While freshly-styled hair is bound to look great when a client stands up from the chair and steps out of your barbershop, that’s only half the battle. You want your barbering work to hold up to the challenges of a long night out on the town. It’s an aspect of barbering that is often overlooked but incredibly important in order for your clients to fully appreciate and enjoy their looks.

Prepare Your Clients for Time on the Town

From spring break to St. Patrick’s Day, hitting the town is a popular way to celebrate the warmer weather and enjoy meaningful time with friends, new and old. No matter what propelled you into a late night, there’s no doubt that you want to look great from the moment you arrive to the second you leave.

Your clients feel the same way, and as a barber, you are in a unique position to help them look great the entire night. Luckily, you don’t have to follow them around all night with hair products and sheers–you can set them up for success while they’re in your shop!

Styles that Last

Intricate or highly-stylized haircuts look fantastic, and they certainly have a place in a barber’s repertoire. When it comes to those long nights out, however, they can be difficult to maintain. From physical activities to humidity to the myriad of other factors associated with whatever the night brings, it’s not easy to keep your hair looking its best at all times.

If keeping up appearances all night is a priority for your client, you may want to guide them toward a style that lasts and is easy to maintain. As a barber, there are several ways to achieve this end goal, giving both you and your clients plenty of stylistic flexibility.

Buzz cuts are a go-to in this scenario, and they can be personalized with hard parts or designs. For a bit more length, the short fade is a nice alternative that works with practically any hair type. Some styles, such as the infamous man bun, work with longer hair and require nearly zero maintenance, no matter how late the night goes. Finally, anything with natural texture will do–think windswept, shag, and messy styles that require little to no effort and product to style.

On-the-Go Products

If your client opts for a haircut that requires product to style, you’ll want to equip them for on-the-go maintenance. This involves guiding them to the right products to keep their style looking stellar all night long. From pomades and putties to oils and combs, the right products can be the difference between hair that stands out and falls flat.

In addition to helping hair look fantastic even as the night drags on, the right products can contribute to healthier hair. The weather, the beverages you’re enjoying, and more can all damage your hair. The right products address these factors, so you don’t have to worry about them.

Ideally, the number of products needed to maintain their new cut would be kept to a minimum, allowing your client to make small adjustments to their hair throughout the night without having to carry a bunch of bottles and vials with them. Again, the key is to keep things as simple as possible!

Education

The best haircut and related products in the world are not enough to ensure perfection night after night. For that, you must educate your clients on how to maintain their hair, what products to use, how to use them, and why they are beneficial. Just as it took you years of studying and practice to become a skilled barber, your clients have to learn what it takes to keep their new style looking fresh.

While you don’t have to give a full-blown course lecture complete with a PowerPoint presentation, taking a few minutes to talk to your client about their new hair can make all the difference when they leave your shop. Think of it as an extension of your barbering skillset–educating people takes talent, effort, and a genuine interest in their success once they’re no longer in your barber’s chair.

Clients come to you to update their looks and improve their confidence and self-image. Being able to rock their new style even during long stents on the town is key to them fully enjoying the cut you worked so hard on. With the simple tips listed here, you can help your clients prepare for their night out.

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