Choosing a barber is a make or break when it comes to looking stylish, cut after cut, week after week.
How important is your haircut or beard trim to you?
Hopefully, your answer is very. Your trim at the barber shop is an essential part of your look - it sends a message to others, allows you to feel comfortable in your own skin and most importantly, is personal to you. Get yourself a cut that is both stylish and will enable you to feel confident as this is a must for all men out there.
However, where do you start? At what age do the family trips to the hairdressers' stop and you're placed in the situation where you need to find a great barber? Once of the most obvious and easiest methods of finding the right barber is to stop random guys who have impressive beards, whether at work, the car wash, mall or out and about and ask them which barber shop they visit. You wouldn’t find a person not willing to help a fellow gentleman on their beard growing journey.
The remainder of this article will discuss how to choose the best barber for you, from picking up the phone and giving them a ring to reading endless reviews online, we've got you covered.
1. Reading online reviews
There are so many different barbers out there that it's often difficult to distinguish which are the best, and most importantly, which is the best for you.
As the first point of contact, we suggest reading online reviews of barber shops in your local area. Look past the comments such as 'great service' or 'fast' and 'cheap' and look for those which convey the barber to be helpful, experienced, going out of there way, and generally giving off a vibe which makes you want to get your haircut there.
2. Don't be afraid to be pick up the phone
Now, here's a step most people skip, mostly because they don't even think of it! Now that you've read endless reviews, have a good idea of what to expect and maybe even know the colour of the barbershop, it's time to pick up the phone.
Think of it like an interview. Ask the barber a few questions if you couldn’t find them online - how long they've been in the business, if they feel comfortable cutting the specific style you'd like, and anything else you can think of to test their knowledge of their craft. The more confident they sound, the better.
3. Getting to the chair
So, you've made it to the chair, and you're almost ready to get that fresh cut. It is very intimidating to jump into a barber’s chair especially if it’s your first time trimming your beard at an unknown barber. First, have a discussion with your barber with what style you'd like to go with, most importantly asking them their opinion on whether or not it would suit you. Make sure that you prepare yourself with all the information you would like to convey before the trim. We recommend searching Instagram beforehand and taking a few screenshots of the best beard styles you have discovered to show your barber. Zoom in so your barber gets the best view of what you are looking for.
More experienced barbers will throw in barber lingo you probably won't understand - this is a good sign. The more they know, the better – always trust a knowledgeable barber.
Likewise, upon entering the shop, you want to see how well-groomed the barber is themselves. Why would you trust them to cut your hair if they're poorly groomed?
4. Communication is key
Ultimately, a great haircut comes down to communication. You must be able to communicate effectively to your barber, letting them know exactly what you want – it’s great visiting loads of high-quality barber shops, but if you don’t know how to communicate you’ll never end up with the haircut you wanted exactly.
If the cut you want is particularly difficult or unique, consider bringing in a few images of the haircut to show the barber exactly what you mean.
5. Consistency
Don’t make the mistake most guys make. It’s great getting a fresh, good-looking haircut but if you go to different barber shops all the time then your cut is going to be inconsistent as every barber has their own quirks and ways of cutting hair.
Ultimately, it’s trial and error, remember not to be afraid to ask questions, look them up online, and most importantly learn to communicate effectively. If you find that your barber has slipped up and it is too late to rectify the trim during your visit, not all is lost. With the use of our beard balm and brush you could get your beard looking balanced until you grow out in a few weeks again in time for the next trim.