When you move to a new location or your current barber hangs up their clippers, you need to find a new barber.
Finding a good barber can be more difficult than anticipated, especially if you are specific about your hair.
Here are some tips on how to find a good barber.
How To Find A Good Barber (Top 10 Ways)
1. Ask Your Current Barber
If your current barber knows that you need to find a new barber, they may have resources to help you find a new shop, even in a new location.
Barbers tend to network and encounter barbers from other places thanks to online communities and industry-related events.
Your barber may have connections with a barbershop or barber in your new neighborhood, especially if you are moving somewhere relatively nearby.
Your current barber can be especially helpful with their recommendation since they know how you like your hair, so they know to recommend someone who offers the appropriate services.
Services not offered at every barbershop include:
- Straight-razor shave
- Customized designs
- Braiding
- Beard and mustache trimming
- Eyebrow shaping
Your current barber also knows your personality and what group you tend to vibe with, which also contributes to how much you enjoy your experience.
They can recommend a shop with similar characters to the current shop, where you may even have some common friends.
2. Research Online Reviews
Online reviews come in very handy while searching for a new barber.
All you need to do is search “barber in [LOCATION]” to see reviews of the most popular barbershops.
Some of the most common places to find reviews for a new barbershop include:
- Yelp
Search for barbershops with a lot of reviews.
The more reviews there are, the better image you will get of the barbershop and what they have to offer.
You also want to focus on recent reviews, as positive or negative reviews from five years ago may not give you a great portrayal of what to expect.
Positive reviews can give you an idea of what the shop truly excels at.
Pay attention to what people are saying.
Are the compliments about the work and the hair or solely about the friendships?
While barbershops make a great place for people to bond and make friends, you need to focus on the actual work they do.
Remember that almost all places get negative reviews from time to time.
One bad review does not represent the shop, but you probably still want to read the negative reviews as well, just to get a full image of what people are trying to say
You not only want to focus on reviews of a particular barbershop but also the particular barber you plan to hire.
3. Follow Barber Shops On Social Media
Make friends and learn about the different shops in your area by adding local barbershops to your social media pages.
Most barbershops will have pictures of the work they do.
You may select a place based on some of the pictures of haircuts they post.
They will also post information about any promotions coming up, maybe helping you to save some money.
Finally, you get to see the personality of the shop and the people inside by the different pictures and posts.
Some barbershops have a very professional online persona while others prefer to add some lighthearted goofiness, including funny memes or funny group pictures.
Once again, don’t just follow the barbershop but also the particular barber you want to cut your hair.
4. Ask Friends With Good Hair
When you see people with great hair, don’t be shy! Ask them where they go to get their hair done.
They’ll probably be happy to suggest their barber and get them new business, especially if they do good enough work to have people ask about it.
Naturally, you need to ask a friend who gets services similar to what you want to ensure that they recommend a barber who can do exactly what you want.
You also want to pick a friend in your area so that you don’t get a recommendation outside of your desired range.
Remember that someone with good hair may not necessarily rely on the barber.
Don’t look at styling or natural qualities, such as full hair or no grays.
Instead, focus on the haircut alone.
However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ask for styling tips.
5. Know What Makes A Great Barber
Some people don’t exactly know what makes one barber better than another.
Remember that a good barber puts the quality of their work and customer service above everything else.
These are some of the qualities you want to look for in a great barber.
A. Professionalism
A great barber is all about their business, meaning they care about making their barbershop a place of business.
A professional barbershop has set hours you can rely on.
Barbers who go above and beyond may even take appointments outside of business hours for people who don’t follow a traditional schedule.
A professional will also have proper facilities and equipment.
The best barbers work in an actual shop instead of working out of their homes.
B. Skill And Experience
A great barber has the attention to detail and skill to do the job well.
Some barbers seem born with a pair of trimming scissors in their hands, but most people learn after extensive training and experience.
Some barbers focus on particular specialties while others prefer to provide a broad list of services that make them appropriate for a number of different types of customers.
C. Training
To become a barber, the barber must go through roughly 1,500 hours of training at a barber school, but this varies by state.
Most barbers train at a beauty school or a special school designed for barbers.
A good barber will have their certificate hanging in their shop.
Don’t be afraid to ask to see it, as they will probably feel proud of their training.
D. Good Customer Service
Good customer service can make or break an experience.
It starts when you make the appointment.
You expect to make an appointment quickly, and you expect the barbershop to be ready when you arrive for your appointment.
This means organized operations and good front desk staff.
If you reach out via social media or email, you should still expect a quick response (within 24 hours).
Good customer service also means creating an inviting and fun atmosphere.
This involves everything from the decorations to the type of clientele the shop caters to.
