Ten Year Anniversary
This July it will be ten years since I started Tim Carr Hair and I wanted to thank everyone who’s been coming to the salon because you’ve made it all possible—from the people who have only came in for one haircut all the way through the people who followed me from Alexander’s for Hair to the Sola Salon on Wilshire and Bundy, the shop I rented a chair in on Sawtelle in Culver City, to the outdoor haircuts I did in the parking lot behind that salon when I was only able to offer outdoor haircuts during covid, to the Sola Salon Studios I work at now off Jefferson. There were tough times. When I first started on my own, I would hope to get at least 36 services in a week because if I hit that number I would be making a little more than I did at Alexanders for Hair, now I usually do around 65-70 haircuts a week and if I had a week where I only did 36 I would start trying to figure out what happened. Halfway through the ten years the Covid lockdowns happened and I was unable to work do to the restrictions, and then when I was allowed to cut hair again I had to do it in the parking lot behind the salon. Even when they allowed people to start working indoors again I had to stay outside because we had to be at 25% capacity and in a four chair salon that is only one person. The woman I rented a chair from cut mostly women’s hair so she needed access to the shampoo bowls to wash hair before her haircuts and to rinse out color and other chemical services so I stayed outside since I only do men’s haircuts. At first it was fun cutting hair outside, but the novelty wore off fast, especially when it started to get hot. I never envisioned myself cutting hair in a tank top and shorts when I first got into the industry, and knew I had to be looking ragged at the end of some of those hot days because people would say things like, “Thank you for doing this” after I finished their haircuts. I ended up cutting hair outside for a full year until I could start working in the salon again and six months after that I moved across Sepulveda Blvd to where my salon is now, in the Sola Salon Studios. I’ve been working in Sola for a little over three years now and really enjoy having my own private suite and I would only consider moving if everything is perfect because it’s so easy in the shop I’m in now. Perfect would mean the salon being in the same area in Culver City, affordable price, good parking, etc. I’m not even looking, nor have I been in case anyone was getting worried. Every once a while when I’m out and about in the West LA - Culver City area I’ll see a for rent sign in an empty salon or barbershop and I’ll do some research and it doesn’t come close to being as good as where I’m cutting hair right now.
2017 in Hair
As 2017 comes to a close, I thought it would be a great opportunity to take a thoughtful look back at the year in men's hair. I haven't had as many chances to blog as frequently as I have in the past, but fortunately, I'm out of the salon for a few days due to the holiday. At least for the guys who come in to get their hair cut by me, the undercut is still reigning as the king of hairstyles. This particular haircut is easily the most requested service we provide in the salon. It's a great-looking cut that has remained in fashion for several years now, and I believe part of the reason so many men request undercuts from me is that I have accumulated more pictures of that particular style than any other haircut on platforms like Yelp, Instagram, and my website. This might skew my numbers a little, but it certainly showcases the popularity of the style. I tend to fade my undercuts, and because of that, it creates a striking appearance from both the front and the side—while scissor haircuts can often appear somewhat uninteresting from the side view. This unique feature leads to twice as many undercut pictures in my portfolio. I'm also actively working on improving my skills in photographing a wider variety of haircuts that I perform.
The number one haircut girlfriends have bI've been noticing a trend lately where many clients are coming in with pictures of Ryan Gosling's recent haircut. Interestingly, there isn't just a single image that stands out as the go-to reference; rather, I've seen a variety of pictures showcasing different lengths. However, all of them feature hair that’s long enough on top to be styled with a side part. This results in a relaxed, laid-back look where the hair elegantly falls to one side, as opposed to standing up in spikes. Meanwhile, the sides maintain enough length to be smoothly pushed back, creating a polished profile. This particular haircut has a versatile appeal, as it looks fantastic at various lengths. You have the option to choose one of the shorter variations of the cut and let it gradually grow into the style that Ryan models when his hair is longer. To maintain that fresh look during the growing process, I also offer a hairline clean-up service for just $10. This service includes neatly tidying up the sideburns, tapering the back, and trimming the neck area, ensuring that your hair remains looking sharp and well-groomed while it grows out.
In addition to that trend, I've observed that classic barbering techniques are making a significant comeback this year. Many men are increasingly opting for haircuts that utilize a shorter clipper blade, resulting in a consistently clean, shorter style on top. This particular look appeals to a number of guys because of its low maintenance nature at home, which makes daily styling much easier and more efficient. Typically, these cuts involve keeping the hair at a manageable finger-length or just slightly longer on top. Others are drawn to the timeless, clean aesthetic that such styles provide or may have thicker hair on the sides, finding that regularly using clippers helps to effectively eliminate excess bulk and create a more refined appearance.
I also get a decent amount of guys with long hair coming in to the salon, demonstrating a noticeable diversity in hair lengths. For the purposes of this blog, when I say "long hair," I'm referring to any hair that touches the collar or extends longer than that. While I do see a fair number of guys sporting this length of hair, I genuinely believe I would encounter even more if I had more pictures showcasing longer-haired men. Unfortunately, I didn’t take many photos when we first moved to Culver City. Back when we were in West LA, I had a fantastic spot with a neutral background inside Sola that was perfect for capturing images of my haircuts. Since relocating, I’ve been trying to find a good spot at the new salon for this purpose. The best option I've thought of would be in front of the brick wall at the bank down the street, but the challenge is that no one—myself included—wants to run across the busy street and dodge traffic on Sawtelle just to get their picture taken in that area. So, I’ve settled on simply taking pictures at the chair in the salon after I do my detailing and get the hair styled to my satisfaction.
