Did you know there’s a proper etiquette you need to have when you go into the barbershop? By following these rules, you can maximize your haircut experience and be on the best terms with your Barber.
This article explains how to properly behave in a barbershop, from looking at your watch to the right way to leave a tip.
From the sarcastically passionate barber writer that gave you 8 things clients do that barbers hate, we present to you the “7 Things Clients Shouldn’t Do In A Barbershop!”
Let’s dive in!
Patience is a virtue
Any Barber that’s worth their weight in gold focuses on the quality of a haircut. When it comes to quality, that usually means it takes time. As a client, you need to be patient and stop looking at your watch every two seconds.
What are you, a damn time watcher? Settle down; nobody’s breaking the sacred timeline.
This is another thing to point out, especially if you’ve been going to this Barber for a while and you know he’s good for it. Don’t give him a hard time if he’s running a few minutes behind.
Because 9 times out of 10, his lateness is due to a quality haircut they were doing on a client before you, and that client more than likely decided to change up his haircut halfway through the service.
It might seem like minor changes on the outside, but a barber who cares about his craft shows the same love and respect for any changes the client requests.
On the flip side, If somewhere down the road you decide to change your haircut, that same Barber will take his time with you, and you know that to be true because he does it for everyone else!
So, a little patience goes a long way.
But, just so we’re clear on the waiting time, If it looks like the Barber is just doing a regular men’s haircut, expect to wait between 5 to 10 minutes.
But if you look over and see that he’s doing a skin fade, you might have to wait 15 to 20 minutes because skin fades usually take longer, and the Barber needs to pay more attention to the details.
Time management
This brings us to another important etiquette rule in the barbershop: always to be a time.
But hear me out, this has to go both ways. I mean that Barber Needs to show up for work and make sure your appointment Will fit his schedule.
Both the Barber and the client need to be on the same page. If that Barber thinks they will run late. They need to call the client ahead of time, explain that they’re running late, and give them a certain timeframe to allow them to adjust their schedule or plan for another day altogether.
And this goes for the client as well because if the client decides not to show up, that leaves a gap in the barber schedule, and in the gap, the Barber could’ve fit another client and made his money for the day.
If you become a client that sets up schedules and it doesn’t show up, After a few times of that type of behavior, the Barber is more likely going to ignore you or take you as a walk-in (take you if he has an opening at the time you walk into the barbershop between scheduled clients) and not even bother to add you into the schedule because you would be a complete waste of time in more ways than one.
In dating terms, don’t stand up, your Barber!
Not washing your hair
It would be best if you never walked into a barbershop with hair product in your hair, period. Dealing with this is always a pain in the ass; most barbers love their jobs Because we get to cut hair all day And make people look good.
The only styling product that should be in your hair is after the barbers have done it with your haircut and add it in themselves!
Other than that, no barber in the world wants to deal with that sticky gunk that gets all over our shears and Clippers.
I’m sure you’re asking yourself right now;
“well, couldn’t you wash, shampoo, and conditioner the client’s hair before performing the haircut? Of course, we could, but usually, the clients don’t like to pay for the extra shampoo fee that comes with washing it out.
But! If they paid the fee, I would gladly wash the hair product out without hesitation or complaining; I’m a barber, for goodness sake’s not an asshole, geez! Lol
We Barbers ask that you be mindful and not use hair products before getting your haircut; working with natural clean hair gives us a chance to provide you with the best haircut possible.
Moving your head
If you’re an excessive talker and speak at a 10 usually, try scaling that back to about a 4 on the scale.
First off, I want to say the barbershop is a place to talk, share thoughts and ideas, speak about events, football, Family matters maybe even some therapy sessions.
The barbershop is not a place to be theatrical, using your hands and bobbing your head when you talk. If you ever feel the Barber gently place their hand on top of your head, know this is a universal language to stop moving!
As for the conversations, there’s not much that’s off-limits, and it’s more so the sporadic body movements that come with talking that people do that could interfere with the quality of the haircut; other than that, talk about what you want.
On another note, most people don’t like it when you talk about politics, religion, and a few other controversial subjects. Then again this day and age, what isn’t controversial anymore, right?
Oh, One more thing!
Make sure you’re not sending text messages or making phone calls on your phone. But I think by now we all know this isn’t polite no matter where you are.
