Beard straighteners are all the rage. but do they work?

We’ve seen and heard all about beard straighteners and quite frankly many of our clients at Ritual Grooming love them, so let’s talk about them.

Folks young and old have flocked to beard straighteners not only for their beard but also for straightening out their unruly shorter hair and for many they’ve proven to be quite useful as it doesn’t require the hand dexterity required for a blow dryer and brush.

When I had first heard of beard straighteners hitting the market I was extremely skeptical and I’d still rather people approach them with caution as beard hair (contrary to what all my clients think) is EXTREMELY delicate when it comes to heat damage. Some of these straighteners can get up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and we don’t even cook turkeys at that temperature, but heat protectant will have to be its own post down the line.

Overall they do work well for use on dry, heat protectant prepped hair. I still prefer the control I get with a blow dryer and brush but I can understand and appreciate that it’s easier for novice hands to use one tool instead of two.You

Team member spotlight: Jessica

Jessica just hit her 2 year mark with the shop and it has been an absolute delight having her work for me.

Jessica is an incredibly intelligent and funny individual she is also a very reasonable and fluid communicator. She is a huge contributor to the amazing energy at the shop.

She started at the shop briefly after barber school, she had years of cosmetology experience under her belt and was newer into the world of detailed fading and line work. Jessica has always been one to take every bit of constructive criticism and apply it to her work and because of that she has come an incredibly long way since her first days at Ritual Grooming and has made us all very proud of her.

Jessica always gives 110% to everyone that sits in her chair and she’ll also give you some excellent advice if you seek it. On top of that she is a huge team player and is always willing to go above and beyond what is asked of her.

Basically Jessica is AWESOME.

Thinning Hair: Fact, Myth & Misconception

We hear A LOT about the woes and thoughts behind thinning hair as barbers and we’ve come to a few conclusions on the whole thing.

Thinning hair is one of the biggest worries among men. We’ve heard every theory from hats to mom’s genes. And the truth is, there isn't enough research to confirm any of it! At Ritual Grooming we do have some strong theories and advice.

A few myths that have been debunked here and there as the sole cause of thinning hair is wearing hats too much, bleaching your hair too much and too much product usage, your mother’s side of the family (to be honest this last one has almost no backing). Although these things can affect the health of your hair they don't inherently cause you to go bald. On the other hand, things that are used to aid in hair growth such as oil treatments, scalp massages and biotin supplements will allow for a healthy scalp, sadly, they will not prevent hair loss.

Our biggest theory is on something you cannot control, hormones. We’ve seen quite the trend regarding testosterone. Testosterone affects the male body in a number of ways, height, body hair, and muscle growth. If you have the ability to grow an amazing beard it is more likely that you will have partial or complete hair loss. Another fascinating situation we’ve seen to help prove this is when an individual begins using steroids or goes through gender affirming therapy and starts injecting testosterone into their system you will see big changes regarding the hairline.

Although losing hair is an incredibly hard process to endure, there are solutions to slow and sometimes even stop this process. A lot of people have taken to topical remedies such as medicated shampoos and supplements. There are also many options for red light therapy on the scalp to help promote hair growth, artificial hair systems (some may know these as “toupees”) and in extreme instances, hair transplants have come a very long way! We always recommend you consult your doctor before beginning any of these, but if it’s something that is a concern to you it is always better to start the research sooner than later.

Men’s Skincare

Skincare is something that often gets neglected in the male community. Things like moisturizer and conditioner is something I’ve spoken about with many clients in my chair. Many of them were under the impression that those things were only for women. I’m here to tell you that couldn't be farther from the truth!

The reality is that everyone’s skin is different but only in the way you care for it. Some people have dry skin, some oily, all need something to stay healthy and youthful looking, and today you’re going to learn how to do it. There are about a million different opinions and avenues you can take when it comes to skincare but we’re going to keep it very basic. Always remember consulting a dermatologist is always the best decision as they are the real pros.

CLEANSER:

Your pores get clogged up with all kinds of nasty crud throughout the day, this is what helps reset that. Cleansers are designed to wash away dirt and oil from your skin & pores. Different cleansers are designed to be more or less gentle depending on the type of skin you have. For example if you have dry skin you’ll want a gentle cleanser, if you have acne prone skin you’ll want a cleanser with salicylic acid in it.

SERUMS:

Serums are a nice little additive after you've washed your face, best applied to moist skin as that is when your skin is the most accepting of the product. There are a variety of serums that you can choose but the most popular are vitamin c which can be very brightening to the skin or hyaluronic acid which is incredibly hydrating for the skin. Hyaluronic acid actually holds 10x its weight in moisture in the skin.

MOISTURIZER:

Moisturizers are a must if you regularly cleanse your face. As great as cleansers are at removing dirt and oil they can’t distinguish between bad oil that clogs pores and the good oil that your skin uses as a natural moisturizer so it strips it all. In some cases of not moisturizing your skin could get shocked and end up over producing oil thinking it needs it, many people think they have oily skin because of this. Another benefit you can get from a moisturizer is sun protection. Many moisturizers come with SPF to some degree, these are a great option for protecting your skin from UV rays. Many people don’t realize how much UV your skin takes in on a daily basis because we don’t get sun burnt but I can assure you it’s still aging your skin prematurely!

