Modern Barber Storefront Guide

Brands to buy • Services to shop • Stuff to see Oct-Dec 2015

YOUR

Shear GENIUS! SHARP WISDOM ON SCISSORS PAGE 6

LOSING IT…

MALE PATTERN BALDNESS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT PAGE 16

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H E L LO & CO N T E N TS

ROLL OF HONOUR! Your industry title wouldn’t happen without the advertising support of the brands and companies below – they know just how valuable you are!

ANDIS BARBER BOX CRONUS BARBER SHOP FURNITURE

Contents 6

Shear Genius: cutting to the chase on scissor choice.

12 Storefront: Stuff you need and gear you want.

DAPPER DAN 16 Losing it!: the bald truth on male pattern baldness.

20 Smartphone step-by-step: perfectly formed perm by Mick Martin.

DENMAN PROFESSIONAL AND JACK DEAN FUDGE HAIR PRODUCTS

Welcome to your Storefront Shopping Guide.

Our digital buddy guide gives you a ‘one stop’ look at the this issue’s supporting brands and businesses.

So if you are looking for tools, products or equipment for your barbershop or men’s grooming salon then have a browse and click on the links to follow online for info.

The men’s market is booming and that means more choice and more opportunities to grow and improve your business. The brands listed are investing in you with research, product development and customer service because just like Modern Barber magazine, they think it’s ALL about you!

Rachel Gould – Editor

GO24.7 KENT BRUSHES KIPA HAIRCARE MALETTI NATIONAL HAIRDRESSERS’ FEDERATION REM-MEN SALON EQUIPMENT CENTRE SHORTCUTS SOFTWARE TAKARA BELMONT

Editor and Publisher: Rachel Gould rachel@modernbarber.co.uk Design and Production: Matt Dettmar freelancemagazinedesign.co.uk Advertising: Kelly Hindley kelly@modernbarber.co.uk Find us online: modernbarber.co.uk twitter: @modernbarbermag Call on: 01295 533755

VTCT WAHL PROFESSIONAL

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F E AT U R E

Shear

GENIUS

Kobe K14 – 14 tooth texturiser exclusive to Coolblades coolblades.co.uk. Price £99.00

Let’s not pussy foot around…

Scissor choice is a big deal for barbers.

This essential tool of the trade supports creativity, aids speed and protects your health.

Yep, that’s big!

T

here are a lot of scissors on offer out there from the budget basic to the lavish and luxurious. Like every important purchase in life you’ve got to make an informed decision.

Darryn Pitman (FB The Darryn Pitman/ Insta and twitter @thedarrynpitman) from Caerphilly has recently been appointed ambassador for Matakki (matakki.com) and says “I advise to invest in the quality of metal and the technology. You want the experience of the scissor to be right and the range of suitable choices widens as the metal and technology improves. It’s more difficult to find suitable choices with cheap scissors.”

Choosing a scissor supplier is half the battle, so go for one that’s geeky on the subject of manufacturing processes, metal composition, weight, balance, tension, shape, performance and after care and you won’t go far wrong. Ask tough questions and, unless it’s a repeat purchase, avoid parting with the readies before you get them in your hands (robust returns policies work too though).

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The fit Jack Robinson Pullen (FB Jack Robinson Pullen, Mobile Barbering Academy) gets excited about scissors and last year he bought a pair of Lumen Evo layering scissors from Scissorhands (hairdressers-scissors.com). He was so evangelical about them that MD Ashley appointed him Ambassador.

Jack says “Scissors must fit your hands or you’re going to run into all kinds of problems. As a guide, lay the scissors on your flat palm. If the tip of the blade reaches the tip of your middle finger and the finger rest is laying on the very back of your palm then it should be the right balance.” Your scissors don’t have to just fit your hand, they have to fit the way you work. Darryn has small hands, cuts with speed and uses a lot of precision cutting techniques. He loves the Matakki Black Sabbath 5.5” for club cutting, pointing and scissor-over-comb and the Matakki thinning scissors that are super sharp and glide through the hair smoothly. Jack actually changed the way he cut once he bought the

Lumen Evo’s and says “The new scissors made a huge difference to my creativity.

I was able to add internal structure to cuts. So the popular pomp look for example has internal volume that doesn’t rely on the blow dry. It made me think differently and have new ideas.”

