Today, barbershops began to appear actively in almost every city. They are not ordinary men's hairdressers, but peculiar clubs for the stronger sex, who look after their appearance and love communication. What is barbershop, what is the history of this institution, what services does it offer - useful information in our article.

What is barbershop

More recently, the only place where the stronger sex could have a haircut was a hairdresser. But the beauty industry does not stand still and is actively developing. Today, boring men's halls have been replaced by unusual fashionable salons with an obscure name - barbershops. They are actively appearing not only in megacities, but even in small cities.

First you need to understand how “barbershop” is translated, then it will immediately become clear what special services such institutions offer. The name of the hairdressers discussed comes from the word barba, which translates as "beard." This means that such unusual salons offer the client not only to make a fashionable men's haircut, but also take care of the beard. Today, such services are especially relevant, as beautiful bushy beards have become very popular among men of different ages.

Barbershop is designed for men who want to look stylish, beautiful, neat at the same time. Many of their clients used to shave and cut their beard on their own and could not achieve the desired ideal result. An experienced barber solves this problem in a matter of minutes.

A professional is able to quickly and beautifully design a beard of any length and density, as well as suggest how to fix existing problems.

It will not be difficult for Barbara to hide or completely remove places with insufficient facial hair. Today, to eliminate such problem areas, which significantly spoil the overall picture and do not allow to grow a thick uniform beard, there are special cosmetics.

Origin of the institution and their distribution

Peculiar men's beauty salons appeared a very long time ago.

  • Archaeological finds suggest that as early as the Bronze Age men used primitive shaving blades. And the Barbershop’s birthday falls on about the 3rd century BC. e. - then in the Roman Empire the first closed institutions began to appear, in which only men could fall. There, visitors talked, discussed the latest news, and at the same time shaved. You can call such institutions men's clubs. They included only wealthy influential representatives of the stronger sex. But women in such institutions did not appear.
  • In the 18th century, barbers began to engage in healing. In barbershops of that time, each client could get a whole range of services. Interestingly, at the same time regular drinks were offered to regulars of the first men's beauty salons. Right during the procedures or while waiting for a haircut, visitors could discuss the news with other young people or just take a break. In addition, barbers also offered the most popular treatment procedures. For example, bloodletting and treatment with leeches.
  • In the 19th century, such establishments began to spread with great speed. They appeared not only in large cities, but also in small towns. Gradually, this new direction became so popular that special schools began to open for masters - future barbers. And a little later, dozens of scientists began to develop tools and tools that would allow quality and safe care of a beard, mustache, hair. After all, initially shaving was practiced only by very dangerous sharp razors, using which one incorrect movement of the barber could cause serious injuries to the client. Hairdressers have learned to handle such tools for more than one year. But shaving them was highly appreciated by men. The representative of the stronger sex trusted his permanent barber as a doctor. The barbershops gradually spread around the world.
  • But in the 20th century, such establishments were somewhat simplified and began to be perceived as ordinary hairdressers. Many of the additional services left - for example, bars with strong alcohol and racks with fresh newspapers. So, in the difficult war and post-war times, few people thought about the beauty of their beard. Men were more interested in a quick and inexpensive haircut. And most men started to shave on their own, because special cheap and safe machines appeared on sale.

A real shock to the barbers was Gillette's announcement of the first razor to use at home without fear. It was from this period that everyone began to predict barbering an early death.

The hippie generation also contributed to this. Protesting against the values ​​of their fathers and grandfathers, young people began to abandon haircuts, hairstyles, and a neat shave. Hippies lowered their beards, not baffled by the care of them, grew their hair.

Everything changed only at the beginning of the 21st century. Today, barbershops with their original idea - beauty, care and real male relaxation - are actively reviving. This direction has recently returned to Russia. But in just a few years, thousands of barbershops opened all over the country. As before, real professionals work in them, and men can not only keep themselves in order, but also have a great rest.

What is different from a hairdresser

If you call a barbershop in simple words, then it's still the same men's hairdresser. Only in it is the list of services offered to visitors greatly expanded. In addition to the usual haircuts, in such an institution the client will be offered to camouflage gray hair, give an accurate shape to the eyebrows, comprehensive care of the beard and mustache (including their styling) and much more.

