MODERN BARBER MAGAZINE - ISSUE 25

ISSUE 25 JAN-MARCH 2020 | £5 | www.modernbarber.co.uk

RISE AND SHINE

The story of how ONE BARBER got his life back on track. Page 26.

PLUS all the regular inspiration, tips, interviews, news & features inside.

HAIR: MERCEDES PAGINTON PHOTO: LIAM OAKES ERA BARBERSHOP

GET IN TOUCH

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Rachel Gould rachel@modernbarber.co.uk DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: Annie Bartley design@anniebartley.co.uk

THY BARBER

ADVERTISING: Thomas Cox thomas@modernbarber.co.uk Call for all advertising enquiries 0203 841 7366 CONTRIBUTORS: Simon Shaw, Danny Robbinson, Mike Taylor, Siobhan Moriarty-Jones and Emma MoriarityRichardson, Jake Lansley, Lucia Farina, Wez Jones, Liam Oakes.

PUBLISHER: Mark Moloney, Managing Director, Professional Beauty Group.

Modern Barber is a trading name of M Squared Media Ltd 06318537.

Registered address: Allington House, 25 High Street, Wimbledon Village, SW19 5DX SUBSCRIPTIONS: Subscriptions can be securely purchased online through modernbarber.co.uk/subscribe or by calling +44 (0)1371 851874. For general enquiries and change of address info, please contact modernbarber@escosubs.co.uk UK SUBS £20 pa for four issues, INTERNATIONAL SUBS £40 pa for four issues including postage and packing. Returns: ESco Business Services Ltd, Trinity House, Sculpins Lane, Wethersfield, Braintree, Essex, CM7 4AY COVER CREDITS: Cover star: Danny Robinson. Photo: Martin Fox (Foxy) @ martinfox666.

FIND US ONLINE: modernbarber.co.uk SOCIAL: IG/Twitter @modernbarbermag, FB Modern Barber Magazine

PORTFOLIO 40 20 PAGES of great looking man (and woman) hair.

CONTENTS ISSUE 25 | JANUARY - MARCH 2020

REPORT

12 BARBERFEST – The launch of our fresh new event by the sea.

Modern Barber Magazine, Professional Beauty Group and M Squared Media accepts no responsibility for damage or loss, however caused. While every effort is made to ensure facts are correct at time of going to press, no responsibility can be accepted for incorrect product descriptions or facts. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publishers.

14 MODERN BARBER AWARDS – The launch of the Modern Barber Awards 2020.

FEATURES 16 INTERNATIONAL SHOP: Henri, Copenhagen, Denmark.

20 BOG STANDARD: the tiniest room with the biggest impact.

24 INSIDE: Teddy Edwards Cutting Rooms, Brighton.

26 RISE AND SHINE: Danny Robinson on new beginnings and second chances.

60 THE SHAW THING: home of Simon Shaw’s regular column.

62 THE 10 MINUTE CHAT: Anna Elliot taking on China.

64 MIKE’S HOT TOPIC: Mike Taylor’s opinion piece.

66 AMERICAN CREW ALL STAR CHALLENGE: time to gen up and get entering.

68 BARING ALL FOR MENTAL HEALTH: Luka Chitty gets his kit off for the cause.

4 Snippets and stories from, in, around and on the industry.

Printed by Pensord Ltd. Pensord.co.uk

Modern Barber’s circulation has been independently audited and verified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (abcstandards.org.uk) and reaches over 7,000 independent addresses.

JAKE LANSLEY

COMMUNITY

70 FIT TO FOLLOW: Six of the best social sites to follow.

66

KNOW-HOW 72 STEP-BY-STEP: beautiful taper cut from Emma Moriarty-Richardson.

74 SHOOT: behind the scenes with Wez Jones.

30 CLIPPERS!: best for bulk, fades and detailing.

76 CHAIR CARE: best practice on taking care of your chair.

34 YOUR STAGE: A review of the Modern Barber Stages and preview of 2020.

77 THE ITCH: dealing with lice.

SHOPPING

78 STREEETCH: stretch tips from professional instructor Lucia Farina.

38 GEAR: Stuff you need and gear you want.

80 HOW TO WIN WAHL BARBER OF THE YEAR:

by Carl Taylor.

WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK / 3

™

BE A PART OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MEN’S STYLING AND GROOMING COMPETITION IN THE WORLD.

ENTER THE AMERICAN CREW ALL STAR CHALLENGE Show us your interpretation of the American Crew man with a visionary and expressive style for your chance to win the experience of a lifetime.

WILL YOU BE THE NEXT WINNER? YOUR CHANCE AWAITS JANUARY 1 – MARCH 1, 2020 allstarchallenge.americancrew.com

WE ARE BRINGING THE BEST TO LOS ANGELES

For updates and your chance to be a part of this year’s competition visit allstarchallenge.americancrew.com Or follow American Crew on

Five winners will take part in a professional editorial photo shoot alongside renowned photographer and American Crew founder David Raccuglia.

The resulting photos will be used by American Crew in their worldwide press.

REPORT

LINA BONSOR GRANTED GRAND MASTER BARBER TITLE

XXXXXXX

Stories on, in and about the industry…Share your thoughts with us @modernbarbermag

BARBERCOMP TEAMS UP WITH BARBERFEST AND SALON INTERNATIONAL

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LINA BONSOR WORKING ON THE MODERN BARBER STAGE

ina Bonsor (@linabbarber) has been accredited by the British Master Barbers Association with the title Grand Master Barber.

Lina is only the second female barber to achieve accreditation and understandably this hard working barber is over the moon.

Lina says “It’s not been as easy as some people think to achieve and not everybody agrees with these accreditations but if I’m going to do a job, I’m going to see it through and do it to the best of my ability. After proving my qualifications to receive the Master Barber status last year it was all taken in to account and once I proved I had reached the criteria and payed the fee I 6 / WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK

“IF I CAN INSPIRE JUST ONE PERSON AND HELP JUST ONE PERSON TO REACH THEIR GOAL I’LL BE FOREVER HAPPY” received it through the post a few weeks later. I’ve worked very hard to get where I am today and long may it continue. If I can inspire just one person and help just one person to reach their goal I’ll be forever happy and I’m forever grateful to the people that have helped me get to where I am today!” Congratulations Lina!

nline monthly photographic competition site, BarberComp (barbercomp.com) showcases work and submits entries for peer voting, with the monthly winner taking home a bundle of goodies. Last year saw their very first live real-time cutting contest inviting monthly winners to demonstrate their skills, judged by experienced barbers.

Dale Hince was crowned ‘Barber of the Year’ 2019. For 2020 BarberComp founders Kelly Alexander and Alex Baker are bringing their annual final to the biggest hair show in the UK, Salon International (10th – 12th October) PLUS adding an additional live cutting contest at MB’s own BARBERFEST on July 6th with the winner taking home a cash prize of £500. Kelly says “We are so excited to take BarberComp Live to Salon International. It’s the big one! We’ve been working our socks off at BarberComp to bring you the biggest and best barbering competition in the industry. We’ll have 3 days of competitions that you won’t want to miss with Britain’s Best Barbers 2020 being crowned. If you would like to join us at Salon International get involved and enter now at Barbercomp. com. In addition we are so happy to be involved in this exciting new event with a new competition! We can’t wait to head down to sunny Brighton and bring a hoard of hungry competitors ready to battle it out. If you would like to join us at BARBERFEST, keep an eye on BarberComp.com as BARBERFEST and Modern Barber are taking over in the lead up to the event.”

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Stories on, in and about the industry…Share your thoughts with us @modernbarbermag

JIM SHAW AT THE NHBF AWARDS

BARBERSRIDE AT SAVILLS BARBERS

YUCEL OLMEZKAYA AT THE NHBF AWARDS

BARBERSRIDE 2020 TOUR

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JIM SHAW AND DAISY CARTER AT BHA’S

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!

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ig-ups go to Yucel Olmezkaya SRSB (@yucelthebarber) for winning ‘Male Fashion Look Image’ at the NHBF Awards (@nhbfsocial) AND ‘Barber of the Year’ at the MR BARBERS Awards. Also congratulations to Jim Shaw (@jimshawhair) who bagged a

double whammy by winning ‘Best Men’s Collection’ at the NHBF Awards and the BIG ONE, winning ‘Men’s Hairdresser of the Year’ in collaboration with Daisy Carter at the British Hairdressing Awards sponsored by Schwarzkopf.

arbersRide (barbersride.com) 2019 was a huge success that raised the staggering sum of £17,375.73 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and as such the founders Xavier Berrell of Reuzel, Richie Finney of Captain Fawcett and Colin Petrie of Hard Grind are set to ride again in 2020. The nominated charity will once again be the Make-A-Wish Foundation which creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

The boys are still working out the route but tour dates will be 8th-13th August. Big thanks go to sponsors Reuzel, Captain Fawcett, Eighty One – Powerdrink, Barbicide and associate sponsors Wahl, Kent Brushes and Lind Harley-Davidson. Anyone interested in knowing more about the ride, drop an email to jenna@captianfawcett.com.

HEADS UP! DATES FOR THE DIARY 14TH FEB: ENTRY TO THE MODERN BARBER AWARDS OPENS

5TH JULY: MODERN BARBER AWARDS HELD IN BRIGHTON. LOCATION TBA

1ST MARCH: AMERICAN CREW ALL STAR CHALLENGE COMPETITION CLOSES

6TH JULY: BARBERFEST AT BRIGHTON METROPOLE

29TH – 30TH MARCH: MODERN BARBER STAGE AT HJ LIVE LONDON EXCEL

8TH- 13TH AUGUST: BARBERSRIDE ROUTE TBA

MAY 5TH: MODERN BARBER AWARDS ENTRY CLOSES

10TH – 12TH OCTOBER: MODERN BARBER STAGE AT SALON INTERNATIONAL EXCEL

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REPORT

TOBY TAKES THE CHOP

Stories on, in and about the industry…Share your thoughts with us @modernbarbermag

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR ANDY WILLIS OF ANDY’S BARBERS BEFORE

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ANDY WILLIS GOES BACK TO SCHOOL

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TOBY NISBETT AT JARREDS BARBERS

his little rockstar recently visited Jarred Liddington of Jarred’s Barbers (@jarredsbarbers) in Lydney after two and a half years of growing out his hair. Toby Niblett is just nine years old but decided that if he was going to go for the chop, he may as well donate his beautiful hair for the Little Princess Trust and raise some cash too. Toby said “I first heard about this charity when I read a story in a book about another boy who did the same thing with his hair. It really inspired me. I think it is a kind thing to do and 10 / WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK

“IT REALLY INSPIRED ME. I THINK IT IS A KIND THING TO DO AND THEY CAN MAKE GOOD USE OF MY REALLY LONG HAIR.” they can make good use of my really long hair.” The transformation was awesome but not as awesome as the gesture and the £700 plus Toby has raised so far. www.justgiving.com/ tobytakesthechop.

hen it comes to a proactive career choice the barbering industry is often last on the list (even if it makes the list) when it comes to recommendations for young school leavers. Without doubt the industry is experiencing a skills shortage that has no signs of improving, so Andy Willis of Andy’s Barbers took matters into his own hands and went back to school. Andy participated in a careers presentation day at the local secondary school. “If I inspire even one student to consider barbering then it’s a worthwhile use of time. Barbering is a great career choice that can provide excellent career development opportunities, good weekly pay and job satisfaction and so I wanted to share my knowledge on the subject,” says Andy.

Andy talked to groups of 20 Year 8 pupils to share his positive messages about the benefits of choosing a career in barbering. Andy is looking forward to going back to the school early in the New Year to speak with Year 10’s (14-15 year olds) who will be gearing up for their GCSE exams and starting to explore options and Saturday jobs! Andy recommends other barbershop employers reach out to the Head Teachers of their local secondary schools to get involved.

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REPORT

BARBERFEST: A FRESH KIND OF EVENT. COMING JULY 6TH TO BRIGHTON The Great British Seaside is home to the very first BARBERFEST to be held at the Brighton Metropole. We are inviting barbers to feast (not snack) on the diverse learning opportunities and brand discoveries that BARBERFEST offers. This ticket only event on July 6th is packed with business learnings, skill delivery and creative inspiration. BARBERFEST offers our barber visitors SIX learning zones, ONE inspiration stage, ONE networking hub sponsored

by MVRCK by Paul Mitchell with bar and street-style food stalls and ONE live cutting competition hosted by BARBERCOMP. Once through the doors it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet of barbering brilliance, so you can hang all day!

WHEN IS BARBERFEST AND WHAT WILL THE TICKET PRICE BE? 9.30am to 6pm - Monday 6th July Tickets: £25 inc VAT WHO SHOULD ATTEND BARBERFEST? Barbershop owners, employers, barbering innovators and barbers that are curious about what ‘good’ looks like in products, skills and services.