Being a haircut nazi (Super picky)
It’s okay to care a lot about your hair and how it looks; I mean, you’re paying for it. It better look good!
Believe it or not, some clients out there let the Barber finish a haircut without saying a peep. And by the end of the haircut session, they’re ready to unload a whole plethora of adjustments that need to be made to the cut, usually with an attitude.
Listen, if you’re looking into the mirror and you see a problem with the haircut, you need to speak up and say something immediately to your Barber.
For most people, barbers are miracle workers, but one thing a barber is not is a mind reader.
A good idea in taking a lot of the guesswork out of a haircut is the show an image of the haircut that you got prior that you liked.
It’s best to use a picture of yourself rather than an image of Brad Pitt that you got off the Internet expecting to look like him.
This is because of the various face structures a particular celebrity might have that you do not. A few factors are the type of hair, the texture of their hair, the level of density and color all play a role. I know it’s a hard pill to swallow, But it’s the truth, So avoid confusion and embarrassment and show the Barber an image of yourself.
Being a backseat stylist
Holy crap, this is by far one of the worst things a client can do to a barber. Time and time again, clients come in, sit in the barber chair, And want the Barber to use particular tools that they think would make them look better.
For example, the client only demands scissors if they want a scissor cut, but the Barber Is more comfortable doing a clipper over comb technique to get the same results.
This is equivalent to going to Picasso’s art studio and telling him what paintbrushes to paint his pictures. The Barber is a professional, and they can evaluate your hair on the spot and understand exactly what you’re trying to do just by you explaining what you would like to have done.
Another example of this happened to me last week. I was cutting a gentleman’s hair, and I purposely turned the chair facing the aisle. This is because I use the mirror as a tool to help me see any issues with the haircut from a distance.
The client got irritated And wanted to be faced towards the mirror the entire time. Some barbers like myself have my tools set up and away at my workstation to cut the hair quickly and efficiently by having the client-facing the aisle.
A good rule of thumb to consider is that every Barber has their signature style when cutting hair. Remember your place as the client; it’s not your place to explain to the Barber cutting your hair how to do their job.
But I also want to clear the air on this subject; this is only about how they cut your hair and the tools they like to use.
When it comes to the way you like your haircut, that is entirely understandable. You should always leave the barbershop feeling satisfied with your haircut.
But dang it all, let Picasso paint!
Make sure you tip
Let me rephrase that; make sure you tip the Barber if he did a great job!
Many people think of tipping as you would do at a restaurant, but the difference is, Barbers are a lot more personal. When going to your favorite barbershop, your Barber knows you on a first-name basis, a little about your life. Maybe you shared some serious issues that you both worked out together.
In some cases, your Barber is your pocket therapist that you go to twice a month for 20 to 45-minute sessions, depending on your haircut.
When people go to restaurants to tip the waiter, they usually break it down by percentages 10, 15, and he did a really good job 20%!
For the barbering world different, the way that you tip is based on a multitude of factors. Look in the mirror and ask yourself, what is the haircut good?
How does it make you feel when you look at your haircut now?
Did you and your Barber have a good time, and you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders?
Is this a barber that you just met in this was their first time getting a haircut by them or was this a Barber you’ve been going to for 10 to 20 years, and you know their whole life story. From their family, dreams, goals, and ambitions. Think to yourself that this Barber has been giving you quality cuts for a while, and If I expect him to remain at this barbershop for a long time that maybe You should do your part in tipping what they’re worth.
Because you know this is a good person and they always take care of you and go the extra mile, you should take care of him in the same way.
You should never have to use a calculator to calculate tips; everything about tipping a barber relies on the experience, quality, and the time you had with the Barber itself. What was the Barber worth to you, be human about it.
All right guys so that about wraps it up
I want to mention that his barbershop etiquette is not learned in school, so if you don’t learn it from an outside source like this, how would you ever get this kind of information in the world? What I’m trying to say is, don’t beat yourself up if you didn’t know about this.
This is why the lovely people from cyclops brand pay me the big bucks to help inform potential hair clients about this information. Both Barber and client need to work together, be on the same page and establish a friendship that will last for a lifetime.
Hopefully, I will help somebody out there in giving a resource to pull from next time you go to the barbershop.
Have a great day and if you’re interested in another men’s grooming or barbering blog is sure to check out all the cyclops Brand has to offer until next time!
