If recent events have shown us anything [1], it's that people are relying more and more on their family and partners to cut their hair [2]. But for most of us, our experience in the haircutting department is fairly limited — aside from giving our ends a little trim [3] or that one time we snipped our own bangs, that is. Men's hair — and those electric trimmers barbers tend to use — is a whole new territory [4].

That's why a how-to for cutting men's hair was so highly requested from celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton [5]. He shared the video on Instagram detailing the process from start to finish in under five minutes, making it look far easier than you might expect. All you'll need are clippers, scissors, a comb, and sectioning clips. Ahead, we broke down his tutorial so you can follow along during your own DIY [6] men's haircut session.

Step 1: Section the Hair

Start by sectioning the hair with the clips to mark the difference between the longest areas (the top of the head) and the shorter areas (the sides of the head). Appleton sectioned from the temple to the back of the head.

Step 2: Select Your Clipper Length

Using the clippers, use an attachment that's slightly longer than you would normally go for. This will allow room for some mistakes without botching the entire haircut. In the demo, Appleton said he usually uses a 3 but opted for a 4.

Step 3: Buzz the Sides

Always start at the front of the head and work your way back. In front of the ear at the temple, lay the clippers flush against the head and move in an upward motion. When you reach the end of the path you're cutting, flick the wrist up. Continue doing that until you reach the back of the head. Then, switch to the other side and meet in the middle.

Step 4: Create the Fade

To fade the sides and back of the head, use a slightly shorter attachment than you used in step two. Follow the same cutting process from the front of the head, except this time, only trim about halfway up on the sectioned hair — remember the flick. This will blend everything together.

Step 5: Blend at the Top of the Head

Once you've finished the sides of the head, take out the sectioning clips, grab the scissors, and wet the hair at the top of the head slightly. To blend the longer hair in with the fade, Appleton said to imagine a half-circle shape on the top of the head. You want to trim the hair shorter on the sides of the imaginary "circle" using the comb and scissors.

Step 6: Trim the Very Top

At the top of the head, cut to the desired length with a point cut — remember this is where you want to keep most of your length. A point cut is when you hold the scissors perpendicular to the hair to add texture and keep the ends more natural.

Step 7: Cut the Front

Finally, trim the front piece of hair with a point cut by pulling it backward — this will keep a little length in the hair when you lay it flat again. Appleton's number one tip is to go a little bit longer when you cut hair at home so you can go back in and shorten it if needed.