It’s been a long year and a half—men are headed back into the salon and as Matty Conrad (@mattyconrad) said, they’re back, but not like before. Trends have changed, beards have grown and bathrooms have seen a lot of DIY trim days. 

Victory Barber & Brand took The BTC Show stage hot with some serious education—read below for the pros' tips on the basics of how to keep your male clientele in your chair—and looking good doing it. 

Don't Skip This Crucial Consultation Step

Men don’t always know how to articulate the haircut they want, Mark Bustos (@markbustos) says, so ask them, “What do you do in the mirror to fix your hair before leaving the house?” THAT question can be the deciding factor of how you cut!

If your client pushes their hair back, he likes volume, Mark says. Similarly, if he smooths down the sides, he may want a tapered cut.

Pro Tip: Have your client put his own hands in his hair and step back to assess before using pictures as a sole reference.  

How To Avoid Losing Your Guide

"If you’re not comfortable using a clipper, don’t use a clipper. Use what you know—shears, razors, anything. Men’s hair does not require machinery," says Mari de Monte (@mari.demonte).

Mari stresses the importance of nailing a scissor-over-comb technique for men's cuts as a versatile technique to use when clippers aren't around. She says to keep the bottom blade of the shear where the thumb rests completely still. This allows for you to know exactly where the top of the shear will come down and cut instead of flapping both sides and potentially losing a guide.  

Pro Tip: Use your comb as a texture guide—the larger side of the comb will allow for heavier volume, the fine tooth side will allow the shears to reach detailed areas of the cut.

Blending Any Type Of Fade

Even after quarantine, fades aren't going anywhere—Matty shares his technique for the perfect blend every time.

"After punching in your weight line for a mid-fade, flick your wrist upwards as you work to blend that harsh line instead of going in at a straight angle. Rocking the clipper back and forth while alternating guard adjustments as needed will help to make that line disappear without compromising going too short," he says. 

For a high skin taper, working from top to bottom while decreasing guard size creates a seamless transition on the intricate fade. Tyler Kelbert (@tyler_kelbert) shares that working downwards after the initial guide is made is the secret to erasing any line of demarcation.  

Teach Men About Their Hair

The single most important thing you can give to a client is the knowledge of why you're the one meant to be standing behind them. Teach your guys about styling their own hair with products or techniques that work for them. 

Men are generally not aware of how their hair texture can transform a style and don't realize how much a finger comb with pomade can attribute to confident styling. 

Explain personalized things like drying curly hair with an old T-shirt instead of a towel for pattern preservation, recommend products that can be used for multiple styling options like Victory's Dry Grooming Cream and give them a cut that can last until they come back to your chair. 

Watch Victory Barber & Brand's Full Class From The BTC Show HERE!