Website coming February: barberfest.co.uk. Follow social FB Modern Barber/IG @modernbarbermag for updates.

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COME AND SEE...

THE LEARNING ZONES – AREAS WHERE YOU CAN GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH OUR PRESENTERS AND ASK FOR EXPERT HELP ON THE CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS YOU FACE IN BUSINESS AND IN TECHNIQUE. INCLUDING: THE CLIPPER CLINIC. THE SCISSOR CUT ZONE. THE BEARD AND SHAVE STOP, THE MANLY TREATMENT ROOM. THE BUSINESS SEMINARS. THE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS INCLUDING PRESENTATIONS FROM LIAM OAKES (@LIAMOAKESPHOTO).

THE INSPIRATION STAGE – PRESENTATIONS FROM PASSIONATE BARBERS AND KEY INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. THE NETWORKING HUB SPONSORED BY MVRCK BY PAUL MITCHELL – REFRESH AND CATCH UP WITH YOUR INDUSTRY PEERS. THE BRAND POP-UPS – BROWSE, BUY BUT MOST OF ALL DISCOVER OUR CURATED BRANDS WITH A MAXIMUM OF 20 REPRESENTING AN EDITED AND HIGH IMPACT RANGE OF BARBER RELEVANT BRANDS. INCLUDES: MVRCK BY PAUL MITCHELL.

6th July, Brighton 9.30am to 6pm Tickets £25

A unique blend of learning, inspiration, brand experiences and networking – BARBERFEST is a chance to stock up on technical skills including cutting, clipper work, shaving, treatments and photography PLUS get the gen on best business practice. There are just 20 brand popup’s and tons of learning opportunities along with our inspirational stage and HUB hangout.

Brand sponsor MVRCK

Tickets go on sale February. Follow for info IG and Twitter @modernbarbermag/ FB Modern Barber/barberfest.co.uk

REPORT

THE MODERN BARBER AWARDS. COMING 5TH JULY 2020 It’s time to get the recognition you and your business deserves. The Modern Barber Awards opens in February (check our IG @modernbarbermag for info). Entry is super easy and all online, so take the opportunity to showcase your brilliance.

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he Awards final takes place at PROUD in Brighton (proudcabaretbrighton.com), the sexiest of supper clubs by the sea. So mark your diaries and get ready for a fun night out. Here are the categories on offer, so get your thinking cap on.

BEST TEAM: Many barbershops refer to themselves as a ‘barber family’. This category will showcase the unbreakable bonds and the unified strength that together make a successful business that supports and delights a community and clientele.

BEST BUSINESS LEADER: Leadership qualities can manifest in the leaders of businesses both large and small. This category will celebrate the barbers with vision, purpose, commitment, tenacity and commercial strength.

BEST TRAINING: It all starts here! This category is about highlighting the training either of an Academy or a shop that best delivers superior standard skills into the hands of new and experienced barbers.

BEST COLOUR WORK IMAGE: The image that best captures what’s happening in men’s colour work right now.

BEST SHOP INTERIOR: Handsome, fit-for-purpose, interesting and enjoyable. A category that celebrates the best in high impact barbershop interiors.

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BEST APPRENTICE: The learner that is on track for greatness and on fire for their industry.

BEST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: Celebrating a customer experience that is utterly addictive. An experience that inspires word-ofmouth recommendations by delighting every customer.

BEST ‘BODY OF WORK’ (4 examples of client haircuts from the shop floor): This category celebrates day-to-day brilliance from the shop floor. Any barber with a smartphone and a will to win can enter their work. Criteria will include variety, technical excellence and skills on show. Thanks to category sponsor MVRCK by Paul Mitchell.

BEST PHOTOGRAPHIC ENTRY: The single show stunning image that best captures what’s current in men’s hair.

THE MODERN BARBER AWARDS TIMELINE ENTRY & TICKETS OPENS FEBRUARY 14TH: ONLINE ENTRY OPENS AT MODERNBARBERAWARDS.CO.UK. COMPLETE THE ONLINE FORM FOR YOUR CATEGORY AND DON’T FORGET TO UPLOAD EVIDENCE AND IMAGERY IN THE RIGHT FORMAT. IF YOU ARE SUBMITTING CAMERA PHONE IMAGES SET YOUR CAMERA TO HIGH QUALITY RESOLUTION! DON’T FORGET TO CLICK SUBMIT TO FINISH YOUR ENTRY. MAY 5TH: DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES ON ALL CATEGORIES. MAY 18TH: JUDGING AND FINALISTS ANNOUNCED. JULY 5TH: COME AND CELEBRATE, COME AND SUPPORT YOUR PEERS AND ABOVE ALL…MAKE SURE YOU COME TO THE MODERN BARBER AWARDS!

CATEGORIES BEST TEAM BEST BUSINESS LEADER BEST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE BEST APPRENTICE

CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS! Awards open for entry February 14th 2020. Easy online entry. Choose from nine categories that reflect your brilliance.

BEST COLOUR WORK BEST TRAINING BEST SHOP INTERIOR BEST PHOTOGRAPHIC ENTRY BEST ‘BODY OF WORK’

Mark your diary for the Modern Barber Awards event on 5th July at Proud Cabaret Club, Brighton Tickets £45pp available soon.

Book mark modernbarberawards.co.uk.

Follow FB Modern Barber Magazine/IG and Twitter @modernbarbermag for updates

CATEGORY SPONSOR

HENRI COPENHAGEN DENMARK

There’s a whole world of barbering out there, so every issue we bring you a little international insight.

FACTOIDS OWNERS/PARTNERS: Magnus Krysto Hirszhorn, Wilhelm Ostergaard, Daniel Hijazi, Jesper Hansen and Christopher Mitchell OPENED: Henri first opened in 2014. This second location opened in September 2019.

STAFF: 10 barbers and counting.

CLIENTS: All ages, all sizes and shapes. Average age 30’s.

APPOINTMENTS OR WALK-IN SERVICE. Availability for drop-ins but almost always fully booked on all chairs.

PRICES: Classic Haircut 380 DKK (44 GBP for 30 min)/Signature Hot Towel Shave 500 DKK (58 GBP for 45 min)/Two Classics Combo (80 GBP for 1 hr)/Signature Combo 900 DKK (100 GBP for 1 1/2 hr).

RANDOM: The barbers at Henri come from all walks of life – from a dancing drag queen to a graffiti artist, from Denmark to South Africa. Weirdly, it works!

MUST SEE: FB henriskbh/IG henri. dk/web henri.dk.

F E AT U R E

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he beautiful Scandi city of Copenhagen is all class and so are its barbershops. Take Henri for example, a shop that manages to match elegant with handsome and deliver a modern barbering experience in spades to its growing customer base. Henri has just opened its second shop on the most exclusive shopping street in the Frederiksberg district of the city. Owners Magnus Krysto Hirszhorn, Wilhelm Ostergaard, Jesper Hansen, Daniel Hijazi and Christopher Mitchell had a vision of a modern take on a traditional barbershop that had an interior that reflected the quality of the service. Magnus says “We do everything ourselves and it’s a big learning process switching between shaving, accounting and social media and then to interior design to create a strong visual identity that connects everything but we learn from our mistakes and try to make ourselves better as we go.”

It’s a pioneer approach that’s been driven by the fact that barbering as a profession all but died out years ago in Denmark.

“Like most other countries there used to be barbers on every corner here but in the late sixties and early seventies, men started growing their hair longer and longer. The traditional barbers refused to adapt to the latest fashion, believing the old looks would return and one by one they turned the key and closed their shops for good. When we opened five years ago you could literary count the number of barbers in Copenhagen on one hand. Now things have changed and new barbers pop up almost monthly. We have seen a big change in the industry where the cheaper hairdressers usually just change their logos and interiors to a ‘barbershop theme’. The blue and red striped look was damaging the reputation of the trade and in part it’s why we developed a different kind of identity,” explains Magnus.

Business is booming but it hasn’t been without its challenges. As a newly rekindled industry barbering in Denmark 18 / WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK

F E AT U R E

PHOTOGRAPHY: JESPER PALERMO

had little or no workforce. A massive problem for a growing barber business with vision. Magnus was forced to throw the net wide which has turned out to be a brilliant asset. He says “We couldn’t hire local barbers at the pace that we wanted, meaning we started looking for barbers in other countries.

Now we have a great and diverse team of barbers from Denmark, UK, South Africa and Australia. We offer good working conditions and Copenhagen is an amazing place to live, so being able to offer that to barbers from other countries has been eye opening!”

Jesper is the administrative backbone and actually works remotely from abroad. Magnus takes care of visual identity, store interior and brand development and Christopher is a barber and manages the new shop. It’s their shared vision and their focus on their love of the business that keeps each partner working in harmony. “Our customers are the reason we have a business In the first place, and we’ve got so many good relationships and met so many interesting people during the years. We love that we have got the chance to grow our business in so many different ways and directions while having our loyal clients with us on the journey,” adds Magnus.

Magnus and the team are already on to their next adventure, finalising their own line of products and expanding their own line of handcrafted combs. If you are ever in Copenhagen, look them up!

“WE LOVE THAT WE HAVE GOT THE CHANCE TO GROW OUR BUSINESS IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND DIRECTIONS WHILE HAVING OUR LOYAL CLIENTS WITH US ON THE JOURNEY,”

The five partners bring their unique skills and talents to the business and lead with different roles. Daniel is a barber and team leader. Wilhelm is a barber and produces all the content for the businesses social and web channels and is even developing a series of podcast interviews with clients.

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F E AT U R E RUFFIAN’S BARBERS DENNIS THE MENACE THEMED LOO

BOG STANDARD MB’s been in a lot of barbershop loos and some of them have been a horror show. The smallest room can make the biggest impact, so why not make it a good one?

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ven though the handsome chairs, the custom built workstations and the app controlled lighting may well have soaked up the lion’s share of the barbershop build budget, you’ll be taking a risk if you don’t lavish any care at all on your shop loo. If you’ve been in any service or hospitality business where the loo’s are dark, dirty or in any way ‘off brand’ then it probably left a poor lasting impression. Hygiene standards in barbershops demonstrate professionalism and customer care

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and protect you and your customer from infection. A bad bog will let the side down and cast doubt in the customers mind when it comes to standards of cleanliness and professionalism elsewhere. As prices push up and services get longer, it’s increasingly likely that your customers are going to have to visit the loo. Ruffians Barbers has four standalone shops and one store concession. Founder Andrew Cannon has made all the mistakes over the years and got the T-shirt when it comes to building shops, he says “Yes, we’ve have had our ups and downs with our loos. In Edinburgh

F E AT U R E Era Barbershop in Barnsley (@era.barbershop) has ensured that their minimalist look and feel and the standards that they uphold during their services roll on into the loo experience.

Owner Kaine Parker admits that while a barbershop doesn’t have to go overboard (“We aren’t opening a bathroom showroom!”) the loo is an important consideration to make both customers and staff comfortable. “Having a clean and presentable facility for me, is a requirement for any shop providing a service where customers have a small waiting time. After all, when you gotta go, you gotta go!” says Kaine.

The team share the responsibility of toilet cleaning and all muck-in. He says “I am sure most would agree that having a toilet to clean as part of your ‘to do’ list is usually at the bottom of the list or not on it at all but with having a lot of customers pass through our shop daily, we ensure that it is a daily task, just like sweeping up hair. If it’s clean enough to cut in then its clean enough to......in!”

TOP 5 TIPS FOR BOG BEST PRACTICE CLEAN – LIKE SUPER CLEAN. START HERE BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT ALL IS LOST. YOU CAN TRY THE ‘PLEASE LEAVE THIS TOILET HOW YOU FOUND IT’ SIGNS BUT DON’T DEPEND ON IT. CHECK OFTEN.

ERA BARBERSHOP’S PRISTINE LOO

“ WE USE THE SAME CRACKLED METRO TILES WE HAVE ON THE SHOP FLOOR AND USE A DENNIS THE MENACE WALLPAPER AS A NOD BACK TO OUR SCOTTISH ROOTS. THE LIGHTS AND ENAMELWARE ARE ALL GREAT, VERY COMFY ON YOUR BOTTOM AND AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.” we did not do much more than put a lick of paint and put on a new seat, to make it look nice because we figured ‘who uses the loo at a barber shop?’ No one, right? Wrong! So we quickly learnt our lesson and since then we’ve made our toilets, ‘eat-your-breakfast-off-the-floor-clean’, look cool and suited to our Ruffians personality. We use the same crackled metro tiles we have on the shop floor and use a Dennis the Menace wallpaper as a nod back to our Scottish roots. The lights and enamelware are all great, very comfy on your bottom and aesthetically pleasing. One other thing I am very proud of is that we buy our loo roll through ‘Who Gives a Crap’ – it’s the BEST toilet paper out there – 100% recycled and 50% of the profits go to charity – amazeballs, right? You can literally feel great…like you’re doing your bit for society… whilst doing your number two.”

