Credit: Michael DeMoya
Guys, gather around. I’ve got some very unfortunate news for you: the barber is not opening their shop any time soon. We’re going through a pandemic right now and by now we’ve sort of all come to terms with our temporary new reality. We’re in a state whereby a lot of the little luxuries that we used to enjoy just aren’t possible anymore. Unfortunately something that we all take massively for granted is included in that list: hairdressing.
I, like many of you, probably didn’t think ahead for what the prospects of a ‘lockdown’ might mean for my own looks. While I may head to the barber’s every two weeks, being told that all non-essential establishments (such as hairdressers) would be closed, didn’t phase me at first. We’re all in the same boat. We’re not going anywhere. We’re not going to see anywhere. We’re all just at home.
But it’s not quite that easy. What’s being overlooked here is that when you’re in such a routine of looking a particular way and getting groomed, being denied this actually has an impact upon your wellbeing. I personally found that having unkempt hair actually impacted my ability to get on with everyday things. I may not have had to go to my bartender job, but having to motivate myself to study or do everyday things in the home seemed so much harder with so much more hair.
I’ve inquired with many others that have related to this exact feeling, with some mentioning that it had a more severe impact on them. The isolation of being away from others, coupled with an unsatisfactory aesthetic, exacerbated it. It drove them to further isolation, because they didn’t want to do things like Facetime with family or friends, and this meant that it had an impact on their mental health.
In order to bring about some normalcy – even just a slice of it – self care is in need. Some people are taking the brave step to cut their own hair. They’ve found the last set of clippers on Argos, they’ve found a YouTube tutorial, and they’re just giving it a go.
Someone I known has learned how to cut his own hair and now uses his Instagram to showcase how easily we can all the same, but I can’t say that I’ve had as much success as he clearly has with these ‘simple’ instructions. I had to go a full week as a skinhead as a result of one of these sessions. Hopefully I learn to cut my hair to a semi-acceptable state by the time this lockdown finally comes to an end.
How are you coping with this new reality? Have you learned how to cut your own hair? Is it worse for women? Tell us about your experiences with lockdown-induced self-haircuts.
