Last week, as I was interviewing the Pall Mall Barbers’ hairdressers, it occurred to me that my own methods of looking after my hair have been moulded by years of habit originating in my pubescent youth, i.e. when, as young boys, we suddenly discovered girls and wanted to look good for them.
Then we worked on the principle that more is better. It was an age of big baggy jeans, deodorant that hung so heavy in the air it was like walking through the dry ice at the X Factor Final and of course hair wax so thick every young man could double up as an emergency candle in case the fuse went in the house. The wax we put in our hair was essentially heavily scented paraffin wax and we had massive tubs of the stuff, not only on our bathroom shelf, but also in the sports bag and in the school locker. One tub of the stuff should have lasted at least 8 or 9 months plus but we got through it within a few weeks. If you’d run your hands through my hair when I was 14 you would have assumed I’d been rescued, along with a couple of puffins and a sickly otter, from an oil slick. Needless to say this is not what the experts at Pall Mall Barbers think we should be subjecting our follicles to on a daily basis.
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So if the cheap tubs of paraffin wax are no good, what should I use? If you head to a supermarket there is now shelf after shelf of hair product for men alone, ranging massively in price, design and size. You can use gels, wax, mud, gum, doh and plenty of other types of styling product. I’d be curious to know how many men out there have actually tried more than two different types of product. Personally I decided well over a decade ago that I was a wax man and need not look any further. It’s ridiculous when you take into account that when I head out to go clothes shopping, I, like any other man keen to look good whilst shopping on a budget, will go to half a dozen top high street stores and check out their current range of clothing before purchasing. Why should our hair be any different? After all, the head is where our eyes focus most when we talk to someone. I shudder to think how I would look if I followed the same principles when buying clothes as I have done with my hair products. I’d still be wearing that baggy black Guns ‘N’ Roses T-shirt, with ill fitting jeans and maroon coloured Doc Martin boots.
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In preparation for writing this article, Richard lent me three styling products from the Pall Mall Barbers range. I’ve tried the “Matt Mudd”, “Hair Play” and “Hair Doh” and I’ve found the little trial experiment fascinating. Actively experimenting with these products for the last couple of weeks has to some extent explained the mystery of why my hair looks its best the day I’ve had my haircut. Why is it that the very next morning my hair just doesn’t have that ‘je ne sais quoi’ anymore? The hair’s not particularly dirty; it was, after all, washed less than 24 hours ago. It certainly hasn’t grown out from the cut. That would be insane as our hair grows roughly half an inch in one month. That means in 24 hours it would have grown 0.017 of an inch (thank you Wikipedia for that). So it comes down to the styling product.
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When Richard gave me the PMB product he showed me how to apply it. He demonstrated how you need to vigorously rub it between your hands before massaging it into your hair and scalp. “The most common mistake when putting product in your hair is that guys will simply scoop up a whole load and then streak it through their hair from front to back.” Oops that’s my method shot. “The problem with that is you end up with a greasy forehead and a fluffy behind”. That certainly doesn’t sound appealing. Richard went on to give another crucial, yet often overlooked, bit of advice. “You don’t need a lot. A standard tub (100ml) should last you three months, possibly longer.” Again it’s a fault that I’m all too aware of. Like most guys I simply can’t believe that that smidgen of wax, mud or whatever I use is going to do the job of styling my whole head. But as Richard points out, that’s where massaging the product in becomes so important. Do that and the product is evenly distributed throughout the whole of the head and essentially from the base of the hair to its tip.
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So now I move on to the results of my study. First off I’m a big fan of the PMB brand (I know I have to say that as Rich is my boss but the fact that I really believe in it means I sleep easy at night). The sharp black, grey and metallic look of the packaging means I’m proud to have it on display rather than in the recesses of the bathroom cabinet. The first thing I considered in trying out the product is the smell. They all smelled great, with the Mudd having a vanilla scent, the Play a fruity sherbet hint and the Doh a sweet yet slightly peppery after tone. As for how they held my hair, I was surprised, as I assumed the Mudd would be my favourite, it being the strongest and therefore closest to my usual wax choice, but I found after trying out the others that it did too much. My style doesn’t require my hair to be held in any unusual shapes and so I found that the Hair Doh was what suited me most, though I would be happy to use the Play as well.
