Avoid a Quarantine Haircut Fail With These 15 Buzzcut Styles
Buzz cuts are the ultimate dude haircut. They’re wash-and-go, easy to maintain, and basically fool proof. But before you take the leap, either in the barber’s chair or your own bathroom, let’s clarify some things. Not all buzz cuts are created equal. In fact, the word “buzz cut” probably doesn’t actually mean what you think it does.
What Is a Buzz Cut
“Back in the day, a buzz cut was when you shave all your hair down with a clipper, we’re talking almost bald,” says Andy Starkweather, senior barber at Persons of Interest in Brooklyn, NY. Nowadays, “the terminology has gotten a little loose.” Buzz cuts have graduated into an entire category of haircuts, with subtle differences between popular buzz cut styles. Furthermore, because no head is exactly alike, even the same buzz cut style may look different from man to man. So, when you’re contemplating buzzing it down, think about your face shape and what sort of buzz might look best. Better yet, ask a professional to weigh in since they can see things you can’t, like the back of your head.
Buzz Cut Maintenance
For most guys taking the plunge, the allure of the buzz cut is lack of upkeep. Compared to other hairstyles, buzz cut maintenance is minimal, but that doesn’t mean it’s maintenance-free. The biggest rule is that you may need to cut it more often. The shorter your hair is, the faster it seems to grow out. To keep a buzz cut style looking sharp, “you’re going to need to get it cut every week and a half to two weeks,” says Axe master barber Pedro Rosario. If you’re keeping the lines crisp, that could mean touching them up even more often, like once a week, “depending on your hair texture and density,” he says. And while we don’t typically recommend talking to your barber in numbers, in this case it may be beneficial, especially if you’re getting your haircut at another spot or in your bathroom. “It’s helpful to know you have a one faded into a three, for instance,” says Rosario, but keep in mind that different hair clippers and attachments won’t cut the exact same way.
Use Hair Clippers to Buzz Cut Your Hair
Speaking of hair clippers, using a good pair is the golden rule of giving yourself a buzz cut. Don’t try to use a beard trimmer; instead, invest in a barber-grade hair clipper with attachments, which are key. “Always start longer, like with a four or five guard,” says Starkweather. “Then if you want it shorter, gradually cut it down.” If you’re starting with longer hair, cut it off with scissors before going in with the clippers to keep them from getting jammed. And give yourself permission to experiment. “The first couple of times you do it, you’re not going to know exactly how high to buzz it or when to switch the guard,” he says. “Go very slowly and know that it’s not going to 100 percent perfect the first time.”
The thing about buzz cuts is that they are studies in details and offer almost endless experimentation without a ton of commitment. That’s where the different styles come in. Some are easy enough to do on your own and others require more of a professional touch, but all of them riff on the same general idea: using clippers instead of scissors. These styles, says Rosario, “are just nuance.”
Check out the 15 best buzz cut styles for men, according to experts.
Zero Buzz Cut
The name says it all. “Traditionally, if you use no guard on the clippers and take it down to the skin, that’s called a zero,” says Starkweather. “It’s also pretty much shaving your head.” Going full, aggressive Zero could mean cueball smooth or leaving a little five o’clock shadow, but either way it’s the most extreme buzz cut out there.
Induction Buzz Cut
An Induction buzz cut style is the traditional buzz, made popular by the military when new recruits shave down their heads to a blank canvas. While not quite as short as a zero, it’s not much longer. Achieve this cut with a 0.5 guard or no guard (set on a longer length) to leave a little hair at the same uniform length around your whole head.
Burr Buzz Cut
Like an induction buzz cut style, a Burr buzz cut is uniform the entire way around the head with no fading or taper. But it’s slightly longer and utilizes a 1 or 2 guard to give a little extra length. If you’re buzzing your own hair, a Burr could be a pit stop on the way to a shorter style to see how you like the look.
Lineup Buzz Cut
“To be specific, these are actually two different things,” says Rosario. A lineup refers specifically to creating crisp lines around the face and neckline, as opposed to leaving the hairline natural. It looks best on shorter buzz styles and on men with thicker, more textured hair to really define the lines. It also means changing guards or using a trimmer. “You have to actually put a blade to it and define the line that’s already there,” he says, and also warns that crisp lines show growth quickly and need to be maintained every few days or every week max.