There are several more differences between a barbershop and a regular men's hairdresser:

  1. In the first, usually only representatives of the stronger sex work. And this is not about discrimination at all. Rather, it is a tribute to traditions. Indeed, before such an institution was a place where only men were allowed, and where clients had a rest from women. There are no women's halls in them.
  2. It is in barbershops that they still offer dangerous shaving with a sharp blade. This will not be possible to meet in any hairdressing salon.
  3. Barbershop is also a men's interest club. Here, clients directly during haircuts and shaving actively communicate with each other, read and discuss the news, allow themselves a couple of glasses of alcohol. By the way, in many of the institutions discussed drinks are offered for free. And in some of them you can not only get a haircut and shave, but also at the same time get yourself a piercing or tattoo, choose clothes and accessories for a new look.
  4. Barbers use more powerful functional tools in their work. For example, advanced clippers. Therefore, they can offer customers more interesting sophisticated styling options.

Another important difference between the discussed institutions is the cost of services. In barbershops, the cost of cutting and shaving is always much higher than in a regular hairdresser.

Owners of such brutal beauty salons always pay a lot of attention to their design. The interior of the barbershops is stylish, bright, unusual. Most often, they are decorated in dark colors, the interior is dominated by leather, wood. In the middle of a barbershop, even a real motorcycle or other truly male “jewelry” may appear.

What are barbershops

Today, Russia has opened a huge number of barbershops for every taste. Especially a lot of them in Moscow and the northern capital.

  • The simplest options for barbershops offer their visitors exclusively fashionable haircuts and styling mustaches, beards. Typically, the cost of services in such institutions is not much different from a good hairdresser.
  • But among young people, barbershops with many additional services are more popular. For example, bars serving up to the last client with free alcohol, craft beer and signature cocktails. In them you can not only put yourself in order, but also have a drink, snack, have fun with friends. For those who do not drink alcohol, many varieties of coffee and tea will be offered, as well as sweet soda.
  • Some modern barbershops resemble spas. While the man is shaving or cutting his hair, he can also get a massage of his head, legs, hands, or even do manicures / pedicures. In such establishments, tattoo artists often work immediately, offering men tattoos and piercings.
  • In the capital, barbershops are popular in which you can talk with a stylist, pick up a fashionable bag, jewelry, hats, sunglasses or even clothes. Usually in such institutions the highest price tag for services.

Services provided by the salon

It is difficult to compile a general list of services provided by a barbershop. Each institution has its own.

Universal for each such salon can be called:

  • haircuts;
  • beard modeling;
  • hair styling;
  • as well as “royal shaving” with dangerous blades.

Stylish styling using the most modern cosmetics is also carried out in such establishments.

Additionally, in different barbershops, a man can also receive:

  • tinting beard / mustache / hair;
  • gray hair camouflage;
  • manicure;
  • pedicure;
  • massage;
  • eyebrow shape correction.

To save money, many visitors also immediately choose packages of services, for example, for dad and son.

If you wish, you can ask an experienced barber to first choose the most suitable haircut, the shape of a mustache or beard, and only then proceed to haircut / shave. In some institutions, special computer programs are used for this, which demonstrate the expected result in the client’s photos.

Barber - description and features of the profession

Already today there are many schools that train professional barbers. After their graduation, students usually go to practice in the fashionable barbers discussed, where all the secrets of the profession are revealed to them by experienced craftsmen.

Studying in ordinary schools of hairdressing is not enough, because in them almost all the time is paid to women's haircuts and hairstyles. Therefore, a graduate of such an educational institution has to retrain before a job in a barbershop or practice a lot.

An experienced barber should also be a psychologist, an excellent conversationalist. After all, a man visits such a beauty salon not only to put himself in order, but also for pleasant communication.

Barber should be able to maintain a pleasant conversation, while having a good quality haircut / shave for a man and, possibly, even helping a client pick up a new stylish bright image.

Barbershop today are spreading in Russia at an unprecedented rate. And this is not surprising, because such establishments allow a man to both relax and take care of himself.