Ruffians News – Ruffians https://yourbarbershopguide.pics Award Winning Barbershops in London and Edinburgh Sat, 21 Mar 2020 12:13:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.7 Ruffians Temporary Closure – see you soon. https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-temporary-closure-see-you-soon/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-temporary-closure-see-you-soon/#respond Sat, 21 Mar 2020 12:11:35 +0000 https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=11283 Dear Ruffians,

As of today, we’ve decided to temporarily close our stores. It’s a proactive decision as we believe it’s in the best interests of our team, customers and the nation to stop this virus spreading and protect our amazing NHS and emergency services as best we can while they fight for us all.

Situations like this that make you totally appreciate what you have. At Ruffians it’s our whole life and purpose to interact, provide a service, make people feel good, relax them, talk to them, have fun, have a laugh – many of our customers we’ve seen every month for the past few years and we will miss you!

We have the most brilliant, proud, funny, energetic, supportive team of barbers, who have all risen to the occasion and kept their chins up in these difficult weeks, and we’ll miss hanging out with our big family. The second we are given the thumbs up we will be opening our doors, and we will let you know as soon as we do.

Thank you so much for everyone who has supported us in the last few years, and weeks. We are going to be keeping in touch through our emails and social channels, sending out some tips for styling at home, cutting at home (for the braver ones of you!) and we look forward to seeing you soon. Let’s face it, you will all need a haircut by then!

Stay healthy, best wishes,

Andrew and the Ruffians Team.

Government Guidance on Coronavirus: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

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Slowly, slowly, slowly. Creating Products with Purpose. https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/slowly-slowly/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/slowly-slowly/#respond Tue, 14 Jan 2020 13:51:46 +0000 https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=6806 A Simple Ideal.

Ruffians began with one concept, which was simply to think of everything from the customer’s point of view. That meant making sure that the ­quality of our service and our experience was always thoughtfully done, and to the best possible standard. Back in 2012, a trip to a barbers often meant hair in your tea and feeling a bit intimidated – not knowing what to ask for or being properly listened to. Never seeing the same stylist twice. We were determined to do better, and when I found a retail unit in a sunlit corner of Edinburgh’s West End, the adventure that became Ruffians began.

We started with one employee – to whom I am forever grateful – who took a leap of faith in my vision while the shop was still a building site, and my wife and I learnt how to shampoo and give head massages at weekends. Now we have a team of sixty fantastically skilled barbers, we’ve cut over half a million heads of hair and we’ve just won Best UK Barber Shop for the second year running.

I often think that the level of skill in barbering goes unrecognised. Done well, it demands both real talent and hard graft. We put a big emphasis on our education, training new recruits and bringing their knowledge up to our standard, equipping them with the techniques they need. But as an industry it can be horribly under-valued, and I am hugely proud of our team for leading the revolution in modern barbering.

Exceptional skill. Bottled.

It was only a matter of time before we started wanting the same quality from the products we were using. The men’s grooming product market is booming, but as with the barbering industry of old, we feel like nobody is properly considering it from the customer’s perspective. We wanted a range that paid close attention to different hair types, lengths and styles. We wanted assurance that the stuff in the bottle really worked, that its source and journey there was the best it could be – honest, high quality and simple.

Most of all, we realised we had an amazing resource right at our fingertips – our award-winning, super-skilled team of barbers, who run their hands through this stuff on a daily basis.

So we’ve taken our time, perfecting formulas, devising scents, testing and involving our creative team along the way.

And slowly, slowly, we have five products that we are extremely proud of, and we will gradually bring more to the table. They work, they look good, they are good – there’s nothing in them that harms either you or the planet. And they should make you feel pretty good too. It’s always been about delivering that sense of confidence when you walk in, and now you can take it home.

I hope you enjoy using them as much as we enjoyed creating them.

Andrew Cannon
Co-founder and chief Ruffian.

]]> https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/slowly-slowly/feed/ 0 Good things come to those who wait! Introducing our relaunched range of styling and grooming products https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/good-things-come-to-those-who-wait-introducing-our-relaunched-range-of-styling-and-grooming-products/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/good-things-come-to-those-who-wait-introducing-our-relaunched-range-of-styling-and-grooming-products/#respond Tue, 05 Nov 2019 11:52:10 +0000 https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=2866 The wait is finally over for the launch of our new and improved family of Ruffians styling and grooming products – we are so excited to be delivering a completely new fresh take on our existing popular product line. Bringing back old favourites (with some key enhancements) and introducing some fantastic new members to the family, including Ruffians Marine Spray and Ruffians Hair Powder.

