5 Things to Look for in Your Next Barber 2023
Do you trust anyone to cut your hair?
Have you ever been so fed up with getting bad haircuts that you've thought of cutting your hair yourself? Because when I was 18 years old, I sure was. It felt like no matter who I went to, they just didn’t know how to give me a good haircut. This was mostly due to being taken to any random hairstylist in my area by my parents, but these stylists seemed to only know how to do the same, freaking haircuts for every customer. When I turned 18, I had finally hit a breaking point. It took weeks to build up the nerve, but one night I decided to take the clippers to my own head for the first time and cut my own hair.
Were the results great? Not at all. But I couldn't help but feel like I could finally be happy with how I looked since I now had a barber whom I knew I could trust. ME!
Fast forward to 2023, and I have to say, I am extremely jealous of how serious men's hair is taken today and how skilled the barbers of today are compared to when I was younger. There are so many top-level professionals that actually give a damn about your hair! The question now is how exactly do you differentiate between the good and the bad and how do you go about finding the one for you?
If I didn't already know how to cut my own hair, here are 5 things I would want to see from a barber today so I could avoid all the bad haircut experiences of my childhood.
A Social Media Presence
There are 2 main reasons why you should look out for a barber with social media, such as Instagram or Facebook.
1- You want to be able to see their previous haircuts. If we really want to find a quality barber, we want to be able to see quality work BEFORE we even think about getting a haircut from them. (For example, you can find mine here.) A barber that is willing to post their haircuts and show off what they can achieve will give you a much better understanding of what they can do for you, and will also help provide inspiration for your next cut if you're looking to try something new.
2- With social media, you'll also be able to connect with them prior to your appointment with any questions or concerns you may have and see what kind of person they are. Are they professional? Do they seem knowledgeable? Do they even respond at all? Now, not all barbers care about connecting with someone who isn't already paying them and that is totally fine, but I think it's better to know what you're getting yourself into beforehand and then make an informed decision on whether you want this person to cut your hair. (Feel free to connect with me through my Instagram: @wesleysnipshair and see how easy it can be!)
Lots of High Reviews
This ties into the previous point but from the perspective of the past clients that this barber has had. Are the things they have to say about them positive? Was the experience great and was the haircut exactly what they were looking for? Remember that a social media page is curated by the one who runs it, so even if you see really great haircuts on someone's Instagram, that may not translate to what the customer wanted. I think key points you should look out for in reviews are, "This barber understood my hair", "This barber is easy to get along with", and "This barber listened to my requests and provided suggestions." When customer reviews match what we see on social media, it creates a more complete picture of what we can expect and takes away a good chunk of guesswork going into an appointment.
So let's say you went and booked an appointment with a highly reviewed barber that has a really great Instagram portfolio of previous haircuts. At this point, you've significantly lowered your chances of getting a bad haircut! However, it doesn't stop there and you should still pay attention to a few things that may set them apart from others. These factors can determine whether this is a one-time meeting or if they're someone you're going to want to see again and again!
Gives You a Proper Consultation
If it's your first time with a barber, they should do everything they can to fully understand your vision or work with you to figure it out. If they don't ask questions about your hair and instead go straight into cutting, then you may not get the best results. Even for haircuts that seem simple to you, there should be a baseline level of understanding so that you don't end up getting something that is "technically" what you asked for but looks terrible. Another thing to pay attention to is whether the consultation continues throughout the haircut. A few check-ins here and there to make sure you still have a say in how your hair turns out is a small step that most barbers may never do, but it can be critical to ensuring everything is going well and that you can leave a happy customer.
Stays Clean and Sanitary
I think this is even more important than ever before in 2023. Barbers can see up to 10+ people a day from all walks of life. Some customers may be small children or parents of children, which are much more likely to get sick and spread sickness around. The exposure is high and can be even higher if your barber doesn't take cleanliness seriously. Barbers should be taking the time to clean their tools and station after every appointment. You don't want to be sitting in someone else's hair or have dirty tools near your head! If a barber isn't taking the time to clean their chair, the cape they're using around you, or their tools, then you may want to avoid them completely.
Makes You Feel Comfortable.
This all comes down to personal preference and is a tricky one to see right away. Even if this barber checks off all the previous boxes and is amazing at their job, if you don't really vibe well with them then I think it is perfectly okay to look elsewhere. A main part of a haircut is the relationship that can form during the appointment and for me, that is something I look forward to when I meet with my clients. A barber is someone you'll end up seeing almost monthly, which can be more regularly than your own family or some of your friends. You deserve to see someone who you can have a great chat with or crack jokes, or someone who can respect the days when you just want to relax and have a quiet appointment, even without you outright saying it. The last thing I want is for a client to come to me and not have a good time and you should look for that as well.
If I could find these 5 things in a barber today, I’d look forward to every appointment knowing without a doubt that I’d be getting great haircuts and having a fun time with a cool person all at the same time!
Now, the process of searching for the right barber for you is going to involve a bit of trial and error. You want to find the right match as soon as possible, but maybe you're not too sure about what that looks like and you're worried that you might make a bad choice. Hopefully, these steps will help guide you to your next barber, and that person can be someone you can look forward to going to for months or even years to come!
If you're currently looking for a new barber that takes hair seriously in the Calgary area, then book your next haircut with me at Chin Whiskey in Inglewood! I pride myself in understanding your vision for your hair and being able to offer my expertise so that we can get you the best hairstyle that suits you. You’re just one click away from finally getting a great barber!
It is nice to meet you!
My name is Wesley, I am a Barber located in the city of Calgary helping my clients become more confident with all things related to their hair by providing customized haircuts that suit them best while demystifying all the complicated hair information out there!
