Table of Contents
Become a barber without going to school?
Where to start? How to start? What products should I start with? How do I get people to let me cut their hair?
If you ask yourself these questions as you aspire to become a barber, you are already a step ahead in the barber life.
You need to start by thinking about these sorts of questions in order to have some direction and a definite chief of aim or goal.
In This Article
Of course, becoming a barber is no simple process. It requires a lot of skill, training, hands-on experience, and practice.
But what if you want to forego the traditional barbering schools and learn these skills at your own pace?
In this article, we will give you some tips for picking up these skills on your own, as well as the equipment and products you will require.
The list down below will be your final products that you must have at YOUR BARBER STATION!
This is the series of first steps you need to take in order to become a barber without going to school.
Of course after you gain some skills and a sense for cutting hair as well as client interaction, you will need to pursue your education into a barber school that will provide you with your Certificate of Completion.
After your completion you will have access to test for your Barber License in the state that you are in.
Each Test varies depending on the state you reside in or plan on barbering in.
So while it is possible to learn these skills on your own, you will still need to take a license exam to meet the license requirements necessary to get hired at most barber shops.
This license ensures that you are familiar with the rules and regulations of the industry, and that you have the proper experience and expertise.
The Traditional Route to Becoming a Barber
Before we take a look at all the methods through which you can hone your barbering skills without schooling, it would help to have some knowledge about the traditional process most will undergo to become a barber.
This will give you a helpful comparison point in deciding which method you want to take, and will help you decide how you want to pursue learning this skill.
Basically, the traditional route to becoming a barber involves (you guessed it) schooling.
Typically, a school of barbering will take about nine months to two years to complete, depending on how regularly you schedule classes.
It generally only requires a high school diploma to apply for one of these schools.
Barber school curriculum covers all the basics of cutting, shaving, styling trimming, and beard trimming.
It will also require a lot of hands-on work, including work on mannequins and real clients.
The school will also cover the skills you will need to have for the licensing exam, including all the technical and professional skills you need to have.
As you can see, barber school is a great place to learn the skills and expertise necessary to become a barber.
A diploma from one of these schools goes a long way in securing this rewarding career.
However, you have probably arrived at this article because of one consideration – barber school cost. Barber schooling is expensive.
While many schools do offer financial aid, you can still end up with debt you were not prepared for. This is why many have taken to learning this skill on their own.
This will be the focus of this article. Let’s get started with a general outline of where to begin.
Where to, How to, and What Products should I start with?
When you begin your entry into the barber life without schooling, you must know what kind of goal you would like to achieve while you set to become a barber.
Set that goal, write it down and place it somewhere that you look at everyday.
You need to be aware of your goal every day, because then and only then, every thought you have about anything throughout your day will guide you back towards your main goal.
This focus allows for success to come to your doorstep.
SET GOALS
When I started, my goal was as follows: “I will learn how to cut my own hair before I try another person’s haircut.
Then, I will pursue my barbering career by going to school”. A simple goal, such as mine, got me started.
I soon began to save up some money in order to make my first purchase in order to achieve my goal.
Money was tight (since I was only 11 yrs old) so I had to save for quite a bit, yet the barber life without school was at my feet.
My first purchase was a really basic hair clipper.. The clippers were something of this nature (Wahl Kit).
It was a very basic hair clipper but got me started.
If you have the means to upgrade and buy something with a little bit more quality, I would definitely recommend it. ThisClipper set has most of everything I needed to get started with my first haircuts (my own hair).
The kit includes a clipper, guards, oil, scissors,a comb, and a carrying kit.
One of the great things about this set is that the clipper combs it uses are universal for the Wahl product line and can be used with their High End Clippers.
We must start somewhere, and this is where I began.
These clippers are at the lower end of the great product line that Wahl carries (I will get into more depth with the High end Clippers on another post) but to get started for the price, there is no better deal.
Once I had this clipper set, I began to cut my own hair and lived and learned through the bald spots and uneven cuts for quite some time.
I definitely dove right into it and made mistakes, but with time and practice, Iimproved.
As you begin to get better and better and feel more confident with your haircuts, you canpurchase the higher end clippers that Wahl, Andis, and Oster have to offer. These are a couple of my favorite clippers now-a-days.
You will need to get you a few more products and Tools: A barber cape, neck strips, clippers set, scissors, combs, and a roll away trolly, etc. Here is a quick list of recommendations that I think would be great for getting started in this area:
Tools and Equipment For Your Station!
| PICTURE | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Heavy Duty Hydraulic Reclinable |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Great for Fades Bulk Cutting Can Zero Gap |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Heavy Duty Handle Replaceable Blades Steel |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Great for Fades Zero Tight Fades Crisp Line-Ups |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Balding Out Beards Bald Fades Cordless |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Fits Wahl Clippers Easy Memorization Color Coated |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | 5 in 1 - Rust Prevent Cools, Disinfects, Lubricates, Clean, |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | EPA Registered Doesn't Stain Skin Barbershop Use |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Great for Barber Station Drawers for Tools |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Large Easy To See Medium Weight |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Buttoned Neck Strap Large Size Water Resistant |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Dimmable Know 18" Diamater Comes with Stand |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Double Edged Already Cut in Half Easy to Install |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Aloe Vera Based Smells Great Smooth for Razor |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Smooth Great Smell Great Burn Feel |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | HairCutting Combs Clipper Over Comb Sectioning |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Fits 48 Towels UltraViolet Bulb 10"x 19.5" |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Medium Weight Sturdy Creates This Lather |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Lightweight Semi Convex Edge Very Precise |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Natural Look Strong Hold Heat Resistant |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Glass Large in Size Fits Big Combs |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Grips Thick Hair Easily Wide Teeth Over Grip Technology |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Fresh Smell Takes Away Itching Very Fine |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Strong Material Plastic Top Easy Access for blade |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Aborb Moisture Well Covers Whole Face Quick Dry |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Constant Flow H20 Easy To Press Lightweight |
  | CHECK ON AMAZON | Kills 99.9% Germs Easy on the Skin Smells Great |
SETTING UP YOUR STATION
In this section, I will outline some of the most important tools involved in setting up a barber station of your own:
Barber Cape: The reason for your barber cape is to provide a sanitary work area for your client. When I first started I did not have a cape and I literally would cut my first client’s hair without anything.
