What Are Men Willing to Pay for an Elevated Haircut? w/ Carlos Ramos
Men's cutting specialist & educator @sugarskulls creates a bespoke experience for his clients; we discuss what it takes to build a clientele of men looking for custom, elevated haircuts. We also discuss the evolution and current states of men's hairstyles, as well as navigating difficult conversations such as hair loss.
Men’s cutting specialist & educator @sugarskulls creates a bespoke experience for his clients; we discuss what it takes to build a clientele of men looking for custom, elevated haircuts. We also discuss the evolution and current states of men’s hairstyles, as well as navigating difficult conversations such as hair loss.
What’s going on, buddy?
What’s up man, how are you?
I’m good.
So Carlos and I were just kind of catching them.
I mean, we see each other probably once every six or eight weeks or whatever, because
you’re you’re working out of WeHo, Solonary Public WeHo most of the time.
And so we still see each other, but ah this is pretty cool because Carlos and I know each
other.
Most of these podcasts, episodes you listeners know the guests are typically people who
I’m meeting for the first time.
And I kind of like that because I take my natural curiosity into the conversation.
Carlos and I met, mean, going back probably eight years, and then it was probably a year
after we met that we did our first interview for the Hair Game podcast, which by the way,
started about eight years ago, 2017 in August is when the Hair Game podcast started.
We’re now up to like 400 and something episodes.
You and I did an episode 22, which was in April of 2018.
And then I think I think you’ve been on some panels and you you’ve been on some of the
episodes where we have like a group conversation and stuff like that.
But that was our first conversation where we talked about, you know, who is Sugar Skulls
and we talked about your early stuff and and all that.
So I encourage anyone to go back and listen to that.
But for those who don’t, it was.
Do you remember it?
I remember it.
Yeah, there was top one.
Yes.
Yeah.
were sitting on the rooftop in downtown and we had Donovan there.
Donovan was new.
He was recording a video and I remember exactly what I was wearing.
was that was a lot of uh-huh.
was that was back in the day when we were like, okay, we’re going to take an entire day to
do one podcast episode.
And of course,
Here we are seven, eight years later and that would be impossible for us to take an entire
day.
And as we all know, technology advances with us and now we have these platforms where you
and I can meet here virtually with really great resolution and see each other and hear
each other well and not have to worry about all the technical difficulties of actually
being live.
So it’s really, really great to do this with you again.
For those listeners who don’t know who you are, you’re an LA hairdresser in West
Hollywood.
You’re the creator of Brain Candy Hair Paste, which by the way, I use all the time.
I love it.
It’s pink and it’s just got a great texture, right balance of hold and flexibility.
And it doesn’t look like I’m all crusty for the day.
I love it.
ah
you.
And like I said, you’re on episode 22.
So really cool to get back together.
So your Instagram, I of course see you on Instagram all the time and we talk, but you had
an Instagram post somewhat recently where you talked about the best advice that you had
ever gotten in your career.
Do you remember that?
Yeah, I do remember that one.
was trying to think I was like, man, I say so much stuff on my Instagram Yeah I remember I
was in beauty school and it was just like I went to a West Valley occupational center in
the San Fernando Valley across the street from Pierce College in like Woodland Hills and
We’d get like for the most part boring stuff We wouldn’t get like the greatest like I feel
like I was always jealous of like Paul Mitchell schools They’d get like from the barber.
They’d get all these like great Robert chromians coming in and we just get like local
people
And I remember this one time this guy was like I he was like talking about teeth whitening
or something like that something random where I was like What do I care about this?
And I remember all of a sudden he just goes all there’s three things in life that you need
to be successful and he goes First one be the best at what you do.
Whatever you do be so great at it like undeniable and he goes to be likable by people and
then he said and three show up on time and he said pick any of those two and those will
work but if you can do all three of those you like your bulletproof and I was like it’s
kind of crazy because even like so like even as a hairdresser
I was like I know some hairdressers that aren’t so great, but they’re very likeable and
they’re always on time And they’re just super busy, know or like take any of those out
Let’s say somebody’s very unlikable somebody’s very unlikable, but they’re really good at
what they do and they show up on time They’ll get busy or take take out the other one like
I used to be king of ten minutes late to my loft like all the time I was king of texting
all my clients I’m running ten to thirty minutes late all the time and But I was really
good at what I did and I like I never
Really like knew that that was just something some people are born with where you just
like you’re either like a boy or not or you like you have to grow to people so I just
remember being like if I could just be on time all the time even early I was like I’ll
crush it so I tell people that all the time and like and it’s just crazy that it’s just
those three simple things and you could just be so good at like anything you do and I love
that Mm-hmm.
That’s it only two of them
about it.
Because as you could just kind of spoke to, some people are just not likable.
Now, I believe that anyone, they want to, if they see a lot of value in becoming likable,
they can become likable.
Maybe that’s not true.
I don’t know.
Maybe I’m just an optimist.
But you could be unlikable.
And if you’re great at something and you show up on time,
then you can still be successful at it.
I love that.
And even the showing up on time one, feel like it’s just something it’s so easy that
everybody can work on, you know?
And I feel like that’s something a lot of hairdressers like we get really bad at it
sometimes.
Go for it.
So I’ve often said, I say in private and I say in public that you’re one of the best men’s
hair cutters that I’ve ever seen.
And I know that that might be uh maybe almost embarrassing to hear, but I honestly think
so.
You’ve got, you you’re one of the men’s hairdressers who just does things at a higher
level.
And there’s not that many.
And I think that there’s not that many because maybe a great percentage of guys out there
don’t care.
They don’t want to spend the time.
They don’t want to spend the money.
So a lot of people who, uh, kind of end up becoming barbers are like, okay, I’m going to
cater to, you know, this $35 haircut or this $29 haircut.
and I’m gonna bust it out 20, 30 minutes at a time.
And that doesn’t give me the space to give like a bespoke custom look to all of my
clients.
And so it’s always been fascinating to me.
I’m in year 25 of this industry.
It’s always fascinating to me that within just the guy’s haircut realm, there’s the rock
bottom,
you know, the $19, the $25 haircut, 15, 20 minute, 30 minute max, all the way to the C.
Lowe’s sugar skulls cut, which is, I mean, what are you taking nowadays?
Hour and a half?
I take 90 minutes.
book everybody, yeah, an hour and a half.
Right.
And you charge healthy prices.
You can tell us or not tell us whatever, whatever you want to do, but you charge a lot
more than the average men’s hairdresser.
So what’s the difference?
I charged $120.
You know what?
think it’s just…
What got me there was just creating the experience.
I think I’ve told you before in the past that when I got into hair, I was just in college.
I lived in Vegas and I needed a part-time job at the time and I was dating a hairdresser
at the time and she got a job at…
Robert Cromian salon and then told me that they were hiring front desk people so I went
there and I heard like you could just dress all cool have rad hair I was in bands just
doing stuff needed a part-time job and I got hired like dead on like first it was like me
and one other person that applied for front desk and we both got the job and All of a
sudden I just started seeing all these like rad dudes just making like 150k a year.
