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WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT STYLES OF HEAD HAIR, BUT WE OFTEN FORGET THAT FACIAL HAIR PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN MEN’S TRENDS. WE SPOKE TO JOE MILLER FROM BEARD OCTANE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN ENSURE YOUR CLIENTS ARE STAYING STYLISH.

Joe said: “Frankly, one of THE most-asked questions by our customers is, ‘Where can I find a barber in my area who I can trust with my beard?’

“Facial hair dials in a man’s look, along with their hair style. It really defines their overall personal brand. Men have always looked to their barbers as a type of ‘trusted advisor’ to help choose the best products for their particular hair type and provide advice for the best hairstyle for their face shape and desired look. It’s important to understand that facial hair is no different in this regard! Guys want to know what is going to look best on their face– length, shape, fade or no fade.

“Men invest a lot of time and effort into growing their beards. A barber who can be trusted as knowledgeable and who can cut and style a beard to his client’s needs is going to create a lifetime customer– every time. Barbers also need to stay up on the best way to CARE for facial hair, and also understand how different it is from head hair.

“Specially formulated, natural beard products are what guys are picking up on and spending more time learning about. The beard care industry is expanding and growing like crazy. It’s no longer easy for big-box style companies to create ‘all filler, no killer’ products and market them for beards. Beards simply don’t do well with heavy creams, and silicone filled ‘oils’ and guys are getting wise about it. Natural products that actually penetrate the facial follicles, and condition the skin below, rather than creating a greasy layer on top of the hair, are the preferred way the mainstream is going. That’s what we craft at Beard Octane.”

The trends in facial hair are always changing, but what is actually influencing that change?

Joe explained: “In my opinion, the workplace is the biggest influencer for facial hair. It’s always been more acceptable to have facial hair in what would be considered ‘blue collar’ jobs, but not always other places. Office jobs were more likely to ‘strongly suggest’ a man be clean shaven. But then came the start of the pandemic in 2020, and a lot of ‘office guys’ were no longer going into physical locations for their jobs. Many of them started experimenting with trying to finally grow out a beard, with the majority of them growing it for the first time ever. And through this period, many of them found they liked the look, and really got into learning to care for it.

“Now in 2023, beards are more popular than they’ve been in the past 30-50 years! As a result, we have a new crop of bearded men whose fathers and their fathers, always shaved. So, these guys are trying to learn as much as they can about it in a bit of a knowledge vacuum. Lots of YouTube influencers have popped up in the beard care niche in the last five years, but that’s not a replacement for a knowledgeable barber who a guy can talk to, getting real-time feedback in person.”

I asked Joe, what are the essential beard and mustache products that all barbers need to have on their station and on their retail shelf. He said: “The very minimal set of beard products that EVERY barber should have on their shelf (and backbar) is number one, a Beard Oil, and number two, a Beard Wash. That is the absolute essential combination to have. Beard Butter and Beard Balm products are great styling and conditioning options, but Beard Oil is the core to every man’s beard routine. Beard Oil the foundation for a healthy feeling beard, that everything else just compliments. Beyond that, you need the ability to wash a beard without stripping the facial hair. Most guys don’t realize it, but head hair shampoo should never be used on a beard. Full stop. They just aren’t the same kind of hair – a scalp is not a face.”

What about tools? “Every bearded man should have a boar bristle brush and a good quality comb – either carbon fiber or oxhorn style. These help both exfoliate the skin under the beard as well as stimulate blood flow to the follicles of the beard. Guys don’t want to be aggressive, but they don’t want to skimp out on using these tools. In addition, they want a good pair of trimming scissors for dealing with flyaways, and for general shaping around both the chin and the mustache.

“Beyond those essentials, guys who want to dial in a certain style would benefit from using a specially created heated beard brush, which helps avoid dips and waves in a beard that can detract from the desired look. Men with longer beards who want the same styling benefits heat provides, can actually get a similar effect from an ‘airbag’ style brush used with a hair dryer.

“Obviously if a guy wants to create a bolder statement with his facial hair– it’s usually through the mustache. A good mustache wax is going to give the hold necessary to create points, all the way to an elaborate handlebar.”

