Philips Support

How to cut my own hair with Philips Hair Clipper?

Published on 22 March 2024
Philips Hair Clippers are ideal for cutting your own hair or those of a friend or family member. In this article we provide details of how to cut your own hair, as well as some practical tips.

Before use

Before cutting your hair, make sure you have all the right equipment. You will need a Philips Hair or a multigroomer with hair clipping attachments, a mirror, and a cape or towel to cover your neck and shoulders during trimming.

Wet hair is trickier to trim as they tend to stick to your skin and can be missed by the device. Therefore, we advise clipping your hair when they are completely dry.

Comb your hair in the direction of your natural hair growth. 

If you are cutting someone else's hair, make sure their head is at the same level as your chest. This ensures that all parts of the head are clearly visible and within easy reach.

Note: Beard trimmers are designed to trim beard hairs only. We do not recommend using it on other body parts such as your head. This is because you will not get desired results, and it may also cause skin damage.

Instructions to use

1.    Attach the desired comb to the clipper handle. If the attachments are not placed correctly, the groomer may not work, or give desired results.

2.    Set the desired length setting. You can do this by turning the length-setting wheel or attaching the correct click-on comb. Start trimming at a high length setting to familiarize yourself with the device and reduce the length setting gradually until you have reached the desired hair length.

3.    Switch on the device.

4.    Move the appliance gently and steadily, with light pressure against the direction of hair growth. Make sure that the flat part of the comb always stays in contact with your skin to obtain an even result.

5.    Do not press the groomer too hard against your scalp or skin. You may accidentally change the settings which can result in an uneven trim.

Use the trimmer without the trimming comb to trim hair close to the skin (approx. 0.5 mm) or to contour the neckline and sideburns by holding it at a 90-degree angle. Move the groomer against the direction of hair growth in well-controlled movements. To remove stubborn hair, try moving the shaver in different directions. Be careful when you trim without a comb because the cutting unit removes every hair it touches. 

6.    Hair can collect in the hair chamber and the comb. Shake the hair off regularly in between turns and strokes. Once you have finished, turn the device off and clean the appliance, combs, and hair chamber. Clean the device after each use. .
How to use Philips Hair Clipper

Clipping children's hair

Philips has special hair clippers designed for kids. When using these follow the same instructions as a clipper for an adult, but take care of some extra things.
  • For optimal safety, we advise you to always use the kids hair clipper with a comb. 
  • After cleaning the clipper, also apply a drop of oil on its cutting teeth. 
How to use Philips Kids Hair clipper

Video tutorial for a Buzz Cut

Check out our video tutorial on how to do a buzz cut at home using your Philips Hair Clippers. 
Play Pause

Video tutorial for a Crew Cut

Check out our video tutorial on how to do a crew cut at home using your Philips Hair Clippers. 
Play Pause

Note: trimming without a comb

The cutting element is the primary unit of your Philips Groomer. It has short, sharp edges to give you a fast and clean trim. 

Use the trimmer without the trimming comb to trim hair close to the skin (to a length of approximately 0.5 mm) or contour your neckline or sideburns by holding it at a 90-degree angle to your skin.

When trimming without the comb attached, we advise that you:

  • Be careful with the edges of cutting teeth.
  • Note that the cutting unit will remove every hair it touches.
  • Move the groomer against the direction of hair growth with well-controlled movements and gentle pressure applied. 
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