I was ringing them up I was ringing up their clients.
I was the front desk guy watching them sell product watching them what Robert Cromian you
say was creating experience
Like even again when people would come up after their haircuts We weren’t allowed to say
like how was it?
was your haircut or how was your how like how was it?
We had to say verbatim.
I’m how was your experience today?
We had to say that so this is like 20 years ago now like I think I was like I don’t know I
was like 20 or something like that and uh
And I just remember that always stuck with me and I remember the top stylist I used to
charge 128 it went there was five elements So when you started there you were a $68
haircutter and then they’d like as long as you took classes and you got booked they would
raise your prices for you and I was always great and then it go 78 88 98 and then when
you’re a fifth element stylist a master stylist you were 128 so I just remember like
Again 15 20 years ago.
remember being like I want to get to $120 haircut you know like and the I think the tricky
part where like I had a maneuver it and this is all thanks to Instagram and the men’s hair
industry and barbering happening was um it was just timing also where I Like again, I got
the domain sugar skulls with no underscores or nothing because the year I started beauty
school was your Instagram came out and I was just photographing everybody so I always knew
I wanted to do more
More than just again like if you told somebody 20 years ago to be a barber you were like
what like what would you do?
You might as well just get it work at Home Depot or something, you know, no offense
anybody like that’s fine But it you couldn’t see like and I remember everybody telling me
like you can’t like you can’t focus on men’s hair You have to do women’s hair.
But again to me I maneuvered it Educating myself kind like look how long we’ve known each
other and how long I’ve been in the industry I still go and I take classes from like these
new 24 year olds that are shredding it, you know, like today I taught a class today
won in your salon in Publix and it was incredible, but it kind of just like I go to
classes just to remind myself I’m like what do I know and like what do other people know
like do I do I still know all the sometimes I’m like insecure of like speaking out loud
tech technical terms of cutting hair and and again
I was always great at teaching my clients to I was always great at being like heat and
tension at the roots how to So I used to go through that and now I have a really strong
clientele I don’t really take new clients, but I don’t go over all the specifics.
I get like one or two new client a month That’s like a referral through somebody and
that’s cool.
It’s great but um
But yeah, think surrounding yourself, I always knew I was gonna go to Beverly Hills.
I knew I was gonna start, I worked at Cush, like on Robertson and Wilshire when I started.
I always knew, I grew, I was living in the Valley at the time, and again, it’s like 20
minutes.
I could have been a successful hairdresser in the Valley.
There’s money in the Valley.
I could have been in Calabasas and Grury Hills, all that stuff.
Travis Parker’s out, there’s a market, you know?
But I knew, I was like, I’m so close to Hollywood.
I have to be a Hollywood hairdresser.
uh
work on Sunset you know and and yeah just to me I’ve just I remember calling salons I
remember calling someone back how much you guys charge for haircuts I’m like alright in
this area they charge this much like you know so what’s realistic and no joke like I
charge $120 and I
For 90 minutes of what I provide and the service and everything you and it’s funny that I
always tell people sometimes people be like dude What if you just fade me up?
What if you don’t shampoo me?
What if you don’t do my facial hair?
What if you don’t take you know take pictures?
Whatever.
I’m like it’s still 120 dude whether you want me to shampoo you or not whether you like
anything a hot towel doesn’t matter like you get those 90 minutes That’s what I charge and
I create that experience, but I justify it I truly believe that those 90 minutes is fully
worth $120 and I think like a
of barbers just have a hard time depending on what area they’re in.
being like if you were going to barbershop and everybody charges 40 bucks, like how are
you going to charge 60 bucks?
How are you going to be like, you know what?
I’m going to change my price today.
You know, that’s it’s too crazy.
And, and again, people don’t want to leave those.
They don’t know where to go.
And again, sometimes doing your own studio suite could be scary.
Like a lot of people don’t think they’ll survive in them, you know?
So, so I don’t know, but we’ll, keep going with that one.
So we just had a barber come into one of our locations and he came from kind of one of
these, I don’t know if it was quite like everybody charging 40, but it was something like
that.
Everybody charging 50 or something like that.
And he, I got to know him a little bit and he’s really good.
And so he wanted to get out of that environment where he felt like it was capped and he
took his own studio.
He’s been in there for almost a year.
He’s increased his prices a little bit.
He didn’t lose one client.
And the bottom line is he’s been offering an experience that’s worth a lot more than 50
bucks.
So now we can charge what I don’t know how much he raised his prices, maybe 60, $65.
So his clients are willing to pay that.
And sometimes you do need to kind of get out of an environment that caps you.
You’ve been very good at that.
You’ve been great at
carving out a uh higher level of service, higher level of experience, more of a custom
look For a gender that the reputation is that guys aren’t willing to do that.
But here you are, you’ve got a ton of guys who are.
I’m certainly a guy who is.
I’m a little bit biased, obviously, but I know a lot of guys who are like, do you know
anybody who gives this kind of service?
And it tends to, you find this on the West side of LA.
Once you start getting outside of it, you find it a lot less.
And it’s really unfortunate.
I know there’s people in
you know, Valencia or, you know, Ventura guys who are willing to spend $120 for a bigger
experience.
I just think a lot of people are a little bit too nervous to try to find those things and
then give that service.
100 % It is like even again like I don’t know sometimes like looking for a tattoo and even
right now the men’s industry It’s a little over saturated like when we started this like
10 years ago when Instagram came out there weren’t that many like now there’s so many
barbers and like
And when you look at an Instagram, like it looks great.
Like there’s incredible work out there, you know, but there’s also like, went and hung out
with like all these like 25 year old kids at this class and they were talking about how a
lot of them don’t put their faces.
A lot of them just, it’s just their work where somebody walks in and they’re like, yeah,
is Jason here?
And they’re like, I’m Jason, but there’s not one picture of Jason on his thing.
And he’s just like a quiet, shy kid, but you don’t get that personality.
You see like a cool haircut.
And he might not videotape it, you might not get on his Instagram, but he’s a great hair
cutter.
I think it’s everything too though dude.
Again, that’s something where I’ve always been good at, is just putting myself out there.
Recently somebody was asking me like, hey dude, I have to ask for models for this class
that I’m doing.
And I don’t even get it how you just turn on your phone and you’re just like, what’s up
guys?
Where I’m just like, I don’t know why that just doesn’t feel cringe to me.
My girlfriend on the other hand, she’d be like, I’d rather kill myself than just like
attempt to do that.
And I’m like.
But I think it’s important to I think that’s helped me because people can see my
personality a little bit and be like, all right, like that guy seems chill like, and
again, when you come meet me, I match that energy.
I’m not like you don’t come in the salon and then all of a sudden I’m just like all quiet
and weird.
No, and that’s another thing too though, dude, where it is uncomfortable sometimes.
Like sometimes you see like again, dude, even tattoo artists I’ve gone to who are great
tattoo artists, but we’re a little weird or some shit.