Why the changes?

We knew our original products were good, but we weren’t satisfied with just good – at Ruffians we strive for excellence! Our carefully chosen team of esteemed Ruffians’ barbers have hand picked the finest ingredients, qualities and functions to create a product range that delivers on every front. We’ve carefully replaced any nasties from our older products with natural ingredients (vegan and organic wherever possible) which will benefit both the hair and scalp.

We want our customers to take home the confidence we give in our shops.

A brand new look!

Our new design balances a simple and stylish aesthetic with absolute practicality. A soft, grey card outer with debossed logo, and barber pole sticker in the Ruffians distinctive yellow and blue, opens to reveal a glossy, waterproof inner container, ideal for longevity in the bathroom. 

Best of all – all our packaging is now recyclable!

So, what’s coming?

Hair Styling products

Ruffians Styling Paste–  The all time great – now even greater! The ever popular Ruffians Styling Paste provides familiar flexibility, texture and natural shine.Ingredients such as lanolin, will lock moisture in for a natural, healthy-looking style and antioxidant rich herbal hops act to condition the hair, adding natural shine and promote healthy hair.

Ruffians Marine Spray – A sea-salt spray that protects and strengthens hair. Ruffians Marine Spray not only provides amazing styling results, but is also designed to promote healthy hair.

Ruffians Hair Cream – A product like no other! Ruffians Hair Cream is designed to enhance body, suppleness and sheen. This dream product is not only going to enhance the look of your hair when styling but also improves the texture of damaged hair, reduces greasiness and is ideal for sensitive skin.

Ruffians Hair Powder – A matt product that improves density and gives hold! Ruffians Hair Powder is ideal for giving a matt hold, which looks natural. It provides volume and density to the hair. Ingredients such as natural origin silica support weightless styling and absorb excess oils and moisture.

Ruffians Matt Clay – It’s back and even better! Ruffians Matt Clay has been enhanced and given a face lift providing structure and strong hold. Kaolin clay bind to hair for long-lasting hold without flaking, while natural candelilla and olive waxes nourish, thicken and condition the hair. 

Hair Care

Ruffians Original Shampoo – A shampoo for all hair types! This shampoo is packed with the finest ingredients, including amino acids and mineral-rich organic seaweed, to look after both your hair and scalp. 

Ruffians Original Conditioner – A conditioner that moisturises and soothes! This conditioner, like our shampoo, is filled with a blend of incredible ingredients, including Alba seed oil which naturally moisturises and soothes the hair and scalp.

Beard Grooming

Ruffians Argan Beard Oil – A crowd pleaser – and beard pleaser! Ruffians Argan Beard Oil has gone untouched but now looks even better in new packaging! Antioxidant-rich argan oil locks in moisture while protecting against sun damage and toxins. The fresh smelling tea tree and citrus extracts naturally cleanse the beard and energise the skin beneath. 

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Ruffians wins the Best British Barbershop trophy for second year in a row https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-wins-wahl-professional-best-british-barbershop-trophy-for-second-year-in-a-row/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-wins-wahl-professional-best-british-barbershop-trophy-for-second-year-in-a-row/#respond Mon, 14 Oct 2019 15:49:44 +0000 https://notebook.yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=1174 Ruffians has beaten off fierce competition to be named Best British Barber Shop – for the second year in a row!

Ruffians won the prestigious national competition, run by Wahl Professional, and the team was presented with the trophy at Salon International, the annual marquee event of the global professional hairdressing industry, held at London’s Excel Centre.

Despite being up against some of the biggest names in the industry, Ruffians managed to take home the trophy. Wahl Professional’s Chris Barleycorn, said ‘The Wahl Barbershop of the Year is a hugely coveted award, as the calibre of shops that are entered every year is so high. The judges consider every aspect of the business: quality of hairdressing, customer experience, interior and branding’.

This is the second year in a row that Ruffians has taken home the Barbershop of the Year trophy. In 2018 the title was won by Ruffians flagship shop at Covent Garden. This year it was Ruffians’ Marylebone shop that was secret-shopped for the award, bringing Ruffians out on top again!


