Beauty School Directory Blog

Can you imagine the man down at the barber shop who cuts your father’s hair performing a Brazilian wax? How about giving manicures and pedicures? The answer is a resounding “no.” Many barbers just want to continue the barber shop tradition and keep the services they offer simple – haircuts and shaves. But in some states, to become a barber, men have to receive their cosmetology license which includes cutting, coloring, waxing, manicures and pedicures. This is causing many men, who just want to be traditional barbers, to choose another career path.

Places like New Jersey (Seriously, NJ? Can’t you stay out of cosmetology news?) haven’t issued barber licenses since 1984. A new law is trying to change this, making it more straightforward to get a barber education and work as a traditional barber. Instead of requiring excessive education and testing on the cosmetology subjects of skin care, esthetics and nail care, the new law would allow barbers to receive traditional barber education and licensure.

Many new age barbers, barber-stylists, take pride in variety of services they offer including permanent waving, soft-curl waves, texturizing, coloring and more. It’s great that barbers are evolving their craft, and there is obviously a market for this. But, we shouldn’t force the traditional barbers to learn how to do manis and pedis in addition to their hair design craft. Some men want to create the atmosphere and offer the barber services they remember from their childhood. And I think we should honor that tradition and those barbers.

What do you think about barbers pushing for traditional barber licenses? Any barbers out there care to weigh in?