ANAIS CRUZ (AKA @BRAIDSBYSHORTY) IS A CELEBRITY BRAIDER WITH 21 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY. SHORTY’S BRAIDS ARE WORN BY SEVERAL CELEBRITIES, SUCH AS RAUW ALEJANDRO, JHAY CORTEZ, YOUNG MIKO, RAPPER ARCÁNGEL, AND SO MANY MORE.

Shorty started her career in the world of braiding in the summer of 2001 and she is now opening her first location in Carolina. She had her first experience braiding a celebrity artist’s hair back when she was just 16. She said: “My first experience with an artist was doing Don Omar’s braids as he was my neighbor.

“I studied cosmetology in 2003, and just got started practicing with my friends. By doing Don’s braids I had the opportunity to meet and braid other artists such as Mackie, Divino, Randy Nota Loca, Bryant Myers, La Exce, MathewPa, Dvila, and Christian singer Joeky Santana. I have also braided for comedians such as Lizmarie Quintana and Monica Pastrana. I also have had the opportunity to style a baseball player Javy Baez, and Benzino Las Canarias during his visit to Puerto Rico. Also, Tokischa, Mariah Angeliq, Kiko el Crazy, and Chino from Chino y Nacho from Venezuela. I also style Rauw Alejandro and Jhay Cortez.”

As a braiding expert, I asked Shorty if she could tell us what makes someone an incredible braider compared to being just a good braider. She said: “Punctuality and good ethics are something that everyone should have, and it defines me.

Braiding allows some amazing creative expression, does Shorty work closely with clients on the designs, or do they trust her to do something specialized? She explained: “It depends on each of my clients. Some clients will bring in ideas of what they would like, but most of the time they let me create the look for them. There are also people that show me pictures of other braid styles, which I will take in for inspiration, but will still take on my own interpretation. I also have clients that will always choose the same style over and over again.”

Shorty’s product brand of choice is Style Factor, and she now works with them as an ambassador. She said: “Style Factor came to my life, and I am so happy to work with them! They approached me since the products hadn’t made it to Puerto Rico yet, and from the first moment I used their products, I loved them! I even use them on my own hair. My favorite products are the Style Factor hyfortifia™ line and Wave BOOSTER Edge Booster.”

We asked Shorty if she had a favorite Style Factor product. She said: “I can’t name just one favorite, because I use and need them all! Starting from shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner. Out of the pomades, my favorites are Think & Coarse, Strong Hold Moisturizing Pomade, Spider Grip, and Loctician.”

As Shorty has so many celebrity clients, we wanted to know, does that allow her to be even more creative? She said: “Yes! Having various artists as clients gives me a lot of creativity, as I don’t want all my clients to look the same, so I am always thinking of ways to be new and creative. Personally, I don’t want to or can’t create the same styles for everyone. It’s a challenge for myself because I want each of them to have their own image and style – especially when working with celebrities who each have their own style and identity.”

Finally, we asked Shorty to give some advice to other stylists who want to become more confident in braiding. She said: “Practice makes perfect. Focus on yourself and your clients. Compete only with yourself to be a better version, every day. Don’t stop creating even if it’s on your mind. Focus on hair parting, it takes time to get it perfect. Products are very important, and so is the confidence the client gives you. Never stop dreaming, everyone can make it happen, just focus on doing your best every day!”

MULTI

Back in 2006 and fresh out of school, Daniel had two options: go into construction or become a barber. His mother was a hairdresser and told him that no matter where he went, people always need haircuts. And so, barbering it was!

In 2011, Daniel opened his own shop, International Styles in Williamsburg, Virginia. A few years later, he started his YouTube channel, Dannistylez TV, to share all the knowledge he acquired over the years. He told us: “I have over half a million subscribers and received the 2022 Barber Grammy Award Educator of the Year.” This led him to join the Stylecraft Pro and Gamma+ Team as the Latin American Artistic Director. He also has a brand of shears, Deluxe Line, which he founded in 2016.