When I planned this article two weeks ago, I expected to go into great depths about the products that Pall Mall Barbers have on offer. What I’ve learnt however is that the styling products the shop boasts are in essence all fantastic. What is invariably at fault is how the individual both chooses the product and then how he applies it. I would say the best piece of advice is - when next you’re sitting in that chair getting your trim, ask your barber which product he or she thinks will best suit your hair type and then go out and experiment. After all “We’re Worth It!”
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Thursday 28 October 2010
Monday 25 October 2010
Mens Hairdressing London. Stylists Top Trumps.
Stylists Top Trumps
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We’ve seen Top Trumps for superheroes, super cars and even super wrestlers. So now we at Pall Mall Barbers bring you The Top Trumps for Super Hair Stylists. For those who don’t know how to play, you have to divide the barbers up between the players and pit one stylist against the other. In each category the higher the numerical figure the better. The winner of each round gets to choose the category of the next round. So divided your barbers and go conquer!
NB – This information has been gleaned from interviews with the Hair Stylists and barbers are known to exaggerate and fabricate the truth. We apologise if any of their claim to fames are wide of the mark. To establish the truth you’ll just have to come in for a trim and ask them yourself.
Richard
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 5.5 years
Years as a hairstylist: 20 years (prior to this was a floor sweeper from the age of 12 in a barber shop).
From: Bedford (2/10)
Interests: Meditation, Golf and Arsenal Football Club. (7/10)
Own Worst Haircut: A batman insignia shaved into the back of his head. (10/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Having a client tell him all about his S&M interests. (7/10)
Most famous client: David Beckham (well the lookalike from the hit show Pineapple Studios, which will be aired early 2011). (2/10)
Claim to fame: Was the South England Champion hair dresser and went to the National Finals. (10/10)
Ambition: To ensure that PMB the brand reaches its full potential. (8/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “He can be grouchy, but then again he is the boss.” (4/10)
Special Power: Levitation. (8/10)
Advice for clients: More frequent haircuts will improve the “template” of the hair and will give the client a better smarter look. (7/10)
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Ausra
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 4 years.
Years as a hairstylist: 27 years.
From: Lithuania. (9/10)
Interests: Studying English at college and reading. (8/10)
Own Worst Haircut: An undercut (long on top short at the bottom/underneath). (4/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Generally adapting to life in England has been weird; here everyone is far too polite. Big difference compared with the brutally honest Lithuanians. (3/10)
Most famous client: David Jensen (5/10)
Claim to fame: Can speak Lithuanian, English and Russian. (8/10)
Ambition: To study psychology. (9/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “She’s a phenomenally talented hairdresser.” (10/10)
Special Power: Accelerated healing (handy when handling sharp scissors). (7/10)
Advice for clients: Men tend to put too much product in their hair. Put in less and more evenly to get a well rounded look. (8/10)
Ben
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 18 months.
Years as a hairstylist: 8 years.
From: Fulham (7/10)
Interests: Music and Fulham Football Club (4/10)
Own Worst Haircut: Bowl haircut as a child, inflicted upon him by his mother. (8/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Giving a semi professional boxer a wet shave, only to have the boxer fall asleep and start fidgeting and snoring. (9/10)
Most famous client: Ray Meagher (Alf from Home and Away). (6/10)
Claim to fame: Whilst working for Mencap helped train athletes for the Special Olympics in Dublin (specifically the Badminton events). (9/10)
Ambition: Loving being a barber in the big city but thinks he’d make a good councillor. (6/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “Ben’s got an eccentric sense of humour and is guaranteed to cheer you up on a wet, wintry day.” (7/10)
Special Power: 3 retractable scissor blades on each hand (a wolverine/Edward Scissorhands mutant). (10/10)
Advice for clients: To avoid/limit stubble rash always shave with the grain (that doesn’t necessarily mean in a downwards motion). Book in for a wet shave and he can show you how. (10/10)
Stefan
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 2 years
Years as a hairstylist: 18 years.