The material Spencer Dudman of Spencer Scissors (spencerscissors.co.uk) definitely falls into the geek category. He chose dropforged scissors with Japanese steel for his ranges and says “Drop-forging is not a quick process, so only the very best steels are used, and the metal produced is a very closely grained one, giving scissors a strength and resilience which enables the cutting edge to stay sharper for longer.” A high quality material can

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last for many years and is more easily restored to optimum performance after servicing. The higher quality the steel the harder it is and you might also find added material such as carbon and titanium. Titanium adds a keener edge while carbon coating can help prevent allergies and cobalt can keep a blade sharp for longer.

The blade The business end of your scissors ultimately come in two forms.

Convex or bevelled. Convex blades are a Japanese design. Brian Bannister of Coolblades (coolblades.co.uk) says “Convex blades are made from solid stainless steel which means the blades are a little heavier than bevelled-edge

ones. The manufacturing process is similar to that used to make Samurai swords and because it is a long and skilled process, convex-bladed scissors are usually more expensive than bevelled-edge ones and require specialist sharpening. Bevelled-edge blades are made from a mixture of metals which makes them lightweight.

Most European scissors use this design often with micro serrations on one or both blades, micro serrated blades are great when you’re learning to cut hair as they stop the hair sliding down the blade. They’re also good for slow detail cutting or use on dry hair but polished beveled-edge blades, like those on the Jaguar Pre Style Slice are the ones to use for slicing and can also be used for virtually all other cutting techniques.”

There is a school of thought that says barbers should work with longer blades and suppliers such as Spencer Scissors offer blade lengths up to 7.5”.

The handle Handle design has a huge impact on a barbers cutting experience and making the wrong choice can result in carpal tunnel syndrome, RSI, shoulder, neck and even back problems. All of which can be a career killer, so take time to make a conscious choice. There are three basic types: level or even, offset and crane.

Level scissors are symmetrical, offset have one handle longer than the other which permits a more open hand and low elbow, crane handled is similar to offset but the top handle is straight and also lowers the elbow. Added choices might be a swivel thumb and a variety of finger rest positions. There is no right answer, only the right scissor for you!

The tension screw Flat or adjustable – one needs a screwdriver and the other can be done by hand plus it gives you some pretty cool decorative options too.

The maintenance

Ask tough questions and, unless it’s a repeat purchase, avoid parting with the readies before you get them in your hands.

Cleaning, oiling and tensioning your scissors is a must. Blades should be wiped with a chamois leather or equivalent, preferably after EVERY haircut. After removing hair and product residue, the cloth should then be used to (carefully!) wipe the cutting edge – done correctly this will remove the tiny burrs formed during cutting. A good quality scissor oil is essential and should be applied at least 2-3 times a day. The right tension is so important – the incorrect tension causes damage to both the scissors and barber. For a mini maintenance tutorial go to You Tube and search Spencer Scissors Maintenance. To find the perfect tension on your scissors Brian Bannister of Cool Blades recommends that you check the correct scissor tension by fully opening your scissors and then allowing one blade to drop freely towards the fully closed position . When the tension is correct, it should stop smoothly at the ten-to-the-hour position. It’s recommended that you get your scissors serviced every 6-12 months and be picky about who you choose to sharpen them.

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F E AT U R E

The ‘try before you buy’ You might choose from the Scissor Roadshow by new kid on the block Hunt and Hustle (huntandhustle. com), the ‘Talk & Try’ workshops from Spencer Scissors (spencerscissors. co.uk) or even the generous ‘No Quibble Money Back Guarantee PLUS’ from Scissorhands, which promises that you can return your scissors within 14 days and you get a refund PLUS a tenner for the inconvenience. These are all a demonstration of a supplier’s confidence in their product and their genuine interest in their customers.

Scissor shopping…

Jaguar Jaguart V – new range of limited edition art design scissors Coolblades coolblades.co.uk coolblades.co.uk.

All priced at £99.00

Superna 5-7 inch – handcrafted Japanese steel, ideal for classic cutting. Scissorhands hairdressers-scissors. com. Price £597.00.

The aftercare Look for lifetime warranties, long term guarantees and well priced servicing and care programmes. Matakki offers a ’12 Month Drop Warranty’ and Scissorhands offers the ‘Scissor Protection Programme’ for £34.97 a year, it includes cover for damage, faults and annual servicing. Meticulous, affordable and professional sharpening can be found with many professional suppliers and many guarantee a 48 hour turnaround. At Matakki you can even get your scissors customised! They personalise your blades with up to 20 characters with ceramic laser marking, it’s damage free and only costs £24. •

Excellent Edges Damascus Crocodile – soft on the hair, 10 tooth 6” blade, ultimate coarse texturising scissor.

