GROOMING & STYLE
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You Can Get More Than a Haircut at the Shop
Barbershops and barbers are offering more than just haircuts and hot shaves. They are evolving just as you are to meet your growing beauty, grooming, and wellness requirements.
The Black Mask
The Black Mask is a skincare treatment that unclogs pores and pulls out impurities, making your skin smooth and refreshed. Treat yourself to self-care while getting a fresh cut. Your skin will thank you.
The hot towel treatment is a classic barbershop experience that will have you never wanting to leave the chair. Heated by steam, the barber wraps the towel around your face to relax your facial muscles, open up your pores like the Black Mask treatment, and prep your skin for a close, comfortable shave.
The Hot Towel
Aromatherapy is a newer offering available at barbershops. With essential oils that calm your senses and put your mind at ease, you can kick back and enjoy the atmosphere while getting your cut. Only some shops will have this service available, so do your research before you get there.
Hair fibers can be a game-changer if you're struggling with thinning hair or a receding hairline. These new products add instant fullness and depth to your hairline and temple, which can do wonders for boosting your confidence. A barber providing this service will have a variety of colors available to match the fibers to your natural hair.
Hair Replacement
If being bald with a beard doesn't work for you, luckily, modern barbershops now offer hair replacement services to help you regain your swag and will keep you from "hat-fishing" (yep, it's like that catfishing — someone grows their hair out on the sides then wears a hat to conceal a balding crown). With techniques like installing men's hair units, your barber can create magic and have you looking brand new and crisp in no time.
Therapy in the Chair
Your barbershop visit is about more than just a haircut. It's also a chance to unwind and share your thoughts and what's happening in your life. Some barbers now offer chair therapy sessions, allowing you to talk to a therapist or counselor while getting your cut. It's convenient and growing in popularity as barbershops provide safe spaces for their clients to be vulnerable and share.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Barbershops are increasingly becoming sites for health services that are unavailable or inaccessible in some communities where access to local healthcare is minimal. Some shops have begun to offer blood pressure monitoring as part of their services. Stay up to date with your health. What better time to check your numbers than during your regular grooming session with your barber?
Knowing is Only Half the Battle:
Knowing these services exist is one thing, but knowing where to find them and who is good and providing them is something else. Use theCut to discover barbers who offer these additional services in your neighborhood, when traveling, when you need an emergency shape up — whatever the circumstance. Plus, with transparent customer reviews, you can trust that you'll find the right barber to do the job.
First Time to the Shop?
Getting a haircut is a matter of trust between the barber and you because you're not only getting a haircut, you're trusting someone to help you look great. If it's your first time with a barber, at a new shop, or if you're bringing a child for a cut, the goal is to find a regular barber who knows you and what works for you. Follow these tips to help ensure this happens.
Greet people when you walk into a barbershop. When entering the barbershop, say hello to the barbers and ask for the barber you booked your appointment with, or state that you’re a walk-in client. Make eye contact and acknowledge the people already in the shop. Common courtesy is a real thing and, these days, a lost art. It is a sign of respect to greet people when you enter their business, and the barbers there should respond as well.
Introduce yourself to your barber. If it's your first time booking a barber, take a second to introduce yourself and throw a head their way. This small gesture creates a personal connection and helps you feel more comfortable during your appointment.
Know what kind of haircut you'd like or have haircut inspiration with you. Before visiting the barbershop, know what haircut you want or use a barbering app like theCut to show your barber examples. This will help your barber understand your expectations so they can deliver the desired result.
Wash your hair the night before your haircut. Arrive with clean hair. Washing your hair the night before your appointment removes dirt, oil, and product build-up, providing your barber with a clean canvas to create art. Don't use products the night before. Avoid using hair products like gels, pomades, or hairsprays the night before your appointment. These products can make your hair difficult to work with and may affect the outcome of your haircut.
Don't use your phone during your haircut. Constantly checking your device during your haircut can be disruptive for your barber and may lead to mistakes or a less-than-ideal haircut. Keep your phone on silent or tucked away during your appointment.