He's been a styling expert for years and has had all kinds of clients sit in his chair. We spoke about genderless styling and how the concept of hairdressing-specific to ols and barber-specific tools is disappearing. We asked him: can barbers use clippers to provide more versatility when creating androgynous looks? Daniel said: “Today, we have access to way more tools than in the past. We have a plethora of options to choose from, with new technology and techniques that allow us to achieve any look we can think of.

“Two looks that fit a variety of people are mullets and shags. Modern barbers are adopting blow dryers as a styling tool with more powerful clippers and trimmers that are lightweight with multiple attachments, which gives flexibility to create a style that fit s anyone who sits in their chair.”

THE CLIENTS IN YOUR CHAIR.

Stylecraft Pro Gamma+ is the brand that Daniel knows he can trust to provide that versatility. “Gamma+ and Stylecraft Pro clippers caught my attention on Instagram. The style looked so premium and distinct that I decided to contact them, asking if they could send me some clippers to review on my YouTube channel. As I started to use them, I instantly fell in love.” It was the sleek and colorful style that initially captured his eye. “But it was the new features and technology that made me add them to my permanent kit,” he said.

Daniel believes the key to adding interest to longer cuts is using Stylecraft Pro Gamma+ tools like the Cosmic and XCell Ultra Light Dryers, and the Breezy Curl 2-in-1 Cool Air Hair Styler. “Using the right blow dryer attachments allows stylists to enhance natural texture of hair and achieve the best possible styles. Use the Breezy Curl 2-in-1 Cool Air Hair Styler as a flat iron or use its barrel design and external hair cooling technology to create curls that add texture and refine longer styles.” How can barbers use classic tools to create contemporary styles? “The key to staying creative is education. Once you understand the tools and how hair responds to them, you can achieve more styles that will capture your audience.”

Stylecraft Pro Instinct Cordless Clipper

“I love the lightweight design, powerful motor, and how cool the blades remain after long periods of use. They feature my favorite blade, the Gold Titanium Faper Fixed Blade with Black Diamond Carbon Deep Slim Moving blade. Finally, the look just makes it hard to keep your eyes off them!”

Stylecraft Pro Saber Trimmer

“This trimmer was the first tool to feature ‘The One’ moving blade and was a real game changer. This design alone has set them apart from other brands. I really love how these trimmers do not pinch my client’s skin. They are also powerful with long battery life, but I really like how quiet they are.”

The Cosmic Blow Dryer And The Xcell Blow Dryer

“I cannot decide between these two blow dryers – both are lightweight and powerful. Their new technology, attachments, and loaded features like the three heat and three speed settings, allow me to achieve every style I need to as a barber and educator.”

ELLIOTT CHESTER IS THE OWNER OF ELLIOTT & CO. AND THE GARRISON BARBER AND GOODS IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. HE KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT STYLING, FROM THE BEST PRODUCT COCKTAILS TO TOOL COMBOS. THIS IS HOW HE STYLES THREE LEGENDARY MEN’S CUTS.

1 Curly Hair With A Little Length On Top

In the past couple of years, I’ve seen a big uptake in guys embracing their curly hair. Even to the point of young men asking for perms. In the past, most of my clients would ask for ways to tame or straighten out their curly locks, so this trend is something I’m happy that men are embracing. One of my favorite styling tools to recommend is Don Juan’s Sea Salt Styling Cream It has a light hold, and conditions while adding volume and texture to hair. It gives a ‘fresh out of the ocean’ natural beach hair look and has a classic surf wax scent. When applied to damp hair, it helps to define curls and accentuate texture. You can also use your hairdryer with a diffuser attachment to increase volume. Then I finish the style with a couple sprays of Don Juan Sea Salt Hair Style Surf Spray. It also adds thickness, volume, and texture to hair for that natural beach hair look with a, you guessed it, classic surf wax scent. Brush this product through with fingers to minimize frizz and give hair a natural lived-in look.

2

Quiff Styles With Staying Power

As with the rise of curly hair styles, I’ve also noticed men moving towards longer styles. Short tapers, fades, and buzz cuts aren't going away any time soon – ‘gentleman’s cuts’ (side parts) and ‘quiffs’ will always be a popular choice for men. One of the best products in my styling arsenal is Don Juan’s Pre-Styler Grooming Spray and my blow dryer. Using them creates a strong look that not only appears sleek but holds throughout the day.