LIGHTING AND HEATING – GREAT LIGHTING CAN SHOW OFF YOUR BEAUTIFULLY CLEAN LOO AND FEELS WELCOMING AND SAFE, AFTER ALL YOU’VE GOT NOTHING TO HIDE, RIGHT? AN ARCTIC TEMPERATURE WILL MAKE YOUR CUSTOMERS FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE EXPOSING THEIR TENDER PARTS, SO KEEP IT WARM. MIRRORS – DON’T BE MEAN HERE. THEY’VE PROBABLY JUST HAD A FRESH FADE, SO LET THEM ADMIRE IT! DESIGN – THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DELIGHT. IT’S NOT A LOT OF SPACE TO WORK WITH BUT YOU COULD CHOOSE TO MAKE IT A POSITIVE TALKING POINT. DETAILS – NICE TOWELS, GREAT LOO PAPER, GOOD SOAP, A PLACE TO PUT THEIR PHONE WHILE THEY PEE – IT WON’T COST A FORTUNE TO MAKE THAT CUSTOMER FEEL THE LOVE FROM YOUR LOO.

WORST OFFENDERS TEA CUPS IN THE SINK NO TOILET SEAT DIRTY SHAVING TOWELS HEAPED ON THE FLOOR NO LOO PAPER AND/OR TOWEL NO LOCK NO WORKING LIGHT NO DOOR HANDLE! ALSO STORAGE AREA FOR MOP/BUCKET/BICYCLE/GENERAL SUPPLIES WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK / 21

F E AT U R E HAIR: SAM COOK PHOTO@POOCHPURTILLPHOTOGRAPHY

It’s definitely niche however making an impact with eye-popping colour is on the rise. MB spoke with two barbers that are having fun with brights.

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F E AT U R E

ivienne Howe (@barberfly) has 14 years of colour experience and is happy creating natural looks for hair and beards but also loves a quirky colour that is strong enough to make you squint. Around 10% of her clients go for colour services. Vivienne says “I don’t think that many barbershops offer colour services because colour isn’t really taught on barber courses but I really enjoy offering something different. My favourite vibrant colour is Manic Panic, it blends well and importantly it’s cruelty-free.” The main challenge that Vivienne has found in delivering colour services is educating the client and helping them understand that what they want may not be achievable in one sitting or at a budget that they are happy to pay. For barbers Vivienne recommends ensuring that the customer has optimal hair and scalp health to get the best results.

“I MEAN IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO COLOUR, YOU MAY AS WELL MAKE IT STAND OUT. I’M MASSIVELY INSPIRED BY JARRED LIDDINGTON AND THE RECENT WORK THAT LUKA CHITTY HAS DONE. I KNEW I COULDN’T DO THE COLOUR BUT JUST COLLABORATING ON A LOOK WAS SO MUCH FUN AND I WAS SO HAPPY WITH THE RESULT.” Sam Cook (@element__sam) of Element Cutz Barbershop in Okehampton doesn’t offer colour services (yet) but his fascination with colour led to an awesome collaboration with Kylee Marie (@kyleemariehair). Sam says “I love real mega bright in-your-face colours. I mean if you are going to do colour, you may as well make it stand out. I’m massively inspired by Jarred Liddington and the recent work that Luka Chitty has done. I knew I couldn’t do the colour but just collaborating on a look was so much fun and I was so happy with the result.” There isn’t a massive demand for pop colour in Sam’s sleepy corner of Devon but he managed to find an incredible model (@ghostface.billah) that was up for a strong look. Sam cut the hair and Kylee created the colour with Pulp Riot. The image graces the wall of his shop right next to his work station and it’s a massive talking point. “Customers love it. They see references to ‘The Joker’ and the ‘The Prodigy’ and it’s a great way to show off my creativity,” adds Sam.

HAIR: VIVIENNE HOWE

COLOUR BEST PRACTICE SKIN TEST – DON’T MESS WITH THIS STEP. ANY PERMANENT OR SEMI-PERMANENT DYES INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS NEED A SKIN PATCH TEST 48 HOURS AHEAD OF THE SERVICE. PEOPLE ACTUALLY DIE FROM ALLERGIC REACTIONS. JUST DAB TINT BEHIND THE EAR AND LEAVE. IF THERE IS A REACTION, DO NOT PERFORM THE SERVICE. THIS GOES FOR ANY CUSTOMER EVEN IF THEY HAD THEIR HAIR DYED SIX MONTHS AGO. GEN UP ON THE COLOUR WHEEL – EVERY COLOUR MANUFACTURER CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A COLOUR WHEEL. IT’S A HANDY TOOL TO GUIDE YOU ON TONE CHOICE AND HELP YOU ANTICIPATE RESULTS. CONDITION – ASSESS THE CONDITION OF THE HAIR. BAD CONDITION MEANS POROUS HAIR WHICH CAN MEAN AN UNEVEN RESULT AND IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO HAIR JUST BREAKING OFF.

PROTECT YOURSELF – YOU ARE JUST AS LIKELY TO DIE FROM THE DYE AS THE CUSTOMER, SO GLOVE UP AND WHACK ON AN APRON.

PROTECT THE CLIENT – ASK YOUR CLIENT NOT TO WASH THEIR HAIR THE DAY BEFORE OR THE DAY OF THE SERVICE AS THIS HELPS PROTECT THE SCALP WITH A NATURAL OIL BARRIER. GOWN THE CLIENT UP, ADD A PLASTIC COLOURING CAPE. SMEAR PETROLEUM JELLY AROUND THE HAIRLINE AS A BARRIER FOR THE SKIN. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! – DON’T GO OFF PISTE WHEN IT COMES TO THE MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS. FOLLOW RATIO ADVICE AND TIMINGS. WATCH THE CLOCK AND THE CLIENT – KEEP AN EYE ON THE TIME AND ON THE HAIR. THE TIMINGS ARE A GUIDELINE, SO CAREFULLY ASSESS THE RESULTS AS THE COLOUR PROCESSES.

COLOUR TYPES BLEACH – STRIPS THE HAIR OF PIGMENT…TOTALLY. IF YOU LEAVE IT ON LONG ENOUGH. IT ALSO BLOWS THE CUTICLE AND DAMAGES THE HAIR, SO LOTS OF TLC IS REQUIRED AFTER BLEACHING.

TONER – USED TO ‘INFLUENCE’ A BASE COLOUR RATHER THAN TRANSFORM IT. THINK ‘ICY’ BLONDE INSTEAD OF GOLDEN. PERMANENT COLOUR/TINT – BONDS NEW PIGMENT INTO THE HAIR.

SEMI-PERMANENT COLOUR/TINT – NOT AS DAMAGING TO THE HAIR BUT NOT AS LONG LASTING. VEGETABLE DYE – TEMPORARY AND MIGHT END UP ON YOUR SHIRT IF YOU GET CAUGHT IN THE RAIN!

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INSIDE Barbershops make the best handsome hair destinations and the ultimate hub to welcome customers old and new.

MB takes a look inside…

TEDDY EDWARDS CUTTING ROOMS SEVEN DIALS 85 DYKE ROAD BRIGHTON, BN1 3JE 24 / WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK

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O

WNER: Alex Burt SOCIAL: IG @teddyedwardsbarbers/FB Teddy Edwards Cutting Rooms OPENED: March 2019 BUDGET: £35K. Mostly on building work. The original Teddy Edwards next door to the new premises had long been outgrown.

The new premises was an old insurance company. Owner, Alex had been coveting it for years. Next biggest chunk of change went on the five matching Apollo 2 Belmont chairs.

Build took three months.

BUILD: The building hadn’t been touched for 40 years.

Builders had to strip it back to brick and rebuild the floor, there was even some wattle and daub uncovered! Alex invested in the fabric of the building, fixtures and fittings to try and futureproof the business avoiding ongoing repairs and more disruption down the road.

BRIEF: Alex did the design and layout of the shop himself but worked with a visual merchandiser to perfect the interior. Brief was to avoid any well-worn aesthetic and create something fresh, personalised to the brand, welcoming and inspirational – all with a heavy dose of ‘Teddy Edwards’ blue as the colourway and a nod to the traditional barbershop. The five chair cutting floor is raised off the street. The ground floor is devoted to a retail, a waiting area and a comfortable staff room where barbers can get some peace.

WHAT’S UNIQUE: The six foot Japanese barber pole that popped up on Alex’s IG feed after following local architectural salvage companies. Apparently in Japan barbershops tend to cluster to one street, so the shops use different colours and sizes of poles to differentiate their businesses. Now one of them is differentiating Teddy Edwards!

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F E AT U R E

After the wildest of rides personally and professionally, it’s a fresh new dawn for Danny Robinson, his business and his family. His Instagram stories will never be the same again but that’s OK because real life doesn’t happen online. Here he shares his story from TV fame to Insta’infamy and beyond...

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F E AT U R E

I started doing TV, commercials and a bit of modelling at 13, so when I left school I successfully applied to a Performing Arts College in Manchester City Centre. In three months I was spotted by a Casting Director and for two solid years I worked constantly in shows like Shameless and Spooks. I kind of got typecast, all chavvy roles. The role offers started to dry up and my mum told me I needed a back-up job, a skill. I’d always cut my own hair, had tramlines and lines in my eyebrows. I hadn’t really thought of hairdressing but in 2004 I found training with the best salon in the area.

All the barbers in the area at the time were dressed like Doctors and had grey hair and a fag in their top pocket, so barbering didn’t even enter my head. I didn’t really get hairdressing.

All these women were terrified of a 20 year old chav dressed head to foot in Lacoste and then I got sacked for refusing to wear a tunic at College. I came into a bit of money, so I invested in a private intensive course over 12 months and my teacher on the course is now my wife! That was the best investment. I tried hairdressing at the Hair Cuttery, a kind of cheap-andcheerful place which really threw me into the deep end. I ended up with all the men’s business but soon moved to a visionary high-end business run by Apprentice contestant Adele Lock called Gentry Grooming Company. I learned so much. I might act thick but it’s a front. I’m a sponge for information and I learn fast. I learned a lot from Adele about marketing and sales but it was a high pressure environment, so I moved to a proper barbershop called Carlos Barbers in Royton. I was trying to do high-end cuts for a fiver but this place was totally different. The customers didn’t give a shit, they just wanted to pay a fiver to get shorter hair, although I did witness Carlos knocking out a fade in about four minutes. After five years it was boring and everyone knew

each other’s business. Carlos would go away and leave me in charge. I was a busy barber giving him the best part of £400 a week and thinking ‘is that it?’ One night after work I was hungry and looking for a chippy. The one in Royton was closed, so I drove on to Shaw. I didn’t know the area and took a wrong turn and spotted an empty shop. I often think that I have a guardian angel because I got my food, got in the car and suddenly thought…rent that shop. This was 2013 and I called the agent to ask about the rent which turned out to be £80 a week. Six weeks later I had my first shop, a wife, a toddler and a newborn baby. I was laser focussed on my USP which was young adults and school kids. I put in a TV and Xbox, I was anal about business forecasts. I am a massive fan of the Law of Attraction and I knew exactly what I wanted…win awards, work with a clipper company, enter competitions. I had it all down and it all happened. I won Oldham Business Awards, I entered MHFed and ultimately got on the team. I finalised for Wahl Barber of the Year, which was an incredible experience. In a year from opening my shop I was demonstrating at the Wella Academy for the MHFed and over the following three years, I did every major hair show. I’m a massive clipper geek and when my clippers needed mending I contacted the distributor. I ultimately built a relationship there and in 2015 they asked me to be an ambassador. Then after that everything started to fall apart.

I was pulling 10 hour days with lots of travel. I was never at home. I still only had one shop but now I had a massive house that added to the isolation. The kids were always asleep when I got home and by 2016 my marriage had fallen apart and I had moved into an apartment. I took my eye off the ball. The real reason why I wanted to build a better life was for my kids. As the child of a single parent family I never wanted that for my kids and that’s where we were at.

It was soul destroying. I didn’t react well to how my life had changed. Looking back now that period of time was just a void. I hung out with a lot of people that were in my life for all the wrong reasons.

There were two good things that came out of it. I met someone that rented me space in affluent Upper Mill at the back of her salon, which gave me a commercial foothold in such a well sought after area plus I found Kilian Maddison who came from Savills and is now my manager. Kilian is now pivotal to my business. Other than that, it was a dark time. I was sat in a nice apartment, dressed in Stone Island with a fancy watch on my wrist and a Range Rover parked outside and I felt like I had nothing of value. If anything I was bored.

The mad Instagram stories, the drink and the rest, it was all boredom. I had no focus. I reached rock bottom.