Sometimes I would have them take off their shirt if they didn’t want to be too itchy. It is what I had to do in order to get started, but at the time I wasn’t aware of any of these products.
That is why today I am letting you know that you should acquire a barber cape before you even plan on getting started.
Neck Strips and Dispenser: Neck strips are essential as well. These neck strips keep direct contact from your barber cape to your client’s skin. You must always protect your client and this simple neck strip protects them from the most dangerous of infections and bacteria.
When I finally owned a barber cape I used to use Toilet paper to keep the clients skin from touching the barber cape directly at the neck.
I would definitely suggest purchasing a nice box that will last you a great while.
Clipper Set Kit: I explained above the Clipper Set that I used when I first started.
Now-a-days I would recommend if you have a little bit of extra cash, to buy a higher end clipper in order to get you started. You will love it.
When I started I used these simple Clippers that I was able to purchase at a Walmart or Walgreens.
They are much cheaper and they come with a comb, a pair of scissors, guards, oil, and a trimmer (for those crisp lineups that you will learn to do) as well.
Scissors/Shears: The Kits that I stated above both come with a pair of scissors.
They are not your ideal scissors/shear, but when you first start, you won’t mind having them because you will atleast get to practice cutting with them.
I would strongly suggest going with a little higher end scissors and shears and purchasing them separately.
Scissors/shears can get very, very expensive, but the lower end scissors will do just fine, especially if you are constricted by a budget.
But you must remember – INVEST IN YOURSELF!
Combs: Most clippers or scissor sets will come with combs and brushes.
I would suggest to get a nice flattop comb, and a comb that you can use to cut hair with, as well as one for scissor-over-comb action.
There are great kits out there that can provide you with many different types of combs and sizes.
The above are some of the few kits that will get you started.
Clipper Case: When I first started, I went out and bought a nice, normal case in a Yard Sale.
It was perfect for the amount of clippers and tools that I had. I would suggest getting something that is suitable for all your clippers, combs, and tools in order to protect them.
CHECK YOUR CLIPPERS
I can’t say how many times I would open up my case and something was either cracked or broken.
Here are a few simple solutions in order to purchase your first clipper case.
These items will guide you as you begin to cut hair. You can first get the most basic type of shears, clippers, and combs.
You should buy a case to protect all your tools and in order to go from house to house to give your first clients their haircuts in the comfort of their home.
You should go to them because that establishes that you really don’t mind going anywhere to cut their hair. It shows how motivated you are to learn the barbering craft.
Resources for Learning and Practice
In this section, I will outline some free or inexpensive sources of continuing education on becoming a barber.
These resources are excellent if you are looking to forego the traditional career route of most hair professionals.
Keep in mind that, although these are excellent resources for learning to cut hair, they do not act as substitutes for official licensing.
You will still need to complete the licensing and regulation process in order to work as a barber in most places.
LEARN LEARN LEARN!
That being said, here are some great ways to hone your skills:
Tutorial Kits: A quick search for any haircut tutorial kit will return many results. These kits often include a book or video with step-by-step instructions, and sometimes include the necessary tools as well.
YouTube: These days, you can find almost anything on YouTube! Many professional barbers post short, detailed tutorials on a regular basis. These are great for learning the basics from someone at the top of their craft.
You can also find YouTube videos with tips and tricks for passing the license exam and becoming a licensed barber.
Short Courses: This is a pricier option, but still not as pricy as barber school. There are many short-term courses offered to learn to cut hair. Sometimes, as short as a few days. These courses can be great for getting the basics with some hands-on experiences. A quick search should reveal a course in your location.
How Do I Get People to Let Me Cut Their Hair
As I started to get closer and closer to my goal of not touching anyone’s hair until I learned how to cut my own, I began to look for individuals who would let me cut their hair.
Keep in mind, when you cut your own hair, your skills and drawbacks are physically shown after you do your haircut and head out into the world (school, work, gym, etc…).
At the beginning, people will laugh and criticize, but this is all great advertisement.
Despite the bad or lack of skilled cuts you provide for yourself, it will start letting people know that you are starting to cut hair.
Maybe not too good yet, but you know that with time you will get to perfection.
When searching for the right people to let you cut their hair, you must head straight for your family members.
These are the people that you may be able to rely on a little bit more than others. If you don’t do a good job, they will understand and you will keep your head up as you keep cutting their hair and other family or even friends hair.
They will have seen your improvement from when you first started cutting your own hair, and for some reason or another, will allow you to cut their hair.
Once you have that one family member in your chair or stool, as I started with, you will have to learn a few more skills.
But we will leave that for another post.
Your goal has been achieved and now you feel a taste of success.
You will keep aspiring for bigger and better goals for yourself in the barbering world. Family and close friends will be your first choice for learning how to cut other people’s hair, at no charge of course.
You have now gotten to a place where your barbering career has just began. It will be full of trials and tribulations, but it’ll be worth it.
You will be excited to continue your journey in the barbering world.
The next steps that followed were a few years of practice, then enrolling into barber school. But I will save that for a later post.
Bonus Tip
One of the most important things that I learned in barber school was the process to disinfect your tools. A definite key to your success. check it out.
