18 Things Your Barber Wants You to Know

Good personal grooming routines are an essential part of the modern man’s lifestyle. But, let’s be honest: there are certain things you should leave up to the pros! Today, we went to our local barber shop to find out what a barber wants you to know before you take a spin in the chair.

Our Barbers

First up is Simon or “Si” who’s the owner of Stilo Cuts on Hennepin Avenue here in Minneapolis. Simon’s been cutting hair since 2013. He started off at a different barber shop, and then he instructed barbers for a little while before he opened Stilo Cuts. Si wanted to become a barber because of the creative freedom that it gives him, and it’s not the typical nine-to-five desk job.

Meanwhile, Jack, our scriptwriter based in the UK, talked to his barber, Rick. He cuts hair at Swagger & Jacks in Norwich. When we made this post, we quickly learned that a lot of things that barbers want you to know are universal, as we’ve gathered from our two barbers.

#1 – Whether You’re Actually Coming to Your Appointment

The first thing your barber wants you to know is if you’re going to actually show up for your appointment. This should be a really easy one, but you’d be surprised at how many people ghost their barber. It’s important to consider and understand that barbers are not like the typical employee who gets a salary or an hourly wage.

Most of them rent their chair from their barbershop, so filling up appointments is what keeps them paid and puts food on their table. So, if you’re unable to make your appointment, please give your barber as much time and heads up as possible, so that way he can fill that slot with someone else.

Keep in mind that this does benefit you, too. After all, if barbers have four or five clients ghost them every day, they can go out of business, they can’t afford their chair rent, and then you can’t go to them to get a haircut. So, make sure to give them plenty of heads up so that they can seat someone else.

#2 – What Kind of Haircut You Want

This might seem obvious, but you have to know what you want going in. Being a barber is a very skilled job, and although they might know a lot about cutting hair, they don’t mind readers. You really should think ahead about what you want before you go into the barbershop. 

Whether it’s changing up your current look or going with something completely new, communicating that will give you the best results. And even if you’re not completely clued in on all the lingo, bring a photo, as that can help greatly. If you really don’t know where to begin, take a look at our list of classic hairstyles for men.

#3 – Wash Your Hair!

If you’re able to wash your hair before your appointment, this works best. Doing this ensures that your hair is soft, it’s clean, and it’s easily able to be cut.

And when it comes to styling products, it really comes down to the texture of your hair and the type of cut that you want. If you have longer hair or really thick hair, your barber might have to do an extra shampoo service and add that to your bill.

In an ideal world, you’ll wash your hair and go straight to the barbershop, but that’s not always practical, so if you have a product, use something that isn’t super sticky after you leave for work and get your haircut.

As a general note and rule of thumb, Si mentioned that a generic brand of hair products, such as what you get at Target or Walmart, is just too sticky and tacky for a barber to work with. This is personally something that I made the switch from as I used to use a lot of drugstore brands. And then, I went to more water-soluble and natural hair products, which leaves my hair feeling soft and makes it easy for the barber to cut it after I come from work.

#4 – Don’t Wear a Tight Hat All Day Before Your Appointment

Hat hair will make it really difficult for your barber to do their job correctly. Whether it’s been flattened by a beanie or it has the definitive line of a baseball cap, hat hair really smashes and flattens your hair and changes the overall look of it. It makes it harder to deal with. 

Also, oftentimes, the barber has to take the time to shampoo your hair and get it to a natural state before they can even get started, which also adds to your bill.

#5 – When the Clippers Are On, Stay Still!

I think it’s easy to understand that barbers use sharp objects – scissors, clippers, and razor blades. And on top of that, most good barbers have to pay for their own tools, so they know how to utilize them best. The issue here is that a lot of people try to move their heads in the direction that the clippers are being used.

I understand what people are trying to do here. They’re either uncomfortable, or they’re trying to assist their barber in some sort of way. But, really, it’s not helpful. It’s best to understand that when you sit in the chair, the barber’s going to guide your head and neck in the right direction, and as Si says, “I’m the captain now.”

If your barber’s a good one, they know what they’re doing, so keep your head in the position that they set it in.

On the other hand, don’t have a super stiff neck; after all, just relax and enjoy getting your haircut as this is something different from your day-to-day experience.

