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I was over-combing hair for a decade until a client pointed it out | Barbers - Rigidtalk

I was over-combing hair for a decade until a client pointed it out

For years, I thought a good haircut meant combing each section over and over to get it perfectly smooth before cutting. I was doing it on a guy with thick, wavy hair last week, and he finally said, 'You know, my last barber just used his fingers to lift and cut, and my waves sat way better after.' That stopped me cold. I tried it on his next section, just using my fingers to lift the hair and cutting where it naturally wanted to fall, and the difference was instant. The shape looked more natural and the texture stayed put. I realized my constant combing was actually fighting the hair's natural pattern and making it harder to style. I've been doing it his way for every cut since, and it saves time and looks better. Has anyone else had a simple client comment completely change a basic habit like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

avery3896mo ago

Heard a similar thing from a buddy who cuts hair. A client told him he was pulling too hard when trimming beards, making the skin underneath all irritated. He started using a much lighter touch and said the results were way better.

lisa_hill236mo ago

Wow, that barber was basically giving his clients a free exfoliation treatment with their haircut. Imagine paying for a trim and leaving with a rash that makes you look like you tried to shave with a cheese grater. Some guys really do treat beards like they're pruning a thorn bush. How do you not notice you're yanking on someone's face?

cooper.max6mo ago

Feels like we're overthinking this a little bit, @lisa_hill23. I get being careful with a client's skin but "cheese grater" is a big stretch for a slight tug on a beard. You're trimming hair not sanding drywall underneath it. Most guys I know would rather have a quick, efficient pull than someone babying their chin for twenty minutes. And if the skin is getting irritated from a little tension, maybe the issue is pre existing dryness or bad aftercare, not the barber's technique. Seems like every little thing gets blown up into a big deal now. Just my two cents.