From wet shave specialists to full facials and back waxing, William Gadsby Peet explores the finest men's grooming establishments in Surrey.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that at some point all men make the mistake of growing some outrageous facial hair. Believe me, I've been there – I once thought it was a good idea to spend 3 months growing a full-on Zeus beard... it was not.
Whether you are a man who has realised it was a mistake to grow mutton chops, or the long-suffering partner of aforementioned mutton chops-owner, it is always useful to know of a few good local barbers for facial hair emergencies.
- Page 1 (Results 1-10)
-
1
Richmond Barbers
Why: These guys know a lot about men's grooming, and specialize in traditional wet shaves. The full old-school wet shave starts with hot towels to the face to loosen the pores and soften the hair follicles. They then apply a moisturising lather with a tortoise shell brush before shaving with a cutthroat razor. It's a high-quality shave that has even attracted the likes of Tom Hardy to the store.
They are good value for money too, and offer a loyalty card that reduces the price of your third and sixth visit. Their blog is also worth checking out, as it is a goldmine of men's grooming advice, even including a post on how to get a nice festive 'glitter beard' for Christmas.
-
2
Headcase Barbers
Why: This barber is proof that you can add rock and roll to anything to make it better. Part indie rock venue and part barbers this is a really quirky, unique place to get a trim. From the occasional live sessions to the hotly contested store playlists, the gents running the store take their rock and roll as seriously as their customers' hair.
The premise is also licensed, so you can sit back and relax with a beer whilst you get your hair seen to. There might be something more decadent than getting a wet shave whilst drinking a beer and listening to rock and roll – but it probably involves Charlie Sheen and tigers. Their motto "saving good people from bad haircuts" also lets you know that they will be forgiving of any potentially embarrassing hair disasters you ask them to fix.
-
3
Cut Unit
Why: This place is a really cool men's boutique/barbers combo. Along with quality men's grooming they also offer a range of suavé men's clothing as well as a small range of kids clothing. They also have a tanning bed, so this little indie store really offers the full package for men.
This would be a great store to go into hung-over, as you could quite feasibly go in looking a dishevelled mess and come out with a fresh new haircut, a new wardrobe and an inexplicable mid-February tan.
-
4
The Trevor Sorbie Barber Shop
Why: You would be hard pressed to find a men's barber with more pedigree than this. As the name suggests, it's part of the Trevor Sorbie salon group – Trevor Sorbie being one of the most distinguished and respected British hairdressers alive today. He has won the BHA hairdresser of the year 4 times and trained under Vidal Sassoon, and so as you can imagine only employs the very best staff to work for him.
With the Sorbie reputation on the line it is unsurprising that the head barber Samuel is a 5th-generation barber. There is very little about men's hair Sam doesn't know, plus getting a trim here means you can spend the rest of the day pointing at your face to tell your friends "This is a Trevor Sorbie you know!"
-
5
Genco
Why: If you are looking for more of a full male grooming package then Genco is definitely the place for you. They offer full on traditional wet shaves but then also have options that include a facial which they have named 'The Shavel'. Along with wet shaves and traditional haircuts they also offer eyebrow shaping, massages, waxing, manicures and pedicures. This place is essentially a manly day spa and well worth keeping in mind as an option for Christmas and birthday presents.
This is another place with a solid blog that's worth checking out, with plenty of posts containing information you've always been too shy to ask Google, like "What Happens During A Back Waxing Session?"
-
6
V and G Barbers
80 Church Road, Barnes, SW13 0DQWhy: V & G barbers are run by Gary Joseph, an experienced and well established stylist. This barber shop stands out as it contains both a traditional men's barber shop next to a separate modern female salon. This is perfect for the man who needs guidance from their partner on acceptable hair/beard styles to come home with, as they can go and get their haircut together.
Gary Joseph is also a tireless worker for a number or charities like My New Hair, and works hard to give back to the Barnes community so getting a shave in his establishment can count as your good deed for the week.
-
7
Jacks of London
Why: This is a proper boys club, and another wonderful establishment that's gone through the arduous process of getting licensed so that you can relax and have a beer during your time there. Along with TV's showing the 6 nations, beers, coffee, PlayStation and comfy couches to relax on they offer a great range of shaves, haircuts and skin care.
They've got a wicked blog for more facial fashion advice and offer a brilliant "Groom the Groom" package to get you and two of your mates looking dapper for your big day. If all of that doesn't impress you then they are also endorsed by the very well-groomed Jack Butland of Stoke City FC. They also have shops in Guildford and Wimbledon.
-
8
The Jolly Barber
Why: This place is awesome and even includes a free cold beer as standard whilst you wait (water and lollipops are also available for under 18's). Trevor and Matt are the two gents that run it, and are masters of the inappropriate barber banter that all proper barber shops should supply. They go all out for their hot towel wet shave, so you will need to book in advance, but it's well worth it.
- Page 1 (Results 1-10)
