Cheap barbers vs. premium barbers: stingy beards pay more!

Put Beardo,

Today the Doc has to teach you and your buddies a lesson: A proper visit to the barber should also be paid appropriately!

But there are obviously quite a few people in the schoolyard who don't give it a dandruff and would rather have their beard trimmed for ten euros than invest just a cent too much in their mane of fur.

Only recently there were several tough discussions in the beard groups on Facebook. And the Doc had to read that an alarming number of you find it perfectly normal to go to a barber who offers full service at a price that a normal, trained handyman couldn't even turn the key in the barbershop door for. Still, it seems like a great thing for a lot of your buddies to think of going to the barber shop as a bargain hunt.

dr Awesome will explain to you why this mentality is a fallacy. And why it's important to all the beardos out there that you and your friends don't skimp on the burgeoning barber culture.

Cheap barbers, cheap beards, at least most of the time...

The Doc doesn't want to claim that there aren't any cheap barbers out there who know their stuff and do a solid job. But that is not the rule. Because one trend is finding its way into the larger cities in particular: every run-of-the-mill hairdresser thinks they can suddenly get involved in the barber business. This applies both to conventional cheap hairdressers specializing in perms and to the Turkish barbers who have been popular for years and who offer the supposed full program for a fee.

Don't get the doc wrong, Beardo. But it's like a cabinet with wood veneer. From a distance, he might not look so bad after all. And for some, that's enough. But if you look at the whole thing in detail, at least the doc would always rely on real solid wood from the carpenter.

And it's the same with choosing a barber. If you try to save money, you end up paying more. That's exactly what excited students prove to the Doc again and again. They then desperately ask for rescue tips after a failed beard cut, because what is left of the original splendor is only good for cutting off.

How much can a good barber cost?

Before there's any unrest in the back row: The doc doesn't want to badmouth your barber. If you're happy, that's good. But he wants to open your eyes to the fact that it is worth investing in his visit to the barber. Because maybe it can be even better.
It doesn't always have to be 60 euros for a beard and hair. But it won't be much less if you trust a good barber. A good guideline is about 50 euros. For some it's a little cheaper, for others a little more. Depending on the effort, hairstyle, beard shape and length, this amount may vary. You should be clear: If you spend almost an hour on the barber's chair and are looked after by a real craftsman, you shouldn't quarrel with the price. Because would you even bat an eyelid if your car mechanic asked for 50 euros an hour? The Doc says "never in my life". You would pay it and even feel that it was a really fair price. Oddly enough, some bargain beards at the barber are already ten euros too much - for the same effort!

What distinguishes a good barber from a bad one?

The doc can tell you from his own experience. Anyone who sits on the chair at the cheap barber will at best be asked what they want to have done. More than: “Get the beard in shape and an undercut on top”, but many people don’t even get through the chewing bar. And before they can catch their breath again, the scissors or even the electric shaver is applied and the first few centimeters have fallen. That can be fine. Far too often, however, things really go wrong. And you end up crying the pillow all over again, Beardo!

A premium barber first talks in detail. The barber makes suggestions and tries to find out what you actually want and, above all, what suits you. He will work out goals with you, for example if you plan to grow your beard. And will therefore cut your beard in such a way that you can achieve your dream beard as quickly as possible. A good barber will also warn your moon-faced friends when they want to grow tall again. Only when both sides are clear where the journey should go will he pick up the scissors and start.

He also masters all the tricks and tricks to conceal problem areas and can thus get the best out of your beard. At many barbers with a ten-euro program, the standard number is drawn through. Hair trimmer, fixed attachments and then once through the hair. That can be solid, but it's not the best - and certainly not individual. A premium barber basically does not use any attachments, but uses the comb to be able to vary. Even Dr. Recognize Awesome's grandma from ten meters away.
And honestly, little stingy beard. Have you ever been given a hot towel pack and only then had your contours shaved? A difference like day and night. Glide versus scratch. Once you've experienced it, you'll never want to go under the knife again. With the cheap barber, however, you can usually wait for a hot towel until they sweep you out of the shop.

And then, little connoisseur beard, there is of course the cozy aspect. It's not that important when it comes to the result. But the doc still loves it. Because a classic visit to the barber includes at least a beer or a coffee and a group of bearded boys who will make your visit an experience. The cheap barber works according to the waiting room method. If you like it and don't take it too seriously with your own beard, you'll definitely be happy here too. In any case, the Doc is not one of them!

And write that down 30 times behind your ears, so that you and your proud beard don't fall victim to your stinginess again.

See you soon

Dr. Awesome