A cut above: 2019 barbering trends

The resurgence of the traditional barber shop in recent years has seen the influx of a new generation of barbers, each creating their own style whilst remaining true to time-honoured techniques.

“It's great to see the resurgence of traditional barbering tools and techniques and I feel the industry is in a fantastic position to take full advantage of the rising demands for barbering services,” says Barber, Enver Yeshilbulut from Kent. “Cool young dudes, especially on-trend millennials, no longer use men's or unisex hairdressers. They prefer the trendier, traditional barber shops, where they can have both a decent haircut and a hot towel shave.”

B&H takes a look at what some of the UK's leading barbers believe will shape the industry over the coming months…

Owner of Kings Barbers Male Grooming in Deal and winner of Britain's Best Shave 2019

“Wet shaving has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance in the UK over the last five years, with figures showing the number of barbers performing traditional cut-throat shaves in Britain has jumped by nearly 20% since 2014.

“Research from The Bluebeards Revenge male grooming brand shows that there is an estimated 15,706 barbershops in Britain, with 6,001 (38% of total) now offering cut-throat shaving to their male clients, up from just 5,076 (36%) of the 14,100 barbershops in 2014.

“I have witnessed first-hand the increasing popularity of cut-throat shaves, with a two fold increase in the number of bookings for this service in the last 12 months alone.

“I believe this dramatic national surge can be attributed to a number of different factors, including rising barbering standards and greater innovation, better marketing of services, the rise of the ‘metrosexual male, the need for men to look good at work and guys wanting to look dapper in tagged photos across social media.

“I've also seen a healthy rise in the number of guys coming into my barbershop for beard trims; especially with the growing trend towards shorter and more defined beards styles and lengths.”

Owner of Ross Charles Hair in York

“Men's hair has undergone a bit of an evolution process and in 2019 we can expect so see styles that skim through the 60s, 70s and 80s but with a modern-day edge. Hair will be stronger and mostly mid-length but working with lots of movement and strong shapes. A return in longer length can definitely be expected and this contrasted against the traditional fade is a look that was touched upon during 2018 but 2019 will see this style in the spotlight. 

“Longer lengths with slightly disconnected pieces to encourage texture and movement are another look to take note of for 2019. The epitome of 70s style, the shag is an iconic symbol of this decade that transfers well into 2019. The laidback, deliberately messy vibe of this look really interests me and the use of layering and varied styling is a perfect pairing. For this style, the cut is key. Layers are required to frame the face and allow that ‘shaggy' texture. As you are cutting the hair it is important to envisage the end result and imagine how you/the client will go on to style this as the distribution of balance is key. Low maintenance and effortlessly understated this look is easy to keep up with and requires little maintenance.

“Texture and that ‘undone' look are also set to be popular during 2019.  Add texture with products like sea salt and thermal styling for longer hair. For shorter lengths, use a clay wax to add a textured edge to your style. Clays and wax will help you get inside the hair and create innovative shapes with defined texture for an on trend look.

“In summary, work with your hairs natural texture and pattern and enhance what you have.”

Owner of Essensuals and Essenualsmen in Billericay, Essex

“For the past few years we have seen a lot of men sporting fade hairstyles. For 2019 this is changing, and we will start to see a lot more grown out, textured hairstyles with men opting to leave their hair to grow until it's around shoulder length or longer. With these hairstyles, men can experiment with salt sprays and texturising sprays to give their hair an effortless and undone, messy look. Men are becoming more and more fashion conscious and with these on trend longer hairstyles, we will also start to see more men using conditioning products, as well as shampoos and hair masks to keep moisture in their hair, prevent tangles and to generally keep their hair in its best condition.

“Another one of my trend predictions for men for 2019 is layers! Layers are a great way for men to add some volume to their hair and can be incorporated into short, medium and long hairstyles, but look particularly best on men with thick hair. Men's hair with lots of international layers with length is one of my favourite looks for 2019, as it gives a much softer but rich feel to the hair and also gives natural movement to the hair. 2019 is definitely about putting the clippers away for a while and using the scissors!

“Colour is continuing to boom in the industry and that includes with men, who are becoming more experimental when it comes to colour. I think this will continue into 2019 and we will see lots of bright hair colours becoming popular amongst men, such as purples, reds and greens, as well as icy, grey and platinum shades. 2019 is definitely a year for colour and the perfect time to go blonde and bright! I also think golden, sun kissed like highlights will be on trend for 2019 and are a great way for men to update their look going into spring/summer and to add dimension and depth to their natural hair colour.”