How To Talk To Your Barber

Have you ever gotten a bad haircut? What if there was a way you could prevent that from ever happening again. Thousands of haircuts have taught us that in most cases, it’s not a lack of skill with the barber but a simple misunderstanding, that leads to a not so great haircut. We’ll share some tips on what to say and things to avoid so you get the perfect haircut every time.

Tip #1 Use Pictures

Find a few different pictures of some styles you would like. When choosing pictures there’s a few things to keep in mind:

• Use a clear, bright picture where you can zoom in show the length on the top and sides to the barber

  • Avoid blurry, out of focus or dark pictures

• Find a picture with a model that has the same hair texture as yours

  • Haircuts that are the same length and style can look completely different on a different texture of hair

• Be Realistic

  • Don’t hold your barber to impossible standards, a lot of professional haircut photos are edited or enhanced with color or hair fibers

Tip #2 Avoid using haircut terminology

• Don’t use words like crewcut or taper fade

  • Terminology like this can be useful sometimes, but more often than not it can lead to miscommunication. Use the universal language: numbers

• Be specific (use inches or millimeters) guard numbers are okay too but not all guard sizes are the same, measurements are.

  • This is especially useful when you and you barber don’t speak the same language. They may not understand your haircut terminology but they should understand the numbers you ask for.

• Usually all the barber needs to know is:

  • How short do you want the sides

  • How short you want the top

  • How you style your hair

• Be as specific as possible

  • Don’t just ask for a number 2 on the sides. Do you want a low fade, medium fade or high and tight? Point to the spot and tell the barber where you want the taper or fade to start so you get the look you want

Tip #4 Explain how you style/care your hair

• If the barber knows how you like to style your hair, they will know how to cut it so it lays properly

• If you don’t like to spend a lot of time on your hair, your barber may be able to suggest a different style that is less maintenance

Tip #5 Share your last haircut experience

• What didn’t you like about your last haircut?

  • Will help the barber avoid making the same mistake

  • If the barber did something really well, let them know that too so that they know to do it again

• Let the barber know how many weeks/months it’s been since your last haircut

  • If unsure of length, it will help barber determine how much to take off (½ an inch a month on average)

    • So if it’s been 2 months since your last haircut, your barber can assume you want at least one inch taken off

Tip #6 Trust your barber 

• The style you want may not work with your hair texture or may be more maintenance than you want, your barber may be able to suggest a better style for you.

• Give goals not directions

  • Let the barber know how you want your haircut to look but don’t tell them how to cut your hair

  • Every barber has a different technique, if you explain your haircut well and the barber is skilled, trust them to get the haircut done using the techniques they are used to doing

Tip #7 Share any skin conditions or other information the barber may want to know about

• Do you have dry scalp or dandruff? (the barber may be able to recommend a product that can help)

• Do you have any bump,moles? Let the barber know so that they don’t get cut off!

• Do you have Alopecia (bald spots) or scars? Let the barber know, they may be able to cut the hair in a way that keeps those areas covered

Tip #8 Not sure of what you want? Explain what you don’t want!

• Maybe you come in to the barbershop and have no idea what you actually want. That’s okay, but your barber needs some information to work with.

  • Start by explaining what you don’t want. That will help get the conversation started

Tip #9 Come To The Barbershop Sober

• Don’t come to the barbershop under the influence of any drugs or alcohol

• You will better understand the questions the barber is asking you be able to make better decisions

• You’ll be walking around with this style for weeks, it’s important you know what your asking for

We hope you found this helpful.