Knuckle Buzz Cut
Some buzz cut style lengths (like the Burr) inadvertently showcase thinning or balding issues, but a slightly longer length could actually downplay them and visually add more volume in the process. Case in point: the Knuckle cut. “Wet your hair, grab the top of your hair with your fingers pressed against your scalp [like in a fist] and cut everything off at the knuckle,” says Starkweather. It will likely come out to a 4 or 5 guard, which leaves you with a “choppy, short cut.” To leave more (visual) length on top, taper the sides.
Taper Buzz Cut
The most common variation on a buzz cut, which traditionally is one length all around, is a taper. “It’s shorter around the sideburns and the neckline,” says Rosario. Laymen (incorrectly) call it a fade, because it graduates to a slightly longer length higher on your head. A classic taper is subtle and is usually a one guard at the bottom and goes up to a two.
Skin Fade Buzz Cut
In barbering terms, asking for a fade means asking for a skin fade, where the hair at the bottom is so short you can see skin, hence the name, and has a more extreme change in length as it moves up your head. “It can graduate into a one, two, or even three,” says Starkweather, “but it always starts out very, very short.”
High And Tight Buzz Cut
Whether you’re going for a skin fade or a taper, a high and tight buzz means that the fade goes higher on your head, usually to the temples. It keeps the hair on the sides of your head close and leaves more length on top which can create the illusion of height even on short, buzzed hair. It’s good for guys with round or oval faces, since the height also creates the illusion of length.
Jarhead Buzz Cut
Just as the traditional buzz cut has military roots, so do some of the variations, like the Jarhead. “It’s a traditional Marine cut,” says Starkweather. “It’s a zero around the sides, but then a one guard on top.” It’s a very minimal change in length but gives a subtle angle to your head and is less rounded than a traditional buzz.
Crew Cut
Though purists may disagree, the classic military crew can be considered a buzz because it can be done with clippers. It’s longer than other buzz cuts though because it requires “using at least a number six guard on top to give an inch or three-quarters of an inch of length,” says Starkweather. “Usually they’re longer in the front and then taper and blend at the crown of the head,” he says, but still have a square, angular look.
Brush Cut
Another longer buzz style, the brush cut is a close cousin to the crew cut. The only difference is that while a crew cut is left square to create a flat-ish top, a brush cut is a little bit rounder and a little bit shorter, says Starkweather. It’s called a brush cut because there is still enough length to brush the hair forward.
Grown-Out Buzz Cut
The cool thing about buzz cuts is that as they grow out, almost every day brings a new style. Using a guard to leave hair slightly longer speeds up that process. “Use a two guard on the sides and a number three on top to get a similar effect [as a bit of growth],” says Rosario. “It grows about a bit harsher and spiker than if you used scissors.” It’s still long enough to use some hair products to create a messy look.
Undercut Buzz Cut
An undercut buzz is like a half-buzz: closely cropped on the sides and left long on top. There is no tapering or fading and instead a blunt line is left between the short and long hair, creating even more of a division. Traditionalists will say this doesn’t count, but this aggressive look could be a pit stop on the way to a full buzz or something to try for someone who isn’t ready for the full shear.
Crop Buzz
Like an undercut, a crop buzz does away with fading or tapering and creates a blunt line where changes in length happen. The difference here is that the hair is left long on the sides down to the corners of the hairline to create the illusion of short bangs. It’s like a very short bowl cut or, as Starkweather puts it, “it’s a variation on what’s called a crop,” which is when short bangs are bluntly cut across the forehead. Leave a difference of at least two guards to create a defined line.
Buzz Cut With A Beard
For guys who are nervous about buzzing down their hair or are “really balding,” grow a beard, says Starkweather. “It balances the whole look out.” Keep in mind that when there’s less hair up top, maintaining facial hair becomes even more important because it’s taking center stage. Keep your beard neat with trimmings at least one a week and make sure to keep the cheek and neck lines defined. “I always think a beard similar in length to your buzz looks good,” says Rosario. Taper the sideburns so they taper up into your buzz, “like a reverse fade,” he says.
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