Male Barbers in London

From what we see every day, men in London generally take pride in their appearance. Whether they work in the city and need a professional, well groomed appearance or prefer the more relaxed hipster look of a well shaped, busy beard and a slicked back quiff.

We see it all at our male barbers in London and with three (soon to be 4…) barber shops in central London, we’ve got some of the best barbers in the capital so can cater for all tastes.  And it’s not just hair cutting and styling that we do in our male barbers in London. We offer the full range of barber services such as luxury wet shaves, beard trimming, even shaving lessons.

With all this experience of mens hair and mens shaving, we created our own Pall Mall Barbers YouTube channel full of shaving advice, grooming tips and hair product recommendations.  So here are some clips and links from just some of the most popular ones from one of the most popular male barbers in London!

How to Use Beard Oil Properly
See how Erin, the Manager of our Trafalgar Square barber shop demonstrates how to apply beard oil to tame and shape your beard, plus advice on how to condition your beard from the skin to the tips. Watch that and then get some of the excellent Pall Mall Barbers Sandalwood and Clove Beard Oil from our online shop.

Which Hair Product to Use for a Matt Look
If you don’t like a shiny finish to your hair but still want something that will hold it in shape, then Pall Mall Barbers Pliable Clay is the hair product for you. We sell a lot of this hair styling gem in all our male barbers in London, and this is Dan, our General Manager demonstrating how much to use and how to apply it.

3 Step Shaving System for a Professional Wet Shave at Home
If you’ve ever been treated to a luxury wet shave at one of our male barber shops in London, you’ll know just how smooth your face feels afterwards.  And now that we’ve launched the Pall Mall Barbers unique 3 Step Shaving System, there’s no reason why you can’t get such a close shave at home now too. To show you how to use these products and get the most out of them, watch this video. 

Just a few of our helpful video with advice and tips from our male barbers in London.  Have a browse through the rest of them on our YouTube channel and if there is anything you would really like to know or need some help with any aspect of men’s hairdressing or barbershop services, drop us a line – we’d be happy to help.

Pall Mall Barbers in the City of London

Our ever loyal customers have been asking us to open a Pall Mall Barbers in the City of London for a very L-O-N-G time.  Well, guess what?  We’re just about to.

Yep, that right, Pall Mall Barbers is opening a brand new salon to the City of London in the next few weeks, in the vicinity of Liverpool Street. With our usual old school barber shop styling – ceramic sinks, wood paneling and the traditional red and white barbers pole along with the witty barber shop banter and of course the modern razor sharp haircuts and wet shaves that we’re known for.  You’ll get all that and more at our barbers in the City of London.

The City of London is a magnet for smart, professional men who need to look sharp.  It instills confidence. And there really is no better place than a professional men’s barbershop to get all the advice and tips a man could want. You may want to know how to get the smoothest closest shave, a haircut that suits you/your hair/your job and is easy to manage even some general grooming advice?  When we open our barbers in Liverpool Street, you’ll be able to get all that from the best barbers in London (we may be a bit biased, but if you don’t believe us, see some of our credentials in another blog article we’ve written.)

Offering the full range of men’s hairdressing and barber services at the new barber shop in the City of London, you’ll be able to nip in during your lunchtime – although we would advise making an appointment to secure a set time, so perhaps on your way out after a long day in the office? Once we open and have updated the Pall Mall Barbers website, you’ll be able to book on line, but as soon as we open we’ll publicise the telephone number so you can always call us to book.barbers in the city of london

Don’t forget, in the next few weeks you’ll see our brand new barbers in the City of London, but until then, why not visit one of our other Central London barber shops – we’ve got salons in Trafalgar Square, Fitzrovia and Westminster where the full range of barbers and mens hairdressing services are offered, alongside quality men’s shaving and hair styling products.

We look forward to seeing you!

Pall Mall Barbers and Barbering on the BBC

Pall Mall Barbers was the backdrop for a recent programme filmed for the BBC on the History of Barbering. With our salons styled in the traditional barber shop style with wood panelling, retro tiles and front facing sinks, they are the perfect location for a programme about barbers and how the barber shop developed.

Dr Alun Withey, one of the BBC’s New Generation Thinker was doing a feature for the broadcaster about barbering in the 18th century and decided to use one of our barber shops in Central London to film in.  The team were there for most of the day and we have some great shots of them filming.

