Finding your next barbershop can be overwhelming. Try these five tips to find the right barber for you and avoid a bad hair day.
Word of Mouth Recommendations
The best way to judge a new barbershop is through word of mouth reviews. Ask around or scour the internet for reviews on the shop before you enter. Try to find pictures of previous customers to determine if the barber is accustomed to creating the look you’re hoping to achieve.
Are They a Unisex Shop?
While this may feel like a non-issue, barbers that handle both men and women may not be specialized enough for what you want. If it’s possible to find a shop in your area that caters to your gender, try them first before branching out to a unisex shop.
How Clean Is the Shop?
Before you go under the razor, check that the cleanliness of the shop is to your liking. Barbershops should always be cleanly swept and have barbicide available to sterilize their tools. If for any reason you feel uncomfortable with the cleanliness, take that as a red flag and move on.
Check Out How Busy the Shop Gets
A successful hairstylist will have a die-hard clientele, so if your new shop seems a little empty, do some research as to why. Maybe they’re new and are looking to gain new clients, or maybe they’ve had a lot of problems in the past that chased their clients away. Decide ahead of time if you want to take the gamble on an inexperienced shop, or if you’d prefer to wait for an appointment at a successful shop.
Start Out With Just the Basics
Before you decide to go for a completely new look, test out your new barber with just a trim. Pay attention to the attitude of the stylist and notice if they ask for feedback during the trim, or if you feel like you haven’t been consulted at all. Also, use this time to get an overall feel for how well you mesh with their clientele. Maybe you prefer a no-nonsense experience, or maybe you like to have a conversation during the cut or shave. Either way, does your stylist interact in a way that makes you feel at ease? Getting just a trim is a low commitment way to determine the proficiency of your stylist and how comfortable you feel with the overall experience.
Once you find the right barber, hold on to them for dear life. The more comfortable you get with them, the more they’ll be able to give you a flawless experience.
To learn more about finding a barber, Boston residents should visit http://www.tweedbarbers.com.