Overall, it was a truly great year for the salon in 2017. We took the significant step of leaving Sola in West LA and relocating to Culver City in February. In the hair industry, making a move like this is often quite stressful because there is really no reliable way to predict who will decide to follow you, especially considering the notorious traffic patterns in Los Angeles. Initially, I saw a notable dip in the number of haircuts I performed during the first month after we settled into the new salon space, but fortunately, things picked up considerably as I got more comfortable and began to establish a new routine. By the end of the year, I found that I had achieved over 50% growth in my client base. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who followed me during this transition, as well as to all of the new people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting while working in the Culver City salon. You all have contributed to making this year one of the best experiences I have had in my career.
On to 2018!!
Tim
Dandruff
People have been using the word dandruff as a catch-all for anytime you get flakes in your hair, but just because you have some flakes doesn't necessarily mean you have dandruff. Dandruff is large greasy flakes while dry scalp is the little white flakes in hair most people think of when they talk about dandruff. In the ten years I've been cutting hair, I've only seen actual dandruff in someone's hair two or three times. Now that we've got that out of the, I was reading a good article on GQ about habits men have that are causing their dandruff. I agree with what they wrote and don't really have anything to add to their list, but there are some environmental factors that you can't control that can affect your scalp. Except for the weather we've been have recently, Los Angeles is generally dry, and I know a lot of guys that started noticing flakes in their hair after moving to LA. The changing of the seasons can also do a number on your scalp. Even though we don't get much of a winter in LA, I do see more flakes while cutting hair this time of year.
If you've followed the advice in the GQ article, and still have flakes, it may be time to switch to a different shampoo and conditioner. I have read good things online about Nizoral AD, but I don't have any experience with that particular product. What has worked best for me is Aveda Scalp Benefits and the Eufora Complete Shampoo with their Revitalizing Treatment. If you do everything in the article, get a good shampoo and conditioner, and still have scalp issues and see flakes in your hair, it may be best to go to a doctor. Below is a link to the article I referenced.
http://www.gq.com/story/bad-habits-causing-dandruff
Moving
I wanted to take a moment to write a blog post to inform everyone that we will be moving to a new location, and I will be cutting hair in a lovely salon in Culver City. I will also be sending out an email with all the details, alongside this blog post, so unless you've opted to unsubscribe from Vagaro emails, you should be receiving that important information shortly. Aside from the new location of the salon, I want to assure you that everything else will remain consistent,
There will also be some benefits on your end by the move to Culver City. I haven't been able to scout it out myself, but there's a free parking lot. No more having to use the garage, valet, or walk from Ralphs. With the extra space in the Culver City salon, we'll be able to have a waiting area and you won't have to find a bench outside of the suite while waiting for your haircut like you currently do at Sola. With the addition of a waiting area, we want to serving drinks again. I don't have a timetable of when that's going to start, Krissy is taking care of that, but we are planning on having coffee, soda, water, and beer again. The beer is something that people who have been getting their hair cut by me since the beginning have been asking for ever since my former salon got rid of it, so I'm glad to be bringing it back. We're planning on getting a bigger TV, putting it on the wall, and having the same set up for sports on it as I do now with the WatchESPN, NBA League Pass, etc.
Just as it was with the move from the last salon, I'm sure there will be some people that Culver City is more of a drive for so I'm willing to be flexible with my hours. I can't open everything up in Vagaro, but if you're looking for a hair appointment a little later than you see available in the online booker so you can miss traffic, give me a call or shoot me a text and we can try to schedule a hair appointment that will work best for you. For earlier appointments, I need to know the night before so I can plan ahead since I'm driving from Woodland Hills to Culver City.
I would just like everyone to know that this decision wasn't made lightly--but this was the best of the few options that were available to me. I looked into staying at Sola, but there are no suites opening up soon enough, and there's a waiting list (which I'm not currently on) for when one does open up. Staying in the current suite by myself would cost too much, and not even an option since I'm not on the waiting list for it. All of the other West LA salon suites are full as well. I checked with Salon Republic and Phenix. I also looked at closer hair salons to rent a chair in, but they were all very expensive, and I also wouldn't have the access I would need to work my hours six days a week. Some people at Sola offered to let me do hair out of their suite, but I would only be able to work one or two days a week doing that. I don't want anyone to think I'm just going to be bouncing around all over different salons in Los Angeles, Krissy signed a five year lease on this space, so this will be my last move until I'm able to open my own salon--which is years away at this point. With very few options, I think the salon in Culver City will work out best.
In closing, I really hope this works out and everyone is able to make it into the new space. I genuinely like cutting everyone's hair who comes in. I've had friends who don't do hair ask me how I handle difficult/rude clients and I always tell them that there's not anyone who's hair I cut that I wouldn't go out and grab a beer with. I will be sending an email when I know the exact date for the move to Culver City, which depends on how long it takes a plumber to get our shampoo bowls and sinks in. We're hoping for Feb 1st, but will know for sure after the plumber gets a chance to to look at the salon. I will send out an email as soon as I know. Stay tuned for photos or the new salon!
Hope to see you soon!
Tim
Update 1/3-/2017
The plumbing is done and the moving day is set. I will start doing hair out of the Culver City salon on January 31st. The last day in the Sola suite will be Saturday the 28th, I won't be working in either salon that Sunday because we will be moving things between the west LA and Culver City spaces. If you didn't receive an email, you may have unsubscribed yourself from Vagaro's emails. I will update the confirmation emails when we move with instructions for getting to the new salon, parking, etc.
