The Difference Between Barbers and Stylists and How to Find the Best One for You
Today Eric is gonna talk about what makes a great barber. If the video paired with this seems a little different, it's cause he was filming while he was in Portugal for Carlos' wedding.
Before we can talk about the details of a good barber, we have to talk about the barber v stylist debate. If you're an American, you might now that there are a little bit different certifications for each of them. If you aren't American, don't know, or both; a Barber is more used to doing shorter haircuts like a fade or a crew cut and a stylist is going to be doing styles for longer hair, coloring hair, and texturizing hair. Depending on your hair type, you may need to decide which better suits your needs. There are some people out there who have some certifications in both. A barber is trained in straight razor, whereas that skill is not taught in cosmetology school.
One isn't better than the other, just go to whichever you feel best represents your hair. Throughout the rest of this video, we'll use Barber and Stylist interchangeably. When finding a stylist, you need to find someone who is passionate about what they do. Finding someone who is willing to learn more about the different skills within the craft. They don't need to be perfect or be to have been doing it forever, but they need to be willing to try new things.
The second thing you need to look for is communication skills. Finding a barber who works well with your style of communication is key. Everyone finds ways o talk differently. The best barber is the one that talks you through the haircut, helps you see all the choices, and listen to the opinions you have toward your new cut. Part of that is building that relationship and trust over time. That won't always be immediate, so you have to keep working at it. After that first session, you'll probably know how well you're going to be able to communicate with them.
The third thing, which is pretty important, is finding someone who will push your comfort levels. It's about finding that balance between knowing what to give you (giving you what you ask for) and knowing when you step in and give you different options. That'll come from confidence, and that is a result of built communication and the experience they already have.
Those are gonna be the three most important things to look for in a barber. Every one today is wanting the best barber, who gives the best fades, at the best shop in town. But you need to be looking for the best thing for you. Your best isn't gonna be the best for everyone.
It's all about the experience. There's more to it than coming in with one cut and leaving with another. It's about sitting down and getting a massage, getting a cold beer or some whiskey. Those things play into the experience of your haircut. Some people really love it, and others just want their hair cut in complete silence; in and out no questions asked. When looking for the right stylist, those details may be more important than finding the perfect fade. Being able to talk to your barber and just shoot the shit with them and have a little fun with them, may be more important to you than how clean/exact the line on your fade is. There are a ton of different barbers out there who have different styles of cutting and different experiences, so it's up to you to give them a fair chance. You're halfway responsible for it too.
All in all, just prioritize what you want from a barber and look for it. Communicate with them what you want the experience to be like. Based on all that, try to find reviews about the barber or stylist and the shop they work at. Ask your friends where they go. After you find that barber you've been searching for it'll increase your confidence. You'll leave your house feeling great and you really enjoy the style you left the shop with.