essential items every beginner barber needs

If you are a beginner barber, of course you'll need clippers and trimmers in order to perform haircuts, but this blog will focus on a few other essentials that you will need in order to be successful as a barber.  The following essentials are in no particular order, however they are all necessary.

1. BARBICIDE

Barbicide is the single most important essential that a barber can have at their station.  If the State Board walks in and see that you do not have this wet disinfectant present, I can guarantee that you will be issued a fine.  Barbicide is a hospital-grade disinfectant that will kill of viruses and bacteria within 10 minutes.  It is used to disinfect implements such as combs, shears, and razor blades.  Be cautious not to leave implements in Barbicide solution too long because it can take the color off of some implements, as it is a very strong solutions.  Before using, be sure to THOROUGHLY read the instructions on the bottle.

2. HAND SANITIZER

Believe it or not, your clients pay attention to your hygiene and cleanliness.  You always want to make it a priority to clean your hands before and after every client.  Be sure to get rid of any loose hair on your hands also.  The last thing you want to do is to start an outbreak by passing germs from one client to another.  If you have issues with dry, cracking hands, try a sanitizer that includes aloe or some type of moisturizer.

3. LUBRICANT/DISINFECTANT

Since the blades of clippers have metal on metal friction, you'll need to apply an oil based lubricant after each cut to keep the blades moving at maximum speed.  Also, you need to disinfect them, as you will be using these same clippers on numerous clients.  Clippercide is a good all-in-one lubricant and disinfectant.

4. BLADE WASH

Blade wash is a key essential to have because hair, dirt, and oil will build up in between your clipper blades over time.  Blade wash will draw all of the sludge and gunk out of the blades.  To use it, tilt the clipper at an angle and give the bottle one or two squirts across the entire blade.  You will quickly see the sludge come out of the clippers.  You will also hear the difference in the way that the blades sound.

5.  ASTRINGENT

An astringent is used to cleanse the skin of any excess dirt or oil that may be on the surface.  Alcohol is the most commonly used substance, but there are also other alternatives that do not include the dreadful burn of alcohol.  Witchazel and Seabreeze are two other options that have the same cleansing properties without the burn.

6. NECK DUSTER

Throughout the duration of a haircut, loose hair will frequently fall on the face of the client and on their neck.  This can be quite annoying to the client if the hair is not removed in a timely manner.  The client will sometimes even attempt to wipe the hair off of their face if it is not done by the barber in a timely manner.  Always make it a priority to make sure the client is as comfortable as possible.

7. NECK STRIPS

PLEASE do not ever put a cape on a client without first placing a neck strip around their neck.  The neck strip creates a barrier between the person's skin and the cape (which goes around the neck of EVERY client that you service.)  You never know what skin condition someone could have, so just make sure you take this precaution.

8. GOOD LIGHTING

In the Barbering profession, good lighting is your best friend.  Good lighting allows you to see any imperfections and indentions on a person's head.  Also, if you do a haircut in dim or low light and you miss a few spots, when the person steps into natural light, all of the imperfections in the haircut will show.  Invest in the proper lighting to make sure this is not an issue.  You will thank yourself for it.

You can watch the video associated with this blog by visiting the Barber Style Directory YouTube Channel.