Growing out a buzzcut was never a problem for actor-cum-model-cum-all-round-cool-guy Evan Mock. Sometimes bleach blonde, usually pink, it was his signature look. Until he decided that the time had come to give up on grade one all over. “I've grown out my hair,” he told GQ last month. “My vibe is shifting. I'm evolving as a person, and I think it was time to bid farewell to the pink buzzcut. It was fun while it lasted.” Now, there's a super slick, poker straight chop job going on. And it's great.
Same with Justin Bieber. He had an all-over buzzcut for some time before he rocked up to the 2021 Met Gala with a choppier grown-out 'do. Again, it was great. Shawn Mendes is also going for length following his shock decision to reach for the clippers earlier this year.
Shawn Mendes has reached for the shaver. Joe Mills, founder and owner of Joe And Co, shares how you can do the same
But while Mock, Mendes and Bieber have grown out a buzzcut with ease, it got us wondering: well, how? As with all most things grooming, there's a right way and a wrong way to grow out a buzzcut. It can go seriously wrong. There's that awkward stage.
So we asked Joe Mills, expert barber and founder of Woolf in King's Cross, to explain how to do it, and do it well. “Growing out that buzz cut can seem like a daunting task but follow these simple rules and it should be less painful,” he says.
Keep the back and sides tapered down
“What can happen when you're growing it out is that it can look a little round,” Mills says. "My suggestion is to go a little higher with the buzz or if you want to keep as much length as possible it is all about which product you use and how it's applied.
“As it starts to grow out keep the back and sides short and clean cut this will give it shape and will look less unkept.”
Visit your barber every two weeks
“Realistically you should get trims when it starts to look scruffy, which will be a lot more regularly than you would normally would when your hair is very short.”
Use products
"Never leave it to just grow out as it will end up looking fluffy and as if you don't care about how you look. Use a dry paste on the top as it grows out to style it.
“I recommend Kevin Murphy Gritty Business Clay Wax for guys with straighter hair. For keeping short, textured hair under control, go for Kevin Murphy Night Rider Matte Paste. Use a little less than you think – it's easier to add more than try and remove too much. Once you get enough length on top you can start to style it differently and push it back."
Make sure you're styling it the right way
“Almost everybody's hair grows either clockwise or anti-clockwise so make sure you are styling how it wants to go as opposed to the way you have always worn it (a common mistake),” Mills says. “This can lead to it sticking up. After a shower, towel dry it and if your hair is fine use sea salt spray (which will thicken it up) or a texture spray if it's thick already and you need a little more definition.
"Once you get enough length on top you can start to style it differently and push it back but once again use product. If it's sticking up, use a brush and direct the hot air where you want the hair to go.”
Finally, remember it takes time
“Be patient, get regular trims to keep it under control and find the products that work for you.
Worst case scenario: invest in a hat."