From: Wandsworth Common. (6/10)
Interests: Going to the theatre, music, food and Chelsea Football Club. (9/10)
Own Worst Haircut: An extreme High Top, though has also lost part of his ear due to an overzealous hairdresser. (9/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Receiving some extremely attentive admiration from clients. (4/10)
Most famous client: Johnny Vaughan, Sacha Baron Cohen, Smashing Pumpkins, (the trick is not to be overawed by them). (10/10)
Claim to fame: Has performed as a DJ in top night clubs in London as well as Europe and America. (7/10)
Ambition: Happy seeing where his barbering and DJing can take him, (5/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “Stefan’s got the gift of the gab. You can always see him chatting away with clients like they’re best friends from school”. (8/10)
Special Power: Pheromone manipulation (can make others feel specific emotions). (6/10)
Advice for clients: Talk to your hairdresser about what you want from your hair. Both immediately and in the long term. We can help you avoid any misplaced hair ventures. (6/10)
Adrian
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 1.5 years.
Years as a hairstylist: 17 years.
From: Kent. (4/10)
Interests: Cycling, fishing, cricket and West Ham Football Club. (5/10)
Own Worst Haircut: The dreaded Mullet (11/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Dog owner requested he give his beloved pet a trim. We’re not talking Poodle either – this was a killer dog with dead eyes and blood stained canines. Adrian was going to refuse but the dog bolted from the shop (10/10)
Most famous client: Chris Kamara (published in Loaded magazine). (7/10)
Claim to fame: Almost got to give Marlon Brando a hair cut but made Marlon wait his turn and in the end a colleague got in their first. (6/10)
Ambition: To catch the biggest Pike in British history (it’ll have to weigh more than 46lb 13oz). (7/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “You can tell he loves his work. When he’s concentrating really hard you can hear him humming some classic rock anthem to himself”. (9/10)
Special Power: Zoological telepathy. (5/10)
Advice for clients: Men tend to use cheap products. It’s worth spending that bit extra and having quality gels, wax etc. (9/10)
Lia
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 2 years
Years as a hairstylist: All we know is she started at 16 years old...
From: London, but has an Italian father. (8/10)
Interests: Shopping, cycling and a Millwall season ticket holder. (2/10)
Own Worst Haircut: Given a badly lopsided haircut and the only way to correct it meant a short back and sides. Her mother banned her from seeing relatives in Italy until it grew back. (5/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Had a client who kept flinching as he didn’t like to be touched. (6/10)
Most famous client: Alessandra Mussolini. (8/10)
Claim to fame: Has appeared in the Sunday Sport… (11/10)
Ambition: Loves being a hairstylist. (4/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “She’s a great laugh, but she’s got a terrible temper on her, but what do you expect form a Millwall fan... don’t tell her I said that.” (3/10)
Special Power: Telekinetic power and animal mimicry. (9/10)
Advice for clients: As hairdressers we can tell down to the day when you last washed your hair. It’s worth doing every day or at least every other day with good product. (5/10)
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We’ve seen Top Trumps for superheroes, super cars and even super wrestlers. So now we at Pall Mall Barbers bring you The Top Trumps for Super Hair Stylists. For those who don’t know how to play, you have to divide the barbers up between the players and pit one stylist against the other. In each category the higher the numerical figure the better. The winner of each round gets to choose the category of the next round. So divided your barbers and go conquer!
NB – This information has been gleaned from interviews with the Hair Stylists and barbers are known to exaggerate and fabricate the truth. We apologise if any of their claim to fames are wide of the mark. To establish the truth you’ll just have to come in for a trim and ask them yourself.
Richard
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 5.5 years
Years as a hairstylist: 20 years (prior to this was a floor sweeper from the age of 12 in a barber shop).
