So I saw Jordan Barrett’s new short hair pics and thought, damn that looks sharp. My own hair was kinda messy and boring, so I decided to give it a shot. Grabbed my clippers, scissors, and a can of strong hold paste I had lying around. First step? Taking off a lot of length.
Chopping It Off
I started with the back and sides using a number 2 guard. Pushed the clippers up from my neck with short bursts. Had that weird patch near my left ear where the hair grows sideways – always annoys me. Went shorter there with the trimmer and kept it tight.
For the top, I grabbed scissors and cut while my hair was bone dry. Messy layers work better for this style. Chopped random chunks, aiming for that uneven vibe Jordan rocks. Measured nothing, just eyeballed it and hoped for the best.
Styling Trial and Error
First attempt: slapped on way too much paste right after showering. Big mistake. Looked like I dunked my head in grease. Washed it out immediately, patted my hair mostly dry with a t-shirt – that trick works better than towels, less frizz.
Second try: Used a pea-sized paste blob and worked it into damp hair first. Raked through with fingers to build texture, then twisted random strands upward for messy spikes.
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Key things I learned:
- Don’t touch it after applying – letting it dry wild gives that effortless look
- Gotta mess up the back too, not just the front
- The paste needs 20 mins to set fully or it collapses when you sweat
Making It Stick
Biggest issue? My flat Asian hair refuses to stay lifted sometimes. Changed tactics: blew hot air from underneath while scrunching with my other hand. Spritzed salt spray first for grit before the paste. That extra hold did the trick – stayed up even during my post-styling coffee run.
The uneven lengths actually helped hide my bad cutting job. Slightly longer pieces in front framed my face better than expected. Got lazy around lunchtime and just ruffed it up with my fingers again – shockingly looked even better messy than freshly styled.
Final Thoughts
Been rocking this for three days now. Takes way less time than my old routine. The trick is embracing imperfection. Let it get oily and piecey, don’t fight it. That Barrett messy vibe needs mess. My barber would cringe seeing my hack job, but whatever – it works for grocery runs and Zoom calls. Might even keep it till summer.