“I WAS PULLING 10 HOUR DAYS WITH LOTS OF TRAVEL. I WAS NEVER AT HOME. I STILL ONLY HAD ONE SHOP BUT NOW I HAD A MASSIVE HOUSE THAT ADDED TO THE ISOLATION. THE KIDS WERE ALWAYS ASLEEP WHEN I GOT HOME AND BY 2016 MY MARRIAGE HAD FALLEN APART AND I HAD MOVED INTO AN APARTMENT. I TOOK MY EYE OFF THE BALL.”

By Christmas Day 2018 I went all out on the kids and wife with tons of gifts and rocked up at the house. The kids loved it but my wife Sam was unimpressed. She isn’t materialistic at all.

She said “Are you done now?” I asked her what she meant. She said “Are you done with all the bullshit? Are you ready to really grow up and come home?” It was a scary time because we WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK / 27

F E AT U R E XXXXXXX

had to really commit, to make sure that the kids weren’t messed about but I moved back in in early 2019 and life has literally been like Disney magic ever since. My life is back on track and I could not be more grateful if I tried. Doors started opening… Kilian had a client that worked for F1 and he was relentless in putting together a deal to create a pop-up at Silverstone. The first one happened in 2019 and Danny and Co barbers now has a contract to provide pop-up’s for F1 and MOTO GP. My wife is an incredible hairdresser and has worked at Sassoon and Trevor Sorbie, so I asked her to update my skills. I knew I wasn’t maximising my cutting potential. I wasn’t being the barber I wanted to be and so I asked her to give me training. She’s helped me get rid of a lot of bad cutting habits and it’s given the kids a laugh! She will open her own salon under the Sassoon banner in the spring, another thing that just fell into place. She encouraged me to use smaller scissors instead of 6.5 inch scissors, so that my work can be more precise. It was these skills that got me the ‘NHBF Best of British Haircut of the Year’ trophy which is a live cutting contest at Salon International. I used visualisation skills and I could literally imagine taking the trophy, again everything just fell into place. My wife was there to see me win, which meant so much. Kilian won in 2017 and he’s been driving me nuts ever since, so I couldn’t let that get away. At last I’ve managed to shut him up.

After a very dark three years, I’m now feeling incredibly positive. I was lost and through the support of my family

and my incredible team including Kilian, Ash and Cal, I’m on track and focussed on the future. They have my back and I have theirs. So a big thanks to them for sticking with me. I do get messages and people saying they want the ‘Old Danny’ back but that Danny no longer exists. I am returned, stronger, wiser and thicker skinned. I sacrificed my family for three years of being a wrecking ball and I don’t recommend it. Life has taught me a lot of lessons and I’m happy to share them with anyone that asks. Now is a good place and that’s where I’m staying.”

DANNY’S BOOK LIST THE SECRET AND THE MAGIC BY RHONDA BYRNE. “THE SECRET WAS RECOMMENDED BY MY ACTING TUTOR. IT PULLS YOU OUT OF A NEGATIVE MIND SET AND TEACHES YOU TO BE THANKFUL AND THINK POSITIVELY.” 28 / WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK

THE CHIMP PARADOX BY DR STEVE PETERS. “THIS BOOK REALLY HIT HOME THE MOST. IT’S HELPED ME ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MY MIND WORKS.”

THE SCIENCE OF GETTING RICH BY WALLACE D WATTLES. “THIS BOOK WAS PUBLISHED IN 1910. AGAIN THIS BOOK IS ABOUT MIND SET AND HOW BELIEF IN PROSPERITY, WEALTH AND SUCCESS CAN HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN.”

GUERRILLA MARKETING

BY J C LEVINSON. “HELPED ME SIGNIFICANTLY WITH UNDERSTANDING MY USP AND TARGET AUDIENCE.”

Inspire talent.

Unleash creativity.

Are you looking to hire an apprentice or upskill your existing team? Then look no further, Interserve Learning & Employment are here to support your business to flourish.

Our personalised training programmes are delivered by experienced and qualified professionals. We’ll work around you to ensure that your apprentice receives the highest quality of training and a valuable qualification – all without interrupting day-to-day business.

Programmes include: Apprenticeships (for those 16 years old plus)  Level 2 hairdressing and barbering professional apprenticeship  Level 3 hairdressing and barbering apprenticeship Adult learning programmes (for those 19 years old plus)  Level 2 and 3 NVQ hairdressing standalone  Level 2 and 3 NVQ barbering standalone You’re in safe hands with us. We’re the first and only UK training provider to offer the prestigious Wahl Men’s Method training and certification.

So what are you waiting for? Share your expertise, develop your team and grow your business.

Inspiring talent

Let’s talk. Get in touch today:  Hello@interserve.com

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Eligibility criteria applies.

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CLIPPERS! BEST SELLER

WAHL CORDLESS SUPER TAPER

It’s the workhorse of the trade and can help make a great haircut easier and faster (if not better), it’s also a fiercely protected asset. A recent IG poll revealed that a whopping 80% of barbers think that touching another barber’s clippers should be a hanging offence! The same poll series revealed that around 43% of barbers own over five pairs of clippers and 73% of barbers paid over £100 for each pair. Here’s our round up of clippers on offer…

Powerful, durable and reliable this clipper can be used on or off the cord and features lithium battery technology delivering consistent cutting power throughout the 90 minute run time. There’s a convenient adjustable thumb lever to change the taper and texture without changing blades. Combs with #1-4 guards and 1 year warranty.

From £88.79 inc VAT

BABYLISS PRO CORDLESS SUPER MOTOR CLIPPER Delivers high powered cord or cordless use with advanced lithium technology for sustained power performance. Features a high-torque brushless motor for supreme power and a faster blade speed to ensure effortless, high quality cutting through longer, thicker hair. The Cordless Super Motor Clipper also features 5 position taper control, 6 comb attachments and an all-metal housing design for ultimate professional durability and usage.

RRP: £160.00 inc VAT.

BEST FOR removing bulk OSTER HEAVY DUTY 97-60 Designed for continuous professional use, Oster’s Heavy Duty 97-60 Duty’s 35watt universal rotary motor is mains powered and will not only power through all textures of hair, it’s whisper quiet with low vibration.

Super versatile with the option of 10 different types of easily detachable blade for varying cutting length and style (it comes with a 0.25 mm, size 0000 blade).

Price: £186.00 inc VAT.

ANDIS SUPRA ZR II Designed for precision cutting, the Supra ZR ll delivers five adjustable blade speeds from 1,800 to 3,800 strokes per minute, for total control. Its powerful rotary motor glides effortlessly through every hair type – fine or coarse. There’s a removable lithium-ion battery pack with 50% longer runtime, a total of 180 minutes of cutting time. Comes with a size 000 ceramic blade. One year warranty. RRP: £255.00 inc VAT.

JRL FR1090 Fast charging Lithium ion battery. Patented technology that turbo boots the engine when working with coarse, dense hair textures and senses blade resistance, revving up the motor speed. Patented stay-cool technology with rust-free, self-sharpening titanium blades. US price $90.00.

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ANDIS MASTER CORDLESS CLIPPER The Master Cordless’ powerful lithium-ion battery provides 90 minutes of runtime and weighs nearly 30% less than the corded version of the product. Ideal for tapering and fading, the Master Li blade adjusts from size 000 – 1 with the flick of a lever. Constant motor speed technology ensures it won’t drag or stall – even when cutting the thickest hair. The precision adjustable carbon-steel blade that stays sharp longer and an unbreakable aluminium housing that protects the mechanics of the clipper. RRP: £250.00 inc VAT.

WAHL CORDLESS SENIOR Precision fading and closer cutting.

Powerful motor that generates a higher blade speed with increased torque for more cutting power.

Features Lithium Ion battery technology for fast charging and consistent cutting power. Featuring a 70 minute run time on a single charge. Convenient thumb lever adjusts the taper and texture without changing blades. Aluminium metal bottom housing provides a sturdy grip with a weighted feel for precision and control. Adjustable thin profile blade for precision fades, with a flat bottom that allows for closer cutting. Includes #0.5, 1.5, 1-8 and 1 year warranty.

RRP: £149.99 inc VAT.

BEST FOR fading

BABYLISS PRO TITANIUM FOIL SHAVER

OSTER PRO-POWER 606-60 CLIPPER Heavy duty performance clipper with an adjustable blade. The Oster Pro-Power has a powerful, silent pivot motor with twice the power of an electromagnetic motor for reliable heavy-duty performance on both wet and dry hair. Adjustable blade with touch lever control, making it easy to adjust the same blade between size 000 (0.5 mm) and size 1 (2.4 mm). Plus it comes with 4 attachment combs (blending, 1/2”, 3/8” and 1/4”).

Price: £102.00 inc VAT.

Twin hypoallergenic titanium foils that deliver a closecut, professional finish and a powerful battery that gives 120 mins of precision fading run-time from a full charge. It’ll recharge in just 3 hours, but don’t worry if you run out of juice mid-fade as you can just plug it in and run it on its 3-metre cord.

The Babyliss Pro Titanium Foil Shaver is supplied with a cleaning brush, storage pouch and power cord.

Price: £63.00 inc VAT.

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TARIQ HOWES (@TARIQHOWES) “SO WHEN I’M LOOKING FOR CLIPPERS I LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT’S GOING HAVE A GREAT BATTERY LIFE AS I’M ALWAYS DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH THEM. I ALSO NEED A POWERFUL MOTOR AND A GOOD BLADE, AS I DEAL WITH MANY DIFFERENT TEXTURES OF HAIR; HAVING SAID THAT THE CLIPPERS THAT I FIND DO THIS THE BEST FOR ME ARE THE WAHL SENIORS OR THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CLIPPERS. I HAVE THEM BOTH AND THEY’RE MY GO-TO CLIPPERS. I’VE TRIED MOST OF THE CLIPPERS ON THE MARKET AND I SEEM TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS THESE. THERE ARE LOADS OF NEW CLIPPERS JUST COMING OUT THAT LOOK GREAT. I THINK IT’S THE BEST IT’S BEEN AS FAR AS CLIPPERS, ESPECIALLY ON THE UK MARKET RIGHT NOW AS THE BEST OF THE AMERICAN CLIPPERS WE’VE WATCHED PEOPLE USE OVER THE YEARS, ARE NOW AVAILABLE HERE AND THE BEST THING IS THEY ARE MAINLY WIRELESS TOO!”

JOSH GROCUTT (@JOSH_GROCUTT11) “PERSONALLY I’VE TRIED MOST CLIPPERS AND SEEM TO GO BACK TO THE ONES THAT LAST THE LONGEST, IT’S EASIEST TO GET CHEAP REPLACEMENT PARTS AND THE BRAND HAS GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE TO WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG. I LOOK FOR THE POWER IN A CLIPPER AND THE LONGEVITY OF IT. THERE ARE TOO MANY THAT DROP POWER QUICKLY! I PERSONALLY PREFER CORDLESS AS I HATE WIRES TANGLING AND GENERALLY CABLES SNAP MORE WHILE I’M TRAVELLING ABOUT A LOT. IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, I GO FOR POWER AND BATTERY FIRST AND BLADES LAST, AS MOST CAN BE CHANGED TO WHAT YOU LIKE.”

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WAHL CORDLESS DETAILER LI Featuring a high precision T-Blade for edge lining, sharp outlines and shape-ups. 100 minutes cordless run time in a lightweight, stylish design. Features a quiet, professional rotary motor providing a powerful trimming action with low vibration. The close cutting, extra-wide T-Shaped blade enables straighter shapeups and produces faster cutting results. Blade can be adjusted to zero overlap for ultra-close cutting. Includes blade guard and 3 attachment combs (grades 0.5 – 1.5) and 1 Year Warranty. Price: £129.59 inc VAT.

BEST FOR shaping up

OSTER ARTISAN 59-84 Extremely fine, precision heavy duty trimmer.

Compact, lightweight and comfortable to hold, for precision edging and finishing. It comes with a size 000, wide T-blade perfect for trimming around ears and the neckline or for facial grooming of sideburns, beards and moustaches. The pivot motor, which has twice the power of an electromagnetic trimmer. Matt black casing and 2 attachment combs, #4 and #6 included. Price: £101.99 inc VAT.

GAMMA ABSOLUTE HITTER TRIMMER Includes full Black, Rose Gold, and Chrome body kits to create 12 different custom modifications.

Universal micro USB charger for worldwide use and Black Diamond Carbon, rust-free blade.

Lithium-ion battery delivers 4-hours of cordless run-time with a 2-hour rapid charge. Blade can be easily zero gapped for the closest cut and finish.

Supercharged Rotary motor cuts through any hair type in a single tap. Price: £100 inc VAT.

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IAN HARROLD (@IANHARROLD1)

ANDIS CORDLESS T-OUTLINER Perfect for outlining. Powered with a lithium-ion battery offering 100 minutes of run time. The high-speed rotary motor provided blade speeds of 7,300 strokes a minute for effective and efficient cutting with smooth, seamless results. The carbon steel blade has the ability to be zero gapped for the closest cut on all hair types.