From: Bedford (2/10)
Interests: Meditation, Golf and Arsenal Football Club. (7/10)
Own Worst Haircut: A batman insignia shaved into the back of his head. (10/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Having a client tell him all about his S&M interests. (7/10)
Most famous client: David Beckham (well the lookalike from the hit show Pineapple Studios, which will be aired early 2011). (2/10)
Claim to fame: Was the South England Champion hair dresser and went to the National Finals. (10/10)
Ambition: To ensure that PMB the brand reaches its full potential. (8/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “He can be grouchy, but then again he is the boss.” (4/10)
Special Power: Levitation. (8/10)
Advice for clients: More frequent haircuts will improve the “template” of the hair and will give the client a better smarter look. (7/10)
Ausra
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 4 years.
Years as a hairstylist: 27 years.
From: Lithuania. (9/10)
Interests: Studying English at college and reading. (8/10)
Own Worst Haircut: An undercut (long on top short at the bottom/underneath). (4/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Generally adapting to life in England has been weird; here everyone is far too polite. Big difference compared with the brutally honest Lithuanians. (3/10)
Most famous client: David Jensen (5/10)
Claim to fame: Can speak Lithuanian, English and Russian. (8/10)
Ambition: To study psychology. (9/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “She’s a phenomenally talented hairdresser.” (10/10)
Special Power: Accelerated healing (handy when handling sharp scissors). (7/10)
Advice for clients: Men tend to put too much product in their hair. Put in less and more evenly to get a well rounded look. (8/10)
Ben
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 18 months.
Years as a hairstylist: 8 years.
From: Fulham (7/10)
Interests: Music and Fulham Football Club (4/10)
Own Worst Haircut: Bowl haircut as a child, inflicted upon him by his mother. (8/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Giving a semi professional boxer a wet shave, only to have the boxer fall asleep and start fidgeting and snoring. (9/10)
Most famous client: Ray Meagher (Alf from Home and Away). (6/10)
Claim to fame: Whilst working for Mencap helped train athletes for the Special Olympics in Dublin (specifically the Badminton events). (9/10)
Ambition: Loving being a barber in the big city but thinks he’d make a good councillor. (6/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “Ben’s got an eccentric sense of humour and is guaranteed to cheer you up on a wet, wintry day.” (7/10)
Special Power: 3 retractable scissor blades on each hand (a wolverine/Edward Scissorhands mutant). (10/10)
Advice for clients: To avoid/limit stubble rash always shave with the grain (that doesn’t necessarily mean in a downwards motion). Book in for a wet shave and he can show you how. (10/10)
Stefan
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 2 years
Years as a hairstylist: 18 years.
From: Wandsworth Common. (6/10)
Interests: Going to the theatre, music, food and Chelsea Football Club. (9/10)
Own Worst Haircut: An extreme High Top, though has also lost part of his ear due to an overzealous hairdresser. (9/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Receiving some extremely attentive admiration from clients. (4/10)
Most famous client: Johnny Vaughan, Sacha Baron Cohen, Smashing Pumpkins, (the trick is not to be overawed by them). (10/10)
Claim to fame: Has performed as a DJ in top night clubs in London as well as Europe and America. (7/10)
Ambition: Happy seeing where his barbering and DJing can take him, (5/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “Stefan’s got the gift of the gab. You can always see him chatting away with clients like they’re best friends from school”. (8/10)
Special Power: Pheromone manipulation (can make others feel specific emotions). (6/10)
Advice for clients: Talk to your hairdresser about what you want from your hair. Both immediately and in the long term. We can help you avoid any misplaced hair ventures. (6/10)
Adrian
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 1.5 years.
Years as a hairstylist: 17 years.
