Certified Barber

NYC

guru.blends

  1. Length
  2. #3
  3. #1
  4. Skin

Personal display of haircuts, the lingo behind every blend, and a straight line to the chair.

Showtime: build your booking request See the cuts

Cuts

Personal display of haircuts

Open a cut to study it: the photo at the size it was supplied, what it shows, and what still has to come from the chair.

  1. 01 Cut 01 Braids, line-up, taper at the ear
    Side view of a client in a red and black camouflage cape and white neck strip: braids pulled straight back, a sharp line-up across the forehead and temple, and a clean, short taper around the ear.
    Supplied photo, shown at its full 240 × 320.
    What the photo shows
    Braids pulled back, a crisp line-up across the forehead and temple, and a tight, clean taper around the ear.
    Style name
    CMS content needed the name Guru gives this cut
    Guards and tools
    CMS content needed guard numbers from top to bottom; trimmer or razor for the line
    Time in the chair
    CMS content needed minutes, start to finish
    More angles
    CMS content needed front, back, other side and one close-up of the line
    Consent
    Needs the client’s written consent before it is published, and a parent’s or guardian’s for anyone under 18. CMS content needed consent on file: yes or no
  2. 02 Cut 02 Waves, low taper, temple line
    Profile of a client in the same red and black cape: short, brushed waves on top, a low taper around the ear and neckline, and a crisp line at the temple.
    Supplied photo, shown at its full 240 × 320.
    What the photo shows
    Short, even waves on top, a low taper around the ear and down to the neckline, and a sharp line at the temple.
    Style name
    CMS content needed the name Guru gives this cut
    Guards and tools
    CMS content needed guard numbers from top to bottom; trimmer or razor for the line
    Time in the chair
    CMS content needed minutes, start to finish
    More angles
    CMS content needed front, back, other side and one close-up of the taper
    Consent
    Needs the client’s written consent before it is published, and a parent’s or guardian’s for anyone under 18. CMS content needed consent on file: yes or no
  3. 03 Next in the chair CMS content needed 4 angles plus 1 close-up, 1200 px or more on the long edge, even light, signed consent

Reading a cut photo

  • The transition. Where one length meets the next, there’s no visible step.
  • The line. Edges are sharp and match from left to right.
  • The finish. The neckline ends the way it was asked for: tapered, blocked or rounded.

Craft

Explore & see my craft

Every cut is built from three raw materials: length, line and blend.

Guard scale

Pick a clipper guard. The word below takes the length down with you.

Clipper guard, shortest to longest

Skin · shaver or razor. The bottom of a skin fade, as close as it gets.

#0 · no guard, about 1/32 to 1/16 in (0.8 to 1.5 mm). Depends on the blade and the lever. The base of many fades.

#0.5 · 1/16 in (1.5 mm). A soft first step up from the bottom of a fade.

#1 · 1/8 in (3 mm). Short and even, close to the scalp.

#1.5 · 3/16 in (4.5 mm). The bridge between #1 and #2 inside a blend.

#2 · 1/4 in (6 mm). A common length for the sides of short cuts.

#3 · 3/8 in (10 mm). Still short, but the hair lies down instead of standing up.

#4 · 1/2 in (13 mm). The longest of the short guards; soft on top.

#6 · 3/4 in (19 mm). Enough length for texture and curl to show.

#8 · 1 in (25 mm). The longest standard guard. Past this, it’s scissors.

Common guard sizes for Wahl- and Andis-style clippers. Brands vary slightly.

Up close

Craft reads in close-up: the transition, the line and the finish, shot in daylight.

CMS content needed 3 close-up photos (transition, line-up, neckline) and up to 3 clips of 10 to 20 seconds, muted, with captions

Behind the chair

Credential
Certified Barber, NYC
License
CMS content needed New York license type and number, so clients can check it on the Department of State licensee search
In Guru’s words
CMS content needed two or three sentences: how the craft started and what the chair is known for
Portrait
CMS content needed one photo at work, in daylight, 1600 px or more on the long edge

Lingo

Learn the Lingo

Say exactly what you want. Add terms as you read; Showtime puts them into one request.

Show terms for

  • Taper

    Length steps down at the sideburns and the neckline only. The rest of the sides keep their length.

  • Low fade

    The fade starts just above the ear and the neckline, so most of the sides keep their weight.

  • Mid fade

    The fade starts around the temple, halfway up the side of the head.

  • High fade

    The fade starts high, near where the side of the head turns into the top. The most contrast.

  • Skin fade

    Also called a bald fade. The shortest point goes to bare skin with a shaver or razor.

  • Drop fade

    The fade line curves down behind the ear toward the nape, following the shape of the head.