Start by saturating the hair with grooming spray, then blow dry it into the classic quiff style to lock in volume and texture. For extra holding power, I use a dime sized amount of Don Juan Matte Cream.

Then, emulsify the matte cream into the hands until it looks invisible. Apply from roots to tips, using fingers or a large tooth comb to accentuate texture for an all-day playable hold. It will leave hair looking and feeling natural without being weighed down and stiff.

3 Classics Never Die

Whether it’s a classic traditional Pompadour or a more modern textured version, I tend to start off this legendary style with a generous amount of Don Juan’s Pre-Styler Grooming Spray. I always blow dry this product into place. If it’s a more traditional Pomp’, I’ll finish the style off with Don Juan Classic Pomade Medium Hold , which has medium shine that will last all day. I also like that it's water soluble. This workable pomade allows for casual to classic hairstyles and washes out easily.

For a more textured version, I lean towards a matte finished styling aid. I like Don Juan’s Sea Salt Matte Pomade. This pomade is enriched with natural plant extracts and ocean minerals to give hair a nurtured healthy look and feel. It goes in super easy and is very light, preventing the hair from being weighed down while leaving the hair natural with plenty of pliable texture, which is essential for Pomp’ styles.

AUSTIN FULLER IS OWNER OF ALWAYS FRESH BARBER STUDIO IN FORT MOHAVE, AZ, AND AMBASSADOR FOR MANE TAME GROOMING HE’S BEEN STYLING AND COLORING MEN’S HAIR SINCE 2012 AND WAS NAMED BOOKSY’S GET DISCOVERED BACKSTAGE WINNER LAST YEAR. HE TELLS US HOW TO STYLE GREAT LOOKS THAT LAST.

“I am anticipating hairstyles that have a lot of texture, like spikes and crops. Plus it still seems like mullets are making a return every year,” Austin laughed as he shared his style trend predictions for the year ahead: “But where I live, the summers get in the 120°s, so people are all over the place when it comes to their grooming! We not only need the right cut for every client, but we need to recommend the right styling products that will keep their hair in place throughout sun, rain, or intense humidity.”

How would Austin recommend barbers create these trends? He told us it’s all about cocktailing the right products and letting your creativity flow. Don’t be held back by tools or package instructions on products – use your knowledge and skills to give your clients a unique look – and one they can style long after leaving your chair.

Austin only works with brands he trusts and believes perform the way they say they will. He told us what drew him to Mane Tame Grooming; a brand he continually promotes on his social media and in the shop/studio. He told us: “What caught my attention about Mane Tame was the way the team carried themselves. They cater to people’s wants and needs when it comes to product development and education." What are his top three favourite Mane Tame products? “I’m a big fan of the Zero-Gravity Matte Spray. I use this to add or create volume and texture. It’s perfect for anyone that likes to use a light product.” Next: “The Concrete Sculpting Clay is a game changer when it comes to building shape. You can really get into shaping and detailing on almost any shorter hairstyles with this flexible yet sturdy clay.”

The Weightless

Matter Blowdry Gel is amazing for volumizing. It can be used for a wet slick look, or you can blowdry into a more natural look that adds volume to short styles. Plus, the fragrance will drive your clients wild!”

Next, Austin broke down which products barbers and stylists can use to a) build a base, b) add texture, c) add control and d) for finishing and setting. This is what he told us: “OK, so to create a base for medium to fine hair, I go in with Mane Tame’s Base Builder. For medium hair, it’s their Zero-Gravity Matte Spray. For thicker hair, I stick to the Weightless Matter Blow Dry Gel.

“Let’s talk texture. I have two must-haves for adding that extra ‘something’ to hair. Those are, you guessed it, the Zero-Gravity Matte Spray and the Concrete Sculpting Clay from Mane Tame.