Spencer Scissors spencerscissors. co.uk is the UK agent for Excellent Edges. Part of the FISH kit of three scissors at £595

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Excellent Edges Bladez Kingfisher – Superior comfort and clamshell edge, built to last. Spencer Scissors spencerscissors.co.uk is the UK agent for Excellent Edges. Price £195

Lumen EVO Layering and Texturising Scissor – precision engineered for silky smooth cutting action and flawless layers.

Lefties available. Scissorhands hairdressers-scissors.com.

Price £347.00.

The Black Sabbath – high end scissor designed with anatomic thumb for full range of wrist motion.

Lightweight, accurate and perfectly balanced.

Exclusive to Matakki matakki.com.

Price £345 inc vat

Yamamoto ‘W’ – famous Japanese brand with unique crane-handled scissor. Created for pointing and chipping with a blade design that focusses strength at the tip. Spencer Scissors spencerscissors.co.uk. Price £895

Kuma – super sharp for the toughest of hair, great for point cutting.

Matakki matakki.com.

Price £275 inc vat

The Orbit – swivel scissor for comfort and flexibility, should help ease aches.

Matakki matakki.com.

Price £175 inc vat

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The word on scissors MB loves it when readers get involved. Want to know what happens when you ask 5500 FB friends to share their scissor story? (FB Modern Barber Magazine)

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SHOPPING

Store FRONT 5

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1. Andis BRIOS Cordless Trimmer Lightweight and ergonomic with high power rotary motor and two hours of trimming time.

Price £64.99 ex VAT. Call 01227 713311 for nearest stockist

4. The Bronx Barber Unit Tough and robust The Bronx is for the serious barber. Built in solid oak and veneered oak to withstand life’s everyday knocks. Also available without basin. Price £1775. salonequipmentcentre.com

7. GO 24.7 Mint thickening shampoo Stimulates blood supply to the follicles, promotes growth and rejuvenates cells. Sulphate and paraben free. RRP £12.50 inc VAT. GO247men.co.uk

2. MITCH® gift set from Paul Mitchell The Refined Chap shine grooming kit includes Double Hitter® 250ml, Steady Grip® 150ml, Barber’s Classic® 10g. Price £27.00 inc VAT. Paul-mitchell.co.uk

5. Bristle neck brush Pure bristle free-standing neck brush with chrome collar.

Price £28 inc VAT. Kentbrushes.com

8. Daimon Barber No: 4 Pomade Water soluble clay offering strong hold and a matte finish.

Perfect for short, textured styles and longer, fuller looks. RRP £16.50, trade enquiries welcome.

Thedaimonbarber.com

3. NEW Men-U PRO BLACK shaving brush The new PRO BLACK with its customised bristles and registered design facilitates a premium shave at a great price. Comes with ultraconcentrate men-ü shave crème.

Price: £19.95 inc VAT. Men-u.co.uk

6. NEW Fudge Xpander Jelly (75g) Light weight, non-sticky Jelly bulks up every hair by 100% with unique Fibre-Dense Technology. Light hold and natural finish giving the illusion of thicker, fuller hair. RRP £12.95 ex VAT. Call 020 7845 6333 for nearest stockist. Fudge.com

9. NEW Wahl Li+ Pro Cordless Clipper Wahl’s next gen cordless intelligent clipper with smart electronic display.

Ergonomic, comfortable and light.

Price £169.99 Ex. VAT. See all good wholesalers

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10. Andis Slimline Pro Li Cordless Trimmer Precision cutting with long battery life. Can be zero gapped!

Price £59.99 ex VAT. Call 01227 713311 for nearest stockist.

13. Hunt & Hustle Scissors – The Duke Cobalt scissor with off-set handle and ergonomic design set with Teflon dampers. Great for high-speed cutting. Available in 6” and 7”. Price £200 inc VAT. Huntandhustle.com

16. Vines Beard Oil (100ml) A luxurious beard oil infused with Jojoba, Sweet Almond Oil and Magnesium. Price £7.00 inc VAT. For stockists call 0141 812 5000.

