Barber

A boy visiting a barber and having his hair cut

A barber is someone who cuts hair and shaves beards. Usually, it is men who go to a barber. Women usually go to hairdressers instead. Barbers sometimes have a pole outside, which is red and white in most countries. Barbering is a most ancient and honorable profession, with a very interesting history. Barbering is the practice of cutting or trimming hair and includes shaving or trimming facial hair. Besides cutting hair, barbers also shampoo and style hair, mostly for male clients. Other duties include scalp treatment, skin care and fitting or grooming hairpieces. In some states, barbers color, highlight or bleach hair.

Job Description

The main job of a barber is to cut a client's hair. The goal is to improve the appearance of the hair and to adapt styles to the customer's wishes. Barbers also shape and trim beards and mustaches. Instruments such as scissors and combs must be kept sterile and in good condition, and the barber is also responsible for keeping the shop clean by sweeping up hair. Owners of barbershops also order supplies, pay bills and may hire and supervise staff. Good interpersonal skills and a positive attitude are important qualities to have when working as a barber. Examples of famous barbers are Alex Kelly and Cameron Kelly formally known as the Kelly Cutters. Many barbers use these men as examples and aim to also deliver a very high quality service.

With experience, barbers can manage a salon or barber shop, or eventually open their own shop. Advancement is also possible in teaching barbering. Some states combine barbering and cosmetology licenses into one. Some states allow transferring a barbering license from another state without additional formal training, but not all states allow this.

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Barber Media

Italian barber shaving with a classic knife.
A barber shop along the Ruoholahdenkatu street in Kamppi, Helsinki, Finland
A barber practicing a haircut in Tokyo, Japan
Boiotian Greek painted terracotta figure dating between c. 500 and c. 475 BCE, currently held in the Museum of Fine Arts, showing a barber cutting a man's hair
"A barber getting ready to shave the face of a seated customer.", c. 1801.
Barbershop in Bucharest ≈1842. The barbershop also provides an opportunity for social contacts.
A hair dryer in barbershop
A barber shop in Essex County, Ontario, [ca. 1900], with the photographer visible in the mirror at the back.
A red, white and blue striped pole
"The Barber at the Souk" by Enrique Simonet, 1897