 feet or longer; non-pro models often have thin, lamp-wire-style cords that tend to tangle. That can be hard to answer, but what’s clear to me is that these acts have meaning, and that meaning is often multifaceted. They could be conveying pain within themselves, or in their families, or in the larger systems in which we work and love and live.

KM-K32S Professional Hair Clipper

Arabelle Sicardi is a beauty writer and editor currently working on a nonfiction book, The House of Beauty, about the beauty industry. They’ve been on the beauty beat for over a decade and buzzed their own and their partner’s hair at home, both before the pandemic and during it. Since 2010, they’ve covered at-home hair care—from buzz cuts to hair coloring—at Rookie and for publications including Teen Vogue and Allure. The year my mother and the woman with her burned, 1971, marked the end of a string of Vietnamese monks self-immolating following Thích Quảng Đức’s burning at a Saigon intersection.

Budget pick: Wahl Color Pro Plus Haircutting Kit

From the classic haircut to cutting edge, we have the expertise and experience to create the perfect look for you. Many clippers with magnetic motors (as opposed to pivot or rotary motors) have a large adjustment screw located on the side. If your clipper begins to make an annoying and terrifying “chattering” sound, take a medium or large Phillips-head screwdriver and tighten or loosen that screw until it stops; then continue in the same direction another half-turn. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times.

Oster Fast Feed Adjustable Pivot Motor Clipper

The Wahl Color Pro Plus Haircutting Kit offers a clipping experience very similar to that of our pick; the key difference is in the design of the attachments. Color-coded, clearly labeled guards make it easier to find the right ones, eliminating time spent on clipping overall. Compared with the Elite Pro’s guide combs, however, the Color Pro Plus’s combs are a touch flimsier and do not have the metal reinforcements.

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Jon Chase, an editor on Wirecutter’s smart-home team, has been a reporter and writer since the late ’90s, covering a broad range of topics with a long-standing focus on consumer products and technology. He also has a fair amount of experience cutting his own hair, having practiced on and off for more than a decade. Many rushed to conclude that mental illness had led a U.S. airman, Aaron Bushnell, to kill himself in February. He set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington. However, Bushnell had posted on social media that he was going to kill himself in protest, and screamed “Free Palestine” as he went up in flames.

Also great: Remington Virtually Indestructible Haircut and Beard Trimmer

Every time another instance of self-immolation occurs, as happened earlier this month outside a courthouse in New York City, I wonder about the people and where they sit in the lineage of the act. The inevitable think pieces after a high-profile self-immolation often sound the same, because what can one say? You cannot understand what it means without knowing the person’s story. At Sport Clips, you can check in with the pros in men’s hair and totally check out with pure, uninterrupted, relaxation.

Looking back on her account as an adult, I believe that mental illness was one factor. But she also told me she had been drawn to the student activism sweeping the country at that time. I have never found either of those explanations complete enough. We haven’t tested the beloved Andis T-Outliner, a specialty/companion tool that’s best for outlining (such as around the ears), shaving, and precision fades.

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And—more of a feature than a bug—several testers considered this clipper to be “toy-like” in design compared with the other options they tried. Although the Color Pro Plus’s housing is slightly larger than the Elite Pro’s, the Color Pro Plus weighs a touch less than our pick. A taper lever is an advanced feature—a little doodad found on the side of a clipper that increases or decreases hair length more finely than you can get by switching combs or shifting the bottom blade forward or back.

The Color Pro Plus tends to be sold out for longer periods than the Elite Pro, and it has historically suffered more price fluctuations. At this writing, the Color Pro Plus can again be reliably found in stock, for roughly half the cost of the Elite Pro set we recommend. We haven’t tested the corded Wahl 5-Star Senior, which is often compared to the Andis Master and is therefore best for experienced haircutters. It is specifically made for taper work and precision fades—which leads to excellent pro-level detail work.

Now, I wonder, whether my mother and the other woman were somehow tapping a cultural current of the early ’70s. Most manufacturers also recommend that, following a haircut, you wipe away loose hairs with a stiff bristle brush (almost always included along with oil), followed by another oiling to prevent potential surface rust. When you run out of the tiny included bottle of oil, you can use food-grade mineral oil instead.

The Wahl Elite Pro is at the upper weight limit of what’s comfortable to hold (just under a pound, at 15⅞ ounces). But it’s not overly heavy, and it doesn’t vibrate uncomfortably. Compared with the Remington Virtually Indestructible (a smaller and quieter model we like), the Elite Pro has a slightly louder magnetic motor, but it isn’t obnoxiously loud. As is true of blades, when it comes to motors, most home users wouldn’t notice much difference between types—other than their loudness. Magnetic motors, which all our picks have, are the most common and make a signature whap noise when turned on.

Like the Elite Pro, the corded Color Pro Plus is covered by Wahl’s five-year warranty. Learn why we're one of the fastest growing franchise concepts in the nation and how you can begin your new business venture. Jon Chase is an editor leading smart-home coverage at Wirecutter.

For roughly the cost of a professional haircut, you can buy a long-lasting tool to create and maintain your own short, buzzed, or shaved hairstyles at home. Its sharp steel blades easily slice through fine, thick, smooth, and coarse hair without slowing down or clogging. The easy-to-handle Remington Virtually Indestructible Haircut and Beard Trimmer is especially ideal for people who want to cut their own hair. This model is lightweight, has rubberized grips along the sides, and is truly palm-sized. As a result, it’s far easier than any other model we tested to maneuver and hold in a loose grip, even with fingertips (as is often required when you’re clipping your own hair). This clipper comes with eight rigid-plastic, quality guide combs that seat securely (though they have fewer tips, slightly sharper in feel, than our main pick’s combs do).

They attach and seat firmly, unlike on some other models we tested, whose attachments had enough play that they could go on crooked or pop off altogether. If you’re mostly clipping your own hair, the smaller, lighter, and easier-to-maneuver Remington Virtually Indestructible Haircut and Beard Trimmer may be a better choice than our heavier picks. The Remington’s lightweight (7½ ounces), palm-sized housing—coupled with rubberized grips—is the most comfortable of any we tried. Our testers especially appreciated this clipper when they guided it along the back of their heads while looking in a mirror—that’s a tricky maneuver, especially when cutting along the hairline.

Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). The Color Pro Plus also comes in a cordless version, though it has a different motor and includes four fewer guards. “It’s wireless and powerful, [and] it’s easy to use,” remarked Simon He. All things being equal among clippers, the combs matter the most, since they significantly affect the cutting experience and are expensive to upgrade or replace.