Barbershop Etiquette: Tipping, Clean Hair, and Phones

Most barbershop etiquette is common sense, but a few questions come up all the time: Should I wash my hair first? How much do I tip? Can I use my phone? Here are the answers.

Come with clean hair

Heavy clay, wax, or grease clogs clippers and makes it harder to see how your hair falls. Wash out old product the night before or the morning of your visit.

Also take off your hat before you come in. A tight cap or beanie flattens your hair and can hide cowlicks, which makes it harder to balance the cut.

In the chair

• Let your barber move your head. They tilt it to reach certain spots. Hold the angle until they move you again.
• Face the mirror when you talk. Turning toward someone mid-sentence while clippers or a razor are running leads to slips.
• Keep both feet on the floor. Crossing your legs tilts your hips and shoulders, and the cut can come out uneven.

Phones

Texting or scrolling is fine. If you need to take a call, keep it short. Holding a phone to your ear makes you tilt your head, which stops the haircut. For an urgent call, tell your barber and take a quick pause.

Tipping

15% to 25% is standard. On a $25 haircut that’s about $4 to $6, and on a $50 Haircut & Beard it’s $8 to $12. Tip more if your barber squeezed you in, spent extra time on a tricky cowlick, or did extra detail work.

Beating the wait

We take walk-ins 7 days a week. Mid-morning and early afternoon, Tuesday through Thursday, are usually quietest. Friday afternoons, Saturdays, and Sunday mornings are busiest. To check the wait, call (480) 825-0878.