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Being a good partner and being a good client in the barbershop are a surprisingly similar venture. Nobody teaches you how to be a good partner. Sure, you can watch the odd rom-com and try pick up a thing or two. But at the end of the day, you have to learn by doing. Within the barber's chair, the same rules stand. (That relationship is serious, too, by the way. In 2023, a survey from Capital Hair & Beauty said that 48 per cent of men were more likely to feel bad while cheating on their barber as opposed to their partner. Damn.)
The fact that men feel so connected to their barber is a good thing, but like any relationship, you need to put the effort in to see results. And, like a romantic relationship, cutting corners only ends one way: alone on the sofa, eating your feelings while reminiscing about better times.
That fate can be avoided by obeying the cardinal rules of the barbershop. Below, how you hit your 10-year anniversary with your barber without ever having to sleep on the couch.
Do: Get in the damn shower beforehand
It's so easy to just roll out of bed, throw on some sweats, and head to your haircut. But if you come straight from the gym or you skipped the deodorant that morning, it’s going to make your experience much worse. Cane Kilshaw, a barber at The Mews, East, says keeping your hygiene in check is an “obvious one”, but it’s crucial. “Turning up smelly makes it really hard to do a close-up service,” says Kilshaw. “I’m talking more about body than hair, because I never mind doing a proper hair wash.”
Megan Ford from Ruffians agrees, saying that it “definitely matters. It’s always appreciated when clients come in clean, especially if they’ve been training, wearing hats all day, or using a lot of product. We do wash their hair, but by keeping clean, it makes the appointment more comfortable for everyone, and it helps me see what I’m working with.”
Before you book your haircut, try to plan it around your schedule. Getting showered up and feeling fresh will go very, very far in the long run.