Sporting his own impressive growth of facial hair, Alun took the plunge and went for a luxury wet shave when he came into Pall Mall Barbers in Fitzrovia after deciding to experience all the joys of a professional shave for himself.  So with Michael, a very experienced and skillful barber he was in safe hands and ended up with a smooth, hairfree face and soft moisturised skin. If you want to see the before and after pictures and learn a little more about the history of barbering, the programme is now on the BBC Arts website.You can also see the steps Michael goes through when he gives a luxury wet shave.

Or if you want to read more about the fascinating history of barber shops and their tradition of surgical services through the ages, then Alun’s got a longer feature on his blog.

And if you fancy enjoying the barbering skills of a Pall Mall Barber, why not book in for your own luxury wet shave. You can book online or call any of our Central London barber shops.

Beard Shaping

Have you tried beard shaping yourself but it’s not quite looking how you want it to?

Beard shaping can be quite tricky, but fortunately here in London we’ve got some of the best barbers in the business. And at our Pall Mall Barbers salon in Trafalgar Square, the Manager Erin is right up there with the very best.

With her knowledge of beards, facial hair and men’s shaving she can give the best advice and tips on beard shaping in London.

Maybe you’ve started to grow your beard, it’s got past the stubble stage but it’s now beginning to look a bit scruffy or unkempt. So what’s the best advice for beard shaping in this instance? Well, we’d recommend watching this beard shaping video on the Pall Mall Barbers Youtube channel. It features Erin advising on how to get sharp lines, how to make your beard look thicker and fuller and how to get it more even all over when it may be growing at different rates.

But what about beard shaping when you’re lucky enough to have quite a full, bushy face of hair? A boxed beard is quite a strong look, that still maintains a smart and professional air. In the next video, Erin talks through and demonstrates how to shape a boxed beard.

The great thing about a beard is that like your hair, you can change the look and shape of it. Grow it a bit longer and you’ll have different options on beard shaping that you can try.  So, what do you fancy? Maybe a Van Dyke?  This is a more pointy beard that needs cutting into shape.  It’s the style of beard Leonardo di Caprio was rocking in Django Unchained. Again, our beard supremo Erin, can talk you through how to get this look with this beard shaping video.

Still don’t feel like you’re ready to master the art of beard shaping yourself? Then book an appointment at any of our London barber shops and get a professional to do it for you.  They’ll look at the shape of your face, the direction of hair growth and can discuss with you the best style of beard for you.  Once styled right, it’ll be far easier for you to manage yourself.

You can book a beard shaping appointment online or order any of the Pall Mall Barbers Sandalwood and Clove beard grooming products.

History of the Beard

The history of the beard is fascinating. We've been going through a particular phase of beard loving in recent years so no doubt sometime in the future, people will look back and analyse our own social landscape as reflected by the hirsute amongst us right now.

When you look into the history of the beard, you can often identify a period by the style of beards popular at the time. For example, Henry VIII's bushy, fully grown beard was shaped as a "spade" and squared off at the chin. The style was much copied in the 16th century with most noblemen growing their facial hair as it was widely considered a sign of a man's virility!  The King even introduced a Beard Tax in 1535, knowing that men would pay it, as they wanted to keep their facial hair as a reflection of their masculinity.  Sneaky, eh?

By the time of the Stuarts reign in the 17th century, beards were shaped into a more of a pointy style quite often with the moustache separated from the beard hair under the lip and on the chin. This was known as a "Van Dyke".  In more recent years, this style has been sported by Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger and Jonathan Ross at various times.

When you look into the history of the beard, one thing is fairly constant. Beards being a reflection of a man's virility.  But they were also thought to prevent germs by preventing noxious substances getting into the mouth. Although given the lack of personal hygiene over the centuries we think a beard could have actually been harbouring more germs than was good for anyone.

Luckily, that's not the case today, even though the most favoured style of the moment is still a bushy, full on face of hair. With beard oils to keep beards in good condition, combs to shape and the general recommendation from barbers being to wash and condition the beard as you would your hair, then they really are something you wouldn't mind getting close to.