And I sat there with them for like five hours and then I was like, I love my tattoo, but
I’m not gonna come back like you know it’s just you’re vibing and knowing again.
It’s a very personal thing.
We’re one-on-one I’m touching your head.
We’re gonna hang out for 90 minutes.
Hopefully you’re comfortable around me You know so and again a lot of guys that even like
think to try me
They just don’t think it’s gonna be like like I always tell everybody I’m like if you come
to me once you’ll understand why it’s worth $120 like once it’s all there But a guy like
his most dudes have never had an experience like that.
Most dudes haven’t had somebody that talks to them about it What are you doing?
How do you style your hair?
Hey use these products.
This is gonna be good for you here Let me just photograph.
Let me just show you what I can do You can go home and rinse this if you don’t like it.
Nobody’s ever rinsed it.
Everyone likes what I do Nobody like I give them shower caps.
I’m like don’t your hair for a day.
I give them I always tell them I’m like if you
Retain 10 % of all the info.
I just told you today It was all worth it today coming here was all worth it because when
you’re like 50 60 doesn’t matter your hair will still manipulate just by understanding
these things So they’ve never had that they’ve never had somebody that get goes You know
beyond you know like to show that so they’re just like am I gonna pay 120 bucks for the
same as like a Floyd’s haircut or something like that where it’s in 30 minutes And it’s
just it’s hard to believe that it’s that I’m gonna be on you know and that’s why I
love my job and I still respect it till this day and I’ve chilled out on a lot of my other
ventures where I
I’m so good at still, I never do more than seven haircuts a day.
That’s just like, that’s like a long day for me.
Six is like the sweet spot for a busy day.
And, but I’m always like at least like 85%, you know, like I can’t be coming in on, you
know, like I don’t want to like, you know, like I don’t drink, I don’t do anything, but
it’s just like, I want my clients to see me like healthy, looking good.
Like if you’re going to see me every three months, you’re like, Holy shit, Carlos looks
healthier.
He looks better.
shit.
I saw on his Instagram that he went to like four hair classes.
He taught a hair class, he went here and he’s like doing shit instead of just partying or
not showing up or just like, I don’t know.
And to me, like, I think my clients value that and they like love seeing that growth in me
where, so I think also like the constantly educating is very helpful too.
Mm-hmm.
100%.
I love the fact that you admitted that you have a little bit of insecurity about maybe not
using the right terminology or maybe, you know, you use a technique that ah you might be
afraid that it’s outdated or somebody else has something a little bit better.
And I think that’s good for people to hear because I think everybody kind of feels like
that.
I mean, in men’s hair, if you feel like that, there’s a lot of people who feel like that,
you know, but
I think that that insecurity also kind of keeps you curious about what else is out there.
And so when there is something better, a technique or a tool or this or that, there is
something better, you’re gonna find it.
And you’re gonna find it to the benefit of your clients.
And that’s one of those things that makes it worth it for your clients, not only to spend
90 minutes in your chair, but also pay higher dollar.
For sure I want to continue to know everything in the again that was my thing like where I
remember when I got into this I was like alright what I want to be like Known in my life
to be like the best men’s hairdresser, so I need to know the most what’s going on from
surgeries and Turkey You know like hair transplants hair toupees like I want to know who
to send them to if they want that I want to know even again now because of
TikTok and videos there’s kids that aren’t hairdressers that are giving names to different
cuts So there’s like something where there’s something called a mod cut a lot of people a
lot of barbers Don’t know what a mod cut is which is crazy But then there’s like all the
young 20 year old like high school kids are going and asking for mods You know like crazy
stuff blowback tapers like you know middle parts are coming back longer Hairstyles are
coming back.
I tell everyone like and I want to be on top of that I want to
Like even again, I have my clients that don’t want to change they still want their mid
fade They want their high fade like chill, but every kid right now it dude It’s like the
90s all over again Like all their dads have short hair and the youth is rebelling the
youth is like no, no, no We want longer hair, but we want it with style now.
So So even like my clients know that like they still trust me that I know what’s cool You
know, like they’re like Carlos is doing the research for me.
I can continue to go see him and I’ll know what’s fucking cool He’ll tell me
if something’s lame or not in a sense, like style-wise, everything, from the way I dress
to the way my hair is looking at the time or whatever.
And I think that’s valuable.
I put effort into that.
You do, you put effort, that’s what it boils down to.
And this is reminding me of what I try to tell my son who’s 12 years old.
Whenever we go somewhere, let’s say we went to a restaurant or something and the server is
really great or we go, you know, I have a friend come over and he’s a very charismatic
person.
You know, he’s got Riz as all the kids like to say.
And I like to say to my son, I’m like, so what made him so good at
being a server, like you liked, you liked when he came to the table, right?
And he helped you out with this or you were wondering about that.
And, it felt good when he was around the table, right?
Or, you know, my, my buddy who’s, you know, all Rizzy and everything.
What, what is it about him?
And I want him to recognize enthusiasm and I want him to, to value it.
And I want him to see how valuable it can be.
uh
when people are enthusiastic.
And I tell them, I’m like, there are times when you’re not going to feel like being
enthusiastic, but you can still act like it, you know?
And then, you know, your work day is going to be over, you can go home, and if you want to
be a grouch on the couch, you can do that, it’s fine.
But get used to showing enthusiasm, you know, when it’s valuable.
because people are going to recognize it and it’s going to benefit you.
And you are always enthusiastic.
And I’ve known you a long time and you’ve been honest in the past.
You’re like, sometimes I feel like shit.
And I don’t feel like being enthusiastic.
If I have seven, eight clients in a day and maybe your back hurts or whatever, or you’ve
got some food poisoning or whatever, but you’re able to make it happen anyway.
How do you explain that?
No, man, like you’re right.
Even like how I told you, dude, like even now after all these years, I think I’m just
like, I’m really good at just.
I have like a very boring life, but it’s very like Consistent and like I have a really
good routine Where I just I take care of myself and I’m like I think it’s the balance that
I’ve like learned these last few years That like again, I just can’t have those off days
like there used to be like my party days where the off days were just crippling We’re just
like there’s no way like everyone I have to apologize to my client the second they walk in
that I’m just gonna be insanely off today and now it’s just like
Like I told you I’m just like a lot healthier now.
I just take care of myself I exercise as much as I can I like I eat well and again, I
still don’t have like perfect days, you know, but like thank God I’m not like poisoning
myself like I used to be where again and but no joke dude even like that’s cool You say
that to your son.
I was thinking about that where I’m like, I Never really thought about it that way But I
always tell everybody I’m like sometimes that shit snaps me out of it You know snaps me
out of the funk like the second the first client comes in.
I’m just like what’s up, dude?
You know
and
Give him a hug and then we I just oh where you been?
I saw you were in Europe or something and I’m like, yeah And then like five minutes into
it.
I kind of forget about the funk a little bit, know, I’m like I’m already in the moment
It’s just like alright the show started like and even I’ve always told everybody I’m like,
it’s weird.
Like there’s Carlos and then at salon republic.