Comes with 4 combs. Price: £149.00 inc VAT.

“I USE THREE CLIPPERS AND TWO OUTLINER CLIPPERS. FOR THE BULK OF MY CLIPPER WORK I USE MY OSTER MOTOR DRIVEN CLIPPER FOR ITS POWER AND BLADES AND FOR AFRO HAIR I USE A WAHL SENIOR, BATTERY LIFE IS GOOD AND SO IS THE BLADE. FOR OUTLINERS I USE ANDIS SLIMLINE PRO LI FOR CLEAN LINES AND THE ANDIS CORDLESS T OUTLINERS FOR THE MOTOR, THIS IS VERY POWERFUL AND GOOD FOR BLENDING IN SKIN FADES. I NEVER LIKED THE VIBRATION IN MAGNETIC DRIVEN CLIPPERS SO AFTER MY TRAINING I MOVED TO OSTER CLIPPERS, THEY ALSO PERFORM BETTER WHEN WORKING CLIPPER-OVERCOMB AS I DON’T USE CLIPPER ATTACHMENTS.”

MOTOR TYPES MAGNETIC MAINTENANCE FREE, LONG LASTING AND WITH HARDLY ANY MOVING PARTS. THE MOTOR RELIES ON A SPRING AND ELECTROMAGNET WHICH CAUSES THE BLADES TO VIBRATE BACK AND FORTH.

ROTARY A REAL WORKHORSE MOTOR. A GREAT BALANCE OF POWER, WEIGHT AND BLADE SPEED. PERFECT FOR REMOVING BULK AND HEAVY DUTY CUTTING. VARIABLE SPEEDS IMPROVE VERSATILITY.

BABYLISS SUPER MOTOR TRIMMER This heavy-duty trimmer features a choice of 2 interchangeable Japanese steel blades with super sharp V cutting angle, zero gap adjustment for precision and control. Long-life lithium battery, high-torque brushless motor delivers high power performance for clean, close cutting. Includes 6mm and 10mm combs.

Price: £83.99 inc VAT.

PIVOT TWICE THE POWER OF A MAGNETIC MOTOR BUT LOWER SPEEDS. QUIET, COOL RUNNING AND LONG LASTING. GOOD FOR THICK HAIR. THE MECHANISM BENEATH THE BLADES PIVOTS BETWEEN TO ELECTROMAGNETS TO CREATE THE CUTTING ACTION.

BLADE BENEFITS STEEL – EASY TO SHARPEN AND CLEAN, EASY TO MAINTAIN, RELATIVELY CHEAP AND WIDELY AVAILABLE. CERAMIC – RUST-FREE, RUN COOL, HARD WEARING AND DELIVER A SMOOTH, FAST CUT. WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK / 33

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Hold the damn phone!

Modern Barber now has a live cutting stage at a host of UK hair shows including Salon International and HJ Live.

DALE HINCE

HAIR: JOSH GROCUTT HAIR: KEVIN LUCHMUN

YOUR STAGE 34 / WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK

HAIR:TONI & GUY

Y TEAM

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HAIR: JAMES BEAUMONT JARRED LIDDINGTON AND TEAM

T

CAL NEWSOME

he MB collab kicked off with Salon International last October when around 4000 barbers visited the event and this year the roadshow keeps rolling. Put 29th and 30th March and 10th – 12th October 2020 in your diary and come and see the back-to-back stage education available on the Modern Barber stage.

Here’s a retrospective of the amazing talent that made the roll call last October at Excel and Manchester Event City.

WEZ JONES

Big thanks go to our 2019 stage stars: Hannah McKnight, Dale Hince, MR Barbers Team, Vivienne Howe, Wez Jones, Paddy Corrigan, Warren Flynn, Tom Chapman, Luke Dolan, Charlotte Roberts, Off Cut Barbers, Emma Richardson and Siobhan Moriarty-Jones for BFBA, Danny & Co, Kevin Luchmun, Leah Cassidy, Toni & Guy, Jacks of London, Tony Haresign & Allan Stone, Jody Taylor, Kieron Price, Baldy, John Mosely, Christian Wiles, Artemens, Tom Baxter, Justin Carr, Joe Mills & Joe and Co Team, The Wild Hare, Jarred Liddington & Jarred’s Barbers Team, Mike Taylor and GBBA Team, James Beaumont, Murdock London, Menspire, Manifesto, Ross Charles, Paul Farr, Kieran Evans, Josh Grocutt, Faz Malik, Gould Barbers team, Ghost Barbers, Lina Bonsor, Cal Newsome, Jay Roberts, Wahl Artistic Team, Hard Grind, Company of Master Barbers, Lee McNamara, Harry Tasker.

Thanks also to our amazing stage compère’s Edward Hemmings and Danny Robinson.

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F E AT U R E JOHN MOSELY

HANNAH MCKNIGHT

M

HAIR: JAY ROBERTS

B loves to celebrate the diverse skills found in barbering and it was all on show on the Modern Barber Stages last Autumn. The audience was treated to the creamiest of fades, eye-popping colours, creative shapes, patterns, long hair work, trend-led styles, beard shaping and shaves, handsomely polished shop floor inspiration and a whole heap of wisdom from our stage artists. Our hard working compères Edward Hemmings and Danny Robinson are two talented hair professionals in their own right – their insightful questions and brilliant summaries meant our audiences got even more out of every presentation.

The Modern Barber stage gives every audience unprecedented access to a varied snapshot of the current barbering industry. Come and visit our stages in 2020. Get up close and personal, ask questions, touch the hair, take pictures and get inspired!

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COLIN PETRIE AND TYLA BROWN

F E AT U R E EMMA MORIARTY-RICHARDSON

HAIR: MASON CLUTTERBUCK DALE HINCE

HAIR BY DANNY & CO

VISIT THE MODERN BARBER STAGE THIS MARCH Get your FREE ticket to the HJ LIVE show at Excel on 29th and 30th March 2020. Just go to hjlive.co.uk/ barber to register. Come by the Modern Barber Stage and soak up the skills on show and have a chat with our stage talent. Big thanks to the barbers that have committed to present their work on stage SO FAR… SUNDAY 29TH MARCH Danny Robinson & Kilian Madison of Danny and Co Barbers Jen Winters & Jacob Kilgore of Phoney Pony Barbers Carl Taylor & Frankie Abbott of Murdock London Siobhan Moriarty-Jones & Emma Richardson of Cavalier Club Barbershop Jak Finch & Charlie Rawles of MR Barbers Kieron Price & Arichman Perez of RAW Image Richard Tucker & Maxwell Oakley of Ruffians Afro specialists Hairforce 1 Team

MONDAY 30TH MARCH The Lions Barber Collective Afro specialists Benjamin Sharps & Claudino Silva Jack & Daniel Louis of Jack Louis Hair and Hudson’s Barbers Danny Robinson & Kilian Madison of Danny and Co Barbers Liam Kenny & Baldy of Baldy’s Barbers Joe Mills Team Follow FB @modernbarber and IG @modernbarbermag for updates.

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F E AT U R E

MARIA NILA STYLE & FINISH CLEANSING POWDER

NEW

A cleansing powder that instantly freshens up the hair. Apply product to dry hair for best results. PETA certified, 100% vegan and cruelty-free but they’re also paraben and sulphate-free too. Price: 60g/120g £6.99/£11.99 ex VAT. salon-services.com

MVRCK BY PAUL MITCHELL DRY PASTE

WAHL LIMITED EDITION ROSE GOLD SUPER TAPER The iconic Super Taper is available in this limited edition colourway with matching cape, water bottle and neck brush. Save £20 with the full kit. RRP £84.99. salon-services.com

GEAR

Adds volume, enhances texture and creates sculpted styles. Matt finish with medium mouldable hold. 113g.

RRP £18.95. salon-success.co.uk

KASHO SILVER SERIES SCISSORS Unique ratchet flat screw system. Available in sizes 5” through to 7”. High carbon stainless steel allow, resistant to corrosion and wear. Available in straight and offset.

Price from: £380 ex VAT. OFFER: VAT FREE. Bettersalonsupplies.co.uk

RUFFIANS MARINE SALT SPRAY

Includes organic kelp and bladder wrack seaweeds - packed full of minerals, vitamins and amino acids – to help promote hair growth and protect from pollutants and UV rays! Popular all year round.

60ml Price: £14.00. ruffians.co.uk

AMERICAN CREW BOOST POWDER

TAKARA BELMONT GT SPORTSMAN Inspired by a classic racing car seat, refined finish with precision stitching and customisable features, includes a wide range of colours and contrasting piping, Price from: £1,170.00 ex VAT. takarahairdressing.co.uk.

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Anti-gravity volume powder with matte finish. Gives hair lift, thickness and a matte finish Strong, lasting hold for controlled finished looks. Nourishes and tames facial hair. 10g. RRP £15.20. americancrew.com

F E AT U R E

MR MUK STRONG HOLD GRITTY FINISH PASTE A firm hold finishing paste with grit galore ideal for creating and re-working roughed up styles without flaking.

Water soluble so washes out.

100g. RRP £12.95. mukhairuk.com/mr-muk/

NEW

TAKARA BELMONT APOLLO 2 Barbershop classic, reclining back rest, adjustable and removable headrest, upholstered padded armrests, 360 degree rotation. Price from: £2095 ex VAT. OFFER: Buy 4 get 5th free in January and February only. Inc: Elite’s & Icon’s. T&C’s apply.

Bettersalonsupplies.co.uk

ANDIS CORDLESS T OUTLINER Perfect for outlining. Powered with a lithium-ion battery offering 100 minutes of run time. High speed rotary motor. The carbon steel blade has the ability to be zero gapped for the closest cut on all hair types. Comes with 4 combs.

Price: £149.00 inc VAT.

THE BLUEBEARDS REVENGE CLASSIC CREW NECK T SHIRT Made from 100% cotton, features a handdrawn design that’s inspired by the brand’s nautical heritage and flash art. Each jersey is independently printed by hand in the South West of England. RRP £14.99 inc VAT. bluebeards-revenge.co.uk.

THE BLUEBEARDS REVENGE SEA SALT SPRAY An innovative fixing spray that’s specially formulated with sea salt minerals to add texture, wave and volume to lifeless hair.

This vegan-friendly spray packs a classic British barbershop scent that’s sure to grab your client’s attention. RRP £9.99 inc VAT. bluebeards-revenge.co.uk.

DARK STAG PREMIUM STEEL RAZOR The Dark Stag premium straight razor is manufactured in stainless steel to provide a reassuring weight and stability alongside a stylish and traditional look. One blade can be snapped in half and therefore used for 2 separate clients, minimising cost and maximising efficiency. £16 ex VAT. darkstag.co.uk WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK / 39

P O R T F O L I O

T H E

H E A R T B R E A K B A R B E R S H O P H A I R : W EZ J O N ES @ W EZ_ J O N ES P H O T O G R A P H Y: LI AM O AKES @ LI AM O AKESPH O TO TO O LS: B AB YLI SS PR O

C L U B

M E R C E D E S

P A G I N T O N

H AI R : M ER CEDES PAGI NT ON @ M E RCEDESPAGI NT ON PH O TO G R A PHY: L I AM OAKES @L I AMOAKESPHOT O N EC KL ACE (PAGE 44): @ BRI CKJEWEL L ERY

M A R T I N

F O X

STR EET G O LD C O LLEC TI O N H A IR A N D P H O T OG R APH Y: M ARTI N FO X @ M ARTI N FO X666 M U A: SC AR LET FO X

L U K E

D O L A N

H A IR : L U K E D O LAN @ LU KE_ J AM ES_ D O LAN P H O TO G R APH Y: C H R I STI N A SKY P R O D U C TS: U PPER C U T D ELU XE

J A C K S

O F

L O N D O N

HAIR: JACKS OF L OND O N A RT T E A M @J A C K S O F L O N D O N U K PHOT OGRAPHY: BARRY MA K A R IO U STYL ING: RICCARDO CH IU D IO N I

F R A N C E S C O ’ S

HAIR: F R A N C E S C O ’S IP S WIS H – C A R L O C A RPASSO , C I R O D E LELLI S, FAB I O D E LELLI S AN D G I O VAN N I D E LELLI S P H O T O G R A P H Y: LI AM O AKES @ LI AM O AKESPH O TO

COMMUNITY

The SHAW Share “HOW WE MEET AND GREET OUR CLIENTS IS A HUGELY IMPORTANT PART OF THE SERVICE. I’M ALL ABOUT SETTING A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION, SO BE POSITIVE AND FRIENDLY AND THIS WILL SET YOU UP FOR THE DAY AHEAD.”

PLAN YOUR WORK AND WORK YOUR PLAN

THE SHAW SHOUTOUT

H

appy New Year to you all! This feels like something I say every year but with so much talent in the UK, I believe that 2020 will be the best yet for British barbering. It’s tradition to kick the New Year off with resolutions that will add value to our lives both personally and professionally, so I wanted to take this opportunity to share some tips that I feel can help you progress within your profession.