  • Burst fade

    The fade arcs around the ear in a half circle and leaves length at the neckline.

  • Line-up

    Also called a shape-up or edge-up. Sharp edges at the forehead, temples and sideburns.

  • Hard part

    A line cut in with a trimmer or razor to set where the hair parts.

  • Tapered neckline

    The nape fades out naturally instead of ending on a hard line.

  • Blocked neckline

    The nape is cut straight across for a squared-off finish.

  • Rounded neckline

    The corners of a blocked nape are softened; the middle ground between tapered and blocked.

  • Scissor-over-comb

    Hair is lifted on a comb and cut with scissors, for a softer shape than clippers give.

  • Texture

    Cutting into the top to break up weight so it moves instead of sitting flat.

  • Waves

    The top is kept short and even so the pattern you brush in can show through.

  • Clean-up

    Keep the length. Tidy the outline, the edges and the neckline.

  • Beard shape-up

    Defined cheek and neck lines, with the length left as it is.

  • Beard fade

    The sideburn is faded into the beard so there’s no hard jump in length.

  • Beard trim

    The whole beard taken down evenly, keeping its shape.

Process

How a blend gets built, from consult to mirror

  1. 01 Consult
  2. 02 Guide
  3. 03 Blend
  4. 04 Line
  5. 05 Finish

Consult

Reference photos first: one to three you like and one you don’t. Shape and upkeep get settled before any length comes off.

Your part Say how often you can come back. A skin fade shows regrowth sooner than a taper.

Guide

A guideline sets where the fade starts, low, mid or high, and where the neckline finishes.

Your part Check it in the mirror now. It’s the easy moment to move it.

Blend

Guards step down in length, and every transition is worked until there’s no visible line between them.

Your part Keep your head where it’s placed. A tilt moves where the line lands.

Line

Edges get defined: line-up, part, neckline and beard lines, matched from left to right.

Your part Say whether your natural hairline stays or gets sharpened.

Finish

A mirror check from every side, then product only if you want it.

Your part Ask how to style it at home, and when to come back.

Appointment length for each service: CMS content needed minutes per service, including the consult

Visit

Before the chair

Before you sit down

  1. Come with clean, dry hair and no product: no wax, gel or spray.
  2. Leave your neckline and edges alone. Natural growth shows where the line should sit.
  3. Save one to three reference photos, plus one you don’t want.
  4. Know your upkeep: how often you can come back.

House rules

Cancelling
CMS content needed hours of notice, any fee, and how to cancel
Running late
CMS content needed grace period in minutes, and what happens after it
Deposits and no-shows
CMS content needed deposit or card-on-file rule, and the amount
Paying
CMS content needed accepted payment methods and tipping
Kids
CMS content needed youngest age, and whether a parent or guardian stays
Prices
CMS content needed a price for each service; for any range, the reason for the range In New York, prices for substantially similar services can’t differ by gender.

Where and when

City
NYC
Address
CMS content needed street address or shop name, floor or suite
Hours
CMS content needed days and hours, plus holiday changes
Getting there
CMS content needed nearest subway lines, and whether there’s step-free access

Showtime

Build the request. Send it as a DM.

Asking for

CMS content needed Guru’s confirmed service list, with times and prices

Collected on the way

    Nothing yet. Add terms in Lingo, a length in Craft or a reference in Cuts, or just write it below.

    Your request

    Open @guru.blends on Instagram (opens in a new tab)

    Send @guru.blends a DM with the cut you want, the length, a reference photo and the times that work.

    Nothing on this page is sent or saved. Copy the request and paste it into a DM. CMS content needed online booking link and the platform it runs on

    Questions

    Asked before the chair

    How do I book?

    Build a request in Showtime, then send it as a DM to @guru.blends on Instagram (opens in a new tab).

    CMS content needed a direct online booking link

    What does a cut cost?

    CMS content needed the price list, service by service

    In New York, prices for substantially similar services can’t differ by gender, and a written price list has to be handed over on request.

    How long does it take?

    CMS content needed typical minutes for each service

    Taper or fade: what’s the difference?

    A taper only shortens the sideburns and the neckline. A fade takes the sides and back down gradually, often to skin, and where it starts, low, mid or high, is part of the ask. More in Lingo.

    What should I bring?

    Clean hair with no product, and one to three reference photos, including one you don’t want.

    Can my cut be posted?

    Only with your written consent, and a parent’s or guardian’s if you’re under 18.

    Do you take walk-ins?

    CMS content needed walk-in policy

    Do you cut kids?

    CMS content needed youngest age and what a parent or guardian needs to do

    Client words

    CMS content needed short quotes, word for word, each with the client’s first name or initials, the date, a source link and their permission