“For control, I love their Deluxe Pomade and the Concrete Sculpting Clay can actually be used here as well. Finally, I’m a fan of cocktailing the Session Styler Hair Spray and Mighty Hold Hair Spray. This ensures a natural, but solid finish that will last all day.” We tied up our chat with Austin by asking: how can barbers use Mane Tame to energize and modernize shorter classic cuts, like a buzzcut or swept back pompadour? He answered: “The best thing about Mane Tame that helps barbers and stylists stay creative is that not only are each of the products great by themselves, they were also developed specifically to cater to the artist’s creativity. For those artists out there with clients that prefer a classic haircut and finish, such as combovers, pompadours and slick backs, we have the Deluxe Pomade!” Find Mane Tame on Instagram as @manetamegrooming. Austin is @alwaysfreshbarber

WE SPOKE TO MARICHAL J. BROWN , ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF MASTER BARBER HUB, A BARBERING RESOURCE CENTER THAT SUPPORTS AND ENCOURAGES THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP OF FUTURE AND SEASONED BARBER PROFESSIONALS.

Marichal explained: “The HUB, as we call it, is an appointment only, two chair barbershop with rotating barbers. It is a hair industry resource center that provides exceptional barbering services, grooming products, and tools. We support and encourage the entrepreneurship of the future barber professionals by providing Advanced Specialty classes, demonstrations, and workshops. We also partner with local and national organizations that promote community health and wellness.

“My brother, Rodney, and I have 30 plus years individually in the hair industry, behind the chair, and in education. We just opened our second barbershop called HAIRitage Barbershop powered by M:. I am a secondgeneration barber and so far, we are four generations deep. I am dual-licensed and have worked as an Education Leader for a couple of Paul Mitchell Schools and Milan Institute of Cosmetology in Northern California.”

I asked Marichal a bit more about the education they offer. “We offer financial literacy, business, barber theory, and technical classes such as shaving, haircutting, hair units, and trichology. These classes are for anyone in the industry that would like to add to their services or run a more efficient business system.”

During the Pandemic, Marichal and the HUB team launched their own range of products. Marichal explained: “A lot of times, companies place their bank accounts over the health and safety of people, and I don’t get down like that. I was taught by my father, who was a Master Barber, to take care of the people and the people will take care of you.

“The M:xClusive product line consists of a Pre-Shave Oil, Shaving Gel, Aftershave Balm, and a Wave & Twist Pomade. Our products contain natural ingredients such as essential oils, proteins, and vitamins. They are gentle on the skin and great for people who have allergies or are prone to skin or scalp irritation."

VICTOR LOPEZ IS A MASTER BARBER, HAIR LOSS EXPERT, AND EDUCATOR WITH AMERICAN CREW AND JRL. HE EDUCATES HUNDREDS – EVEN THOUSANDS – OF BARBERS EVERY YEAR, SHOWING THEM HOW TO CUT AND STYLE LOOKS FOR THE MODERN AGE. HERE’S HIS ADVICE ON EXECUTING SLICK CUTS EVERY TIME WITH JRL.

Victor explained that to be a well-rounded barber, you need to know how to work with longer hair. He shared his top three tips for creating editorial style: “You need to understand head shape and how hair naturally lays,” Victor explained. “When sectioning the hair, you need to work with the correct techniques and right tools in order to seamlessly connect the shape you created for the top of the head with the shape you want for the sides. My third tip is understanding what products and tools you need. The finishes are anywhere from heavy shine and low shine to volume and high hold.” How does Victor stay creative? “I enroll in online academies to understand more. I also participate in barbering, hairstyling, and photography competitions, and get a lot of fresh ideas and motivation from the other competitors. The goal is to always put yourself around people you can learn from. New information and artists elevate your perspective and make space for creativity to flow.” Victor believes that the freshest looks come from basic foundations, like a skin fade. Here, he says how to use JRL tools to execute a clean, skin tight fade crop... Victor starts by washing the hair and saturating it, then: “Using shears, I cut one section horizontally underneath the parietal ridge and around the whole head. Here, I’ll visualize the length of a four guard.” Then, he starts work on the top part of the haircut, making one section from forehead to occipital bone. “I find the apex of the head and make a section from ear to ear. Now you have four sections on the top of the head. Next, I start connecting the top of the hair to the parietal section. In small sections, I work upward until I get to the middle of the head. Once done with the dominant side, I move to the next section at the top of the ear towards the back of the head.” Victor encourages you to move in this sequence until you reach the other temple. He continued: “Once you connected the top to the parietal area, put your four guard onto your