PRE-SHAVE OIL:

Moving into shaving and beard care (which does technically count as skincare) pre-shave oils are a must for shaving especially in dry winters. Hydrated skin gets a better shave, end of story. Pre-shave oils add extra hydration to your skin before shaving cream and add extra slip for the blade to glide smoothly over your skin. We use it on every single person before a shave at the barbershop.

AFTER SHAVE:

This has been around forever and is very nice for killing any bacteria on your skin before moisturizing after a shave. Many aftershaves act as an astringent hence “the burn” that comes along with it.

BEARD OIL:

I know the name would lead most to think this would fall under a beard care category but it’s actually designed to be applied to the skin and follicle of the beard not the ends and you will be hard pressed to convince me otherwise. The idea of beard oil is that if you hydrate and maintain a healthy follicle you will grow a healthy beard because you are taking care of the root. This product is also amazing for anyone who gets the “itchy beard” 2 weeks into beard growth as that typically stems from dry skin.

Shaving 101

Many men have spoken of the perks of a proper barber shave and how they wish they could achieve that at home, and I’m here to tell you that you can and it’s easier than you think! On top of giving yourself a more luxurious home treatment we’re also going to discuss why it’s so important to improve your shaving process, and you won’t even need a straight razor.

Let’s begin with some common mistakes I hear about behind the chair; one of the biggest things I hear is not enough (or none at all, eek.) skin prep prior to taking blade to skin. Not only are you not getting a close  shave but it’s incredibly detrimental to your skin. A huge part of why barber shaves are so close is the pre-shave process. Multiple hot towels, and in our shop a full facial steam, on top of oils and creams to hydrate the skin are going to make a world of difference to your home shave process.

What hot towels and steam do is apply moist heat to the skin which softens the skin, allows the skin to absorb products such as pre-shave oil or moisturizer easier and also allows the hair to stick out of the follicle more than it normally does when the skin is dry. You are going to get a far closer shave and your skin is going to feel hydrated and healthy afterwards instead of dry and irritated.

Hot towels and even steam are pretty easy to access at home, if you’re planning on shaving in the shower which is honestly your best option you can completely skip the hot towel portion but I do recommend having a fog free mirror mounted somewhere in the shower especially if you keep any type of facial hair so you can maintain clean lines. If going the shower route, however, I do recommend shaving being the last thing before you get out of the shower so that your skin has had maximum time to soften with the heat.

If you are choosing to shave outside of the shower this is where you can get creative by microwaving a damp towel for 30 seconds before putting it on your face. PLEASE NOTE that these towels can come out extremely hot so it's important to always test the hottest part of the towel on your neck before putting it on your entire face. Hot towels are an amazing way to get your skin prepped for a shave but that prep doesn't last forever, that’s why at Ritual Grooming we use a steam machine during every shave service. The steam will help keep your skin prep lasting throughout the shave. Steam machines tend to be very expensive but you can buy a countertop version, this of course is going the extra mile and isn’t necessary.

Equally important is the products used. There are a few key products you should be using and in this order; Pre-shave oil, shaving cream/butter, aftershave/astringent (optional), moisturizer. Many like to use a shave brush and bowl to get a good lather as well as help lift those hairs up and ready for the razor. We at the shop prefer and carry J.S. Sloane’s shave line because it is incredibly hydrating on top of smelling absolutely amazing. Next week we’ll do a full breakdown on skin care including the above listed products.

Happy weekend!

Female barber? Stylist? What to call the ladies of the industry.

Let’s get into it! There’s a lot of confusion regarding our titles and their separation in the hair industry but it just boils down to licensing.

At Ritual Grooming we are mainly divided into two categories: Barber and Master Barber. There really is no difference in licensing based on gender. Barbers are mainly differentiated in licensing for the use of straight razors. Cosmetologist is another form of licensing which involves waxing and chemical usage such as coloring, perming and relaxing the hair which barbers are not licensed for. On the other hand cosmetologists are not licensed for the use of a straight razor. A master barber, however, is licensed for straight razor usage as well as chemicals and waxing, basically a combination of the 2 licenses. All 3 professions are trained in client safety, hair cutting/styling and sanitation/disinfection among many other things. Another common misconception is whether a shop is a salon or a barbershop.

I myself have been asked about my “salon” many times before when in reality my business is licensed as a barbershop. This also boils down to licensing and can get a bit confusing. If a space has predominantly cosmetologists operating in it then it’ll likely be licensed as a salon, same thing going for barbershops. But barbers can work in salons and cosmetologists can work in barbershops, in a lot of ways they can overlap. Best thing to do is just go off of the business name, most barbershops or salons will have it in the name!

