Contrary to what you may have seen in highly accurate documentaries like ‘Barbershop’ and ‘Barbershop: The Next Cut,’ the tradition of barbers visiting the same barber regularly has faded in the modern world. But there are still many reasons why a man should visit a reliable and highly skilled barber regularly.
Having a personal barber ensures consistency, as they will know all the ins and outs, intricacies and contours of your hair. With each visit, your barber will have the opportunity to get to know you better and find out what haircut or beard style will suit you best. In this article, we will only focus on how to choose a barber. But if you want to come up with some haircut concepts with your barber the next time you visit, have a look at the article posted at MenHairStylist. Without further ado, here’s how to choose a new barber.
Presentation materials
At its core, the barbershop experience is about looks above all else, so presentation should play a vital role in your decision-making process. The establishment and the people who comprise it should encourage confidence, professionalism and great attention to detail. So here’s the very first thing you should look for:
- Check how neat the barber is. We know the goal of this article is to help you look your best, but consider it this way: how would you feel if you went to your appointment and saw the doctor smoking a cigarette and slamming a fly on the table? They could be the best doctors in the world, but trusting them with your health care would still be a little funny. Turning back to the barber, would you trust someone who does not take care of themselves with your personal grooming? If the barber wears a bad haircut and unpressed clothes, it is possibly the same service.
- Check the cleanliness of the shop. While modern barbershops are a far cry from the lice-infested salons of earlier centuries, it is better to be safe than sorry. You should also look for a good overall organization, as a good barber will have everything in place to make sure a fast and effective service.
Another (admittedly mainly banal and trivial) way to tell if a barbershop is viable is to see how difficult it’s to get an appointment there. If you can get an appointment for the same day and at a popular time (after office hours and the like), the barbershop is either a newcomer or not very well liked by the locals. We’re not saying you should not give a new business an opportunity– it is just a small thing to remember when choosing a barber.
Experience
If you are going to let someone handle a razor blade that was cut inches from your face, it is best to be sure that the barber is more than familiar with the tools of their trade. You should not be shy about asking your barber how long they have been practicing their trade. Also, you should not hold back from doing this for fear of offending the barber because a real professional won’t ever be hostile when asked about their work experience.
Confidence
A good, professional barber will greet each client with a firm handshake, ask how their day was, and seek to establish a relationship based on trust. Plus, a barber will at all times know when and how to ask the right questions and supply on-the-spot advice based on haircut progress.
Good communication skills
Barbershop, similar to a news publication, represents a business whose growth and success depend heavily on the trust of clients and the reputation of the company. Grooming is a really intimate process, and barbers are very aware of that. A barber will understand how to “read the room” and shape the service according to the client’s personality and expectations.
For example, if a client is shy and infrequently intervenes with suggestions, the barber will know which buttons to press to encourage them to be more open about their desires. On the other hand, if a client gets too enthusiastic and wants to try a new haircut, a good barber will ensure to let them know that it might not be such a good idea.
Another thing a good barber does is offer an onsite report on the current state of the haircut and what approach they will take. For example, they will at all times ask, “How short?” and then shows how much to cut. Or, when discussing the finish you want around the ear, they might ask ”Close and tight?” or ”Shape and soft around the edges?”.
Good Memory
Another important feature of any serious barber is a good memory. What many people do not realize is the indisputable fact that a good haircut takes between three and five consecutive visits to shape it. That’s because the barber will find it easier to determine what will suit you best by cutting it in multiple bursts (meaning every two to three months) rather than larger proportions all without delay. Good memory plays a vital role in this process. From the first time they cut your hair to years later (assuming you visit the same people regularly), a good barber will know all the ins and outs, intricacies, and unique contours of your hair and can treat specific issues such as hair loss. fall out. hairline.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are various advantages to visiting the same barber regularly. However, there are specific factors to consider before taking this step, and hopefully this article has provided you with some insight in this regard.