JRL clippers – I love the JRL FreshFade 2020C Clipper – with the guard open and cut the hair on sides into the parietal area. Do not scoop when getting into the parietal area! Keep the blade parallel to the scalp as not to ruin shapes you created with the shears. Now, go through your guards downwards until you reach your 1.5. Make sure you start each section with the guard open and then close it to create seamless blends,” he told us. "Once I get to the 1.5, I’ll create my trimmer line. Slide trimmers – my go-to is the JRL FreshFade 2020T Trimmer – upwards towards you, then repeat for next sections. Meet the previous line until you have an even bald guideline all around the head.”

Victor added: “I like to make bald guidelines slightly under where the client’s natural C cup starts. I put my 1 guard and travel through the sizes with the same fading process, then the half guard, until I get to the JRL clipper with no guard.”

Again: “Start with the lever and open and close it until you fade into the trimmer length. If there’s a line left between the trimmer and the clipper, use the tip of the JRL trimmer and eat into the line using small flick motions. Then clip hair at the front up to work with the side hairline and C cup to define and sharpen the hairline on both sides.”

To finish: “I’ll blow dry the hair with my shears and point cut to add texture. I’ll dampen the hair again and add some matte clay, which gives it a solid hold and matte finish. I’ll then dry hair with my JRL Forte Pro Hair Dryer and blast the side of the hair down and grab a finger dab of matte clay, laying the hair forward to create a messy forward look. Then, I’ll pinch the front hairline eight times to create that messy separated look. And, voila! You’ve got yourself an ace skin tight fade crop.”

Find Victor on Instagram as @v.hugostyles and JRL as @jrlusa

BY TYRIK JACKSON

EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF STYLING: THE PRODUCTS YOU ARE USING AND THEIR BENEFITS; THE DIFFERENT HAIR TYPES THAT YOU WORK WITH; AND THE DAILY ROUTINE OF YOUR INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS SO THAT YOU CAN RECOMMEND THE BEST PRODUCTS FOR THEM.

Following these guidelines will help you to create the ultimate style that your client wants and that they can duplicate. This will make you, as the professional, look better than anyone else who ever touched their hair.

But first, let’s go back to basics. When it comes to products and styling, one of the things that we talk to our students about at Premier Barber

LET’S GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRODUCTS.

Pre-styling: A base for form and hold before adding more products.

Styling: Most products are styling products, for example, clay, gels, or pomades to provide hold and texture.

Fixing: Tends to fix the areas that people are not comfortable with, for example, creating fullness for fine hair.

Finishing: The sprays and holding products for use at the end give the hair gloss and shine.

Treatments: Conditioning treatments for hair that is damaged due to over-processing, sun, or beach-life damage.

Find a company that has versatility within its product line. It will give you a choice on which products you can choose to create the ultimate look for that client that’s most compatible with them. It will also help you to create retail opportunities to upsell the products at the end of the service.

When you have educated yourself on what each product is and what it does, it should help you determine what product to use for certain clients. It should always be determined by the look and style desired and the quality of the hair.

When I say the quality of hair, simply put, is the hair in the right condition to use products that add heat, or does the hair show signs of thinning? Is it coarse? All these things are huge factors. If you are not determining that stuff at the beginning of the haircut process, you will spend more time using extra products. You

Institute more than anything is infrastructure. A great hairstyle comes from a great haircut. You must perform the foundation of the style first. If the cut is amazing, you should only need minimal styling products.

When it comes to understanding how to create a style, the first thing one must understand is product knowledge. Most people stock products but are not familiar with their benefits in conjunction with a client's hair type, hair texture, or daily routine. Are they able to reproduce the style that you performed at home? product. It’s an everyday casual product that is generally water-based and has a little bit of grit to it. It gives a hard matte finish and is great for thinning or fine hair. won’t need to use extra products if the haircut is created for the style.

Another element to consider is our client's environment. If it’s hot outside and they are sweating, they are going to need a certain product to hold that style. The same goes for cold weather.