There’s sugar skulls and that’s like a show It’s like it’s showtime, you know, like and
Carlos doesn’t get to like unwind and get in his car in silence like till I’m like in the
parking garage in my car and I’m like
You know, but still like I Dude, it’s like even I still love going to work and doing shit
Like I’m glad I don’t like work out of my house.
Like I love being around people I feel like even I use that enthusiasm energy.
It’s contagious, dude it’s just like I’ve friends that like work out of their houses and
don’t touch people and just like And I’m just like oof like I’m in the Sun as much as I
can dude I love making people feel good like for the most part.
I’m like dude.
I’m super grateful for my job like
My life’s dope, know, it’s just like sure I don’t have like the little things that we
think we want but I have everything I need dude.
I have everything I need like my health the people in my life and and again dude it’s like
of course you can get in those funks of just being like I’m just like a hair cutter and
I’m like dude like I’m my own boss, bro I’ll take tomorrow off if I want I’ll go to Europe
tomorrow if I want like I’m good with my money now like little things like that like I
feel like this industry was so tricky in the beginning especially young because I felt
like we were all
Legal drug dealers we like go to work and we just get cash in hand and we’re like go do
whatever you want today You know where now as you got an older through the experience were
like better with it put stuff away You know, but I think it’s the routine dude.
I think over anything I I want to be enthusiastic my mom’s like that.
I’ve gotten that from her She’s always I’ve seen her go through gnarly stuff in her life
and she’s just like this happy lady and I’m like How are you happy like bad stuff’s
happened to you like she’s just like you know, but
But I also think that I don’t let a lot of those things affect me.
They do affect me, but I try, I feel like the people that succeed in life are the people
that can get through those like bad times in life, you know?
yeah.
% 100 % and and and Oftentimes I distill some of these lessons down into what I try to
tell my kids listeners might be tired of hearing it by now But you know, I like to tell
the kids that you know, your your mood can be a choice You know, you can choose to be a
grouch you could choose to let kind of the What’s happening around you kind of affect your
mood or you can choose to?
reframe it into a different way and you can choose to be in a good mood.
And oftentimes, you know, the people who, and we were talking about likeability, a lot of
the people who tend to struggle with likeability are, they feel like uh they tend to be
victims of their environment versus kind of more in control of their moods, regardless of
the environment.
And I think it’s a mindset.
It is even now you’re saying that I’m like, know those mornings like you like you stub
your toe on something You’re like like I always used to tell somebody I’m like the second
you say like if it’s early in the morning you go Today’s gonna be one of those days
It’s gonna be so hard for you to get out of that funk now because you set it in you
already Said it so like even if you’re having a good day in the morning You already said
it was gonna be a bad day.
So now it’s like so hard to beat that So i’m like don’t say that like no joke i’ll my
time.
be like, no It’s still gonna be great.
Like, you know, i’ll like fight that shit in my own head, you know just
I let out a big motherfucker, god damn it, and then I laugh at the fact that I just almost
broke my toe.
You know, it’s a choice.
All right, so let’s go back to men’s hairstyles and trends and things like that.
You talked about the mod.
I like the fact that you actually put a name to it because I’ve had this conversation a
number of times with people.
We kind of lean a little bit more heavily into like women’s hairdressers and colorists and
stuff like that.
And so they’re not going to be as apt to know that the alpaca fluffy bang thing is called
mod.
But, you know, this is now been here for a couple of years that these teenagers have just
like let it fly.
And uh and some of the memes, memes on Instagram are hilarious.
uh But.
So I like also the fact that you kind of tied it to people, kids, rejecting maybe the
short, tight, professional haircut.
You think that’s where it came from?
Yeah, dude, I,
For sure think that it’s them rebelling against that but again even again I hate to even
like say it this way because I do here But we see all the memes like the little broccoli
cuts the little broccoli gym kids, you know eh Or like they call it like the Edgar.
I remember I remember the Edgar Yeah, every like every barber knows what an Edgar is like
you can go into a barber shop and Say I want an Edgar and like they would laugh at us like
and they’d be like, alright man, you got it and
And the fact that they have lot want to to to to because
low taper Edgar and like and like I cut it a little shorter, but I still cut him He’s 14.
I know he’ll have a panic attack if I chop too much off like no joke even this last time
he came like his mom and his mom’s chill she’s like it’s fine she’s just like I don’t love
this cut but it’s for him and oh he’s like can you just keep it a little longer on the
sides and I was like yeah, dude a little bit but again like I remember that 14 year old me
that
Yo, if that dude cut my shit a little too short like when I remember dude in high school
my hair was like parted down the middle hot topic bleached and had the sides shaved
underneath dude and it was just like middle part and I remember one time like the dude cut
it like this high up when it was like down to like my ears and I remember like literally
like crying and just like
being so mad at my mom over in Woodland Hills at the Fallbrook Mall.
So it’s like those little traumatizing moments.
I remember being like, I’m not going to school for like a week or two.
So I still do my best.
But honestly, I love that I can do these cuts now.
I love that I’ve learned this new stuff.
All these mods, a lot of precision cutting, these brush back tapers, um a lot of those 90s
home improvement style cuts are coming back.
But yeah, and no, and again, going on TikTok and not biting it.
Like, I feel like there’s so many like older hairdressers were just like, I’m not going to
call it that or just show me.
I’m like, dude, like just learn a little basic.
Like go to like a class of somebody that’s younger than you and see what they’re calling
it.
Like, I’m sure there was colorists that hated when we were like balayage, ombre.
They’re like, I’ve been doing that since 67.
You know, like, like I’m sure that show was done before.
Totally.
Okay, so what about uh the desire of a lot of kids who have stick straight hair to get
perms?
You seen this?
Yeah.
Have you been doing perms?
I haven’t, but you know what’s funny dude?
Like I always try everything on my hair.
That’s something I still haven’t done where I would be open.
Like it’s funny.
My girlfriend would be so pissed when she sees this that I’m like, I would be open to
getting like a loose curl perm.
Have you seen those like the thick rods?
Like not, not like little bad bunny curls, but like
Looser rods where it’s like you permit and then it’ll just drop and it’ll just be like a
long way almost like your hair kind of is you know like you got like a You don’t have the
tightest curl you have like a good curl that can hang loose kind of yeah exactly that like
that looks sick, bro That’s in and you just grew that naturally
Yeah, I know.
Well, I mean, naturally minus the bleach.
Right.
The bleach changed the texture and made it a lot better.
uh
But no, but dude, like, it’s funny because…
Sometimes like I catch myself like talking crap on something like on a style and then I’m
like bro We were I was a scene kid, dude.
I was like in the early 2000s, dude I didn’t wear eyeliner, but I was like that close and
I mean dude had flat iron my hair I had bangs down here Gap and dude my hair was the
sickest it was like and at the time I was like have the dopest hair just like being in
bands and shit So it’s just like this is the new generation of it So I’m just like and no
and if it looks good and they like it cool, man Let them do it dude, like we can’t expect
This is just it’s history repeating itself, dude.