Vines-vintage.co.uk

11. Clipp-Aid Blade Sharpening Crystals (pack of 9) Unique clipper and trimmer maintenance product that sharpens and cleans in less than 2 mins. Price £22.50 inc VAT. Barberblades.co.uk

14. Lady Barber Pink Barber Pole Freestanding Sign High quality, hand finished freestanding sign. £450 inc VAT. Barber-shop-furniture.com

17. NEW Jack Dean Shaving System Collection Cleansing cream, shaving soap, tonic, balm and brush all available with premium ingredients and the essence of adventure.

Price from £6.50. barberblades.co.uk

12. Men-u STYLE+ gift box with free socks Choice of men-ü styling puck 100ml (CLAY, MUSCLE FIBRE, CREATE & SHAPE or DEFINE & SHINE) with a FREE pair of comfortable, breathable and durable bamboo socks! Price £11.95 inc VAT. Men-u.co.uk

15. Takara Belmont Apollo Elite Chair A new generation Apollo – updated popular classic barber chair with refined styling and functionality.

Price £1850 ex VAT. takara.co.uk or contact your local Takara dealer 17

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F E AT U R E

Like the song goes… you just don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone. And that certainly applies to your hair. So when men are losing it, what can be done?

A

ccording to the Men’s Health Forum (menshealthforum.org. uk) upwards of 60% of men in the UK are affected by male pattern baldness, also known as genetic hair loss or androgenetic alopecia. The tell-tale signs begin at the obviously named recession line at the temples, then go onto the crown before meeting up in the middle. It’s most common in Caucasian men and only a handful of Native American tribes are completely immune. It’s a bit of a genetic lottery but tends to follow the female gene pool, so a sneaky peak at photos of your mum’s dad at forty and older will likely tell your hair loss fortune.

It’s caused by progressively rising levels of testosterone during the ageing process which is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). There is evidence that follicle sensitivity to DHT causes the loss. If you are genetically predisposed then by the time you finish puberty the clock is ticking. Most MPB sufferers in their mid-twenties there will experience noticeable hair loss and that all adds up to a pretty big dent in self-image and in some cases real psychological 16

Spencer Stevenson (before and after)

damage. There is no cure. Good blood supply to the scalp with scalp care, careful haircare, general fitness, stress management, plus no smoking and a good diet are the best natural supports for retaining your hair. As tough as it is to admit, avoiding and ignoring the issue won’t help.

The consumer expert tale Spencer Stevenson or Spex (spexhair.com) has walked every step MODERN BARBER

of everyman’s hair loss journey. He’s done it all and earned his stripes as the UK’s number one ‘Hair Loss Mentor’. He even has a regular spot on iTunes radio show ‘The Bald Truth’ (thebaldtruth. com) which is devoted to supporting men with info and advice. Spex says “As a teenager I was known for my mane of hair so when I started to lose my hair at 21, it hit me really hard. There was a lot of anxiety and a real sense that I was losing my identity. I felt tormented.

Losing your hair is a very isolating experience because it’s a private issue that’s publicly visible. I didn’t want to talk about it and initially I was in denial. By the time I accepted it I had already lost a lot of hair and while a follicle can be resuscitated, it can never be restored. I didn’t even talk to my barber about it but he actually began talking about ‘another’ customer that was experiencing hair loss and it started me researching solutions. Initially I tried a lot of ‘miracle cures’ that never worked and wasted money and more time and all that time I was losing hair.

I have had multiple surgeries which began 15 years ago and the most recent one was in New York. Some of them were more successful than others but the surgical treatments now available

Prevention

Alternatives Skalp Micropigmentation (skalp.com) – recreates the impression of a closely shaven head through a process similar to tattooing. Can be used to restore a natural hairline or camouflage a thinning crown or cover scarring and alopecia.

It’s permanent and the pigment does not fade or discolour.

Follicular Unit Extraction Transplants (hshairclinic.co.uk) – depending on the extent of hair loss this method carefully re-sites follicles to restore the appearance of a head of hair.

Regaine (regaine.co.uk) – contains minoxidil which improves the blood flow to the scalp and thickens hair diameter.

Propecia – only available by prescription, includes finasteride that blocks the conversion of DHT, the hormone that attacks the follicle. Side effects can include a very low libido!

Reseed (reseedhair.com/en) – scalp serums, fortifying shampoo and supplements with powerful natural ingredients that stimulate growth, prolong the hair’s life cycle and nourish and strengthen hair.

Viviscal (viviscal.co.uk/ for-men) – nutritional supplements including marine proteins, plus shampoo and conditioner and scalp serum. Works to reduce shedding and improve the scalp and hair heath.