From: Kent. (4/10)
Interests: Cycling, fishing, cricket and West Ham Football Club. (5/10)
Own Worst Haircut: The dreaded Mullet (11/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Dog owner requested he give his beloved pet a trim. We’re not talking Poodle either – this was a killer dog with dead eyes and blood stained canines. Adrian was going to refuse but the dog bolted from the shop (10/10)
Most famous client: Chris Kamara (published in Loaded magazine). (7/10)
Claim to fame: Almost got to give Marlon Brando a hair cut but made Marlon wait his turn and in the end a colleague got in their first. (6/10)
Ambition: To catch the biggest Pike in British history (it’ll have to weigh more than 46lb 13oz). (7/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “You can tell he loves his work. When he’s concentrating really hard you can hear him humming some classic rock anthem to himself”. (9/10)
Special Power: Zoological telepathy. (5/10)
Advice for clients: Men tend to use cheap products. It’s worth spending that bit extra and having quality gels, wax etc. (9/10)
Lia
Duration at Pall Mall Barbers: 2 years
Years as a hairstylist: All we know is she started at 16 years old...
From: London, but has an Italian father. (8/10)
Interests: Shopping, cycling and a Millwall season ticket holder. (2/10)
Own Worst Haircut: Given a badly lopsided haircut and the only way to correct it meant a short back and sides. Her mother banned her from seeing relatives in Italy until it grew back. (5/10)
Weirdest experience as a hair stylist: Had a client who kept flinching as he didn’t like to be touched. (6/10)
Most famous client: Alessandra Mussolini. (8/10)
Claim to fame: Has appeared in the Sunday Sport… (11/10)
Ambition: Loves being a hairstylist. (4/10)
What other members of staff have said about them: “She’s a great laugh, but she’s got a terrible temper on her, but what do you expect form a Millwall fan... don’t tell her I said that.” (3/10)
Special Power: Telekinetic power and animal mimicry. (9/10)
Advice for clients: As hairdressers we can tell down to the day when you last washed your hair. It’s worth doing every day or at least every other day with good product. (5/10)
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Friday 15 October 2010
Pineapple Studios (SKY1) Double Take at PMB
So you thought we’d hit the big time when Calum Best came for a spruce up whilst filming Celebrity Come Dine with Me? Well you haven’t seen anything yet. You guessed it: another TV show just couldn’t imagine filming their latest series without having a segment filmed in the newly refurbished Pall Mall Barbers. I can’t blame them; we’ve flawlessly combined luxurious tradition with modern style. I’m no architectural expert but hey where’s our prize?!
Ok enough of my boasting, back to the story. So Sky called wanting to do some filming for their next series of Pineapple Studios. The job involved a couple of haircuts and styling, so Rich decides it’s time he took his place in the limelight and give a fabulous haircut to…well we all presumed Louie… But when the film crew came they were accompanied by - and here we all had to do a double take – the sporting legend David Beckham and the comedy genius Ricky Gervais; well to be more specific, his famous character David Brent. Who knew they were such good friends? Well actually I need to come clean. Though I’m sure Brent and David would jump at the chance of having a haircut or luxury wet shave from one of our talented and skilled barbers, on close inspection - and yes it had to be close inspection - we realised they were in fact professional celebrity lookalikes. But these guys were good. I mean you’d have to be, to get cast in Pineapple Dance Studios, the TV show, but that wasn’t their first big break. If you’re a fan of Britain’s Got Talent maybe you remember The Chippendoubles? If you haven’t seen it, have a look on YouTube – I’m not a committed viewer of Britain’s Got Talent, but this has to be one of the funniest routines, where David and Brent are joined on stage by other remarkable lookalikes such as; Will Smith, Daniel Craig, Mr. T, Gordon Ramsey and more.
What was most remarkable about David and Brent (I could give you their real names but it would just ruin the illusion) was how they have completely assimilated their famous alter ego personalities. David smiled and acted coy and obsessively looked at himself in the mirror. I’m sure Rich would tell you that was because of how good a haircut he gave but I have a feeling David would have been winking at his reflection regardless of the result of the operation above his brow. The real fun though happened when Brent got into the chair. He had the beard, the cheap suit and all the mannerisms of the tragically funny businessman from Slough. Anyway, Brent got into the chair and Rich, who had been psyching himself all day to try and handle the bitchy humour of Louie, decided to chat with Brent. You couldn’t have scripted it better. Rich asked questions from one manager to another about management skills and getting on in business and Brent superbly dug himself a hole. Before we knew it, he had, quite accidentally, implied that he had had sex with David Beckham so as to improve his job prospects. David didn’t help the situation by only blushing and laughing in true Beckham style when faced with these statements. I guess he only takes offence when prostitutes and nannies make those sorts of allegations.