Some women in the industry like to go by “lady barber” or “female barber” which is totally cool. Us at Ritual Grooming prefer to be called a barber or master barber because we see no difference in gender when it comes to our profession. A common saying in the shop: We cut hair with our hands, not our genitals.

Have an awesome weekend!

News Update!

We are excited to announce that we just booked our first educator for a haircut and photography seminar! Andrew Juhasz will be in the shop on 12/11 doing a haircut and photography demo for our barbers and some other barbers in the local community. The barbers at Ritual Grooming love to continue our education and growth not only as barbers but as people so we are very excited for this event. This is a first among many educational events that will be taking place in the barbershop. This specific one will be for barbers but we hope to host some in the future that will be beneficial for everyone in our local community!

Have a fantastic weekend.

The ins and out of Pomade

As promised: Our breakdown on one of the biggest categories of styling products in short hair grooming!

Pomade can be broken up into 2 major categories: Grease and Water Soluble, one of those is far more prevalent than the other in modern day barbershops and we’ll discuss each in detail. why you see more water soluble and the benefits and drawbacks to each.

WATER SOLUBLE:

Most likely what you walk by in aisles at the store or what you see on a shelf at your local barbershop. These pomades are incredibly common and in demand because they are far easier to work with than their grease pomade predecessors, they tend to dry down and stay in place all day so you don’t really have to worry about your hair moving around on you. They easily rinse out at the end of the day with a little water and shampoo and they come in a wide variety of holds (light hold to heavy hold) and finishes (matte to high shine). Now time for their drawbacks: although it is a benefit that they dry down, have minimal product transfer and don’t move very much, the downside is that if you put on a hat or helmet throughout the day you’ll likely have a harder time restyling your hair afterwards. These pomades often don’t hold up in humid environments and sweaty situations as they are broken down by water. Water soluble pomades can dry out quickly if you aren’t careful with resealing your tin everytime, furthermore throughout the use of the tin you will likely find the product get tackier towards the end of its life as the repeated air exposure with every use will dry it out and there isn’t much you can do about it.

GREASE POMADE:

A very traditional styling tool. Grease, or oil based, pomades are the OG styler for men. First introduced in the late 1800’s. These pomades have many attributes that you won’t get with a water soluble pomade. First and foremost is the ability to restyle your hair. These pomades don’t dry down like a water based pomade so if you do wear a helmet or hat throughout the day you'll be able to comb your hair back into place a lot easier, on top of that they hold up a lot better in situations of humidity and sweat. You can also be the champion of second day hair with products like these. The drawbacks? While the easy restyling is a benefit the accompanying factor is the likelihood of product transfer to helmet and hat, now all products are not designed the same so this doesn’t apply to every brand but it is something to keep in mind. They do not, and quite frankly are not designed to, rinse out like water soluble pomades, you often need a heavy duty shampoo which is not recommended for daily use as it can be very drying to the scalp. This is something many modern day pomade users aren’t familiar with so the demand for grease pomade has definitely plummeted over the last 10 years. You also will not be finding any matte options in this category, it’s straight shine through and through as it is impossible to formulate oil into a matte composition.

Hope this general guide was helpful, Happy Saturday!

Styling Products: What IS the difference between pomade and gel?

We’ve heard this question time and time again in the barbershop, or heard enough people calling any old short hair styling products ‘gel’ enough times that we figure there’s enough misconception for its own blog post! In the world of styling products there are hundreds of options. For the sake of not wanting your head to explode, we’ll stick to the most likely products you’ll encounter.

POMADE:

Pomade is your middle ground between a wax and a gel, typically coming in a tin or screw top container. Pomade in itself can have many variations from matte to shiny, low hold to high hold, there’s even grease pomades vs. water soluble pomades. Honestly the variety is so big we feel pomade should get its own post next week.

TEXTURE DUST:

Texture dusts are the newest players in the game and emerged in the barber world circa 2016, they almost immediately took off in popularity with barbers as it was an option we had never seen before. Typically in a shaker or puffer container, very lightweight and moveable throughout the day unlike a lot of gels or pomades, and fantastic for clients with thinning hair. The only bad thing? This is the only product on this list that has to be put in dry hair, which can be a deal breaker for some.

TEXTURE SPRAY:

A lot of these are liquid in consistency and come in a spray bottle. Mainly used in wet hair and then blow dried into whatever desired style the individual is looking for. These products are geared towards a more movable, soft but gritted feel in the hair. A lot of texture sprays use sea salt as a way to put tack into the hair.

GEL:

Typically in a tube or bottle this product is normally geared towards high hold, high shine and dries leaving the hair feeling hard. Although gel still has its place in modern styling many folks prefer other styling products like pomade, sea salt sprays and texture powders.

Blog Post One

It all began with an idea;

Hi all! This is the newest add to the site. I want this blog to be a way to connect with anyone interested or coming into the shop. We plan on posting all sorts of news, updates, styling & shaving tips, trending hairstyles, fun facts and much more!

Updates will be on Saturdays and we hope you enjoy them!

Happy Weekend.