If you'd like to know more about the history of the beard, there's a great piece on The Conversation Blog.  It's written by Dr Alan Withey, who we had the pleasure of meeting when he came into Pall Mall Barbers and was filmed having a luxury wet shave as part of his research for a show on the BBC.

It's a fascinating read and you'll learn some little known facts about the history of the beard - like the development of fake beards made from goats hair in the middle of the 19th century for those who couldn't quite manage to grow their own!

Don't forget to call into one of our Central London barbers shops for all beard related products, beard trimming appointments and general beard care advice from one of our professional barbers.

The Area Called Victoria London

Want to Know About Victoria London?

It goes without saying that London is a very busy city.  That's one of the reasons we love it. But there are some areas that are busier than others and Victoria is one such area of the big smoke.

In the very central part of London Victoria is quite a small area but boy, does it cram a lot in. It's close to many of the city's major tourist destinations like Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and a short walk to the London Eye, Tate Britain and Buckingham Palace.  So it's no surprise that Victoria always seems full of tourists.

But it's also an area with large office complexes for both public and private sector businesses, such as the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and John Lewis's Head Office.  Even New Scotland Yard is in Victoria London.

With so many people coming into the area for work or pleasure, it's no wonder that Victoria is a major transport hub in the city. With a tube station, mainline railway station, bus station and even a coach station all in the Victoria area of London, this is actually one of the busiest interchanges in

the country. And is always busy, day or night.

It's also a popular area for hotels and of course, lots of restaurants, pubs and bars to accommodate the social lives of those visiting from elsewhere or looking for a bit of de-stressing after a day in the office.  There are also theatres and a large shopping area with some of the most well known names on the high street. It seems whatever you're looking for in Victoria, you'll find it here!

Which is why of course, we've just opened a new Pall Mall Barbers salon in Victoria London.  We're right next to St James's Park tube station's exit on Palmer Street, so a short walk from Victoria Station and literally round the corner from Westminster Abbey. We're really easy to find!

Give us a call to book an appointment for any of our men's hairdressing or shaving services, from a full restyle to a beard trim, we'll sort it out for you. Or you could just call in when you're next in Victoria London.  We'll be happy to see you.

Pall Mall Barbers in Victoria London

Thinning Hair

Thinning hair can really affect a man's confidence and as a result, we may stay in denial trying all sorts of tricks to cover it up. But as Dan Davies, the General Manager of Pall Mall Barbers would advise, it's far better to work with it, getting the right cut and using the right products, rather than trying to disguise it.

Dan's expert opinion on thinning hair has been quoted on Fashionbeans.com, the complete fashion, style, fitness and grooming guide for the modern gent. With their team of industry experts, Fashionbeans.com provide the everyday male with the latest advice, inspiration and guides to looking their best daily and has over 1 million readers a month.

If you want to read what Dan has to say on thinning hair, click through to the 2015 Male Grooming Manifesto and then scroll down to May's entry.

First of all, Dan suggests getting it cut rather than trying to grow the thinning hair and then using a matt hair styling product like Pall Mall Barbers Pliable Clay. This has been developed, tried and tested by our professional barbers at our barber shops in London and will give definition to shorter styles of mens hair. Pliable Clay is great for creating styles that can be reworked during the day too, especially if you're going out after work or have a really busy day ahead. It comes in 2 sizes and can be bought online or in any of our Central London barber shops.

If you want to try some Pliable Clay and are not quite sure how to use it, we've got a great video of Dan explaining how much to use and exactly how to apply it. Check out the Pall Mall Barbers youtube channel and watch the video.

And remember, if you're starting to notice thinning hair, book in for a good haircut at Pall Mall Barbers, get their advice on the right products to use and how to style your hair - you'll look and feel much better.

Book a mens haircut appointment online.

History of Barbering

Ever wondered about the history of barbering and how the barber shops of old used to operate?  Well, we recently had a visit from Dr Alun Withey at our Fitzrovia barber shop in London, who knows all about such things.

Dr Alun had come in to have his beard shaved off and in his role as an academic historian of medicine and the body and a 2014 AHRC/BBC 'New Generation Thinker', he has written a really interesting piece on his blog all about the history of barbering.