Don't haggle with your barber over the price of a haircut. Your barber has a set fee for their time and services. We encourage you to check for discounts and specials in advance and if you have concerns about the service, ask up front, not once a barber has finished the job.
Be on time for your haircut. Arriving late for your appointment can throw off a barber's entire schedule. It may result in a rushed haircut or even the need to reschedule. Plan for your haircut the same way you would visit the doctor. We understand life happens, but respect a barber's time. If you are running late, reach out to give them a heads-up.
With theCut, we help you find the right barber to help you look your best. You can view a barber's services, products, and fees in advance and learn about their expertise thanks to transparent customer reviews.
FAMILY & Relationships
5 Ways Grooms Can Make Wedding Planning a Team Effort
Wedding planning is stressful for all parties involved, especially brides-to-be. It's common for men to believe they don't have the skill set to help. They often fall into the sole role of check-writer based on things they’ve learned growing up or by watching their buddies who have gone down the aisle before them. But men definitely have plenty to contribute besides just money. After all, it's not just her day. It's his day, too.
1. SHARE EXPECTATIONS, DON'T JUST MANAGE THEM
First and foremost, communication matters because expectations are REAL. Nothing is worse than thinking something like your wedding will go one way and then showing up and finding out it's completely different than what you thought it would be. The time to give input or provide feedback has come and gone. A man may believe he is within his right to complain, but it won't be welcome, and it has the potential to set the wrong tone for the rest of the relationship because a wedding is just the beginning of a marriage.
TIP: Have open and honest conversations with your partner about their vision for the wedding, priorities, and any concerns they may have. And share yours also. This will help keep you both on the same page and avoid misunderstandings or disagreements as they come up. And it will teach you how to work together as misunderstanding and conflicts will inevitably occur as time goes on.
2. MANAGE VENDORS
Taking on some logistical tasks is an excellent way for men to assist with their wedding days. Researching and booking vendors, such as photographers, caterers, florists, and DJs, fall under this category. Men can also help with tasks like creating a wedding website, managing the guest list, and coordinating transportation.
3. PROVIDE SAFE SPACE
Another way that men can participate is by being a sounding board for their partners. Having someone to talk to and bounce ideas off of is always helpful. By being supportive and offering input when needed, men can help their partners feel more confident and alleviate the anxiety that often occurs throughout the planning process. And once again, it's practice for the long-term relationship that begins after the wedding.
4. GET A HAIRCUT, FOR YOU AND THE CREW
Looking clean and crisp on the wedding day shouldn’t be taken for granted. It’s not just about making sure the tuxes are ironed. Fresh cuts, fades, tapers, clean beards, and lineups matter. As a gift to themselves, their groomsmen, and both fathers, book a barber or two to come to the hotel the night before or the day of to freshen up everyone's cuts. Or make a group visit to a shop as part of your bachelor party experience. Grooms should be as on top of the vibe of their groomsmen as brides are, making sure dresses and hair reflect well on the day. The bride will definitely appreciate seeing everyone picture-perfect and IG-ready. And she’ll always remember the intentional effort that her groom made. Use theCut to find the right barber who will get the job done.
5. BE THE MASTER OF CEREMONY
Everyone loves a great MC, right? He or she is the one who get the party going but they also keep things moving — smoothly. When the Wedding Day finally arrives, men can help set up decorations, coordinate with and direct the vendors they've hired, and follow the plan made with their partners to ensure everyone is where they need to be at the right time while the bride is getting hair and makeup. Nothing ever goes according to plan. That's life. There’s nothing worse than being the man of the hour and being clueless as to how everything is supposed to go. There’s nothing worse than regretfully realizing what should or could have been done differently from the altar after months of not being involved.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
Wedding planning can and should be a team effort. Men have the opportunity to play a crucial role in helping to make the process successful. By communicating openly, taking on logistical tasks, being a supportive partner, and helping out on the big day, men can help their partners create a special and memorable ceremony that is the stuff of dreams and strengthen their relationships by learning to work together, all at the same time.
