It’s inevitable that a visit to the barbershop leaves you with a much better hairstyle than you could ever achieve in your own bathroom. We’ve all been sat there wishing we could recreate the exact style that our barber has just produced in moments with an ease that seems so natural and unachievable yourself. And with far less stress too!
We thought it was about time that we found a way to recreate your own barbershop in your very own bathroom so we spoke to Patrick Bell, founder and CEO of men’s grooming startup, The London Grooming Company to get all the tips.
Bell says: “It’s all about getting the environment right and using the proper tools to get the look you’re after. Keep it simple and follow these three foundational steps to turn your bathroom into a top-end barbershop with results to match.”
Step 1 – Create the Right Environment
First things first, the environment has to be just right and by this we mean the scent. Every barbershop has their own unique scent, but one thing is common – they all have a light, fresh, non-over-bearing smell that lingers on your clothes after you leave. The scent not only helps you relax and unwind but can help you feel more confident when you leave.
In order to create that same essence in your bathroom before you even start your grooming process, lightly spritz cologne in there. A scent that contains oud wood – a sweet, honeyed flavour with a splash of woody notes – will work well and a slight spritz will also help you focus more on the job at hand – your style of the day!
Step 2 – Start with the Beard
Be it clean-shaven, stubble or full, your beard needs to be fit for a king. For those who are clean-shaven or with stubble, using a 2-in-1 skin and beard nourishing product will help thicken the beard (if it contains oils like argan and almond) and also moisturise the skin. This both brightens your complexion and also plays a key role in helping to make your overall look better.
For a fuller beard, it is essential that you wash and condition your beard as you do your hair. Add extra emphasis on the conditioning, as beard hair tends to be drier. Now that you’ve done this process, finish with a drop of beard oil to add an extra conditioning element that will help achieve a softer and better-styled beard.
Step 3 – Select the Right Hair Product
With a scent achieved and your beard on point, it is now time to focus on, possibly, the most important aspect – the hair. After you have washed and cleaned your hair, the styling element is the most essential and most men assume that a one product approach to styling is sufficient. However, if you ask your barber, you’ll find this is far from the case so it is always important to have a range of styling products in order for you to achieve your ‘look of the day’.
For the perfect quiff, always start with a blowout after using a heat protection spray on the hair to, not just protect the hair, but also to help de-frizz it. Using a heat protection serum will also help those who have thinning hair, as one of the main causes of hair loss is heat, which tends to damage the hair, causing it to break. Also, using a heat protecting element ensures that you use less wax to finish your look, which, not only, stops your quiff from dropping in the middle of your day/night, but also helps you achieve a smoother, more cleaner-looking style. And for those perfect finishing touches, add a spritz of sea salt spray in order to add texture to the hair and fix, while a volumizing powder gives it a good boost as well.
Combine either sea salt spray or volumizing powder with a slight touch of pomade, crème or wax, depending on what finish you would like to achieve, just remember that you only need a pea-sized amount if you follow the above steps.
Finally, the number one rule that every barbershop follows – always make sure you can run your fingers through the hair as no one likes a static looking style.
For more information on The London Grooming Company and to purchase their impressive range of barber-grade male grooming products, visit london-grooming.com.
