Is it time for another haircut already? It seems like just yesterday you were trudging off to the Aventura men’s hair salon for a fresh trim. And by “fresh” we mean “the closest thing to looking like an Army recruit that you can get without having to actually join the army”.
For too many men, haircuts are viewed as nothing more than an opportunity to grumpily sit in a poorly little chair, while some other dude uses you as a play pretend dummy for wielding scissors. It’s no wonder that so many men avoid the barbershop altogether.
It doesn’t have to be like this though! Maybe you don’t know what words to use, what questions to ask, or even what sort of haircut to go for in the first place. So let’s remedy that, shall we? In this article, North Miami’s best hair salon, the Changing Room, will help you with every aspect of the modern barbershop experience.
First Things First: Terms and Vocab
In order to get what you want, you have to learn the hairstylist language. Here are the most important terms to know:
- Number 1-8: This refers to the hair clippers used by your stylist. The higher the number, the longer the cut. The smaller the number, the closer the shave.
- Taper or Fade: These terms are interchangeable and refer to haircuts where the taper of the hair gets gradually shorter as it approaches the ears.
- Sideburns: The sideburns are the section of facial hair directly below your ears. They can either be faded or tapered, depending on the haircut you want!
- Scissor Cut: A scissor-cut is a haircut where your stylist will use scissors to precisely cut your hair, instead of using clippers.
- Volume: This is the term used to describe how much hair you want on top of your head. The higher the volume, the puffier and thicker your haircut will be.
- Hairline: The hairline is the very front section of your scalp, where your hair starts. It can be low or high depending on the look you want to achieve.
- Razor Cut: This is where your stylist will use an actual razor instead of scissors or clippers to cut your hair. The benefit is that it’s easier to get more intricate, detailed haircuts.
Face Shapes
Another important detail you should be aware of when you visit the Aventura men’s hair salon, especially when you are picking out your cut, is your face shape. To help you figure out your face shape, here are 5 main face shapes:
Oval Face: The length of your face is just longer than the width. Haircuts that will look great on oval-shaped faces are ones that have been layered and cut longer on top.
Round Face: This means that your face is almost as wide as it is long. If your face is round, you will want to opt for a haircut that brings out your jawline and angles your face with shorter hair on the sides, and long hair on top.
Square Face: A square face is one with sharp angles and a strong jawline. If your face is square-shaped, you will want to opt for a cut that gives you a softer, more rounded look.
Diamond: Faces with diamond shapes tend to be narrow at the jaw and wider around the cheekbones. Haircuts that cut weight off around the jawline, will be flattering to diamond-shaped faces.
Triangular Face: This means that your face is narrow at the jaw and widens towards the forehead. Haircuts then add weight and texture to the top of your head, in particular in front, will be flattering.
Last-Minute Tips
Once you finally get into the salon chair, here are some last-minute tips and tricks to keep in mind:
Ask your stylist questions and not just the small-talk kind. Ask them about what you want, how to style it, whether or not certain haircuts would be flattering for your face shape. They’re there to help you.
If you feel uncomfortable in the chair, don’t be afraid to speak up! No one’s going to think any less of you for admitting that you’re nervous.
Finally, go with your gut. If you feel like you didn’t get what you wanted, don’t be afraid to go somewhere else!
Conclusion
Now that you know these basics, you should be able to communicate much more effectively with your stylist! No more buzz cuts just because it’s the easy choice! Now you have the ability to choose a buzz cut because you know that it suits your face.
When you combine your face shape with your knowledge of terms, you can walk into your barbershop confidently. You can walk out with a great haircut from North Miami’s best hair salon that will look good and feel good.