Safe to say that Brent and David left the barber shop that day thrilled with their haircuts and we all had an extremely entertaining day. I just hope not too much is lost in the edit of the episode on Pineapple Studios. It would be a shame not to see Rich and Brent sparring away. We’re told to watch out for it in the next series which should be aired sometime this winter.
And now I must leave you and my laptop as the Friday lunchtime rush is upon us. One guy’s talking with his friend about getting spruced up for the Christmas work party. Dear god, can they really start this early?!
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Tuesday 12 October 2010
Movember - Barbers London - Shaving.
It was the summer of 1996 and I had been away on a school trip. It was one of those coming of age summers; hot, sunny and generally the stuff nostalgia is made of. But then a phone call home changed everything.
My mum broke the news to me, “Your father has shaved off his beard.” I came home full of dread curiosity. Would I like my father clean shaven - hell would I even recognise him? This might all sound rather dramatic and in truth it is a little, but in my defence, for all my life I had known my father only to have a beard. Back then it defined you. You made a decision, “am I of the facial hair camp or am I clean cut?” I guess it was a hang over from the hippie peace movement, the free spirits vs.
the clean shaven suits, but even then the suits would sport a well groomed moustache. So anyway I came home to a father I barely recognised and vowed when I was older I would honour the memory of my father’s beard with my own. And so began the age of facial fluff. Now, over a decade later, I sit here and pontificate on how best to move this article along and, as I muse on my options, I scratch at my well groomed manly black (with a hint of copper) beard. The problem I face today is that having a beard no longer defines me.
Sure, if you were going to describe me to a stranger, one of the first things you might say is “Oh he has a black beard, with a bit of ginger in it” – though I’d hope you’d use the expression copper, not ginger. But the beard has essentially become a male accessory and a very fashionable one at that. Once upon a time, if I asked you for famous beards, the answers would be; Abraham Lincoln, Jesus, Vincent Van Gogh, Brian Blessed. All were a talented bunch of men and all went through their adult lives with facial hair. Today however many men grow and cast away facial hair with ease.
I can’t think how many times I’ve seen pictures of David Beckham with, and then without, a beard; not to mention George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp. Maybe the trend to experiment more with beards has come from an improvement in the trimming and shaving tools we have at our disposal, or maybe we just feel freer to experiment and not be ridiculed for our facial exploration. So why not try growing a “chin curtain” or a “French fork” and if you’re really brave why not give a “Hulihee” a whirl.
I would say the only facial hairstyle not permitted anymore is the “toothbrush” moustache; originally made famous by the comic brilliance of Charlie Chaplin, only to be damned for evermore by Adolf Hitler. So let me guess you clean shaven beard virgins are thinking, “Sure, I’d like a beard, but my girlfriend won’t like it.” Or, “the guys in the office will make fun of me.” Well, if you’re looking for a perfect excuse to give it a go then I have one word for you, “Movember”. Yes, I have spelt that correctly.
Movember is a charity movement where you, preferably with mates from home or work, grow moustaches for the month of November to raise money for charities dealing with prostate cancer.The rules are simple: start clean shaven on November the 1st and see how that upper lip looks by the end of the month.
Now some participants are very strict and will continue to shave the rest of the face while they cultivate the hair follicles on their upper lip, but others will try out the goatee, mutton chops and various other forms of facial hair throughout the month until the fateful 30th November when all, bar the upper lip, must be shaved in the name of charity.
It is a truly fun way to raise money and help bond those ties between lads that only primal male grooming can achieve. So the question is, “Are you man enough to try?”
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