Don’t Forget the Dudes: Careers in Barbering
Beauty blogs are almost always geared toward women rather than men. This may make sense stereotypically, since oftentimes men aren’t too concerned with beauty. But the time has come to pay homage to an equally important segment of the beauty industry – the barbers. The barber job description includes cutting, trimming, shampooing and styling hair for mostly male clients or at male salons. They may also fit hair pieces, offer scalp treatments and shave facial hair.
An important attribute of a great barber is, of course, being able to chat it up with the customers! In American culture, barbers are affectionately displayed as manly men, always cracking jokes and putting entire shops at ease. Entertaining barbers can be seen in movies such as Barber Shop or Gran Torino. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, barbering careers should remain steady even during the recession. If conversation comes easily, a well-groomed appearance is important and you are a detail-oriented person, a barbering career could be for you.
The coolest thing about barbering? It doesn’t take long to go through barbering school and kick off a successful career working in a male salon.
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Tags: barber school, barber training, barbering, Beauty School General, cosmetology school
May 11th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
We are barber-stylist…. we learn permanent waving, soft curl waves, texturizing, relaxer applications, and color… it’s not your grandpa’s barber anymore…. Floyd the Barber died in the 60′s. We perform facials and scalp massage as well. We are able to fit and measure for hair pieces and toupees. We color and groom beards and eyebrows as well as the hair on the head or the hair on a toupee. Our book also includes Braiding and manicures.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
barberteacher is right! It’s true – barbers are so much more than they were 40, 50 years ago – not that there isn’t something to be said for the good, old-fashioned barber shop guys. It sounds to me like barbering has really evolved to encompass a pretty thorough cosmetology education. Why NOT treat the guys to the same services we women get to enjoy – facials and scalp massages. Good for the barbering industry for growing and advancing so much over time and turning it into a real art and amazing customer service.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I went through both barber and cosmetology school here in Texas.
In Cosmo school, I learned to section and roll entire heads of hair with both perm rods and regular rollers. I also learned to apply perm solution, and how to do colors and manicures/pedicures. In cosmo school, I did not learn how to cut men’s hair with clippers.
—— In Barber School, I was taught how to roll exactly 3 perm rods and 3 regular rollers, and never once did I apply perm solution or color hair or do a wetset. I did, however, spend almost all of my time cutting men’s hair with clippers.
———- The two professions are VERY different. The two schools are very different.
——— What IS new is the push by corporate franchises to let their legions of abundant cosmetologists pose as authentic barbers in their shops. If you go to any of the web sites that host conversation for shaving, you’ll find that most corporate franchise chains are held in low esteem because the cosmetologists posing as barbers are unable to do anything other than wretched work. It’s in the public’s best interest to require each profession’s students to go through individual schools.
January 14th, 2010 at 2:21 am
How many cosmetologists know about OSHA bloodborne pathogens rules? If you don’t know what they are and why they’re a life-and-death matter for anyone who might contact someone else’s blood, then you don’t need to be doing shaves on the general public. Your ignorance could get your customer and yourself severely sick, or even killed.
http://www.osha.gov/html/comp-links-faq.html
A question that would have an interesting question is, “How many haircutting shops comply with even the minimum of OSHA protections for their employees?”