Mastering the techniques and keeping ahead of trends is essential for barbers everywhere, and when it comes to creating looks clients are demanding, Master barber Jason Biggs says there are five key haircuts every barber should know:
- Buzzcut: Cut with clippers all over, normally a bit shorter on the sides. Suits everyone but I always suggest a higher clipper grade on the side if the client works a more conservative job.
- Crew cut: Short on the sides and shorter on the top but with enough length to get some texture/movement going. This is a classic style and still very popular, use products such as Murdock London Sea Salt Spray and Matt Mud to style.
- French crop: One of the most popular haircuts that we see in our younger clients, it’s a short fade on the sides and enough length on the top to push forward with a fringe. We usually use Sea Salt Spray to create texture and hold in the hair, but keep it looking natural.
- Taper fade: Shorter clipper fade on the area above your sideburns and the back of your neck. This is a great way of having the feeling/look of a skin fade without having to fully commit.
- Quiff: This haircut has been around forever and I think it suits everyone, paired with a shorter fade or even a classic scissor cut. Murdock London Sea Salt Spray/Volume Mousse is the must for creating height/volume in the fringe and a decent hold wax to keep it there for the day.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated from its original publication date on July 27, 2023.