What Maketh A Great Barber?
In less enlightened times, there used to be an outworn paradigm where male grooming was perceived to be effeminate, bougie or high maintenance and barbershops were associated with being located in backstreets with the clientele being mainly middle-aged men.
Thankfully this has fundamentally changed over the last decade, as the last ten years have seen an emergence and reinvigoration of quality male grooming options rich in both variety, quality and affordability. The fact that the updated generation of barbershops are not merely offering services but proffer veritable comprehensive experiences, including inclusive gender neutral services to cater to a diverse clientele, does not hurt either. This does not mean that one necessarily has to venture into full-blown dapper dandy territory but has more to do with the fact that good grooming is essentially about showing respect not just to others but mainly to oneself.
While I have acquaintances that claim that what one gets at a barbershop can also be obtained at a regular hair salon, I do not agree that this is strictly true as I have yet to find a hairdresser that offers exquisite experiences like a beard and moustache trims, scalp massages, line-up, and a traditional hot lather shave with a straight razor. While skin fades are traditional male styles within the confines of barbershops, newer incarnations have gotten more experimental with styles of all lengths.
Apart from more recently established barbershops, which seem to mushroom in city centres, there are ones like Truefitt and Hill, which is not only certified to be the oldest barbershop in the world but widely known because of its iconic shaving line, which is being endorsed by the royal family of England. Needless to say, there is quite a bit of gravitas there and based on it, each constituent of the operation takes their craft very serious.
In a bid to experience if there was a tangible difference in Truefitt & Hills’ offerings, I ventured out to experience it for myself as what is fit for the Royal Family, cannot be bad for me and boy, what an experience it was.
Apart from the stylishly themed outfit of the barbershop, which was neat and clean to a fault despite being quite busy, and complementary beverages on offer (Glenfiddich seems to have cornered the market in the whisky department), what became instantaneously obvious was how inobtrusive the male and female barbers were along with refreshing lack of a need to show off.
After indicating that I’d rely on my barber’s expertise as to nature of the cut and shave, it was obvious that he was not only familiar with a range of techniques but his approach was also informed by a keen attention to detail, displaying an enormous amount of effortless confidence in communicating feedback on how his suggestions work with the canvas he has been presented with, asking patiently the right questions without sacrificing adaptability or making assumptions.
What I value in such situations are people skills, which is not nearly as often found as I would hope for along with the right level of engagement to make quick yet not overreaching connections and a barber’s sensitivity to acknowledge that while you are happy to chat, you are also perfectly fine just keeping your trap shut to enjoy the experience.
Essentially, it felt like my barber had my best interest in mind and it certainly is an accomplished skill if being portrayed within mere minutes of meeting without being superficial.
Once the cut commenced, it felt like the barber turned into a surgeon with his tools and every piece of equipment being meticulously organised and every expert move having become second nature.
After the cut, I treated myself to what I was informed is Truefitt and Hill’s signature offering, i.e. Royal Shave, which is quite an extravagant treatment yet totally worth it as it literally transported me into another dimension. Apart from the hot and cold towel treatments, it was specifically the Truefitt & Hill range of moisturizing and shaving potions and lotions that not only made it a sensual but also olfactorily experience, with T &H’ No.10 skin care range being a particular pleasant component. Having something work on your face for a prolonged time is a pretty intimate experience and given the fact that I not only felt exposed for a single second was due to the masterful technique applied, which has been clearly honed over years of practice.