On the rare occasion that you do run into a problem with your service, good customer service has proper processes in place to handle these grievances and make things right before you go to another barbershop.
6. Express What You Want
People who don’t understand much about hair may not know what to request or what to ask when they interview a potential barber.
The first thing you need to know is what type of hairstyle you want.
If you don’t correctly explain the hairstyle you are picturing, you could end up with a hairstyle you didn’t expect through no fault of the barber.
A. Fades
The fade is one of the most popular hairstyles for men.
It refers to a hairstyle where the hair is longer on top and gets continuously shorter to the hairline.
There are a number of types of fades, including:
- High fade: starts at the temple
- Medium fade: starts at top of ears
- Low fade: starts at bottom of ears
- Drop fade: lower on sides than the back
- Skin fade: shaved down to the scalp
- Temple fade (Brooklyn fade): precise fade behind the temple known for sharp lines
- Burst fade: circular-shaped fade
All fades can become surprisingly versatile, especially when you include different hairstyles on the temple or different designs on the shave.
B. Hairstyles
If a fade isn’t your thing, you have other options. See these additional hairstyles to consider:
- Buzz cut: even and short haircut around the entire head
- Crew cut: a short haircut that tapers off from front to the back with two or three different hair lengths
- Ivy League: long enough crew cut to part on the side
- Caesar: reminiscent of Caesar’s hairstyle, this short hairstyle includes short, textured bangs that work for most hairstyles
- Fringe: longer hair that can be styled as emo hair or the 90s grunge look
7. Avoid Places with A Bad Reputation
Barbershops are a great place to meet cool guys and hang out while also walking out looking fresh.
Since barbershops have become a social hub in the community, they can develop a reputation.
Some barbershops are known to deal with people who get in trouble rather often.
This can bring unwanted attention to the barbershop.
If unsavory things happen at the barbershop, you may find yourself mixed into the trouble.
Even if you don’t participate, the barbershop may have a higher risk of closing or your favorite barber going to jail when you have an appointment.
Instead, look for barbershops that have established a positive reputation in the community by participating in charity events and refraining from unsavory behavior while at work.
That doesn’t mean that after working hours, everyone shouldn’t spend time together socially at the bar or other places around town.
8. See Who In Town Is Busiest
What barbershop seems to have the most people?
If you want to find the best barbershop in town, see who appears to have the most traffic.
If one shop appears to have a line out the door while another doesn’t have a single customer, you should see what all the hype is about.
It may be more difficult to get an appointment.
However, the appointment will be worth it.
Just plan in advance if you want a haircut before an interview or a big date.
If you do have an emergency need for a haircut, you may need to try a place with fewer people waiting.
Keep in mind that a long line doesn’t always equate with a great haircut.
In some cases, the shop may not have a full staff.
Also, some popular shops may have a bit of an inflated reputation (and price tag).
9. Consider Logistics
A great barber is convenient.
First and foremost, you want a barber who doesn’t require too much of a drive or walk.
Who is in your immediate neighborhood?
While some barbershops may be worth the travel, you can save time and gas money by finding someone a bit closer.
Next, you need the barber to be open on the days you want to get a haircut.
Some barbershops close on Sunday, which may not work for people who prefer getting haircuts on Sunday compared to any other day of the week.
Even the parking should be a consideration.
If the shop never has open parking spaces or makes you pay for expensive parking, it can deter you from visiting that shop again.
Some barbers go out of their way to accommodate the customer by offering house calls and services after normal working hours.
These accommodations may come in handy for people who follow a nontraditional schedule, but they usually cost more.
Plus, you won’t be able to experience the social aspects of vising a barbershop.
10. Pick A Shop And Try It
Ultimately, you need to just try a new barber to see if you like them.
Make an appointment with a barber in your area who offers the services you need at a convenient time for you and give them a try.
Start by trusting your instinct and how well you vibe with the barber.
Remember that your hair will grow back if you don’t like the cut, or you might be able to have it fixed by another barber.
If the first visit goes well, you can continue to use them.
You know your visit went well if you like the results and got along with the people at the barbershop.
If you think you can find a better barber, make an appointment with a second barber to compare your options.
During your initial visit, don’t hesitate to ask questions about the barber and the barbershop to learn more about how they operate.
Finally, take in the environment around you to verify that you feel comfortable.
Do you like the music and decorations?
What about the people who visit the barbershop?
Conclusion
Finding a good barber is a major relief, especially for men who really care about their hair.
Start by looking for the right barbershop by reading reviews and keeping your eyes open to see who seems to get the most business.
Next, you need to find the right barber for you by finding one who specializes in the services you need.
After that, all you need to do is learn some styling tips for men’s hair before your next hot date.
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