This is not recommended for fine hair. It adds shine and creates a defined look. It’s usually alcohol-based, which can cause flaking. While it doesn’t offer flexibility, it gives a hard-hold shape.

In my shop and at the academy, we use Dash for Him, which has an incredible range. I was involved in the research and development of this product line, so it’s easy for me to educate clients and students on that product from the beard line to the benefits of the shampoo. But if you are bringing a line into your shop, either educate yourself or ask the brand to give you the necessary information.

POMADES:

This is perfect for high-styled hair. Your pompadours, ducktails, the 1930’s cuts that are highlifted hair. It creates a glossy, formal look and offers flexibility and a high shine. It’s mostly oil-based.

Price Comparisons

CREAMS: This is more of a hybrid product. They vary in the viscosity of the hair. Some are creamy and loose, while some are harder. They emulsify in your hand when you add heat. They add hold and shine.

When you select a product line, you want to make sure that you purchase something that you can retail at your shop competitively. You don’t want a client sitting in your chair googling the cost of the product you are using on them and finding it cheaper on Amazon - because they can have it delivered to them the next day. You need them to buy that product in your shop. Do your homework and compare pricing to stay competitive. Dash For Him will never be lower on Amazon than what the barber can retail in his shop.

ONCE YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR CUT, MOST PEOPLE’S MINDS GO STRAIGHT TO STYLING. HOWEVER, THERE IS A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT STEP THAT HAPPENS FIRST. ROLDA USA HAVE RECENTLY LAUNCHED A LIMITED-EDITION MEN’S TALC POWDER TO MAKE THIS STEP EASIER FOR THE BARBER, AND MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THE CLIENT.

After you finish your fade, it is common practice to dust on talcum powder, which adds comfort, especially around the neck, by soaking excess moisture, helping with any nicks and decreasing chafing.

Sweat and skin oils can often get into the freshly shaven skin, and when the client’s collar rubs against that raw skin, it can cause irritation and uncomfortable chafing. So, in just one movement, once the cut is completed, a barbers will often apply talc powder to a neck duster, and brush away any loose hairs, while applying a fine layer of talcum powder.

The team at Rolda know that this is an essential step, and they have recently launched their own Men’s Talc Powder.

Its formula provides a smooth and fine texture of powder to protect and soothe skin to keep it dry and soft after any hair cut or shave. It also leaves a sophisticated, masculine fragrance. It helps to protect clients from that itchy postshave feeling, due to its fine texture and highly absorbent ingredients. It helps to completely eliminate loose hairs from the skin, giving clients that fresh, clean and comfortable feeling.

Morro Poveda , Educator for Rolda USA and Content Manager for BaByliss4Barbers Colombia said: “With the Men’s Talc Powder, Rolda brings us a product with an excellent, masculine fragrance. The most important part is that the bottles come all come sealed for no-spill and guaranteed protection. It also has a pretty striking presentation with this teal toned color on the label.

“The texture of this product is quite manageable and soft, which allows us to leave the clients skin soft and comfortable”.

While Talc might not be the first thing you think of when thinking about style in the barbershop, what’s more stylish than you clients leaving feeling comfortable, smelling great, and looking fresh?

What began as a Moustache Wax brand has grown massively, and Richie talks us through the evolution.

“We began with Moustache and Beard products. But, of course, fashion is a fickle friend, so if everyone shaves, your beard business is sunk. Gentleman’s Grooming encompasses all kinds of styles and tastes, so if a chap who’s been buying his Beard Oil from us decides to embrace a new look, we made it possible to do that with Captain Fawcett.

“After shaving products, we created Captain Fawcett’s Original Eau De Parfum. Meeting Ricki Hall led to our first Signature Series collaboration and so the best-selling Booze & Baccy range was born. From there we really expanded into everything a gentleman might need – and a few things he might not!”

They then expanded into the hair care arena.

