Barbershop Do's and Don'ts
Every barbershop has its own culture, and it is that fact that makes each appealing to those it attracts. Yet we believe that every shop, regardless of what their culture may be, can agree on these handful of “Do's and Don'ts,” to make things smoother for all parties involved.
Have you sat in the barbershop listening to the barbers laugh with one another about certain dilemas they face everyday that people don't really consider? Well this article will give you a bit of insight into the things that we encounter daily that when revisited are quite hilarious.
So read diligently so that you don't become another barbershop statistic when barbers recount these comedic instances of barbershop Do's and Don'ts!
DO: KEEP YOUR HANDS AND FEET INSIDE THE RIDE AT ALL TIMES
PICTURE THIS! You're sitting in the barber chair getting that perfect haircut. You're glancing in the mirror at your barber who is in the zone, seemingly whipping the chair around and glazing his clippers over the sides of your scalp. You can tell this cut is going to be fantastic and your barber's "eye of the tiger," is the dead give away; you kick back and wait for beauty to unfold. So attempting to get more comfortable with your seeable future, an amazing haircut, you dangle your hand slightly off the edge of the armrest. Your barber spins the chair slightly again to unlock a deeper level in your fade and your hand BRUSHES HIS CROTCH! Immediately you notice what has happened and your barber absolutely notices too. So right away you say, "Oh, my bad," in hopes of stifling the awkward feeling that has come, and your barber replies with, "Its all good."
So that's it, right? Wrong, because in your attempts to brush away what has just happened, we as barbers can tell that now for a brief moment you wonder if that slight cringe has messed up our feng shui and inevitably your perfect haircut! So you try to recover with some small talk or humming only to make it worse, and in our eyes, even more hilarious!
You see, what happened is that we definitely forgot about the infamous "crotch-brushing" as soon as it occured, but what we will not forget is your reaction to it not knowing that it is something that happens quite often. Now this instance will most-likely go down, along with all the others, as a time when the client didn't honor the coveted, now written, Do's and Don'ts of the barbershop.
DON'T: LONGINGLY EYE GAZE DURING YOUR LINE-UP
As a barber, you just hooked your client up with the blurriest fade that instagram and the material world has ever seen. Now you progress on to the next step in the process of a perfect haircut by turning your client towards the mirror to begin their line up. You reach for your new Babyliss Skeleton edgers, take up your fancy gold plated Babyliss comb, and turn back to the client whom you've positioned for greatness. You start in the middle of their forehead to find balance in their hairline, but as you move toward the outer edges, your cutting hand slowly reveals the eyes of your client, staring directly into yours. As a barber you choose to shrug it off thinking that your client will soon look away, but find that he still has a fixed gaze into your soul! You break away for a second to look in the mirror behind you to make sure you're lining is on point but really to get away from your clients stare. You turn around to get back to work, "Yes!" the client is looking at the mirror now. Yet as you start to work, his eyes slowly start to shift back to yours. Now your only aim is to rush this line up so that you can stop the awkard eye f*cking that's taking place.
Okay folks. Many barbers have told me that they have experienced this and I too as a professional have also. The question is, where do we draw the line? We've been told that the gazing is in attempts to make sure that we are focused and on point, but can't shake the fact that you might be potentially day dreaming about making out with us. So with that being said, please DON'T longingly eye gaze at us.
DO: LET US SEE IT FIRST
Clients choose to go to a shop for a number of reasons. Perhaps its the lively environment, full of laughs, banter, and debating. Perhaps its the customer service that the shop applies when dealing directly with potential and returning clients. Yet we can say at bare minimum a shop patron is looking for a great haircut. So as professionals, we aim to execute whatever style you're seeking, BUT little did you know, you are being a hinderance to what you and I would like to be delivered. "What?" "How so?," you may ask? BY LOOKING AWAY EVERY 5 SECONDS INTO THE MIRROR BEHIND YOU TO CHECK OUR WORK!
That's right, we as barbers are here to put our foot down on this one! We understand well that you are trusting us with your image, whether that be professional, pimpin', and anything in between, but for the love of God please allow us to do our job. The mirror is ours throughout the haircut, afterwards its all yours! So please DO, let us see it first.
DON'T: TOUCH OUR TOOLS
We are professionals. P-R-O-F-E-DOUBLE S-I-O-N-A-L-S. So that means that all of our tools and equipment are as well. Now we understand that back in the day you used to edge up your little brothers neck line, or that you used to cut your best friends hair. Everyone has to start somewhere, it just so happens that you started and stopped, relinquishing all your rights to calling yourself a barber/haircutter. These are not the average wally world or rusty clippers you used to use to manage your private areas and unknowing friends. So with that being said, please do not take my edgers after your service to touch up something that you claim I, "missed." That's what you're here for and that's what I'm here for, your wish is my command, communicate what we could fix and it will be so. This one is pretty easy to get, so please DON'T touch our tools.
DO: YOU LIKE IT, I LOVE IT
The process of trying to visualize what a client is looking for in the client consultation is instrumental to our success in your haircut outcome and success in our chosen career. As a seasoned barber it brings great joy to me when a client uses the ultimate cheat code in the consulting process and brings a picture of what their looking for. Whether it be a picture you've found on instagram, a picture of a celebrity, or favorite athlete, finding an image that somewhat or fully resembles what you're looking for always makes our job and lives easier.
Yet what about when a client brings a picture of a style that could be deemed as god-awful or unfitting for that particular persons head shape, face shape, etc.?! Well, as adept barbers we will always try to deter you away from making the grave mistake of getting the palm tree haircut or helping you through your midlife crisis, but at the end of the day some customers are set on what they want. So, with that we have developed a saying that helps us even bare through such a horrendous style choices that we are forced to carry out. That saying is, "You like it, I love it." That's right, we will do whatever it is that you request despite our attempts to redirect you, just don't ask, "Why haven't I been posted on your instagram yet?" So, please DO bring a picture and choose a style that is fitting for you.
Well, that about sums it up for our list of Barbershop Do's and Don'ts, there are many more that we could list but this is a good start. Please make sure to read through each of these carefully again, and again, so to not become part of a new inside joke! Yet, in all seriousness, always DO come to the barbershop and have the time of your life receiving a great service and experiencing deep laughs; and DON'T hesitate to scroll to the top of this page and click the "BOOK NOW," if those are things you're looking for in a shop.
-Les W. Washington Jr.
Owner of Catalyst Barber Co.