It’s just the youth is always gonna change it up.
Bye
Right.
And so, I mean, currently, so my 12 year old boy, he’s with his other 12 year old boy
friends.
And the thing they do now is when they’re all in a pack, you know, they kind of like, you
know, if nobody’s looking at them, they kind of turn away from the pack and they take
their palm and they go like this on their bangs, like really hard to almost like teasing
their bangs.
So poofs.
Yeah.
then they kind of, and then they like turned back to the group now with like poofy bangs
and they’re all do, yeah.
And they’re all doing it.
And, and I’ve tried to get a video of this to then like post on the gram or whatever,
because it’s so funny.
You know, there’ll be eight of them in a group, right?
And they’re like hanging out outside of the coffee shops or something.
And at any one moment, there’s one of them who turns away from the group, kind of goes
like this.
and then turns back to the group with his new puffy alpaca hair.
And then another one on the other side of the group will do the same thing.
And of course my son does this.
And I see him doing it at home and then he’ll like catch a glimpse of himself with the
puffy bangs, the newly teased bangs like in a mirror whatever just to make sure it’s got
the volume.
It’s hilarious.
Crazy dude again.
It’s like dude I remember when we were getting made fun of for having flat irons when we
were like the dudes with like it’s funny that the youth is just learning new tips and
tricks on how to do there and look and thank God dude we didn’t have YouTube dude like I
had to know some chick I had to like meet somebody or somebody to teach me how to flat
iron my hair I didn’t have like you like what friend were you gonna ask?
Hey, man, how do you flat iron your hair?
Actually, like I the dude that taught me the best worked at the hair salon with me where I
was like, alright great and that
helped tremendously like just mastering my hair.
Yeah, 100%.
I love the fact that the guys, the boys care about their hair, right?
Like we don’t want, like apathy is the enemy to our industry.
You know, if the 12 year olds, 15 year olds, 18 year olds are apathetic about how their
hair looks, then that’s a problem.
And so I think it’s really good that they care a great deal.
And it’s really entertaining that they care about making it look the way that they
currently make it look.
You know, whether it’s the mod or the Edgar or the whatever.
So I was in the UK about a month ago and the one thing that killed me was how every killed
me in a good way.
Funny, entertaining is that every kid, even like early adult 25 and below had the haircut
that you were just talking about that you called the Edgar.
Every single one of them.
I think it might be a soccer thing, you know, like, like, like European football.
Yeah.
Um, where, where it’s, where it’s a skin night, not even faded.
It’s just skin, you know, scout just the bottom all the way around with kind of the helmet
on top and kind of a hero crop.
Exactly.
With the crop bangs and they all had it.
And then they would have their soccer jerseys on with Manchester United or whatever.
I don’t even know the teams.
And then they would hang around in packs all looking like that.
And, and I thought, that’s interesting.
It’s definitely a different look than we have in the States.
Um, and big time different look.
Um, and I remember some of the guys, uh, coming over from the UK a couple of years ago,
uh, you know, educating at, at, some of the events that we were doing, I remember they
were working on that cut.
so it’s, it’s still there, but I think it’s too groomed for.
what some of the kids in the U.S.
are doing.
They want more of the alpaca, the broccoli.
Weirdly enough dude um I don’t know people can like disagree, but I feel like all styles
are born here, dude I feel like uh LA like in the US It’s just like it’s got to almost be
cool here for like first and then it’ll spread but again even
Like again the fades all started kind of here then they went to Europe and the dudes in
Europe got really good at doing fades but also like man I love I love so many dudes from
Europe like I was just in Paris and I was like in France for like two weeks and I just got
back and I didn’t get a chance to like I wanted to go to salon or like I was trying to try
to find a cool barber shop and no joke I was just gonna get like a low taper from somebody
and then just kind of keep the mullet kind of going like I I don’t want to cut the back
off I don’t want a low taper like even again that’s another variety where some dudes
Just get a low taper on the side, you know and just get this cut a little bit more But
they still let the back fall where I’m like I would do that that’d be cool especially
those like one of my good friends that could crush it at it and
But yeah, but anyways what I saying was just I think all of them just start here I feel
like they see it here and then it goes over, know, like stop again.
I remember the dude from the UK we were at a class and The Edgars called the Edgar because
it kind of is like inspired by Hispanic kids I like it’s just there’s a bunches.
I have a little cousin named Edgar.
It’s funny, but But it’s so funny because so many Hispanics like we know a kid named Edgar
and it got that name I always feel bad now for any kid named
Edgar I’m like you can’t have that cut now like and Somebody asked them in the whole room
full of a whole bunch of Hispanic barbers We were over near Anaheim.
It was after one of the Anaheim hair shows and he goes hey do people ask for Edgars and
the whole room starts laughing like almost always it starts laughing and the educator kind
of gets ready like dude He’s like we actually have been getting it so much these last
couple of years He’s like people come in and specifically ask for that and that is it is
that Euro crop like and those dudes you’re talking
about are like the euro bros they’re like the euro bros that like that’s like a cut for
them there’s a name for them but like but I know what you’re talking about yeah
So a lot of the trends obviously come out of the entertainment industry, which worldwide
is kind of all looking here in the U.S.
And I spent two and a half weeks in the U.K.
and it’s like every song I heard came straight out of the U.S., right?
It’s like we have that influence on culture for good or bad all over the world.
And I’m not…
in it enough to know that this guy has got this certain haircut and that’s what’s kind of
proliferating outside of culture.
are there any artists out there, music artists or maybe actors that you can think of that
are kind of driving some of this stuff?
You know what, not really, but that’s also something that I do touch base on where I
always tell everybody, I’m like, you don’t see actors and like a lot of people in the
entertainment industry with like…
A bald fade, you know, you don’t see any act.
There’s like, like try to think of an actor right now with like a skin fade on the side.
There’s not like the dopest ones like Brad Pitt, like Leto’s got long hair.
Look, look at Pedro, the King Pedro Pascual right now.
Like that every chick is just like, he’s so dreamy.
Like he’s never had anything that short on the sides.
It’s like maybe a little bit shorter and a little bit more textured than mine.
But, I feel like most actors just have like a good haircut and know how to style it.
Like I feel like a lot of people show me like,
We always get celebrities are like can you do this haircut on me?
I’m like that’s styled and that dude also has like phenomenal hair like like again Brad
Pitt’s one of those people where I’m like That dude knows how to style his hair like I
know David Beckham was gonna become a hairdresser before he became David Beckham became
like a soccer player because yeah, cuz his mom was a hairdresser Yeah, so he’s always so
dude just knowing that that he was gonna go to beauty school He has said this in
interviews you can look it up like just makes me be like he’s obsessed with his hair He
knows every time you see a picture of Beckham his
Hair looks flawless and I’m like he if he if his mom’s a hairdresser He is known how to
style his hair since he was like a kid, you know, I’m like that’s not accidental He
doesn’t just wake up like that.