MAKE A PLAN - Take some time to look at where you are and what you want to achieve in the year ahead.

Whether you’re an apprentice or a shop owner, there are so many ways that you can improve.

LOOK AT YOUR TRAINING NEEDS - Recognising skills gaps and filling these with training are essential to keeping up with clients demands and trends that are changing all the time.

ARE THERE ANY NEW PRODUCTS THAT YOU CAN INTRODUCE TO INCREASE TURNOVER? - Whether it’s stocking retail products or adding new services, there are so many ways to create added value in your shop.

Here’s hoping that you all have a great start to the year and wishing everyone a prosperous 2020.

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KILIAN MADDISON I SAW THIS GUY ON THE MODERN BARBER STAGE AT SALON INTERNATIONAL WITH THE DANNY & CO TEAM LAST YEAR AND WAS HUGELY IMPRESSED WITH HIS WORK AND PRESENTING STYLE. FIND HIM AT @KILIANMADDISON

COMMUNITY

WHAT’S NEXT

E

very year it seems there are more shows and opportunities for Barbers to showcase their talent.

Therefore, Wahl will be introducing ‘The Presenter’ course to help with the skills required to become a great presenter, show style! Keep an eye out for this later in 2020.

“THE KEY TO CREATING SHAPE IN AFRO HAIR IS TO BE CONFIDENT WITH EVERY STROKE, WORKING FROM THE TOP THEN DOWN TO THE SIDES AND BACK.”

TOOL CHOICE with MICHAEL DAMIANO “Since they launched in 2018, the CORDLESS SENIOR’S have been my go-to for fading. They are powerful but also work great for on-scalp fade work as the blade lets you get even tighter to the skin. I worked from a #2 down to a #0, utilising the taper lever to really crunch out the lines.

To create the shape of the afro I opted for the CORDLESS MAGIC CLIP as it’s light so I can easily manoeuvre it round the head. The key to creating shape in afro hair is to be confident with every stroke, working from the top then down to the sides and back.

When it comes to shape-ups, you can’t go wrong with the CORDLESS DETAILER LI. I used it across the front of the hairline, so the extra wide blade is handy for getting that line perfect.“ WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK / 61

COMMUNITY

THE 10 MINUTE CHAT Anna Elliot loves an adventure. That’s how she got from Scotland to Shanghai. No tourist trail for this girl though…she’s a multiple shop owner. MB was curious to know how she got there and what it takes to run a business in China.

M

B: TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW

STARTED IN BARBERING? Anna Elliot lovesYOUanGOTadventure.

AE: I started cutting hair after Art School, I That’s how she knew got from Scotland that having a trade skill could be very to Shanghai. Nouseful tourist trailas for this you to have a source in life, it allows of income wherever you go. I enrolled at the girl though…she’s a multiple shop Aveda Institute in New York City, as a way to owner. MB was be curious tomy know how now wife, who was close to girlfriend, based in New Jersey. she got there and what it takes toAfter completing the course at Aveda, I had a pretty clear idea of my run a business in China. strengths and weaknesses....basically I realised that hairdressing is a lot harder than it looks. Colour, up-do’s and blow dry’s began 62 / WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK

to stir terror in my stomach, so when I got my first job at a local salon back in Shawlands in Glasgow I was pretty happy that they had a salon side for the ladies and a barber side for the men.

Quickly I started to get some regular barber customers and my boss began rotating me into several other barbershops he owned throughout Glasgow. After about six months there, I got a job in a more high end men’s salon. This was in 2008, well before the big barber boom hit the UK. I learned to do hot towel shaves there which really solidified my desire to stick with only barbering from then on.

MB: HOW DID YOU COME TO BE IN SHANGHAI? AE: While working in Glasgow, I started to toy with the idea of opening my own shop. I was looking into loans and talking with friends about business and how it all works. About that time, my wife, Cheryl got offered a job in Shanghai and I figured, ‘Why not?’ Having this skill under my belt, I felt quite confident that I would find some barber shops in a big city like Shanghai… but I was wrong. That’s why, after about a year and half into my time in Shanghai, I decided to open a barbershop in 2015. Doc’s Barbershop proudly holds the title of the First Modern Barber Shop to open in Shanghai.

COMMUNITY ANNA ELLIOT

MB: WHAT WERE THE MAIN CHALLENGES IN BUILDING A BUSINESS AS A FOREIGNER AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM? AE: One of the things that always scared me about opening my own place was doing it on my own. I had made friends with an Irishman named Dylan who owned a tattoo shop at the time, so he and I started making plans to open a place together. Even though Dylan speaks good Mandarin, we soon realised that we would need some help navigating our way through the red tape of Chinese bureaucracy. We took on two other friends who both read and write in fluent Mandarin and have a very good grasp of Chinese business.

MB: WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT SHANGHAI? AE: I love that in China, no one really gives a sh*t about what you wear. I could literally come to work in my pyjamas and no one would say a thing. I love riding my bike here too. It’s totally flat and the roads are fairly bike friendly, so it’s the best way to get around and explore this amazing city.

“I LOVE THAT IN CHINA, NO ONE REALLY GIVES A SH*T ABOUT WHAT YOU WEAR. I COULD LITERALLY COME TO WORK IN MY PYJAMAS AND NO ONE WOULD SAY A THING. I LOVE RIDING MY BIKE HERE TOO. ”

MB: WHAT IMPACT DOES THE POLITICAL CLIMATE MAKE ON BUSINESS IN CHINA? AE: In mainland China we are secluded from what’s going on elsewhere. You can use a VPN (private network) to get all the current news and get on Instagram and FB but as far as day-to-day stuff is concerned, it’s business as usual, according to the Government. Here, the Government has total access to where you are or what you spend your money on and that’s just something you have to accept about living here. Facial recognition scares me but China is not the only place using it.

MB: WHAT IS YOUR CLIENTELE LIKE? AE: We have a great mix of local and foreign customers that look for classic cuts as well as mullets and some fun creative stuff and we have our bread and butter customers too. Our average client is aged around 25-35 and they are mostly professionals such

as designers, architects, bankers, lawyers, teachers but we also get a lot of business owners and freelance guys.

MB: HOW’S YOUR MANDARIN? AE: Terrible. As a foreigner in Shanghai, I fall into that embarrassing category of having lived here for close to a decade and still find myself bumbling my way though in broken mandarin. Everyone from shop assistants to bar staff all speak English, so it’s quite easy to fall into that trap!

MB: WHAT’S THE WORST THING ABOUT BEING AN EX PAT? AE: Shanghai is very transient, so it is very common to have to say goodbye to your closest friends often. It sucks too when you are so far from your old friends back home. I miss my friends in Scotland and the clean fresh air! Oh and drinking water from the tap! But I really don’t miss the weather.

MB: WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? AE: I can’t stay in China forever. So, right now I am just focused on doing what I do best and not worrying about expansion or growth. We got lost along that road a little in the past but we have just signed a new lease on each shop in Shanghai and we have a great team now, so I want to enjoy this ride as long as I can.

Follow @_aelliot @docsbarbershop WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK / 63

COMMUNITY

MIKE’S HOT TOPIC Mike Taylor (@miketayloreducation) owns multiple shops and barbering education businesses. MB has invited Mike to share his broad view of our contemporary barber industry, from apprenticeships to commercial challenges, one hot topic at a time.

Lots of barbers are facing the challenge of stiff competition but it’s so frustrating to watch when that competition is clearly operating either outside the law or at least outside of best practice. Recently a barbershop opened right next door to one of my shops and began advertising hot towel shaves for £14. It’s a tiny shop and there are four barber chairs working. Fixed blades, no gloves and no room to run a laundry and wash the minimum sixty towels a day that they would need to offer every customer a clean towel. It’s baffling to think that in this day and age that a business can expose a customer to cross infection and the local Council isn’t interested. I actually contacted my local Council. They are cash strapped and time poor and are only really interested in hotels and restaurants and things like salmonella poisoning.

A barbershop doesn’t even need to demonstrate that they have insurance to open a business, there are no checks and balances or laws in place. The public are largely totally unaware of the risks and it’s the same for tattooists. Anyone can set themselves up in business as a barber, open a shop 64 / WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK

and just let loose with blades, scissors and clippers on the public. The information on the risks of cross infection is widely available but it’s just not something that the public is routinely aware of. It’s also up to the shop owner to ensure that anyone working in their shop has the necessary permissions to work in the UK. If the shop owner is complicit, isn’t paying the right taxes or is operating a cash only business then it’s pretty damn hard for professional barbershops to compete. These issues aren’t about racism or ethnicity, these issues are about what’s happening on our High Streets every day for small businesses that are simply trying to operate in an ethical and professional manner. There is an element of trust that if a business is operational, has a sign over the door and a barber looks the part, then the public will assume they are trained, licensed or at the very least checked by the Council.

It’s a poor assumption. So if you see malpractice in your area, please don’t stay silent. Speak up and let your Council know. They just might give that shop a visit to check that the public is not at risk.

Thanks to Mike Taylor.

COMMUNITY

AMERICAN CREW ALL-STAR CHALLENGE: OPEN FOR ENTRY! The prestigious American Crew All-Star Challenge competition celebrates images that are the best expression of the modern American Crew man. The All-Star Challenge encourages barbers and men’s stylists globally to put their technique and talent to the test, using American Crew products to create looks that capture the spirit of the brand.

H

aving transformed throughout the years from a one country competition to a global event, the All-Star Challenge has provided vast opportunities to over 10,000 stylists worldwide since its inception—and in 2020, the competition continues to evolve.

American Crew Founder, David Raccuglia says “Year after year, I am honored to be a part of the All-Star Challenge and to be able to give talented stylists and groomers around the world the opportunity to present their skills on a global platform. I am especially proud to announce that 2020 will be a game changer, in that we will have FIVE competitors that will be crowned American Crew All-Stars Challenge 2020 Winners.

We hope this competition continues to support and inspire the men’s barbering community worldwide.”

Here’s what you need to know:

IMAGE CREDITS: LEFT: IRELAND WINNER: CHRIS O’RIORDAN - ST4MEN (SEAN TAAFFE GROUP) THIS IMAGE: UK WINNER: GEMMA WILLOCK-SMITH - FREQUENCY BARBER

“WE HOPE THIS COMPETITION CONTINUES TO SUPPORT AND INSPIRE THE MEN’S BARBERING COMMUNITY WORLDWIDE.”

WHEN: Competition opens January 1st 2020 and closes March 1st 2020. National winners (for UK and Ireland) are submitted to the Global team by March 18th. Global Final held late Spring.

Location TBC.

HOW: To enter the All-Star Challenge competition, barbers are asked to create a style that best represents the American Crew man. The look is to be portrayed on their chosen model and

showcased through two black and white photographs of their model from chest-level and above.

The model should be in front of a blank background, with one photo face-on and the second focusing on the profile. Photographs must be accompanied by a brief description of the look and the products that were used to create it. To submit go to www.americancrew.com and follow the links to the entry page.

WHAT: This year’s challenge will consist of individual in-country judging panels to select the national winner, who will then move forward to participate in the Global competition. From over 40 finalists, the Global Committee will name five top competitors as the All-Star Challenge 2020 Winners. The winners will receive a number of prizes including a $5,000 monetary award and an all-expenses paid trip to Los Angeles, CA to participate in an editorial photo shoot alongside American Crew Founder, and renowned photographer, David Raccuglia.

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COMMUNITY

JAKE LANSLEY

MY BIGGEST MISTAKE Hearing about business success is heart-warming but hearing about business mistakes can be a learning point that can help everyone! Props to Jake Lansley of JBS Lifestyle @jakelansley_jbs for bravely sharing his biggest mistake.

J

ake Lansley of JBS Lifestyle is a busy man. He has two shops and is part of the Wahl Artistic Team, supports Monster Energy with pop-up shops alongside Paul Hewitt of Brislington Barbers in Bristol and puts bread on the table for his partner and young son. A leisurely scroll through his IG shows the best of times but for the last year Jake’s been paddling hard below the waterline. He took the brave step to be the very first in a new series of features for MB, inspired by barber feedback. ‘My Biggest Mistake’ is a feature born out of the willingness to help the industry learn from its own community – a feature from those brave enough to share the pitfalls on the journey to barbering success, so their peers have the foresight to swerve!

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THE MISTAKE Jake explains “I was 22 when I opened my first shop in Hornchurch. I was young and naïve and didn’t really have much time to think about the actual business. It grew quickly to four chairs and was constantly busy. I had all four chairs working and I just felt it was time to make the leap to opening a second shop. My partner Holly was supportive but did keep saying that she thought focussing on what we had, which was working so well, was enough. A couple of years back it never would have occurred to me but all of a sudden I had a vision of myself as a multiple shop owner.

