My salon, Hair By Joey Prescott, has a reputation as the salon in Prescott, Chino Valley, and Prescott Valley for high end women’s hair design, color, and balayage.
That great reputation can sometimes overshadow the fact that we also have some of the best men’s haircut specialists in town.
We also have some fantastic barber shops here in our little town. I should know. I trained with my friends at The John Hancock Barber Shop for three years when I first arrived a decade ago. I wanted to bring my men’s haircut game to the next level. We still work with those guys often, sending clients back and forth when either of us gets too busy.
Chatting with my barber friends the other day, the question came up. What is the difference between a salon and a barbershop? And what is the best fit for men looking for haircuts in Prescott?
Part of it is the vibe.
Barber shops tend to be a bit more crowded, a bit louder, a bit more high energy. John Hancock has eight or ten cutting stations in a space where I would put maybe three or four. The music in a salon tends to be more subdued, perhaps even spa-like in a high end space like ours. Barber shops tend to be a little more hip hop or rock and roll. Barber shops are obviously more of a male space. It is a fun space to shoot the breeze, talk politics, sports, and life. Salons tend to be a little less interactive, more of a quiet, private experience between you and your stylist.
The other main piece is focus.
Barbers know how to use clippers. Some of them even use straight razors. If you are looking for a skin fade or a clipper cut, a military look with a hard line part, a barber shop might be the best fit. If you need your beard tuned up or even a full straight razor shave, a good barber is guaranteed to be able to make it happen.
If on the other hand you have longer hair, you might be in trouble. Not all barbers feel comfortable with longer hair or scissor work. That is where salons come in.
Well trained salon stylists can do amazing scissor cuts on guys. If you have longer hair or want a more nuanced mid length style, a good salon with a strong male clientele may be a better fit.
Of course, salon stylists can have the opposite challenge that barbers do. Many hair stylists do not even cut men’s hair. Of those that do, many feel uncomfortable with clippers. Razor fades? Forget it.
Here at Hair By Joey Prescott, we are lucky to have several stylists that are completely comfortable in both arenas. Myself, Brittany, and Stephanie New York do a ton of both scissor and clipper work every single day. Our salon is always buzzing with a mixed clientele of men and women. While I would say the vibe is definitely more private with that high end Prescott salon feel, we do some of the best clipper and razor cuts in town.
So if you are not sure what is the best fit for you, take a little time to do the research.
When you book an appointment with a salon or barbershop, be sure to ask: “Is the person you are booking me with comfortable with clipper cuts?” Or, “Does my barber do a lot of longer layered men’s styles?”
Those questions are the number one thing you will want to ask to be sure you are paired with the right professional.
If you are interested in working with our incredible team here at Hair By Joey, give us a call at 928-396-1695 or book your own appointment in about two minutes on our website www.hairbyjoey.com.
Whether you are looking for a long modern shag or a super tight skin fade, we have got you covered.