And so I’m always just I’m always the king of telling my clients like dude yesterday I
posted a video on one of my stories where I went here’s something I’ve been talking about
the last couple weeks I went there is no way that if I go in there and shampoo my hair
right now shampoo and condition Whatever and I towel dry and I don’t put any product in it
that I’m gonna have the best hair day
That is impossible.
I will bet you that over and over a hundred days life I know my best hair days are when I
style it perfectly with finishing products or if it’s on day three of just a rinse no
shampoo Day four of like walk just water letting it air dry.
Maybe still adding a little bit more product That’s how I get my hair to like look good
and look expensive not look frizzy lay right create the right silhouette, you know like So
just a little things like that
I love telling people I’m just like dude doesn’t matter how we cut your hair.
You just like shampoo and walk out There’s no way that’s gonna be your best hair day, know
Yeah, 100%.
So I’m trying to think about your perspective as you’re walking around in public.
Let’s say you go to Disneyland, you and Sam go to Disneyland and you’re sitting down,
you’re looking around and there’s 50 guys you’re looking at.
Are you looking at their hair?
And as you’re looking at their hair, what are you thinking?
You’re thinking like, Jesus Christ, these people.
Not anymore.
Not anymore.
No.
There was a time where, dude, I mean,
Anywhere I went I like when I got into hair dude.
I got obsessed with hair every every any way I could I would compliment somebody on their
hair and be like if you ever need a hair I would never tell anybody like I always tell
everybody I’m like you just want to shoot yourself in the foot go tell somebody that you
could cut their hair better than what they have If you ever just want somebody to never
call you yeah, it’s just a full-blown insult so like I used to get clients like being like
hey, man I love your hair and like and guys used to get like weird out they’d be like
Thanks, man.
Like in the beginning I’d be like, dude, I’m a hairdresser.
I just noticed you have a really good cut.
And then sometimes I’d be like, yeah, dude, if you ever need like somebody else to do it,
all my works on my Instagram, here’s my card.
This was before like QR codes.
I was just, which now put on your business cards and I would just give them my business
card and then they’d find me and they’d be like, Hey, my barber couldn’t get me.
Um, can you squeeze me in?
But, but there was a time where dude, anywhere I was, just, every movie I watched, like
I’d always be like, that’s bad.
Or that’s good.
Or I would have done this.
And, but now,
I’ve like kind of rebalanced where I’m just like there is time to like geek out and study
and watch people’s videos and like where I get it and there’s times where I Swear we’ll be
out to dinner and somebody will like tell somebody else be like Carlos is one of the
sickest hairdressers on back.
Shut the like I’m just like stop telling people do you like I’m just trying to eat dinner
right now I don’t want to talk about anybody’s hair.
Why not right now?
my god, that’s funny.
That’s awesome.
was a time where it was hard to shut off and everywhere I be on an escalator like riding
it down, I’d just be like, oh man, look at that.
Oh man.
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
It’s like, look, if he just fucking blow dried it that way, that would fix all that.
Like, yeah.
It’s so valuable.
I think that’s one of the main differences between you and so many men’s hairdressers is
the education of a blow dryer tension, how to pull the hair, how to shape the hair for a
guy.
um It’s just so important.
I mean, the chances that a guy’s hair are gonna look its best naturally are just so small.
And so to be able to, one, to recognize, for a guy to recognize that you can shape it, ah
you know, and then how to shape it, you with heat, with tension, et cetera, with product
is just invaluable.
And so you’ve really done great at that.
Even do like with a lot of these new styles.
I was gonna tell you like
Even like my hair now like I put I got out of the shower.
I towel dried it.
I put a little bit of this like It’s called texture cream It’s called like a leave-in dirt
or something and I just add it to my hair while it’s wet and then I just comb it in a
place and For the first time ever did not blow drying it just letting it air dry for these
looser looks for like more of these like looks that we’re doing where I’m talking about
like brush backs mods like you blow dry part of it and then you let a lot of it air dry
and you put product in wet where this is
going against completely everything I’ve been teaching people for the last 10 years to
create these new looks but I love it too.
I love that I’m like all of sudden being like alright things have changed guys we’re not
gonna blow dry every hairstyle you know but I do love that for the last 10 years I have
taught something that guys had no idea like guys were just like oh I didn’t even know I
could get a different look I just thought this was what my hair did and I’m just like no
you you have options you have options to do many
things but this is the way your hair air dries this is what you’ve been told since you’ve
been using gels in seventh grade and like but there’s other options and there’s other
products that will create different looks so yeah
So uh what are you telling your clients these days with regards to balding and things like
that?
I imagine you deal with this quite a bit.
Yeah, it’s crazy.
Like I said, I’ve been doing here for like 14 years now and there’s a lot of guys that I
started cutting when they were 17 years old and so on and now they’re into their early 30s
where that’s where you get the first big signs of balding late 20s like I mean you see it
in your early 20s sometimes where it’s like thinning but you really start seeing some
dudes crowns at like 30 where you’re just like And dude, it’s tough.
It’s the one of the toughest conversations.
I built a very close
Relationship with my clients and I’ve always talked about it like they all know what hair
of Istanbul is I talk almost every single one of my clients like follows it even if
they’re not I have clients that aren’t balding that think they’re balding like that’s
another huge annoying one where I’m just like shut up, bro Do not go to Turkey bro.
Like you’re just gonna get some weird hair a lot new hairline And then your hair is gonna
look freaking weird But but again, dude, I even told I have like two clients that that I
was like bro Go to Turkey as soon as you can like it
It’s a little uncomfortable, but no joke like they kind of appreciate it that I’m just
like not beating around the bush I feel like they’d rather hear it for me then you know go
I mean dude there’s a dude across the hall from where I work, and he does incredible
pieces You know like units they call me units to pay like but new modernized like super
good like where you can get them wet They’re not coming off you could run your hands
through it But I’m like that’s so much freaking upkeep bro like that’s like
Oh, man, you better have a lot of free time like, you know, you work out too much You got
to go get it re glued on and taped on and it’s just we’re to me if a dude Doesn’t want to
buzz his head It’s so funny that I like I have a buddy and we’re always joking we’re like
you got to get if you’re gonna shape your head you got to get ripped you can’t be
overweight and bald at the same time you I if you’re gonna do that you have to Jason stay
them and
Yeah, to make up for the baldness.
Yeah, dude, you gotta be ripped if you’re gonna go bald head and you gotta be ripped and
and I but I’ve told them I’m like dude It’s like $5,000 go you’ll feel better.
The technology is better than it’s been in 50 years, dude It’s just it’s worth it to give
it a shot even if you get a little bit more and you just don’t see scalp like I feel like
Every guy’s goals you don’t want to see skin on the top of your head.
Like I know how uncomfortable that feels for guys like
Is that what it costs in Turkey?
By the way, I went to Turkey for like a trip for my kid’s school.
And on the way back, on the way back, yeah, we’re on the plane and it’s solid 12 hours,
know, 30, it’s no walk in the park.
And I see all these people with the weird, with the lines drawn on their scalps and
everything.
