Advantages Of Men’s Barbershops Over Salons

If you identify as male and need a haircut, there are generally two places you can choose from. You either go to a unisex salon or a barbershop. While the latter might seem a bit outdated to some, let’s take a look at some of the advantages it has. Hint: it does not only involve avoiding walking out of a salon with a bad haircut. Read on to find out what else might make you consider in favour of barbershops.

First, A Brief History Of Barbershops

The last two decades of the 19th century saw barbershops rising to fame and popularity, and it remained that way up until the middle of the 20th. Visiting the place was a weekly, often even a daily habit for gentlemen, as the usual haircut or shave were also accompanied by a no less important social element of meeting with friends and catching up on news and gossip. Here is an awesome resource on American barber history you might take a look at if you’re interested. Despite the fact that the golden age of barbershops saw them flourish in an atmosphere of luxury and class, even the most expensive places had a homely and inviting feeling about them. A welcoming smell of flavoured pipes and cigars that mixed with the scent of hair and shaving products permeated the space, lingering in the wooden furniture long afterward. It was enough to make any visitor relaxed upon stepping in, anticipating their appointment with the utmost pleasure. Sounds delightful, right? If you are more practical, let’s see what tips the scale in favour of the modern-day barber and what they can do for you.

You Will Never Go Home With A Bad Haircut

As mass-produced home shaving kits took the world by a storm during and after WWI, going to the barber became a rare pleasure that most reserved for special occasions. It was most often replaced by taking care of one’s beard at home and visiting unisex salon chains that could not provide the same level of service that was the standard before. And that’s exactly the greatest power of a barbershop. In the hands of a professionally trained barber, you never risk walking out with a haircut you are less than thrilled about. Mainstream hairdressers are trained to cater mainly to the female population. They will most certainly use scissors, while a barber’s main instrument is the clippers (You can read more about that at https://www.whatsgoodofficial.com/blog-1/barber-tools-of-the-trade). The latter is the only way to deliver a sharp and precise cut to a man’s hairdo, paying attention to edges like no pair of scissors can do. Apart from that, if you have a beard or moustache to groom, you hardly need somebody who does perms and highlights all day to cater to your needs. Close shaves and beard maintenance require a professional barber for a proper job.

The Best Place For Men’s Topics And Gossip

If you go to a regular salon, chances are that you are going to be served by a female stylist. This fact doesn’t encourage many conversations, especially on topics of general interest to men. You might briefly chat about the weather, pets, children or a family vacation, spending the rest of the time in awkward silence. It’s not unusual to see a hairdresser discussing female gossip with fellow stylists or female customers while doing a male haircut. If you are not the kind of person who enjoys small talk, this might actually be convenient. If you do like a good discussion about politics, women, cars or sports, there is no better place to find that than in a traditional barbershop in Denver. Guys very often review newspaper headlines and this spurs interesting conversations. Jokes that usually men find amusing are also often thrown in the mix.

No Other Place To Get A Great Shave

If you want to get a great shave, it needs to be performed by a barber. Some traditional shops still perform the single-razor kind, and it’s a great experience that one can hardly forget. The barber applies a couple of techniques to prepare the customer’s face and then achieves a close shave that no mass-produced Gillette razor could provide at home. This is a way to feel pampered without diminishing one’s manliness, on the contrary, the experience gives a real sense of masculinity and male comradery. The barbershop experience is also great for achieving some father-son bonding. Traditions like this are great amongst male members of the same family. They help accomplish a sense of unity and belonging to a club or institution with century-old traditions. A world where there is no perm, highlights or the smell of wax and nail polish. Just friendship among men and hearty conversation. source: louiseroserailton