How to Avoid Relationship Boredom
Boredom is a common culprit for failed committed relationships or a reason often given when deciding against commitment. This is especially true for men and women in their forties who have already been around the block once or maybe a few times. The fear of settling, the routine and mundane, and being stuck there is real. In the echo chambers of our minds, we can sometimes conflate settling in with someone with settling for someone, especially with the pressures of living picture-perfect in today’s social media-driven society, online dating which isn't much different than online shopping or getting ghosted and never knowing why. We can easily fall into the trap of perpetually seeking out better and never stick around long enough to explore if you’ve already got it good or if it will get better as time passes.
Practice Gratitude
It’s easy to take for granted the everyday nuances of being with someone. Make a practice of saying, “Thank You", especially for the little things. Express gratitude to the person you’re with for investing their time into you and choosing to share themselves with you. If you have difficulty with face-to-face gratitude, leave a sticky note on the dash of their car or on their phone. Send a timed email that will hit their inbox when they start their day. Text them a gif you know will make them smile. Strive to be honest rather than fancy. Thank them for whatever you appreciate about them, no matter how small.
See a Movie THEY Want to See
You may be familiar with the following scenario: Your special someone watches the movies you like to watch because they want to spend time with you. It’s about you, not the movie. Show them the same courtesy. When they say they want you to see something that you’d rather never see, at the heart of what they are expressing is that they would like to spend this experience specifically with you and create a memory together.
Go Out on Dates
Netflix and Chill (is that still a thing?) is only a date if you both agree. Try to spend planned, one-on-one time with your special someone at least twice a month. If you’re unsure what to do find out what they like, and tell them why you want to know. Talk with them and plan things to do together. As nice as it is to surprise your partner, the worst thing you can do is to do it with something that is clearly what you want to do. Your partner might perceive this as selfishness; either you will hear about it or you won’t. Neither outcome is desirable. Examples of thoughtful outings are making meals together, going on regularly scheduled walks or runs, going to the gym together, or some activity you can both do or learn. Time and attention tend to decrease once you land the person you like. Fight that natural urge to be lazy once you feel you've "gotten" the person. You didn’t win a prize. The race ain't over. You’re dealing with a person. Approach repeat dates with the same vigor as you did those initial ones. Show up with the excitement and enthusiasm to spend time with them as you did on Day One. Look good for yourself and them. If you haven’t done this before, there’s no time like the present to begin. Use theCut to find the right barber to get you that fresh cut for date night.
Show Up on Time
Nothing shouts “You don’t matter!” like showing up late to spend time with your partner. Sure, the occasional delay will pop up from time, but make it a practice to be on time. Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze make planning easy to get you wherever you need to be, even ahead of schedule. Being on time applies even if your partner is allergic to being on time. Remember, you’re trying to move the needle in the right direction. Conduct yourself and live according to the standards and expectations you’ve set for yourself. Don’t stray from this based on what they may or may not be doing. To do otherwise is to be controlled by your circumstances and them. Should your partner's tardiness become an issue, being consistently on time will allow you to speak constructively and from experience when addressing the subject with them.
Practice Makes Practiced
These are tiny actions, but they can produce significant outcomes. Similar to being on a fitness journey, results show up incrementally. Your effort should be consistent and intentional and until it becomes nearly second nature. Doing this won’t make you inauthentic. You deserve to show up as the best version of yourself as often as possible. Why not work on you for you? Keep in mind nothing is guaranteed. Life isn’t fair. Like many athletes who inspire us, you can put your heart and soul into your efforts, leave it all out on the field, and still lose. But no matter the outcome, you win because knowing that you gave it your all will produce one of two results:You gel with your partner and you continue to grow together. Or,You discover the person isn’t for you. The ball is in your court to do what works for you.
Article courtesy @EricPayne on Medium.com
Health & Wellness
Barbershop owner, Roy Mainor, Opens Up About Men's Mental Health
I'm Roy Mainor, owner of F.A.C.E.S. Barber/Beauty on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois. I've been barbering since the Bulls were winning rings! Ever since my days as a young Barber working in a shop, I had the idea to do a men's empowerment thing I now call "Mancave Monday."