And I realized it, I don’t know how that had, I had missed all that.
But it became very obvious to me what was happening after I saw like the first five people
on the plane like that.
And then even ladies were having like facial surgeries done.
Yeah.
And it was.
Yeah.
And it was so funny because nobody really cared about hiding it on the plane.
It just was so and nobody gave a shit.
People had weird like bruising all over their face and.
OK, so.
a bunch of monsters on the plane.
Yeah.
kinda, little bit like Monsters Inc flight.
So, so uh for those who don’t know, I don’t know, five grand to get it done over there and
what is it to get done here?
Like 30?
Yeah, dude, yeah.
Like check this out, I heard no.
Here in the U S these are things I’ve heard that I paid attention.
have friends that have had them.
I do have clients that have had transplants.
Um, here in the U S if you’re paying like 10,000 or under, you’re going to somebody janky.
You’re going to like not good stuff.
Turkey.
I’ve heard that five grand, including flights that includes your flights in your hotels,
they’ll fly you out there.
Five grand.
I’ve heard like 4,200 bro.
Dude, I’ve told, I’ve told friends that like have decent jobs, like not rich.
Like I’m like friends that are just like normal like working dudes like that can afford
$120 haircut I’m like go take four grand bro and go to Turkey bro like it checks out
You’re gonna look crazy for like a year you have to they’re gonna they’re gonna buzz your
head wear a cap You know dude and half the people now work indoors too, bro I’m like I’m
like a year’s gonna fly by bro And then you never have to worry about this again like for
at least another like 12 years like then I think they like Suggest like every 12 years
some more start
falling out like that don’t stick but even here’s two things to though dude it’s like some
people think they’re gonna get a transplant and then they’re gonna be able to like brush
their hair back and it’s gonna look like normal hair and flow the thing is it’s just it’s
still gonna look a little sparse it’s not gonna look the best like even the pictures you
see on Instagram they’re a little like touched up like a little extra and the majority of
guys like you now have to rock your hair a little forward you not like you don’t want to
show off the hairline
Like it’s just because if you pull like you’re not gonna be doing slick backs because
you’ll see it like right there And it’ll look a little janky and sore and it’ll look a
little spaced out But checks out dude is if it covers now your scalp and you don’t see
skin and you now have to rock your hair a little different and That’s gonna make a
difference in the way you feel the way you walk around.
I tell dudes to do it like again my buddy
Like I don’t know he I have a client a friend of mine where I’m like I do a borderline
comb over on him where I teach it He knows how to blow dry.
He knows how to and we tuck it right and it looks chill But it’s like it’s going quick
dude where I’m just like I’ve told him I’m like he’s like yeah next year.
I’m just gonna put some money way I was like dude put on a credit card, bro Like go get
5g’s just go get it done with bro.
Like look a little crazy for like nine months We know how quick nine months flies by bro
nine month nine months is back.
You’re gonna do whatever
He works like construction too, I’m like, they’re not gonna care there.
No, they’re not going to care there.
here, yes, I think minimum here is like 15k if you go to Beverly Hills.
But I still tell everybody, I’m like, that’s the other thing.
Do your research, bro.
Don’t play around with that one.
That one’s not like you’re getting a bad haircut.
It’s really, I had a friend that got it done a second time by his doctor.
His doctor offered him a free touch up.
And he was like, all right, sweetie, is he gonna give me a free touch up?
Because he referred him a couple people.
And dude, and my buddy came back and he was like, dude, he’s like, I fucked up.
I shouldn’t have gone.
He was like he did it.
He’s like I forgot how serious of like a surgery that is like where he was just like fuck
He was like messed up for days He like he now had like some new scars and like it was just
the whole process all over again where I was like Yeah, man, like if you don’t need it,
like don’t do it.
But yeah
So all of that is good information.
I didn’t realize some of those things.
My knowledge and experience uh centers around a particular doctor in Beverly Hills.
was, some dude that I knew a long time ago, quite a bit older than me, he disappeared off
the map for like eight months.
And then, you know, I’m texting him, he’s not responding.
All of a sudden he emerges.
And I’m like, where you been?
And he’s like, well, you know, I’ve been busy, been traveling and he takes his hat off and
I’m like, holy shit, you have hair.
And I’m like, what happened?
And he’s like, all right, fine.
Well, I got this thing done.
And I’m like, you didn’t need to ghost everybody, you know, because he was so afraid, you
know, that we were going to make fun of him.
And so he started telling me about it and he’s got this doctor in Beverly Hills and I’m
like, you know, I’m kind of thinning.
So I went to go see the guy and that he’s considered what, you know, everybody says he’s.
there’s guys the best, but this guy explained the process of the hair transplant.
he was, the pricing depends on how many tracks you take and how many follicles you
transplant and all that stuff.
But this guy’s gotta be in the $50,000 neighborhood.
He explained how he’s got a team of people.
When they take the tracks out, they segment each and every hair.
by the thickness, by the color, by the texture.
And then he goes and then he maps it, spends a tremendous amount of time with his team
mapping out on the hairline uh where the finest, lightest, uh thinnest textured hair is
gonna go on the hairline and then gradually go back row by row with gradually thicker,
stronger, darker hairs.
Dang, dude.
holy crap.
that’s, that sounds insane.
sounds like you take a week per client and he’s like, Oh yeah.
You know, because you’re talking about thousands of hairs that each get labeled separately
according to those criteria and then placed, you know, with the use of a computer in the
right places to make sure that it’s natural looking.
No bro, like that all sounds very legit.
Even like the nightmare stories that I’ve heard from people is that the doctors, like this
is where it’s important.
It’s not removing the strip.
It’s where and how the doctor places them back in.
Because sometimes you’ll see somebody’s hairline.
Like I’ve seen some of my clients and it looks like they’re like all over the place.
Like it doesn’t look.
And then if you don’t do it right, your body rejects like that.
Like when you sign the paperwork, cause it’s like a little surge.
You’re saying that like it could all fall out like you pretty much sign away that your
body could reject all of them The doctor is gonna tell you a won’t and it won’t reject all
of them But it could reject like up to 50 % But most people like after it all gets
inserted if it’s done incredible still lose like 5 to 10 % of what’s put in which I’m
like, alright That’s still 100 % new better hair that you have now over your head, you
know But that sounds super legit bro, like the way you explain that like that sounds and
again
Like I told you like if anybody here is doing something for 10k You’re going to some janky
janky doctor work.
They’re gonna it’s gonna be you’re gonna get scars.
There’s gonna be bad stuff done Nobody’s doing it for under like 20 25.
Yeah Doing it right.
Yeah
about this particular guy is that he’s the opposite of what I’m seeing out there a lot
right now.
So I’m seeing out there a lot, big signs, hair restoration, people trying to brand it with
their doctor, whatever, hair restoration.
um And everything is almost like a storefront, like a consumer storefront.
This dude, for as long as I’ve known him, probably 15 years or whatever,
He has zero sign on his office in Beverly Hills.
There’s cameras.