#6 – Don’t Keep Checking Your Reflection

For a little bit more clarity, this has to do when you are positioned in a way that’s not facing the mirror. This also includes times when your head might be looking down or looking up as the barber completes his cut.

Simon specifically mentioned that there are people who like to “skateboard around” in the chair by pedaling their feet and turning to see the mirror to see how the cut’s going. This is something that, among barbers, is seen as very disrespectful – like you don’t trust them or trust the way they’re cutting your hair.

And after you’ve taken all the time and decision-making of choosing your own barber, it’s kind of strange to sit there and not trust their decision-making skills. So, like our previous point, keep your head in the position your barber wants it to be in and take this time to relax.

Worst case scenario, you don’t get the perfect haircut that first time; your hair will grow back, but it’s better than being disrespectful to the person who’s doing the job.

#7 – Your Beard Might Not Be As Good As You Think

Recent years have seen the upswing of the bearded gentleman. So, if you’re trying to cultivate facial hair, but your beard is patchy or wispy at best. You really can’t ask your barber to line anything up. After all, if your beard is there, the barber can cut it. But, if it’s not there, there’s nothing that they can do.

So, take a look in the mirror before you go and be honest with yourself. “Do I actually have a beard?” And if you need tips on getting started with a beard, we have a whole guide on that.

#8 – When Your Barber is Attending to Your Mustache, Don’t Look Him in the Eyes

While we’re on the subject of facial hair and beards, here’s a quick one. Don’t look your barber in the eyes while he’s trimming it. After all, it’s really, really creepy. See? Please don’t do this. 

#9 – Don’t Turn Toward Your Barber When Talking–He Can Hear You Just Fine!

This is closely related to our point about fidgeting in the barber’s chair. You don’t have to turn your head for your barber to hear you. Look, I get it you enjoy having conversations with your barber, especially if you’re a regular client. And while it’s great to connect and catch up, don’t forget why you’re there, which is to get your haircut.

Turning to and fro just makes it more difficult for them to do their work and do it well. After all, they’re focused on the whole of your head and not necessarily making eye contact or being in the perfect position to have a conversation.

While we’re on the topic of conversations, we have a few more pointers for you.

#10 – Stay Away from Divisive Conversation Topics

This one can be a little bit more difficult than it seems as we live in the age of social media and everyone has their opinion. And it’s only natural that things are going to happen,  which you have your own personal opinion on.

But, keep in mind, the barber shop is your barber’s workplace and if you wouldn’t like those topics being talked about in your workplace, don’t bring it into theirs. Keep in mind that, in barber school, your barber is taught to avoid these topics, and you really should, too.

#11 – Keep Some Things to Yourself!

I’ve heard time and time again that a barber has a part-time job as a personal therapist. But, really, there are some things that you really should keep to yourself.

During my time with Si, he shared some of the personal problems that people share with him, and while they’re not all bad, some really should be kept to oneself. Granted, none of them are polarizing or inflammatory, but talking about personal medical news or family drama isn’t something you should bring into someone’s workplace.

This really puts your barber in a tough position, and, after all, they’re people, too. Ultimately, when it comes to conversations in the barbershop, keep things really light, enjoyable, and have a good time.

#12 – Keep Phone Calls Brief

After all, you’re wasting your own time but, more importantly, you’re wasting your barber’s time. Remember that if you take a 15-minute phone call, it can slow down your barber’s progress and then make them late for all their other appointments – which not only makes them look bad and make a bad first impression for new clients; it can cause them to lose income.

#13 – If Your Child is With You, Be Realistic

Basically, don’t ask for a crazy haircut if you know that your child is not going to sit still. And also remember, the same rules about clean and tidy hair applies to your children as well.

#14 – Don’t Have Your Spouse Dictate Your Haircut

This could be controversial, but it’s true. If you have conflicting information between your barber and your significant other, it’s just that: conflicting. Your barber needs a clear indication of how you want your haircut, and he doesn’t need someone standing over his shoulder telling him every single thing to do with his clippers.

#15 – Only Insecure Barbers Care if You “Cheat”!