It was a bit of ego and a bit of wanting a new challenge. I started looking around in March 2018 and it took about six months to find the right one. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. It’s a Grade 2 listed property with loads of character.

COMMUNITY CHIGWELL SHOP

HORNCHURC SHOP

JAKE LANSLEY

It had been an interior design business and all the finishing on the shop was top end. The radiators alone were worth £5k. It was a nice open space with a staff area at the back. I signed the lease and I went for it. Chigwell opened with six chairs in June 2019 and that’s where it started to go wrong.”

THE PROBLEMS “The problems started straight away. Two weeks before I opened, my manager left to open his own shop and a little while after, one of the barbers that I had trained with me left to work with him. So I now had three staff and ten chairs! I had to commit full time to Chigwell and although it’s only a 15 minute drive away from my original shop I lost some clients. Two weeks after we opened we were broken into.

They stole a bit of cash but it was more the shock than anything else, as nothing had ever happened like that before. On a personal note I took a break in July to see my grandparents in Lanzarote.

It was a much needed break but just a few days later my Nan suddenly passed away and it just added to the bad feeling. Next although the Chigwell shop had been under the rateable value it had been under review for some time.

The new value was set at £14,250 and all of a sudden I had a monthly rates bill of £930 a month on top of the £16k a year rent, plus backdated costs. Now I’m paying an agent working on my behalf to get the rateable value down and that’s costing hundreds too. Despite the seemingly endless run of bad luck it’s given me cause to consider how I do things. I’m a grafter and mindset is everything. I will make it work and nothing will stop me. So now I’m working on different avenues to turn the situation around” says Jake.

THE SOLUTIONS AND LEARNINGS Jake shares his learnings. “I realised that when I left my team to run Hornchurch they lost motivation because I wasn’t there driving the business. I was good at asking team members if they were OK but the answer was always ‘fine’. I wasn’t great at staff management and I am really working on that. I’m spending time now with proper meetings to share ideas and address problems. I didn’t continue to train new people which meant that when staff left, I had no one in my pipeline to fill their role. Training your own staff is such a valuable way to grow a team but I should have kept growing it even if I didn’t have the chairs at the time. I’m on that now!

I recommend that anyone thinking of a new shop should do masses of research before jumping in the deep end. My first shop is a great destination for teenagers but the clients for this new shop are much older. That means that I’ve had to adapt all the ideas for marketing. They don’t care about Instagram, they don’t like booking apps. Old school works…like leaflets and local advertising. So I recommend really thinking about how you serve your local market. I have also started offering an ‘out of hours’ mobile service to build revenue. It’s good money and it helps serve customers that wouldn’t be able to or don’t choose to come to the shop.

Also...lock down your rates! Be very careful if you don’t have a clear idea of what your monthly costs are going to be. It needs to be clear before you sign. Lastly, being a ‘face’ on Instagram has no value when times get tough. Even after all of this, I don’t regret opening the second shop. I would rather live with the new experience and grow than live with the regret of thinking ‘what if’.”

“TWO WEEKS BEFORE I OPENED, MY MANAGER LEFT TO OPEN HIS OWN SHOP AND A LITTLE WHILE AFTER ONE OF THE BARBERS THAT I HAD TRAINED WITH ME LEFT TO WORK WITH HIM.”

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COMMUNITY

BARING ALL FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS Check out MR MAY! Luka Chitty of @lukasbarbers in Devon showed his support and a whole lot more for his local mental health campaign.

L

ast October Gill Hayes, a mental health and suicide prevention campaigner launched Exeter’s first ‘Let’s Chalk’ campaign, which encouraged people to write messages of hope and inspiration on the streets for those struggling with mental health. As a suicide survivor Gill hopes that the messages might encourage those suffering in silence and nudge them away from their trajectory towards suicide. At the same time the campaign was designed to help erode the stigma around the issue of mental health and suicide and put plain speaking about the subject on the agenda for everyone. The ‘Let’s chalk about mental health’ 2020 Calendar was a natural next step. Gill says “Let’s Chalk About Mental Health was a phenomenal success in terms of reaching its objectives of challenging stigma and encouraging wider conversations around mental health and suicide. However, I wanted to do something more tangible to help people struggling with their mental health and came up with the idea of putting on a series of well-being events from singing workshops to yoga days to surfing outings. Let’s Chalk About Mental Health was about raising awareness but the calendar is about raising cash to fund these all important events”. Gill created all the shots in just one day with the help of photographer Matt Round. Barbering’s very own Luka Chitty didn’t 68 / WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK

need too much encouragement to get his kit off.

“I chose to get involved because it’s something that I live with daily. So getting involved helps me in a way. A lot of my customers came in and mentioned that they had no clue these things affect me and some like to talk more because I’m so open about it…which is pretty bloody cool!” says Luka. The calendars are just £10 for one and £15 for two and went on sale in Luka’s shop late last year. Even though the year has already turned, MB is sure that Luka can sort you out, just drop him a DM!

SUICIDE STATS In 2018 there were 6507 suicides.

Suicide rates increased by 11.8% in the 2017/2018 period.

The number of suicides in people under 25 rose by 23.7%

Get the Apollo 2 Barber Chair in

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Offer Price ÂŁ1,650 Call 0844 3356 121 or visit www.salonsupplies.co.uk for thousands of salon furniture and tool deals. *Ts and Cs apply.

COMMUNITY

FIT TO FOLLOW

Social media is a great source of inspiration and MB is always watching and reading about your incredible work, your news and your views. Here’s a round-up of six of the best accounts to follow right now.

TYLA BROWN (@TYLA_HARDGRIND)

RYAN CULLEN (@RYANCULLENHAIR)

STUDIO THIRTEEN (@STUDIOTHIRTEENCO)

hit the MB Stage at HJ Live Manchester and did an awesome job. Handsomely done shop work with a dusting of tattoos and Hard Grind madness.

some great before and after posts and tons of polished work to feast your eyes on.

is owned by Jack Jenkins. This pared down, minimalist account has beautifully shot hair work and a smattering of interiors inspiration.

EMMA MORIARTY-RICHARDSON (@EMMA_CCBS)

JARRED LIDDINGTON (@JARREDSBARBERS)

is a bit of a perfectionist. Flawless fades plus the odd mullet. Given she’s a super busy barber, there’s lots to see.

diverse posts show shop work with a slice of eye popping colour work but the daily stories and cut videos are best.

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HARRY TASKER (@TVSKER) also made the MB Stage at HJ Live as part of our North Star’s slot. This young barber has the eye.

KNOW HOW

SHOP FLOOR STEP-BY-STEP 01

THE BEFORE

03

Continue working in this manner until you reach the centre nape and then repeat the process on the other side.

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04

Release the top parietal section and cut vertically to create the side profile and connect the previously cut sections.

Thank you to Emma Moriarty -Richardson @emma_cbs for this taper fade scissor cut and thank you to her business partner and sister @siobhan_ ccbs for taking the shots.

Emma and Siobhan own Cavalier Club Barber Shop in Bedford. You can catch them on the Modern Barber Stage at HJ Live London and Salon International in 2020.

02

Section the top of the head to work with the natural growth pattern, starting with a diagonal section from the natural parting as shown.

Begin cutting at the front hairline to establish your guideline. Take a vertical graduated section starting at the front hairline. Work around the head to centre back using the previous cut section as your guide. Maintain even tension through the fingers.

05

06

Release the triangular section at the back of the crown and cut diagonally.

Over directing each side to maintain weight towards the crown.

Release the top triangle section and part down the middle. Pull the hair right down to meet the previously cut side guideline and cut at an angle to graduate towards the front.

KNOW HOW

THE AFTER

07

Apply a blow dry styling product and blow dry into shape, overdirecting the sides upwards and use a round brush or a vent brush to wrap dry the fringe.

Tuck the bristles into the root, lift and pull back, directing the airflow into the root to achieve height.

08

At the nape cut using a grade 2 below the occipital bone and then put in a zero guideline.

09

Blend out from 0.5 to 0.25. Blend down from 2 to remove the line.

Repeat the process on the sideburns. Blend the taper into the nape using clippers and scissors to refine.

10

Line out using detailers and be meticulous with this step. Creating a sharp outline will enhance this cut.

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KNOW HOW

SHOOT!

Great hair images don’t just happen, it takes planning and vision. Wez Jones (@wez__jones) of The Heartbreak Club Barbershop in Leigh-on-Sea had a vision and the results of his planning can be found on pages 40-43. A photographic shoot is a great way to communicate the breadth of your skill, your creativity and your professionalism.

You can get great use out of your images to promote your business, win awards and really make an impact on your existing and potential customers. Here’s how Wez made his vision a reality.

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KNOW HOW

THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S PERSPECTIVE LIAM OAKES (@LIAMOAKESPHOTO) REGULARLY TRAVELS THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THE UK SHOOTING WORK FOR BARBERS. LIAM SHOT WEZ’S COLLECTION AND SHARES THESE SEASONED TIPS ON SHOOT BEST PRACTICE. Model choice - Your hair cut can be epic but if it’s not being displayed on someone that is confident in front of the camera and looks good, then the image isn’t going to look professional.

Your models will either make or break a photo shoot.

My vision for the collection was to create an ‘ode to the 80’s’ and the different cultures that came with it from the Rockers to the Jocks,” explains Wez. The shoot was the result of a brainstorm between Wez, photographer Liam Oakes and Babyliss (Wez is a brand ambassador). It took just weeks from concept to shoot but Wez quickly got his teeth into his theme which gave it momentum. “My go to plan for any shoot is to find a concept that gets your mojo working. Mine was the films Lost Boys and Weird Science plus Stranger Things and a couple of other sub culture references. I found images and scenes that I wanted to recreate. I put together a mood board of colours, poses and lighting inspiration to pass on to the team and my MUA…which is actually my Missus, Amber Kear!” For Wez the key challenge in any shoot is models – finding them and making sure they show up is just the beginning. On the day if the look you have in your mind isn’t gelling then Wez recommends moving on to the next model and returning to the one that is presenting the challenge. “On this shoot our team learned that there is no amount of preparation, pre-planning or hard work ahead of a shoot that will ever be too much. Basically, you need to really get your sh*t together and leave no room for suprises!

Get as many models in on the day as you possibly can as people always drop out, even the paid models. On this shoot I had eight models but I had planned 12. So it’s better to be safe than sorry.” shares Wez.

Have a theme - this doesn’t have to be crazy but you have to have something to tie all the images together as a collection.

Get your models to wear something similar or from a certain era; or even better create a concept shoot and get a fashion stylist involved and create an interesting narrative.

Preparation - this includes the haircuts before the shoot and managing time scales, organising models in advance, arranging clothing and discussing with your photographer your ideas.

You can also discuss and collaborate on ideas together if you don’t feel confident doing it alone.

Attention to detail - during the photo shoot your job isn’t done once you’ve cut the hair and sent them on set. Watch the screen and see how your hair looks on camera. Move your model into position and take note of the hair to make sure it’s in place.

Share your images - send your new photos to magazines and post them across all of your social media platforms.

PHOTOGRAPHIC AWARDS TO ENTER! MODERN BARBER AWARDS BEST PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE (OPENS IN FEBRUARY, FOLLOW WEB AND SOCIAL FOR UPDATES, WEBSITE COMING SOON).

BRITISH HAIRDRESSING AWARDS – MEN’S (HJI.CO.UK OPENS IN MAY/JUNE).

PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF THE YEAR – MEN’S FASHION LOOK AND MEN’S FASHION COLLECTION (NHF.INFO OPENS IN JUNE. BARBERCOMP – ONLINE COMPETITION (BARBERCOMP.COM ONGOING. MONTHLY WINNERS).

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KNOW HOW

CHAIR CARE That beast of a barber chair is an iconic emblem of the industry. It’s also one of the biggest investments a barber can make, so keeping it in top condition will deliver literally decades of faithful service. MB spoke with Paul Barker at Moda Salon Interiors who has been in, under and around more chairs than most actual barbers. Here’s his expert wisdom…

CLASSIC BARBER CHAIR PROBLEMS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM. LOOSE BOLTS - If a bolt comes loose or falls out, tighten up or replace the bolt straight away to avoid unnecessary stress on other parts of the chair. Bolts have a nasty habit of being swept up or hoovered up, so putting it back straight away helps avoid a professional call out and replacement parts.

LOCK ON STOPS WORKING – This one is easy to avoid with simple regular maintenance. See below for chair health check tips.

UPHOLSTERY CRACKS – So easy to avoid. Clean with warm soap and water only and dry off with a soft cloth. Don’t use alcohol based cleansers or harsh chemicals should.

CLASSIC BARBER CHAIR ABUSE TO AVOID. DON’T LET YOUR CLIENTS PERCH ON THE ARMS – this puts excess weight on the arm and can cause it to become loose and damage the upholstery.