Wahl’s Global Artistic Director, Simon Shaw, who presented the award to Ruffians on the Wahl Professional stage at Salon International added: ‘I was delighted to hand the Wahl Barbershop of the Year trophy to Ruffians for the second time. The quality and integrity shown by Ruffians should be an inspiration to other shops on how to run their business.’

To win once felt good, to win again the very next year feels absolutely amazing! Our shop teams work so hard and this is such a great reward for their tireless efforts. Would I be pushing my luck if I said I wanted to make it a hat-trick next year?!

Andrew Cannon, Co- founder and MD, Ruffians

Want to see what all the fuss is about? Book yourself an appointment with our award-winning team at Ruffians Marylebone online, in person or over the phone on 020 7935 2020.

]]> https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-wins-wahl-professional-best-british-barbershop-trophy-for-second-year-in-a-row/feed/ 0 Introducing Ruffians Marylebone’s Newest Recruit: Barber Ryan Hirst https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/introducing-ruffians-marylebones-newest-recruit-barber-ryan-hirst/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/introducing-ruffians-marylebones-newest-recruit-barber-ryan-hirst/#respond Fri, 04 Oct 2019 14:00:32 +0000 https://notebook.yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=1142 We’re delighted to introduce the latest recruit at Ruffians Marylebone – barber Ryan Hirst. In Ryan’s own words, he’s a bit late bloomer when it comes to barbering, having previously spent 8 years working as a recruitment consultant before deciding to take the plunge and follow his passion for men’s hairdressing. Ryan has been a qualified barber for just over two years and hasn’t looked back since:

“I’ve been working within a popular chain of barbers based in the north. Their integrity and commitment to what they do was really inspiring and that’s something I’ve tried to emulate throughout my career. I think that’s why Ruffians is such a good fit for me.”

Ryan

Ryan says that he wanted to be a barber for as long as he can remember, and has always been fascinated by what the right cut or style can do for a person, not just their aesthetics but their confidence and for them as a person.

One of his favourite aspects of barbering is the relationship with his clients: providing them with a quality service and a great cut but creating a safe space to open up, have a chat and a good laugh.


“I would say my accent is a solid mix of Mel B and Jon Snow (the Game of Thrones one, not the news presenter!)”

Ryan

Ryan is originally from Leeds, but lived in York for the last 12 years before moving down to for the job with Ruffians and to move in with his partner. And he is excited to see what London life has in store…

In his spare time, Ryan is a big music fan and spends a lot of time going to gigs and shows – “although arguably my music taste is completely questionable! I’m a sucker for anything 80s/90s and early 00’s”.

Welcome to Ruffians, Ryan!

Ryan is available to book at Ruffians Marylebone every day except Wednesdays and Sundays. Book an appointment at Ruffians Marylebone online, in person or over the phone on 020 7935 2020.

New Barbers wanted!

We’re always on the lookout for the brightest and best hairdressing talent and we are actively looking for new barbers for our Edinburgh, Covent Garden, Soho-Liberty and Shoreditch shops . If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a Ruffians barber, check out recruitment page and get in touch!

]]> https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/introducing-ruffians-marylebones-newest-recruit-barber-ryan-hirst/feed/ 0 Ruffians is up for Best British Barbershop AND Best British Barber 2019! https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-is-up-for-wahl-professional-best-british-barbershop-and-best-british-barber-2019/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-is-up-for-wahl-professional-best-british-barbershop-and-best-british-barber-2019/#respond Thu, 26 Sep 2019 13:50:41 +0000 https://notebook.yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=1133 We’re incredibly excited to share the news that Ruffians’ Marylebone shop has been shortlisted for Wahl Professional’s British Barbershop of the Year 2019! Which is super exciting given that Ruffians Covent Garden is the current title-holder of the award. And if that wasn’t enough, Ruffians star barber Richard Tucker has also been nominated for Wahl’s Best British Barber too!

Ruffians Marylebone nominated for Wahl Barbershop of the Year

Ruffians Marylebone is nominated for the Wahl Barbershop of the Year 2019

A massive congratulations to Stevie, Luke, Sam and the rest of the Ruffians Marylebone team for this one, because it is their hard work and dedication that have earned them this nomination for Wahl Professional’s Best British Barbershop!

The Wahl Barbershop of the Year is a hugely coveted award, as the calibre of shops that are entered every year is so high and this year is no exception. Wahl’s judges consider every aspect of the business: quality of hairdressing, customer experience, interior and branding and use secret shoppers to assess the quality of all the finalists.

