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Hey Reader,

Here are the biggest men's grooming/barbering headlines I'm paying closest attention to right now. Buckle up. There's a lot going on.

Men's Grooming Summit

Last week, the Men's Grooming Summit from Blue Print by Adam Hurly had a massive moment. It was the first time the men's grooming community has intersected in that way. As they released the lineup of speakers leading up to the event, I had a feeling it was going to be big. After 5 years of scouting networking events within the barber and men's grooming industry, this was a first. I'd never seen such representation from very different pockets within the men's grooming industry.

From corporate VPs to barbershop owners, product founders to tech founder, barber expo founders to editors. It was a reminder that men's grooming is the larger umbrella and barbers play a pivotal role. I'm not sure who was all on the invite list, but when they host the next one, I do hope to see even more barber representation.

Easy cop from SLCKR

​SLCKR just dropped a new collection featuring a striped Work Shirt that gives nod to the iconic striped barber cape, along with their first Utility Short. They have paved the way as the go-to modern barber workwear standard where fashion meets function and this collection continues that legacy. As always, if you're looking to add any SLCKR items to your closet be sure to use code: barberdoza10 for 10% off.

Better Days ahead

Vic Blends' Better Days is officially here. It's yet another project to add to an already stacked resume. With around 22 million followers across social platforms, Vic's move to launch Better Days speaks to the current landscape of creators starting companies. If you follow skincare, it's a similar move that Alix Earle made in launching Reale Actives or Hailey Bieber when she launched Rhode.

When you have such a massive social following, many of these once called 'influencers' look to capitalize their organic attention and start companies that can easily transform established trust into a tiny transaction. At an extremely affordable $20 price point each, Better Days launched with 2 products: Grip Powder and Rebound Cream.

If even 1% of Vic's 22 million followers purchased one product, you're looking at over $4 million dollars in sales. Of all the things Vic has done, from his online academy (Vic Blends Academy) to his podcast, to various brand deals, to his clothing line...this might be the biggest move.

"Incubated by Root, BetterDays is backed by $7 million in funding, with lead investors Maveron and Will Ventures, alongside strategic investment from cultural heavyweights like Lil Baby" (Source).

By now, you've probably seen Better Days in your social feeds. Time will tell if it'll be a moment in time, or a brand that can stand the test of time.

Attempt to streamline barber recruiting

In an industry where recruiting is typically called 'poaching', I've now seen 3 different initiatives that are seeking to tackle this challenge. Booth, Barber Recruit and Salon Jobs by MangoMint are approaching a touchy topic from various angles.

If you work a corporate job, it's normal for recruiters to slide into your LinkedIn DMs to promote a new job. If you're a barber, it's taboo. The topic is complex. We'll see if any of these efforts will shift hiring culture in the industry.

Chamber of Commerce Connections

We had our one year party to celebrate Hair Skin Club and we finally hosted a ribbon cutting with our local Chamber of Commerce. Chamber Ambassadors attended where we were able to share more about our brand's story. The barbershop and salon have long been known as 'cornerstones of the community' but ironically we're one of few beauty businesses in the chamber. My mind has been racing with ideas about how to better engage locally to help foster more small business connections. Whether it's through the chamber or not, I'm feeling to pull to engage more than we have been.

Something is shifting

As we've entered into the final quarter of 2026, it's becoming clear that something has shifted on multiple fronts. 4 years ago, I published thoughts about the barbershop evolution. It was called: Barbershop Evolution: 4 Waves of The Barbershop.

It's wild to see how some of those waves of continued to play out, but now I'm realizing it's time to write a similar piece on the Men's Grooming Evolution. We'll save that for next week.

Alright, finished with No.121. Thanks for reading!

Written by: Matthew Mendoza​​
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