When we first started Mancave Monday, attendees were men from my church and maybe one or two of my clients. In the first hour, we have food and chop it up with small talk then, we pray and have an icebreaker based on various topics, We then pull topics from the "hot box" where you have to ask and answer whatever question you get, and then it's open for everyone else to chime in. Then we finish the night with an open discussion.In the beginning we typically stuck to this format and went home at exactly 9 pm.
We've stayed consistent with having it over the years, and now the vibe is lit! In one room, you can sit and talk with a factory worker, a minister, a basketball coach, or a company CEO! Once, we even had a guy come in off the street because of the food he saw on the table. He wound up staying long enough to learn how to use jumper cables. Everyone who joins us leaves learning something.
You never know who you're sitting next to when you come in, but you leave empowered by the fact that you have so much in common with the people in attendance with you. It's helpful to men to know and see firsthand that other men deal with the same issues, are drawn to similar interests, and have similar motivations. I believe if we can strengthen the heads of households, we can have stronger families!
Being Financially Healthy in 2023
First up: defining financial health.
It’s important to understand that financial health exists on a spectrum: from financially vulnerable to financially coping to financially healthy.
Folks who are “financially coping” are struggling in some areas of their financial lives. Folks who are “financially vulnerable” are struggling in almost all areas of their financial lives.
The majority of people in this country fall into the categories of Financially Coping or Financially Vulnerable.
Folks at the healthy end of this spectrum are able to manage their daily expenses, move through unexpected financial urgencies, and make strides in achieving their long-term financial goals.
Financial health is not defined by your income or your credit score. Good financial health comes when your daily practices and personal systems of money maintenance allow you to do what’s important to you without being constantly stressed about money.
Let’s dig into the specifics of daily practices and personal systems.
The key pieces of being financially healthy come down to how you spend, save, borrow, and plan.
1. Spend less than you earn
Make a monthly budget in order to make sure your outgoing expenses do not exceed
your income.
2. Pay bills on time
Automate! Automate! Automate! Set up autopay for as many bills as you can in order to ensure they’re paid on time with as much ease as possible.
3. Save for short and long-term needs
Again: automate! Set yourself up for success with an amount you can easily put away each month. Pay yourself from your checking account with a scheduled transfer going directly into your savings account. Even if it’s what you’d spend on a daily cup of coffee, putting that amount away consistently without thinking about it will grow your savings exponentially.
4. Manage your debt
Paying your credit card bills on time (here comes that word again, automate!) and paying the full balance due each month will keep your credit working for you rather than against you. Credit card debt can create financial vulnerability if not vigilantly managed. Credit cards well managed can actually improve your credit score.
5. Keep an eye on your credit score
Checking your credit score and credit report for updates and changes is the first step in improving your overall score.
6. Plan for the future
Whether you’re doing the work of building your emergency funds, budgeting for big expenses, or thinking about investing your money, you’ll need a plan. Schedule intentional time to make financial decisions. Your financial housekeeping is the ultimate self-care.
You can begin improving your financial health as quickly as right now by setting one small goal. Choose one of the areas listed above as your target and start by creating a realistic, short term goal within that area.
As you create goals for yourself, it’s important to remember that success is most likely when you:
1) Focus on one goal at a time; 2) Break up big or long-term goals into smaller ones, over shorter periods of time; 3) Make very specific goals and stick to a detailed planUse your space to keep yourself motivatedUse scheduled alerts, calendar reminders, affirmations and/or notes around the houseKnow yourself and have healthy expectations; 4) Give yourself acceptance and compassion along the way when stuff comes up that might throw you off track temporarily; 5) Have an accountability partner/team; 6) Confide in a trusted friend or a supportive someone you can check in with about your progress; 7) Celebrate each win; and 8) Remember that any progress is good progress.
Wherever you begin, goal-setting provides a sense of direction and supports you getting grounded in your plan. Financial health is all about being in a position of preparedness, empowerment, and purposeful planning. You got this.
Article courtesy Altro.io