So they tell you which uh office to go to in the office building.
And then you have to hit the buzzer.
It’s all very secretive.
Apparently, he does celebrities who don’t wanna be seen.
The camera sees you.
Obviously, you have an appointment.
They buzz you in.
You’re in a reception room to take you in.
and then you leave at a different door.
That’s how like secretive it is versus the other style that I’ve seen out there.
uh But just to kind of tie a bow on my experience, the dude was like, the doctor was like,
you could take care of your issue with Propecia and Rogaine.
And so I started doing it.
The listeners have heard me say this now and then over the years.
It’s been probably two years since I’ve talked about it, but I started taking Propecia.
And, you know, I said, so, you know, there’s some downside, there’s some side effects that
I hear about this.
And of course, I don’t want to be subject to that, you know, impotence.
And he’s like, no, he’s like the impotence issue came around.
It was like half of a percent in trials.
And then the that half of a percent uh in those trials within six months, those people
said it’s not an issue.
And he said in my experience with the thousands of clients, patients that he’s put on it,
uh he said he had a handful of people who said it was an issue.
He suggested that they were just worried about it.
And of course impotence for guys is one of those things where if you’re worried about it,
it’s gonna happen, right?
Right?
It’s like, it’s so mental, right?
And so he said, within six months, those guys who had been all concerned about it and then
reported that it was a problem afterwards, no longer that it was, they reported that it
was a problem.
So then he put me on it and then I do the Rogaine every night.
I don’t do the foam cause it’s just kind of messy.
I do the liquid and it filled me in within nine months and I’ve had tons of hair for the
last 15 years.
So I’ve been preaching from the mountain tops.
uh Propecia and Rogaine.
then one more tidbit for the listeners, uh Finasteride is made in a generic and there’s
certain companies like Hymns that are making it that are trying to like get it out there
within the public a little bit uh more easily.
uh But my doctor said many years ago, he said,
for whatever reason, the generic version of Finasteride, he hasn’t found it as effective
as the actual branded Propecia.
And that kind of sucks because Propecia is like three, it’s like a hundred bucks a month.
And you know, who wants to spend a hundred?
So it’s not the end of the world, but who wants to spend a hundred dollars a month if you
don’t have to?
So my brother was using a generic Finasteride and did not receive good, good results from
it.
I’ve…
I’m still on normal Propecia at a hundred bucks a month.
And I just can’t be more grateful that it’s allowed me to keep all in my hair.
Actually filled me in and allowed me to keep all the hair when conjoined with minoxidil.
And by the way, minoxidil, you can do the generic.
Minoxidil is minoxidil.
You don’t have to get Rogaine.
um So anyway, that’s been a wonder for me.
That’s also awesome.
I was gonna tell you I have had clients I do have some clients that are like you and I
know you I I know how good you are like even again I can almost guarantee you use it every
night.
You don’t you know, it’s just like and that’s the thing dude I’ve had some clients and I
swear dude, they’ll get on Propecia They’ll come see me and I’ll be like bro your hair got
better like I’ll be like shocked to be like yeah I’ve been taking Propecia then they come
I see them a couple months and I’m like they’re like stopped taking it and I can fucking
tell bro and I’m just like and I feel like that happens
a lot with guys where they just stop and I’m just but I have a bunch of clients that are
Super they’re on minoxidil.
They’re on propisha same thing dude And their shit it looks better when I see them and I
tell them I’m like yo, bro Like I wouldn’t I wouldn’t say anything to them if I didn’t
think so I’m not gonna over hype somebody up or like You know, there’s it and again even
when dudes are thinning like I put it the softest way I can where I’m just like and again
and I don’t like I don’t they don’t come in and I’m like, dude It’s getting worse like you
know, because again, that’s just gonna stress you out
It’s probably gonna make it get worse, know, like you don’t need that on top, but you’re
right Those products are the best and I fully believe that everybody should be on that
before because checks out when you go get that transplant They’re gonna get you on that.
That is the next thing with the trans.
Oh, yeah, bro You know, they’re gonna give you that and like some other medication right
when you get off it, but they’re like 1000 % the second you walk out of there like you’re
now gonna take propetia and minoxidil to like expand everything and get
to go but yeah, so so you might as well get on that now, you know, it’s like
well try it in the hopes of avoiding the surgery.
Any last words for the community?
No man, educate yourself, stay very educated, surround yourself with other hairdressers,
try to keep a little community.
Like I was talking to some hairdressers today how like even again, I like told everybody
that came to my class today at the salon Republic on sunset, the one in Hollywood by the
arc light.
And I was just like, yo, it’s just cool to even just like hang out with some other
hairdressers that are like still interested in.
We all got to like BS and just talk a little bit where I was like, I feel because of like
we’re in studio suites and
Our like our West Hollywood one that we’re at I was telling Sam today I was like I love
that one.
I like I feel like there’s it’s very lively in that the outside area You know, we have the
Starbucks we have everything so I feel like we’re all socializing a lot We all talk a lot
We were all very close like I know almost every single person like in that building and
like I say hello to everybody where I feel like Like today I went to that one and but
don’t get me wrong I went there on a Monday morning at 9 a.m.
And it was like nobody nobody was there today.
Yeah.
Yeah
There were a couple people later when we were done, but.
But every I was just telling everybody I’m like, just surround yourself.
Go to more classes.
Like I feel like that’s going to keep you inspired for longevity and a hair career.
Like there was a time where you love this and you did it all the time and you went to
every hair show.
And again, I stopped going to hair shows.
There was a time where I burnt out and I had to like step back and I didn’t know this was
going to come back, you know, but like I told you, I was like, I had to find a balance.
I had to find a routine.
I had to not work 14 hour days.
Like I make sure I have time for the gym every morning.
make sure I get home early enough to spend time with my significant other and my pets and
I don’t work five days a week.
I normally work four days a week or you know, and I take vacations.
I do cool stuff.
I do other stuff.
Like my Instagram is mainly hair stuff, but
Yeah, follow me sugar skulls.
It’s fun.
There’s other stuff I like but it’s mainly hair I put my personality out there but stay
well balanced go to hair classes, you know, and I I think you’ll like you’ll do better It
can still get better.
Even if you’ve been doing this for 15 years, you can still pick it up again Yeah, 25 30
years
I love it, Carlos.
Great to see you always.
You too, Eric.
Thank you, dude.
- Key Principles for Success
- Crafting a Unique Experience
- The Value of Education and Continuous Learning
- Navigating the Men’s Hair Industry
- Building Client Relationships
- The Evolution of Men’s Hairstyles
- Evolving Techniques and Styles
- Navigating Conversations About Hair Loss
- The Cost and Process of Hair Transplants
This Week's Topics
- Key Principles for Success
- Crafting a Unique Experience
- The Value of Education and Continuous Learning
- Navigating the Men’s Hair Industry
- Building Client Relationships
- The Evolution of Men’s Hairstyles
- Evolving Techniques and Styles
- Navigating Conversations About Hair Loss
- The Cost and Process of Hair Transplants
