In his most recent column for Concept Hair Magazine, the award-winning men’s hairdressing expert and educator Jim Shaw, explains the must have tools and products for mens hairdressers.
When it comes to being a great men’s hairdresser, using the correct, best products and tools on your clients is essential to allow you to be your best.
When you first start out in your men’s hairdresser career it may seem daunting to invest in products and tools for your kit.
Below I identify some of my favourite and must have tools and products to help create the most desired and on trend hair looks for your male clients and to be able to tailor styles to their individual needs and tastes…
- Wahl Cordless Clippers – Clippers are a must have for any men’s hairdresser or barber. Cordless clippers especially allow you to move easily and quickly around your client’s hair and give more control. These are particularly great for buzz cuts and also to cut the hair down shorter at the sides before using scissors for more precision. Also a handy tool for ensuring neatness around the throat and neck area and for blending to ensure the finished look is neat and tidy.
- Feather Razor – I use this during a lot of my cuts as it’s great for adding texture and layers into the hair. Layers are a big trend at the moment and this tool is a great one for creating these quickly, getting rid of weight and giving the hair instant movement.
- 7 Inch Scissors – Scissors are a must have for any men’s hairdresser. We are now starting to move away from clippers and are focussing on using scissors for hairstyles, including styles like scissor over comb that is so on trend at the moment. Scissors help to create more precise, clean lines and really are important to have with the current trends we are seeing at the moment in regards to men’s hair.
- Hairdryer – When creating looks with volume, I love to use a hairdryer to help blow-dry the hair up and away from the head. Particularly when it comes to quiff hairstyles, which are loved amongst male clients, a hairdryer is a fantastic tool to help create more height and volume.
- American Crew Fibre – One of my very favourite hair products – the name is in the title, fibre. This product gives the hair texture and fullness and is great for adding thickness. I use this in a lot of the hairstyles I create to give the hair more body and love that it has a matte finish so it looks as though no product has been applied to the hair.
- Label M Grooming Cream – A great multifunctional product, this can be used on damp hair prestyling or dry hair to finish off a look. I like to create a lot of hairstyles with shape and I particularly love this product to use to finish the style off, ensure the shape has hold and also to give the hair shine without looking or feeling to wet/greasy. It’s a great finishing product and you can build it up to add more texture and definition as required.
- Texture Spray such as a sea salt spray – more natural, effortless styles are becoming on trend and clients with natural curls and waves are starting to embrace their hairs texture. With that in mind, this product is great to give the hair texture and a more ‘messy feel’ and to enhance natural styles. These products can also be used to give the hair a light hold.
- Hairspray – a must have finishing product to help keep styles in place, giving them hold and an extra dose of shine.