Richie continued: “We’d made Beer’d Shampoo which won the ‘Best New Male Hair Product’ Bronze Award at the 2017 Pure Beauty Awards. Historic barbering traditions are at the heart of Captain Fawcett, so we developed Captain

Fawcett’s Expedition Reserve Hair Tonic, Hair Oil, Sea Salt Spray and Shampoos, all of which have been hugely popular. A Hair Conditioner and new styling Hair Powder will soon be joining them. And for hair styling, the new Patent Pomades were created in response to demand from barbers. They are available as Classic, Putty, Clay and the new Strong Hold and have really taken Captain Fawcett’s hair care range to another level.

“Along with Matakki Scissors and Wahl, Captain Fawcett has also teamed up with The Fellowship for British Hairdressing and ‘Project Men’. We’re supplying the wet products for this mentoring program led by Wahl’s Global Artistic Director Simon Shaw, so as Project members extend their knowledge and skills in all things men’s hair and barbering, they not only become aware of our hair care range, their feedback is incredibly useful to us in return. There is always a mutual benefit to getting your products involved with similar barber education projects.”

Captain Fawcett product concepts tend to come from lived experience in place of conventional market research. 

Richie explains: “For example, I made the original Moustache Wax myself, initially for personal use. And once that took off, the Beard Oils were suggested by Iain Crockart, the enormously talented designer who created the visual narrative of Captain Fawcett. Who also happens to have a beautiful flourishing beard!

“One of the benefits of social media is that your organic online community serves as a focus group, both holding you accountable and reviewing products for their own like-minded audiences.”

We asked what the process is for creating new formulas.

He said: “The pursuit of excellence! When ensuring each and every product is of the highest quality, there is no room for winging it. Sharing samples with industry experts earns their genuine endorsement, leading to trust from stockists and distributors. All Captain Fawcett products must stand up to the rigorous demands of world-renowned barbers and hair stylists, many who run their own academies of excellence. To maintain one’s reputation, it is essential to get the product right by sourcing the only best quality ingredients.”

Once you’re happy with the product, what’s the next stage?

“Present a top-quality product in beautiful packaging, designed to fit within your overall brand. Handsome pack shot photography and fantastic lifestyle images both inform and spark customers’ imagination. But not everyone is visual, so words matter too, particularly when describing something essentially invisible, like fragrance. Find designers and writers who get your ideas and know how to run with them. It’s a collaborative approach.”

And taking it to market, does Captain Fawcett have a firm strategy?

“Launch campaigns include a variety of marketing strategies, such as distributor and customer e-shots (grow your mailing list – these are engaged customers willingly signed up to receive news from your brand), social media, photo and film shoots and ambassador partners. And never underestimate the power of a good old fashioned press release, especially if there’s a newsworthy story or celebrity name attached to your new product.”

Be honest now, what’s your own hero hair styling product?

“Right now I’m really delighted with Captain Fawcett’s new Patent Pomades. All four are extremely effective, versatile and smell fabulous. Plus the canisters are not only handsome, they’re also incredibly barber friendly to use, easy to grip and very large so you really get your money’s worth. As international barber Sid Sottung said ‘they’re bloody brilliant’! And of course I’ll always have great affection for the Moustache Wax. Captain Fawcett’s OG, as it were!”

And is there anything new in the pipeline we should know about?

“Yes! There is the new Expedition Reserve Hair Conditioner and a styling Hair Powder. Meanwhile…keep your eyes peeled for Captain Fawcett’s ‘League of Exceptional Gentlemen’!

“We are also extending the popular Alessandro Manfredini range. Currently we have an awardwinning Eau De Parfum (Silver Award for ‘Best New Niche Fragrance’ 2021 Pure Beauty Awards), which will be joined by complementary products for gentlemen who enjoy layering their aromatics for lasting fragrance. And fans of Nebula might like to know Grammy Award winning rock star John Petrucci has been in the UK at HQ to discuss plans for an Eau De Parfum. You heard it here first! Hugely exciting!

“All this takes time. The resources to keep developing new product ranges result from building on success. And that comes from a core of people who have put in phenomenal hard work over many years. You have to be prepared to put the hours in. It’s a way of life. Extraordinary to think it began from a humble tin of Moustache Wax! Remember, with a huge amount of hard work and a certain amount of luck, your small niche may well become the next big thing.” •