NOT LOCKING THE CHAIR CORRECTLY – incorrect locking, especially when the customer is sat in the chair can cause issues with the mechanics of the pump over a long period of time.

FOOTREST STOPPER NOT ATTACHED OR ADJUSTED TO THE CORRECT HEIGHT - this can cause the chair to topple/tilt and puts extra strain on other areas of the chair.

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YOUR DAILY CHAIR HEALTH CHECK: INSPECT - STABILITY OF CHAIR AND BASE GENTLY PUSH OR SHAKE THE TOP OF THE BACKREST IN ALL DIRECTIONS, OBSERVING ANY INSTABILITY - IF YOU FIND THE CHAIR TO BE UNSTABLE, DO NOT USE IT. CONTACT YOUR DEALER INSPECT - MOVING AND LOCKABLE PARTS USE THE FOOT PEDAL TO ADJUST THE CHAIR HEIGHT, CHECKING THAT THE CHAIR STOPS AND LOCKS AT THE DESIRED POSITION WITHOUT SINKING DOWN - IF THE CHAIR DOES NOT STOP AT THE DESIRED POSITION, DO NOT USE IT. CONTACT YOUR DEALER INSPECT - FUNCTION WITHOUT OBSTRUCTION CHECK THAT THE CHAIR DOES NOT PRODUCE ABNORMAL SOUNDS DURING ROTATION AND HEIGHTADJUSTMENT - IF THE CHAIR PRODUCES ABNORMAL SOUNDS, DO NOT USE IT. CONTACT YOUR DEALER

KNOW HOW

GOT THE ITCH? Every barber faces this tiny adversary every now and then. MB looks into the best way of dealing with head lice...

T

he days of the Nit Nurse are long gone which helps make schools a literal breeding ground for head lice. Over 1.6 million head lice infestations occur every year in the UK among children aged 4 to 11 years, with a peak at the age of 7-8 years.* Once those school age kids bring head lice home, any human with hair on their head is fair game. By the time a client of any age is in your chair, it’s essential to tackle things with tact - while you must stop the service there’s lots of ways you can help bust some myths about lice and the ways to treat them. Expert Eileen Hutchinson runs NitNOT a specialist head lice removal clinic in Hemel Hempstead, she says “A female head louse is programmed to claw onto a new host’s hair and at that moment does not think to ponder whether that hair is clean or dirty, or if the host is male or female. Beards are not entirely off their list either as head lice can quite happily set up there too. Our advice is to do a quick

check of every customer before you start the cut. Checking for eggs and empty eggs called nits, rather than live lice is the easiest way, as lice move quickly and hide easily. Sometimes dandruff is mistaken for nits. Dry dandruff is easily spotted as nits will never flake out. Wet dandruff can be rubbed off with a finger. It’s only if it’s a nit that the only way to remove it will be to slide it down and off the hair shaft.”

If you do spot nits it does not mean a live infestation. Nits are white/cream in colour and about 2mm in length. They will be found near the scalp, behind ears and at the nape and crown of the head. It’s best to ask the customer if they have treated their hair and when. Nits can stick to the hair for years after the infestation has gone! Eggs are harder to spot, especially in dark hair as they are brown or tan.

Discreetly alerting customers (or their parent) about signs of an infestation is the best option and Eileen uses her own NitNOT Head Lice Treatment which is pesticide and solvent-free and on toxic giving shops and salons a treatment solution to offer clients. *source NitNOT. Thanks to NitNOT.com for the info.

HEAD LICE MYTHS & FACTS

IMMEDIATE ACTION!

LICE CANNOT JUMP OR FLY.

STOP THE SERVICE.

FEMALE LICE LAY ABOUT 5 EGGS TWICE A DAY.

OFFER SUPPORT, ADVICE AND PRODUCT REFERRALS.

THEY CAN REMAIN ALIVE OFF THE HOST FOR UP TO 48 HOURS. THEY CANNOT LIVE ON PETS. THEY CANNOT LIVE IN FURNITURE OR CARPETS. ADULT MEN CAN GET HEAD LICE.

WASH TOWELS OR GOWNS IN HOT WATER AND THEN QUARANTINE FOR UP TO 48 HOURS. WASH ALL TOOLS IN HOT WATER AND THEN DISINFECT AS USUAL FOR UP TO 48 HOURS.

IT TAKES UP TO 10 HOURS TO SUFFOCATE A HEAD LOUSE. ‘UPSTAIRS’ LICE AND ‘DOWNSTAIRS’ LICE ARE NOT THE SAME LICE. WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK / 77

KNOW HOW

STREEEEEETCH!

Barbering can be brutal on the body, so play the long game for your health and commit to daily stretching. Fitness expert, personal trainer and DJ, Lucia Farina (@tattoos_and_pilates/ @miss__farina) splits her time between her home town of London and Melbourne, Australia. She has created an entire series of stretches for hair and tattoo professionals. MB caught up with Lucia to tap her expertise.

STRETCH TWO STRETCH ONE “The muscles between fingers and wrists can shorten in barbering and this stretch reminds the muscles and tendons to lengthen and helps avoid pain and weird sensations in the hands and knuckles. As shown, stand side on to the wall. Raise your arm to shoulder height and spread your hand flat to the wall with your fingers stretched wide. This opens out the chain of muscles from the chest to the wrists and fingers. If that stretch is too uncomfortable initially then just pop a rolled towel under the heel of your hand. Repeat with the back of your hand and hold the stretch until you feel a change of sensation in the forearm muscles. Repeat for the other arm.”

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“Rest the top of your foot on the seat of your chair at any height that you feel is comfortable (or hold your ankle with your hand). To really encourage the stretch through the thigh, pull your pubic bone up towards your rib and lengthen the tail bone towards the floor. Make sure you keep your knees in line with your hip and in line with each other. Lift tall to avoid collapsing into your standing leg. Repeat on the other leg.”

KNOW HOW

STRETCH THREE “This is a good stretch for the lats, middle back and shoulders. Place your feet under your hips. Push your sit bones all the way back to create the stretch while your chest is parallel to the floor. You may feel this in the hamstrings too. Gently pull your abdominals towards the spine to help keep the back supported. Most people will feel an instant benefit.”

STRETCH FIVE “With the chair in a locked position, hold the arm of the chair with a firm grip and lean your body weight in the opposite direction.

Turn your head away to encourage the stretch.

Rotate your arm outward like the photo.

Imagine that there is an energy line from your fingers through to the top of your head and lengthen through the crown of the head.

Repeat for the other side.”

STRETCH FOUR “Standing a lot will tighten our hips, so this stretch this stretch is super valuable for those deeper muscles.

Place your shin along the arm of the chair and lengthen your spine by pulling up from your centre to create space between the ribs and hips. Alternatively you can do this seated, (without anyone even knowing), especially if your knee is sore. Place your ankle on the opposite knee. Support the foot and knee with your hand. Lengthen through the spine, whilst leaning slightly forward and reaching the sit bones backwards until you’re happy with the stretch. Do this for a few minutes to feel the benefit. Repeat for the other leg.”

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KNOW HOW

WAHL BARBER OF THE YEAR: WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN. Carl Taylor (@carltaylor__) is the Wahl Barber of the Year, taking the title in Wahl’s centenary year at Salon International last October. Since then he’s been inundated with requests from barbers wanting to know just what it takes to win.

P

LAN IN ADVANCE – entering Wahl Barber of the Year wasn’t a spur of the moment thing for Carl. “I was on a Fade Course at the Wahl Academy in late October/early November 2018 when I decided to enter. I’d had an idea for a cut and started planning then. I wanted something that was wearable, a classic cut that I could modernise… one that really transcended the decades,” explains Carl.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE – Carl says “At one point I was buying a mannequin head every week. I just kept practicing, over and over. I wanted to have it down pat. When I was happy I submitted my look for entry on the model that I knew I would use on the day. I knew that if I did qualify I wanted to be certain of bringing the same model. I didn’t want any surprises.”

VISUALISE EVERYTHING – the look that took him through to the final was a subtle, wearable flat top. A modern interpretation of a strong look. “I wanted to win so badly. I didn’t want to take any risks. I visualised everything right down to the outfit. The fashion needs to harmonise with the hair to create an overall look. I wanted a cut that would demonstrate diverse skill and also introduce new elements into a traditional shape,” says Carl.

BE PREPARED – after finalising Carl put even greater pressure on himself to prepare. “At Salon International I spent the whole of the Saturday watching the Wahl artistic team. I took note of how they dressed. I watched the way they presented and spoke to the audience. I watched the way they talked about the clippers. I introduced myself to the team and I kept visualising being part

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of that team. The night before the competition, I ate a good meal, didn’t drink alcohol and went to bed early,” remembers Carl.

OWN THE STAGE – during the final Carl just focused on his model and his performance. “I wore a black suit to look the part. I was really shaking but I knew what I needed to do, so just kept going and taking deep breathes.

I took time to talk to the audience. It’s important to have a connection. I made sure that I only used clippers,” he explains ENJOY THE MOMENT – when his win was announced Carl dedicated it to his Mum who had recently passed away and who had always told him that he could succeed. Being announced as Wahl Barber of the Year was a bit of a Rock Star moment for Carl. “I couldn’t believe how many people messaged and came up and asked me for pictures with them. Simon always said that winning Barber of the Year was a career changing moment and that’s definitely been the case!”

WAHL BARBER OF THE YEAR OPENS IN THE SPRING. WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR!

• THE TIME GOES FAST, KEEP MOVING! • YOU WILL SHAKE WITH NERVES, TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN PLANNING.

FINANCE LEASE AVAILABLE WITH

MASSIVE SAVINGS AVAILABLE ON SELECTED FURNITURE THROUGHOUT JANUARY AND FEBRUARY www.bettersalonsupplies.co.uk | 01778 346585 | sales@bettersalonsupplies.co.uk

Get guaranteed delivery of every issue £20pa (4 issues) including postage.

WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK/SUBSCRIBE | CALL 01371 851874.

WWW.MODERNBARBER.CO.UK / 81

LISTING BARBER SUPPLIERS Salon Supplies Bond Street, Northam, Southampton SO14 5QA. T: 0844 335 6121.

E: info@salonsupplies.co.uk W: www.salonsupplies.co.uk Better Salon Supplies 12 Peacock Square, Blenheim Way, Market Deeping. PE6 8LW T: 01778 346585.

E: sales@bettersalonsupplies.co.uk W: www.bettersalonsupplies.co.uk

BARBER TRAINING Great British Barber Academy. 26 Wimborne Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 2BU. T: 01202 287143. E: info@greatbritishbarberingacademy.com.

W: www.greatbritishbarberingacademy.com Interserve Learning & Employment. 12 Europa View, Sheffield Business Park, Sheffield, S9 1XH. E: hello@interserve.com.

T: 0333 444 5055. W: learning-employment.com

Our quick reference guide to the products and services that love serving your industry.

PRODUCTS American Crew. Revlon Professional, Ground Floor, Greater London House, Hampstead Road, London, NW1 7QX. T: 0207 391 7440.

E: customerservice.uk@revlon.com.

W: www.americancrew.com MR MUK. Eos Hair & Beauty, C1 Little Heath Industrial Estate, Old Church Road, Coventry, CV6 7ND T: 02476 661906 E: alan.maxwell@eoshb.com W: mukhairuk.com/mr-muk/ MVRCK by Mitch. Salon Success Ltd, 1-2 Millenium Point, Broadfields, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 8YH T: 0845 659 0012 E: helloclub@salon-success.co.uk W: www.paul-mitchell.co.uk The Bluebeards Revenge. Unit One, Langage, Business Park, Eagle Road, Plymouth, PL7 5JY. T: 01752 898191 E: info@bluebeards-revenge.co.uk W: www.bluebeards-revenge.co.uk

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT FURNITURE Moda Salon Interiors. 1st Floor 4A, Brittany Court, High Street South, Dunstable, Beds, LU6 3HR. T: 0800 999 6446.

E: sales@modasaloninteriors.com.

W: www.modasaloninteriors.com REM UK Ltd. Glenfield Mill, Glenfield Road, Nelson, Lancashire, BB9 8AW. T: 01282 619977.

E: sales@rem.co.uk. W: www.rem.co.uk Takara Belmont . Belmont House, 1 St Andrews Way, Bow, London, E3 3PA. T: 0207 515 0333.

E: katie@takara.co.uk. W: www.takarahairdressing.co.uk

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Andis. Available at all good barber suppliers.W:andis.com Wahl UK. Sterling House, Clipper Close, Ramsgate Kent, CT12 5GG. T: 01227 740066.

E: customer.services@wahl.co.uk. W: www.wahl.co.uk

FRANCHISING MR Barbers Group: . 27 North Street, Bishops Stortford, Herts, CM23 2LD T: 01799 611504 E: info@mrbarbers.co.uk.

W: www.mrbarbers.co.uk

LIVE EXCEL LONDON 29-30 MARCH 2020

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