Fancy haircuts and hairstyles have been around for as long as recorded history. Razors can be traced back to 3500 BC, the Bronze Age, and the popularity of barbers was seen to soar in the mid-twentieth century. No one will deny the fact that they don’t require a haircut, whether its men or women. We all require haircut to look good, to look decent and that’s why we need those specialists who can cut our hairs as per our preference and style. Thus, we require the services of hairdressers and barbers frequently. Especially men, as their hair grows fast and thus to look decent they have to regularly have a haircut. But there is a thing, there is a hell lot of confusion when it comes to differentiating between a men’s hairdresser and a barber. Now, we have heard both terms but there is a catch, they both are different. They both are involved with haircutting and haircare, but modernization and other factors have made it more complex terms and thus to get a clear picture, it is important to have a differentiation sorted out so that one can get clear about both of them. But before we forward with the differentiation part, let’s understand what hairdresser and barber really are.
Hairdresser:
A person who has special training for cutting, styling, and washing their client’s hairs is called a hairdresser. Hairdresser is not gendered specific, a male, as well as a female, can perform the task. It is used as a universal term that can be applied to a person whose occupation is to give new styles to their client’s hair and to cut and maintain them. Hairdresser is also used as a synonym for hairstylist and they work in salons, parlors, fashion events and movie sets. They are not restricted to just cutting and styling hairs, but they also perform the task of coloring, washing, shampooing and other hair related treatments to their clients.
Barber:
Those who possess the skill sets and who are trained for cutting a men’s hair are known as barbers. The word barber is extensively used to describe an expert who specializes in the grooming of men which includes, shaving, trimming of beard, and maintaining mustaches. If we look upon the history of the professionals called barbers then it goes back to ancient times, as men required grooming.
Points of Difference between a Men’s Hairdresser and Men’s Barber:
Barber is an older term than that of a hairdresser.
- If we have looked upon on the work of both, barbers and hairdressers perform the same task and that is to cut hairs, but the only significant difference between them is that the barber cuts only men’s hair.
- Barber’s profession is to look after the grooming needs of men which includes haircutting, trimming, shaving, beard, and mustache cutting. Whereas a hairdresser can be associated with a unisex job, as they work for both the men and the women and they specialize in grooming need of both.
- A hairdresser is also called as a hairstylist and to acquire the skills they have the license of a barber as well as cosmetology.
- When we talk about the training part, barbers and hairdressers, undergo the altogether different set of training. Barbers trains especially for grooming needs and hairstyles of men.
Justin Jersey is a journalist, stylist and blogger. He is an aesthetician by heart who often writes about Home, Art, Fashion, decorating and DIY ideas. He loves sparking creativity and giving them ideas for their own spaces.