As this was his very first experience of a professional wet shave with an open blade, he was naturally a bit nervous but as he was in the process of making a short film about shaving in Georgian Britain and this was part of his research, Dr Alun wanted to experience a proper wet shave by a qualified barber, and let's be honest, if you're going to have a cut throat razor held against your skin, you'd definitely want a Pall Mall Barber doing it!

Fortunately for Dr Alun, the barber in question - Michael, knows exactly how to give the closest, smoothest shave known to man and Dr Alun seemed impressed!  And he knows a good barber when he comes across one as he's spent the last 5 or 6 years researching and writing about shaving and the history of barbering.

In his blog, the history of barbering is covered from the 18th century when the skills, hygiene levels and quality of the barbers' tools often left gents of the time, with sore faces and nicks and cuts galore.  Thankfully that's no longer the case!

Why not read the blog, then book a professional wet shave for yourself and revel in this luxurious and very masculine experience.

Men's Shaving

Who would Adam and Eve it? Our men’s shaving services have been included in Esquire’s Style Guide as something to buy this week.

And who are we to argue?  It’s always very flattering when our staff and our services are recognised and recommended, especially when it’s by one of the most stylish and respected men’s magazines around.  So, thanks guys.

And as the popularity of beards seems to be waning, maybe it’s time to treat yourself to a professional men’s shaving appointment at Pall Mall Barbers? You’ll be in very capable hands with any of our experienced barbers and with one of our luxury wet shaves, you’ll be getting the best shave in the business.  Your skin will be cleaned and steamed with hot towels and an invigorating facial scrub and then you’ll be treated to the luxury range of Pall Mall Barbers eponymous men's shaving products featuring sandalwood and clove and include a pre shave scrub, shaving cream and post shave balm.

If you’ve never had a professional wet shave before, it’s part pampering and part grooming.  You’ll experience the closest shave possible, have the smoothest skin and leave feeling relaxing and refreshed.  As far as men’s shaving goes, it doesn’t get any better than this.

We’ve got three barber shops now in Central London and you can book your men’s shaving appointment online or give us a ring.  And if you’d like to try any of our men’s shaving products, these can be bought online or in store too.

Mens Hair Styling Products

There are so many hair styling products for men on the market, how do you know which one to use?

There are so many mens hair styling products, how do you know which one to use?

The best way, is to ask an expect. Like one of the barbers at our very own Pall Mall Barbers shops in Central London.  With their collective experience of cutting and styling men’s hair, they’ll know exactly which of their mens hair styling products to use to get the look that you want.

One thing we often find, is that men like to stick to what they know.  Whether that’s the hairstyle they’ve sported for years, or the products they’ve been using.  Have a chat to your barber next time you’re in and you’ll be surprised to learn that you could get a better result or finish to your hair, with something other than the hair styling product you’ve relied on for so long.

Our range of mens hair styling products has been developed over many years using the finest ingredients – ones that really work, and also smell great. And we’ve tried and tested them with the people that matter – our customers, to make sure that they definitely do what they say on the tin.

Whether you want a smooth slicked back look, like that of those Mad Men Don Draper and Peter Campbell, or maybe you prefer a more rugged, casual and messy style like Prince Harry likes to sport, then we’ll have just the right hair styling products for you.

Your barber will advise you and show how to use the product properly – we always suggest that you use a little bit first, warm it between your hands and then apply it. We’ve even created a load of videos to give you advice  on how to use them if you can’t call into our barber shops. Why not head over to the Pall Mall Barbers YouTube Channel and have a look.

Check out the full range of mens hair styling products, watch a few of the videos and then go ahead and order them online too.  What could be easier?

How to find a good barber in London

Are you looking for a good barber in London? Where do you start? We know there are loads of barber shops in London, but how do you know which ones a good barber shop and which one you should really avoid?

Without being biased (much..)  because we know we’re great!  Here’s our advice on choosing a good barber in London:

Ask around:
Ask someone who’s opinion (and hair) you think is good. Maybe someone you work with, or the guy who serves your morning coffee on the way into work who always seems to have great hair. You may feel a bit embarrassed if it’s a stranger, but to him it’ll be a huge compliment.  Just say you’re looking for a good barber and need a recommendation. Easy!  Twitter is a great source for recommendations, so why not pose a question out to your followers?