HR23+ (hairrestore23.com) – a vitamin rich supplement and serum that demonstrates a rapid slowing down of hair loss and thicker, healthier hair growth.

Joico Cliniscalp (cliniscalpjoico.com) – a full haircare regime of cleanse, nourish and treat all designed for thinning hair. Clinically proven to improve hair growth, stimulate follicles and energise the scalp.

Disguise Nanogen Hair Fibres (nanogen.co.uk) – instant and subtle way to add volume while at the same time disguising areas where hair may be thinning. Employs Kinetic technology which ensures fibres bind securely to the hair. Available in a range of natural shades.

Hairbond Fibres (hairbond.co.uk) – a cosmetic treatment that contains hair building fibres to conceal thinning hair, creating thicker, fuller looking hair in 30 seconds. Available in a handy shaker pot.

The barber’s tale

Mike Taylor

look really natural. I now use a medical therapy to retain the hair I have with prescription Finasteride and Minoxidil or Regaine. You need to be aware that all treatments carry the risk of side effects but then that goes for Ibuprofen too. Finding the right regimen that suits you is important. I recommend that anyone suffering from hair loss talks openly, reaches out and accepts that they are not alone. There are options, so getting the information you need quickly is important because hair loss is progressive.”

Mike Taylor (@mikeeducation) of the British Barbers’ Association knows about hair loss professionally and personally. Mike says “I teach all about Male Pattern Baldness because it’s massively important to our customers. Don’t disguise hair loss as a barber, work with it. A great club cut or clipper cut will leave the hair looking fuller and thicker, so no chipping away at it and removing weight at the crown.

A good thickening product for fine hair like Structure or American Crew will help. Most men make a joke about it in the chair but that’s a cue that they are really self-conscious. I encourage customers to talk about it. Talking about celebrities that have clearly had hair restoration helps. Any celebrity that has a better hairline at 40 than they did at 35 is a great example. Just look at David Beckham!

I’ve had transplants and I’m working with Nadeem Khan of the Harley St Hair Clinic to offer BBA members a referral programme. Nadeem takes a follicle from the back or side, splits it, returns half to the original site and then plants the other half to regenerate a follicle. In six months it grows through and then it’s there to stay. He did Wayne Rooney. Most women don’t seem to care if their man is balding but the men I speak to would rather drive around in a cheaper car and spend the money on a full head of hair.” •

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TIPS

Smartphone

Step ByStep Mick Martin of Just4Gentz in Craigavon, Northern Ireland is helping to rekindle the long lost art of the perm, one wavy/curly head of hair at a time. Here he’s showing off his skills with some rather brilliant results. Check him out online – twitter @ just4gentz/FB Just4gentz barbershop and Mick Martin/Instagram @just4gentz.

Mick Martin

Equipment Gather plenty of 13mm blue perm rods and some smaller red and yellow rods for the shorter hair. You will need perm papers, a pin tail comb, Vaseline, a tint bowl and sponge and a plastic cap to cover the hair. Mick chose the rod sizes to create a natural looking loose curl.

Mick selected L’Oreal Dulcia Perm 1 and the matching neutraliser.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Lightly shampoo the hair to remove product. Do not condition the hair as it will block the perm solution.

To create this natural look wind, from left to right, working with the direction of the hair. Taking 1cm sections wind the hair towards you. Protect each section with a perm paper and secure.

Select narrower rods for the shorter hair in the back and sides.

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Before

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Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Before applying the solution, protect the skin around the hairline and isolate the perm rods with cotton wool. Apply the perm solution twice to every rod working systematically through the head.

Cover the rods with a cap and leave to process for 25 minutes.

At the back wash, use the neutraliser and sponge to soak the hair and the rods thoroughly three times.

The neutraliser sets the curl.

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Leave to process at the backwash for 10 minutes.

Remove the rods and add more neutraliser, then leave to process for 10 more minutes.

Thoroughly rinse the solution and neutraliser out of the hair and add a light conditioner.

Finished look

Step 10

Step 11

Section off the crown and add skin fade to accentuate the crown texture.

Mick added Dapper Dan Matt Clay before styling.

Scrunch dry the hair without a diffuser for that loose movement. Mick charged £35 and the perm took 2 ½ hours.

PLEASE NOTE THAT INDUSTRY GUIDELINES AND MANUFACTURERS RECOMMEND INCOMPATIBILITY SKIN TESTING FOR CLIENTS EXPOSED TO ANY CHEMICALS.

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