So I took my son to the barber

[chen bao jun]

And then I asked if he ever trimmed ladies' hair and what he charged. He said he would trim my hair for free. So I let him take off 1/2 inch. He took off exactly 1/2 in (checked with me 3 x to make sure he wasn't taking off more than I wanted) and there was NO DRAMA, it was amazing.
when I took out my hairstick he said, Wow your hair is long (it's not LHC standards but IRL brastrap is long) but it was just an observation, he did not continue with the usual 'so I have to charge you more' that I get from hairdressers.
When he combed it out, he said, It's very thick, but again that was it, no drama about how much more trouble that made it, how I should thin it, how I need a 'style' blah blah blah.
The whole transaction took 5 minutes, including the actual haircut (and all the conversation). I also did not get any 'suggestions' as to how I needed to be washed and conditioned or highlighted or dyed or anything else at all, he just did exactly what I wanted and that was it.
Though it was free, I gave him a $5 tip, I was so pleased.
So I guess I CAN go out and get haircuts, I was just going to the wrong place for me.
No offense to hair dressers, I know there are great hairdressers on LHC, but why can't going to the hairdresser in general be more like this?
He gave me his card and you better believe I took it.

[breezefaerie]

Perhaps barbers are used to men and very straightforward requests and haircuts. Regardless I am so glad you had a great experience!

[lapushka]

Perhaps barbers are used to men and very straightforward requests and haircuts.

I guess that that's what quite a few women are like and want as well. ;)

chen bao jun, I'm so glad everything went well for you and that you had a great experience!

[HaileComfort]

What a great encounter! If I ever lose my hairstylist (of the past few years) I totally wanna be a chick with a barber :)

[ErinLeigh]

Nighshade posted a pretty funny story once about going to a barber. :)
I have used one in the past as well for a simple trim and it was a quick fuss free, stress free experience. Well enjoyed.

[LaFlor]

I've done the same thing before. It turned out great for me as well.

[HintOfMint]

What a lovely experience!

[jeanniet]

Maybe it's partly because men going to the barber just want their hair cut, and women (not all, but a lot) going to the salon want an experience. So barbers give the no muss, no fuss treatment and salons push more (that is, "suggest"). I mean, if my husband's barber tried to push coloring on him, it would be a no go, but I don't think that's how barbers expect to make money. I think for the most part, barbershops are much more suited to longhairs (men or women) than salons.

[heidi w.]

I'm glad you found a nice barber. I have had good luck with finding a salon and hairdresser to handle my hair. They were shocked one day when I walked in and cut it ALL off to about chin length. Right now, I'm growing it out. Which reminds me: today I met a guy with nice long hair. The usual oily scalp dry length. So I told him what to do and how to oil it and guess what? He took me seriously and I saw him in my next store that I went to today, Walgreens. He showed me hairsafe hair ties and the coconut oil he bought. An extra plus was I convinced a kid not to buy candy cause his teeth have to last a long time. I don't know how i did it, but he came out of Walkgreens all proud that he did not buy the candy bar and was now taking better care of his teeth. So I feel pretty good that I was able to convince a kid to take care of his teeth and helped a man take better care of his hair.
heidi w.

[heartgoesboom]

hahaha that is so great!


I'm glad you found a nice barber. I have had good luck with finding a salon and hairdresser to handle my hair. They were shocked one day when I walked in and cut it ALL off to about chin length. Right now, I'm growing it out. Which reminds me: today I met a guy with nice long hair. The usual oily scalp dry length. So I told him what to do and how to oil it and guess what? He took me seriously and I saw him in my next store that I went to today, Walgreens. He showed me hairsafe hair ties and the coconut oil he bought. An extra plus was I convinced a kid not to buy candy cause his teeth have to last a long time. I don't know how i did it, but he came out of Walkgreens all proud that he did not buy the candy bar and was now taking better care of his teeth. So I feel pretty good that I was able to convince a kid to take care of his teeth and helped a man take better care of his hair.
heidi w.

[katiebeans]

That sounds exactly how I would like my trims to go! Perhaps I will tag along with my brother the next time he gets a haircut :eyebrows:

[MissBubble]

Ok... I will see who is going to a barber's soon and I will follow him (bf, brother, dad...) I guess dad will be better since the others go to a place more like a man's salon, if this make sense.
That's what I want. No comments and suggestions on hair color, condition, length etc. I am aware of all that. Just trim what I will tell.

[Wildcat Diva]

As I have said many times before on LHC, yay barbers! I'm going back (this fall!)!

[chen bao jun]

It was so business like, so professional, so quick (and so cheap). Can it really be that most women wouldn't like that? That's hard to believe.
I'm very happy with my hair this evening.

[Bombadillo]

I'm wondering how a long haired man would fair going to a barber shop. Seems like it would be some not-so-good grief Charlie Brown-

[Alun]

That's the funny thing. I've read of many women having positive experiences with barbers, but I stopped using them and switched to hair salons many years ago. And it's ten years now since I even went to one of those, LOL! I think that many barbers used to have very negative attitudes to long haired men. OTOH, it's decades since I went to one! So, truth is I don't know, but I'm not sure it's such a good idea to find out?

[ellenajordans]

Wow, I might look at some barbers near me. Cheaper as well.

Glad you had a good experience!

[LauraLongLocks]

And then I asked if he ever trimmed ladies' hair and what he charged. He said he would trim my hair for free. So I let him take off 1/2 inch. He took off exactly 1/2 in (checked with me 3 x to make sure he wasn't taking off more than I wanted) and there was NO DRAMA, it was amazing.
when I took out my hairstick he said, Wow your hair is long (it's not LHC standards but IRL brastrap is long) but it was just an observation, he did not continue with the usual 'so I have to charge you more' that I get from hairdressers.
When he combed it out, he said, It's very thick, but again that was it, no drama about how much more trouble that made it, how I should thin it, how I need a 'style' blah blah blah.
The whole transaction took 5 minutes, including the actual haircut (and all the conversation). I also did not get any 'suggestions' as to how I needed to be washed and conditioned or highlighted or dyed or anything else at all, he just did exactly what I wanted and that was it.
Though it was free, I gave him a $5 tip, I was so pleased.
So I guess I CAN go out and get haircuts, I was just going to the wrong place for me.
No offense to hair dressers, I know there are great hairdressers on LHC, but why can't going to the hairdresser in general be more like this?
He gave me his card and you better believe I took it.

Yay! Great experience. :)



I'm glad you found a nice barber. I have had good luck with finding a salon and hairdresser to handle my hair. They were shocked one day when I walked in and cut it ALL off to about chin length. Right now, I'm growing it out. Which reminds me: today I met a guy with nice long hair. The usual oily scalp dry length. So I told him what to do and how to oil it and guess what? He took me seriously and I saw him in my next store that I went to today, Walgreens. He showed me hairsafe hair ties and the coconut oil he bought. An extra plus was I convinced a kid not to buy candy cause his teeth have to last a long time. I don't know how i did it, but he came out of Walkgreens all proud that he did not buy the candy bar and was now taking better care of his teeth. So I feel pretty good that I was able to convince a kid to take care of his teeth and helped a man take better care of his hair.
heidi w.

That's so awesome, you go!

[TheMechaGinger]

That's awesome! I've wanted to find a nice barber in town but I haven't devoted much time to it. My hair is waist length so trimming it myself isn't too hard but I'm afraid once it gets longer it's going to be more of a challenge to keep my ends even