Last updated: 15 February 2026
Sitting down in the barber's chair and not quite knowing what to say is more common than you'd think. You know you want to look good. You probably have a vague idea in your head. But translating that into the right words, the ones that help your barber give you exactly what you're after, can feel surprisingly difficult.
The good news is that it doesn't need to be complicated. You don't need to know every technical term or speak fluent barber. A few simple habits will make the conversation easier, and the results better, every single time.
This is the single most useful thing you can do. A picture is worth a thousand words, and in the barber's chair, it's worth even more than that. Find a photo of a haircut you like, save it to your phone, and show it to your barber when you sit down.
It doesn't need to be a celebrity photo, though those work fine. It can be a screenshot from Instagram, a photo from a barbershop's portfolio, or even a picture of yourself from a day when your hair looked particularly good. The point is to give your barber a visual starting point.
A few tips on choosing reference photos:
Don't be embarrassed about showing a photo. Barbers genuinely prefer it. It removes guesswork and gives both of you a shared reference point. For more on finding the right barber to bring those photos to, read our guide on how to choose a good barber.
Clipper guard numbers are the universal language of barbering. Knowing roughly what they mean gives you a practical way to describe what you want on the sides and back.
Here's a quick reference:
You don't need to memorise this. Just having a rough idea of whether you like your sides very short (grade 1-2), medium (grade 3), or a bit longer (grade 4) gives your barber useful information. If you're not sure, say that. Something like "I like the sides fairly short but not down to the skin" tells your barber everything they need to know.
Sometimes it's easier to say what you want to avoid than what you're after. And that's completely fine. Telling your barber "I don't want it too short on top" or "I don't like it when my ears are fully exposed" or "last time it was a bit too choppy at the front" gives them useful boundaries to work within.
If you've had a bad experience in the past, talk about it. Not to complain, but to make sure it doesn't happen again. "The last barber took the sides too high" or "I asked for a fade and it came out patchy" are exactly the kind of details that help your current barber get it right.
Negative feedback is often more specific and more useful than vague positive requests. "Make it look good" gives your barber nothing to work with. "Don't take the fringe above my eyebrows" gives them a clear instruction.
Your daily life has a direct impact on which haircut will actually work for you. A barber who understands your routine can suggest styles that look great without demanding more effort than you're willing to put in.
Useful things to mention:
You can see what different styles require in terms of upkeep in our roundup of the best men's haircuts for 2026.
If you're happy with the cut but not sure how to recreate the look at home, ask. Your barber styles your hair after cutting it, and the product they used and the technique they applied are half the reason it looks so good when you leave.
Common questions worth asking:
Most barbers are happy to walk you through the styling process. It takes thirty seconds and means you'll actually be able to maintain the look at home. There's no point getting a brilliant haircut if it only looks that way for the twenty minutes between leaving the shop and the next time you shower.
If you've found a barber you trust, and you should, as we covered in our guide to choosing one, then listen to their suggestions. A good barber looks at faces, hair types, and growth patterns all day long. They can often see things you can't, like how your hair naturally falls, where your cowlicks are, or which side your hair naturally parts on.
If your barber says "that style would suit you, but I'd go with a mid fade instead of a high fade because of your head shape," that's valuable advice based on real experience. You don't have to take it, but it's worth considering.
The best barber-client relationships are collaborative. You bring the vision, they bring the expertise, and between the two of you, you land on something that looks great and works with your natural hair rather than fighting against it.
That's fine too. Sitting down and saying "I'm not sure what I want, what do you think would suit me?" is a perfectly valid approach. In fact, many barbers enjoy the creative freedom. They'll assess your hair type, your face shape, and your general vibe, then suggest something they think will work.
If you go this route, you can still give them a few parameters. Something like "I like it fairly short" or "I'm open to anything but I don't want it too dramatic" gives them a starting direction without boxing them in.
Communication is what separates a good haircut from a great one. Your barber can only cut what they understand you want. The more clearly you can describe your preferences, whether through photos, guard numbers, lifestyle details, or simply telling them what you didn't like last time, the better the result.
At BB's Barbers on Skirsgill Lane, Penrith, Penrith, we always start with a conversation. No one sits down and gets cut without us understanding what they're after first. Whether you arrive with a detailed Pinterest board or just a vague sense that you want something different, we'll talk it through and make sure we're on the same page before the clippers come out.
Browse our full list of services and prices, then book your appointment online. We'll handle the rest.