The European Barber Scene

Luke Duffy hairdressing a model

Luke Duffy — 2015 Irish Barber/Men’s Hairdresser of the Year and owner of Ultimate Barber, Dublin — recently graced our photo shoot to bring an international flair to the Eufora HERO for Men™ guy. Here are some of his thoughts on barbering, men’s style and grooming trends.

Model with finished hair style

EHFM: Hey Luke, thanks for flying out to California and bringing your amazing techniques to our shoot. When you’re back home in your barber shop, how do you approach a new client to figure out what they want, and gain their trust?

LUKE: I love the L.A. scene and it's always great to collaborate with Barbers and Stylists from around the world. We're all such a creative crew and there’s an electric vibe of power that fills the room when you gather a bunch of artists.

Whenever I get the chance to work with a new guest in my shop, I find that the good old consultation is key to starting a long relationship. I try to involve my new friend every step of the way, making them feel that they have control of the hairstyle. This helps them relax and begin to trust my recommendations, making it much easier to guide them away from what won't work... to what will look great.

EHFM: Are there any celebrity influencers right now in men's grooming fashion?

LUKE: Actually, I find that people are looking toward bigger style guidelines than a singular celebrity. Men are more focused on the theme of a TV show verses a particular trend. In Ireland, period television programs like Pinky Blinders (a BBC gangster family epic set in 1919 Birmingham, England) and the HBO series Boardwalk Empire are big influencers. Everything from the clothes, to haircuts and facial hair are super popular right now.

EHFM: Do women prefer their men to sport long or short hair?

LUKE: Women don't mind long or short hair on their men. It has to look good with the right cut and most importantly, has to suit the man and accentuate his best features.

EHFM: What advice do you give to a man who's thinning on top?

LUKE: First I try to establish the cause of the problem. Then it's easy to recommend treatment. Most premature hair loss is caused by weakening of the hair and scalp issues brought on by the wrong shampoo and conditioner. That's why I love Eufora HERO for Men™. The exclusive ProAmino Peptide Complex™ really works and is in all of the CLEANSE & TREAT and STYLE products.

EHFM: Thanks, we love the stuff! So one last question... How do you feel about facial hair? Are beards here to stay?

LUKE: We are at a great time now with hair! Anything goes with fashion as long as you can pull it off. The same is true with facial hair. Beards, stubble and clean shaven are all in vogue. Beards need to be shaped though and stubble should be defined and "marked out."

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