Look Online:
Once you’ve got the name of a barber shop in London – maybe from a recommendation, walking past it every day or you’ve picked up a leaflet or promotional voucher somewhere, see what people are saying on line.   Google the barber shop name and if they’ve got lots of happy customers, you’ll see recommendations from all sources – google, twitter, bloggers, social media. You may get the odd one from someone who doesn’t seem as delighted as others, but that’s natural… and human nature to moan, but if the vast majority are saying good things, then they’ve certainly got a good reputation.

Ask for a Barber by Name:
If it’s your first visit to a new barber, then phone up and explain what you want, and ask who the best person would be to do that for you. Whilst all barbers should be skilled and experienced, some specialist in certain areas or styles to it’s worth asking.

So if you’ve done all that and tried somewhere other than Pall Mall Barbers (no, really?)  and you’re not happy, then you know know where to come next time!

Pall Mall Barbers of course, in our opinion (and our customers’) the best barber shops in London.

See details of all our barbers with their photos on our Stylists page showing good barbers in London.

Traditional Barber Shop in Central London

Pall Mall Barbers and our traditional barber shop is the star of the show!

At Pall Mall Barbers we’re very proud of our traditional barber shop interior.  All wood paneling, lean over sinks and tiling. Not only is it a nod to the great history of barbering but we also see it as staying true to the integrity of a real barbers environment and reflecting our skills as professionals. If you'd like to see our traditional barber shops in London you'll find details of central London locations by clicking on the links above.

It seems many others think so too. And this is probably why our traditional barbers shops in London are often featured as the backdrop in photo shoots, high profile interviews and filming sequences.  You may have seen us in some leading men’s publications like GQ and on some prime TV programmes, such as Heir Hunters on the BBC.

And it looks like our traditional barber shop in Fitzrovia will be on your screens again soon.  It will be featured as the setting for an interview that took place recently for a programme that will be seen on BBC sometime in the near future.

We’re always surprised at how much work goes into filming a sequence, no matter how short it will finally be.  The team who were setting it up were great and it was really interesting to see what was involved. And we like to think the real star of the show was our lovely London barber shop!

As soon as we know when it will be aired and on which BBC channel, we’ll let you know.

Beard Shaping and Beard Trimming Advice

For all things beard related, Pall Mall Barbers really are the experts. So if you're looking for  beard care, styling and maintenance,  the team have compiled their top tips for guys participating in Decembeard.

Since 2011 Beating Bowel Cancer has invited men to take part in Decembeard and raise money to help those affected by bowel cancer by getting sponsored to grow a beard. Every December, the campaign is designed to raise money for the charity, helping and supporting people with bowel cancer and their families and raising awareness of the disease, its symptoms and the need for early diagnosis.

TOP TIPS

• In the initial stages,  use trimmers to beard trim and keep it sharp. Even light stubble can look stylish with some lining out and shaping.
• Don’t throw your razor away just yet; keeping the neck and cheeks clean shaven, this gives the beard a more prominence and adds to the overall shape.
• Shave away the flyaway hairs on your cheeks and keep the lines on the face quite natural with a nice curved line.
• Your neck line, depending on your beard type i.e. natural, styled or stubble, will vary.  But try not to let the beard grow too far down the neck; taking the neckline higher will give a fuller and thicker look.
• When determining the neckline, start anywhere between the top of your Adam’s apple and the crease in your neck that leads to your jaw.
• To keep the beard looking neat and healthy use a shampoo and/or a conditioner, you will notice the difference straight away; it will be easier to manage and will become a lot easier and a comb will fly through those knots.
• A good looking beard requires good styling and home maintenance. A small beard kit is essential to keep it  in line. A basic kit should consist of Scissors, a fine tooth comb, beard oil and a moustache wax.
• To keep unruly facial hair in order with a healthy shine, add a few drops of beard oil and smooth over the beard. Pall Mall Barbers Sandalwood and Clove Beard Oil which helps to condition beards.

Even with these great tips, you may not fancy doing it yourself. If that's the case, call into one of our barber shops or make an appointment online and book in for a beard trimming service from London's beard experts.

We trim your beard and get it into shape for you, so that it'll be easier to care for and maintain.

You can also pick up our luxury Beard Oil in store or order it online here.  And we've got a great video of Erin from Pall Mall Barbers showing you how to use it. Watch it here.