Ruffians Shoreditch barber Richard Tucker nominated for Wahl Barber of the Year 2019

Mr Richard Tucker. Nominee for the Wahl Barber of the Year and all-round lovely chap.

The Wahl British Barber of the Year is a chance to compete for one of the hairdressing industry’s most highly coveted awards. Richard will be competing on his technical ability, visionary flair, unique skills – including what we would argue include the best fading technique around – to be crowned Wahl’s British Barber of the Year.

Obviously we are highly, highly biased but we believe that Richard couldn’t deserve this nomination more. Five years ago, Richard was working as a care worker and had never cut hair professionally in his life – but had taught himself all the key skills at home. It was immediately clear that we had found a diamond in the rough so we gave him a job and boy, we are glad we did! Over the years Richard has honed his craft and now has amongst the most loyal customer base of all our barbers. We are delighted that his impeccable customer service and incredible technical ability has been recognised here.

The winners of both awards will be announced on the Wahl Professional stage at Salon International 2019 on Sunday 6th October – watch this space and wish us luck!

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Ruffians is looking for talented barbers/ men’s hairdressers to join our teams in our London and Edinburgh shops https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-is-looking-for-talented-barbers-mens-hairdressers-to-join-our-teams-in-our-london-covent-garden-shoreditch-edinburgh-shops/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-is-looking-for-talented-barbers-mens-hairdressers-to-join-our-teams-in-our-london-covent-garden-shoreditch-edinburgh-shops/#respond Thu, 19 Sep 2019 13:46:55 +0000 https://notebook.yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=1127 Are you a talented hairdresser looking to make the move in to barbering? Maybe you’re an accomplished barber who wishes they simply had more time to dedicate to customers and offer a more relaxed, quality service? We might just have the opportunity you’re looking for!

We’re looking for people to join our team at four of our central London locations – Covent Garden ( 2018 Wahl Professional’s Best British Barbershop of the year ) and Soho-Liberty. We’re also recruiting for a talented barber/hairdresser (or a recent grad with great potential) for our Edinburgh store.

Ruffians is a multi-award-winning barber shop and men’s grooming brand. Our focus is 100% on our customers, delivering a premium service, original products and a proper experience. This is your opportunity to join one of the UK’s leading barbers, helping us to advance the men’s grooming revolution!

Whether you’ve got 25 years of experience cutting men’s hair under your belt, or you’ve only just received your NVQ2, we are interested in seeing your potential to work at Ruffians. Our team is comprised of enthusiastic, friendly and fun barbers – we don’t take on any egos!

If you’re passionate about hair, if you love to socialise and if you’ve got a naughty glint in your eye – then send over your CV to careers@yourbarbershopguide.pics with a few words about why you’d be great for our team.

We recruit any level of experience, and everyone we hire will go through the same Ruffians training, to ensure a fully standardised service for our customers.

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Ruffians Shoreditch barber Callum MacDonald wins Industry’s Rising Star Award https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/he-won-it-ruffians-shoreditch-callum-macdonald-takes-creative-heads-it-list-rising-star-award/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/he-won-it-ruffians-shoreditch-callum-macdonald-takes-creative-heads-it-list-rising-star-award/#respond Tue, 03 Sep 2019 09:24:49 +0000 https://notebook.yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=1121 ‘Fresh, forward-thinking, determined to succeed…’ just a few of the traits Callum McDonald of Ruffians Shoreditch was recognised for by making it onto The It List, a nationwide competition that recognises the best emerging talent in UK and Irish hairdressing.


Since leaving a high-flying career in sales, Callum has blazed a trail in barbering, beating off four formidable finalists to win The Rising Star title at last night’s glittering awards ceremony.

Cal received his accolade on Monday 2nd September at the spectacular It List Grand Final, which was hosted by comedian Luisa Omielan at London’s Printworks in front of a 700-strong audience of hair, fashion and media VIPs

Celebrating an incredible 10 years in 2019, The It List, presented by influential industry magazine Creative HEAD and exclusively sponsored by hairdressing brand ghd, presents six contemporary titles to hair professionals aged 30 and under who are carving out an exciting future for themselves.

“This is ridiculous! Thank you so much! I can’t explain how much this means to me. My life has changed dramatically, and I am so grateful to Ruffians and all of my amazing colleagues for all the support to get me here.”

