Getting a men's haircut in Turkey

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Experience the art and culture of a Turkish haircut

A good way to experience the unique Turkish culture is to get a men's haircut in Turkey. It is a form of art and a national treasure!

Turks are very hospitable and friendly people. Walk into any barber shop in Turkey and you will be welcomed and made to feel like a king.

Discover all about the wonderful experience of getting a men's haircut in Turkey. Watch out for the fire!

Before: An old Turkish haircut! ... and after: a new Turkish haircut! 

Hair length

I really enjoy a Turkish haircut, but I tend to let my hair grow long in the winter to avoid the cold. Some people prefer my hair short, some think longer is better. What do you think?

What is the best hair length for me?

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Short hair

dogface says:

I like to have short hair, partly because it's easier to maintain.

Cinnamonbite says:

If you're going to grow the hair long, you better be working on some manuscript, a book of poetry, or researching the lost relics of the Ottoman Empire. Throw on a threadbare tweed jacket and tell people you're a college prof!

Long hair

 

Turkey: Must do list

Drink çay

Eat pide

Visit Ephesus

Shop in the bazaar

Get a men's haircut!

A national treasure

A skilled profession

Turks take hair very seriously. So seriously that it is considered a national art form and foreigners are not allowed to be employed as barbers in Turkey.

The apprentices spend many hours just watching, cleaning and preparing equipment before they are even allowed to touch the hair.


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Hospitality Turkish Style

Lots of Tea (Çay) and Coffee (Kahve)

Photos by
captain.orange,
one2c900d,
drinkingsnapple
Some rights reserved

Teeglas by captain.orange
Turkish tea and lemon by one2c900d
Turkish Kahve by erin & camera
curated content from Flickr

Enjoy the hospitality

Time to relax before your haircut

In Turkey, a typical men's haircut requires about two hours. The first hour is spent waiting while other customers have their hair done. During this time you are offered çay (Turkish tea). You can chat, read the local newspapers or watch the Turkish television. Sometimes you get a shoulder or arm massage from one of the assistants.

“the barber dips a ball of cotton wool in methylated spirits... they then set fire to this and ...”

The artist at work

Earth - Water - Wind - Fire

When you are seated, the barber will wash your hair if necessary then dry it. A cape is fastened around your neck and you are asked how you would like your hair done. The first step is carefully trimming the area just around the ears and at the back. Several different combs on the electric trimmers will be used to get it just right.

This is followed by a wet cut.

If you have a beard or mustache, this is trimmed and shaped if required. Plenty of shaving cream with the long handled razors.

Any extra hair on the face is either waxed with a pine resin, pulled out with tweezers or string. A cotton thread is twisted and the resulting loop is opened and closed over the hair to be removed. Nose hair is trimmed with small scissors.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the haircut is when the barber dips a ball of cotton wool in methylated spirits. Perhaps you think this is for cleaning something? Not exactly. It depends on how you define cleaning. They then set fire to this and flick the flames into your ears to burn the hairs. Also any stray hairs on your face.

Finally the hair is washed. Then blow dried. Then gel is applied. Followed by hair spray and deodorants.

My recent look

From my usual barbers, but a different Turkish haircut for me

A fresh Turkish haircut

I have had another haircut from a different barber since these photos, but the style is still the same.

Compliments

Customary sayings

When everything is complete, you pay and the barber will say "Sıhhatler olsun" meaning "May it be healthy".

An appropriate response might be "Elinize sağlık" - "Health to your hands".

You will probably get a lot of compliments from people about your hair - mostly "Sıhhatler olsun". This should not be confused with similar sounding phrases: "Saatler olsun" which means may you have lots of clocks; or "Saçlar olsun" meaning may you have many hairs.

Video of one of my Turkish haircuts

Getting a haircut in Turkey
by ytpedronz | video info

145 ratings | 99,806 views
curated content from YouTube

Read Turkish Style and Travel books

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Travel to Turkey

Come and experience a Turkish haircut for yourself

Turkey has more than just amazing haircut experiences to offer. Come and feast on the wonderful cuisine. Relax in the sun on the many beaches or explore the rich history of over 5000 years of civilization.

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Close shave

Fromm Straight Razor, 5/8"

Amazon Price: $63.99 (as of 02/17/2012)Buy Now

Turkish barbers use the long handled Straight Razors to give you a real sharp, crisp and close shave. For the ultra-smooth look or if you want your facial hair to have a definitive edge, buy a Straight Razor.

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Know a local Turkish barber?

Let everyone know where you can get a Turkish haircut

If you have a local Turkish barber, please provide their location. When there are a few entries, I will add a map. I am particularly interested in finding barbers outside of Turkey. My own barber however, will remain secret - I don't want everyone crowding into his little shop and making the queue for haircuts longer than it is.

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Between haircuts I am busy living and doing business in Turkey. Check out my other lenses on life and work in Turkey.
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Peter.Murray

I am an entrepreneur, originally from New Zealand, living and doing business in Turkey because of the great culture and lifestyle and the many opportunities... more »

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