Girl power - more female barbers entering competitions

An increasing number of female barbers are entering industry competitions, new figures suggest. Statistics from The Bluebeards Revenge male grooming brand and the British Barbers’ Association found that women, who historically have been less likely to enter competitions and demo on stage, are now starting to showcase their barbering talents. The figures show that 23 per cent of the entries to this year’s Britain’s Best Shave were female, up from just 8 per cent back in 2014. The numbers have been increasing year on year, with 10% of the entries being female in 2015, 11% in 2016 and 17% in 2017. Nick Gibbens, spokesperson for The Bluebeards Revenge, said he was delighted with the findings, adding it showed how far the industry had come over the last five years. He explained: “Making an impact on the barbering world has hasn't always been easy for women. I even remember the days when men would refuse to sit in a barber chair if the barber was a woman. The industry has grown up since then and it’s great to see so many female barbers entering this year’s Britain’s Best Shave competition.” Nick attributed this year’s increase to Welsh barber Sophie Collins, who made it  to the final at Barber UK in 2017. “When I was at college, the industry was dominated by men and you just never saw a female barber,” Sophie explained. “However, over the last ten years this has changed dramatically and the sector is now awash with top quality female cutters and shavers. I still believe there is more to do to encourage women to enter competitions but hopefully my success in 2017 can only help this. I received so much support last year and even shaved Good Morning Britain weatherman Alex Beresford live on air. It was a surreal moment and one I will never quite forget. “I think the trade press have really helped as well. They have given more coverage to female barbers to promote their work and as a result we’ve grown in confidence. It’s an exciting time to be in the industry and hopefully we will see a female winner of Britain’s Best Shave this year.” [caption id="attachment_51768" align="aligncenter" width="295"] Sophie Collins[/caption] Erik Lander, from the British Barbers’ Association, said the figures were hugely encouraging and reflected her organisation’s work to encourage more females into barbering. “The British barbering industry is well-paid, respected all over the world and offers a fantastic career opportunity. It’s never been so buoyant and female barbers are playing a key role in this success.” Separate figures from the British Barbers’ Association show that 18% of entries to its prestigious British Barber of the Year 2018 competition are female. Britain’s Best Shave 2018 commences with 12 regional heats on Sunday 4 March in Northampton. The top eight scoring regional winners will then be invited to attend the national final at Barber UK at the Birmingham NEC on Sunday 20 May.