Callum McDonald, Ruffians

Callum’s story

When passion for barbering prompted a career change, Callum reached out to Tommy Cunliffe, the manager of Ruffians Shoreditch (and winner of the very same award back in 2015). Impressed by his tenacity, Tommy took a chance on Callum, who hit the ground running, making the most of every opportunity from styling VIPs to managing barbershop events. Judges were impressed with Callum’s hard work, dedication and demonstration of passion, skill, drive and plans to achieve more.

“I was fortunate enough to see Callum’s boss Tommy win this very award back in 2015 and his career escalated as a result. To watch Callum follow in his footsteps is a joy and he deserves the recognition. Having the confidence to not only change career but also the ability to impact an entire team with your drive and determination should be rewarded!”

Amanda Nottage, editor of Creative HEAD

Callum celebrating with his award last night.

The win doesn’t only bring a prestigious It List trophy for Callum. He will also receive a bespoke trend forecasting day with ghd ambassador, Charlotte Mensah, publicity in Creative HEAD for the duration of his winning year and the opportunity to appear at Creative HEAD events.

Want to know what all the fuss is about? Book an appointment with Callum at Ruffians Shoreditch online, in person or over the phone on 020 7613 2000.

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Ruffian wanted: Customer Service and Retail Manager to join our Shoreditch shop team https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-wanted-front-of-house-retail-superstars-to-join-our-london-shops-teams/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/ruffians-wanted-front-of-house-retail-superstars-to-join-our-london-shops-teams/#respond Thu, 18 Jul 2019 11:03:10 +0000 https://notebook.yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=1076 We have an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving retail sales, as we are looking to recruit a fun, super-cool and hard-working Customer Service and Retail Manager to work in our Shoreditch shop on either a part or full time basis.

We are busier than ever and we’re looking for extra pairs of hands to join the team and help with the day-to-day running of our East London outpost.

As a Ruffians’ Customer Service and Retail Manager a great customer experience literally starts and ends with you (obviously the barbers will take care of all the good stuff in the middle!) – you’ll be the friendly face that welcomes them when they arrive and waves them goodbye when they leave. You’ll be the bright, helpful voice at the end of the phone and much more besides: From running the retail area – helping to sell Ruffians’ own brand grooming products – to making great coffee and helping keep the shop looking perfect.

We need someone organised, presentable and with an excellent telephone manner, who can welcome customers to Ruffians and ensure they have an impeccable experience by smoothly managing the shop floor.

Ideally, we’re looking for someone who has worked in a retail or customer service role and has experience of being part of tight-knit team in a fast-paced environment.

Think you fit the bill? Then drop us your CV by email with a short covering letter explaining why you’re perfect for the role: careers@yourbarbershopguide.pics.

For other opportunities, keep you eye out on the Ruffians Notebook and recruitment page.

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Introducing the latest Ruffians recruit – new Shoreditch Barber Maxwell Oakley https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/introducing-the-latest-ruffians-recruit-new-shoreditch-barber-maxwell-oakley/ https://yourbarbershopguide.pics/introducing-the-latest-ruffians-recruit-new-shoreditch-barber-maxwell-oakley/#respond Wed, 17 Jul 2019 12:06:27 +0000 https://notebook.yourbarbershopguide.pics/?p=1071 We’re delighted to introduce the newest member of the Ruffians family, Shoreditch barber Maxwell Oakley, who started this week!

Kentish born Maxwell has over 9 years experience in men’s hairdressing and is a master of both classic and modern barbering styles.

”I am passionate about hairdressing and in particular the freedom it allows us to create, working with the customer to find the perfect haircut and style for them.”

Maxwell Oakley

When Maxwell’s not concentrating on making clients feel and look their best, he spends most of his time on his drum kit, either playing live shows or in the studio – it’s possible you may have seen him perform at Glastonbury or listened to his band on Radio One!

Maxwell at work at Ruffians Shoreditch.

Maxwell is available from 11-8 every day except Sundays and Wednesdays. Book an appointment at Ruffians Shoreditch online, in person or over the phone on 020 7613 2000

New Barbers wanted!

We’re always on the lookout for the brightest and best hairdressing talent and we are actively looking for new barbers for our Covent Garden and Marylebone shops. If you think you’ve got what it takes, check out recruitment page and get in touch!

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