If time is of the essence and you forget to book an appointment, but you need a haircut for a job interview or something that pops up, your barber won’t be offended if you pick someone else in their shop to cut your hair. Not only that, but a confident barber will recommend you to someone else in their shop who they think has a high skill level and can give you a quality cut.

And most importantly, if your barber is willing to come in on their day off to make an exception for you, make sure to tip them really well. Them coming in on their day off is essentially them working overtime for you.

#16 – Know How Your Hair Grows

Knowing your own hair and how it grows will help you get the best cut possible. Also, by knowing your own hair, you can tell your barber if there are just strange things that happen. Like the hair on the right side of my head tends to grow out sideways, so I always have Simon take a little bit extra off because, when it grows out, it gets all poofy.

#17 – Don’t Ask for a Redo as the Haircut is Ending

It’s fun to shoot the breeze with your barber, but a lot of your conversations should be about giving them feedback. Do you want it shorter on the sides? Should they take more off the top? Do you want it blended better? It’s important to ask for these things as they’re happening and not when your barber’s done. Because essentially, you’re asking your barber to perform two haircuts. 

For example, a really bold fade can take between 10 and 15 minutes to do. So, at the start of your appointment, if you say that you don’t want this and, in the end, you decide you do, it adds 15 more minutes, and it’s like doing a cut all over again. And going back to some important points in the past, this also can throw off your barber’s whole day by making him late to other appointments.

There is a caveat here; there are some things that are easy for your barbers to touch up, like taking a little bit of length off the top. Don’t let these last-minute changes become a habit. Try to ask for them throughout your appointment.

#18 – If Possible, Pay Right Away

This one might seem like a no-brainer, but in our current environment, there are many different ways to pay people. You have things like Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, cash itself, bank wire, writing them a check – there are all these different ways to pay your barber.

It’s different for every barber shop, but Si mentioned that his favorite ways are Venmo and physical cash. Using things like Venmo and physical cash allows Si to have access to the money quickly, which allows him to feed his family.

Other money services like Cash App can take several days, and then, if you get your haircut on a Thursday or Friday, it can take up until the following Monday or Tuesday. In summary, pay them in a way that allows them to get the money quickly.

If you’re going to tip your barber, at least 10% is always right. There’s often this myth that the barber takes home the full percentage of the cut. So, let’s say it’s $40. Many men might think, “Well, I’m just not going to tip him because he’s taking $40 home anyway.” 

Something that you should keep in mind is that although a well-seasoned barber might just be paying chair rent and take home the full portion of the cut, younger, less seasoned barbers are paying a percentage of their cut to the shop. So, if the shop takes 25% of their $40 haircut, they’re actually not taking home as much as you think they are.

Also, in being a gentleman, we always recommend tipping for a service that you enjoy. Also, in being a classic gentleman, it’s always good to tip.

Conclusion

Ultimately, when it comes to getting a haircut, your main goal is to walk away looking good and feeling great. It’s all about being relaxed and trusting your barber. After all, they’re the professional, they know what they’re doing, and they want you to enjoy the experience.

Are you on the same wavelength with your barber when it comes to the items we shared today–or have you run afoul of some of them in the past? Share with us in the comments!

Outfit Rundown

Today,  I’m wearing an outfit that’s perfect for the unpredictable summer of Minneapolis.

My shirt is a really cool, one-piece collar in this really nice floral pattern that’s made by Yeossal. It’s seen a lot of wear this summer, and I think that means I need to get more shirts that are like it because I wear this one too much.

I’m also wearing a plain brown leather belt with some British tan khakis by L.L. Bean. And as I often do, I’m wearing a pair of white sneakers. These are a little different. They aren’t completely bright white, but more of a cream, from Crown Northampton.

Once again, I am wearing socks, although it’s hard to see. They are a prototype of something cool that’s coming from Fort Belvedere. On my wrist is a new watch it is the Longines Legend Diver, which has this really cool internal dive bezel.

If you’re looking for any great accessories, check out the Fort Belvedere shop.

While this post isn’t sponsored, we’d still like to give our thanks to Simon and Rick for their contributions. If you need a great haircut, go to Stilo Cuts at one of their many locations in the Minneapolis area or the one on Hennepin Avenue to go see Si.