If you need a haircut in Buenos Aires and, like us, think beauty comes from within, no problem.
You can just pop into any of the many barbershops or salons and take your chances on a cheap haircut.
When you look in the mirror and see the result—which will probably be similar to a haircut from1988 — just shrug your shoulders and say to yourself, ‘Well, at least I blend in with the locals.’
If, on the other hand, your hair is important to you, getting a haircut in Buenos Aires can become a personal crisis if you’re not careful.
The thing is that Argentina never got the memo that mullets—you know, the ‘serious in the front, party in the back’ haircut is the brunt of jokes worldwide.
Argentina even takes the tragedy of the mullet even one step further — among some young people a popular haircut among young people is the ‘dreadlock mullet.’
Another hairdressing disaster for women to be weary about is getting a dye job — you might find yourself walking out of the salon with a porn-star blond coif if you don’t seek out a trusted professional.
The potentially disastrous results are only compounded if your Argentine Spanish is a bit rusty.
(See our post about Where to Learn Spanish in Buenos Aires to freshen up your lingo)
The moral of the story is, if you don’t want to play Russian Roulette with your hair, you’ll definitely want to make an appointment with someone who comes recommended.
That being said, if you are learning Spanish, getting a haircut in Spanish is one of those things that will serve as an excellent, if nerve-racking way to get some practice.
Using Spanish When Getting Your Haircut
Venturing into a hair salon in Buenos Aires, armed with a limited Spanish vocabulary, can be a mix of excitement and apprehension.
Communicating your desired hairstyle in a language you’re not fluent in is not just a challenge but an adventure.
One misinterpreted word, and you might emerge with a haircut quite different from what you envisioned!
To navigate this linguistic landscape, it’s helpful to equip yourself with some key phrases.
This little guide of Spanish phrases for getting a haircut is your secret weapon to avoid any hair-raising surprises during your salon experience in Buenos Aires.
Spanish Phrases for Getting a Haircut
“A trim, please.”
“I want to keep the length.”
“Shorter on the sides.”
“Leave the bangs long.”
“Just the ends.”
“I want a style change.”
“Can you straighten it?”
“I would like to dye it.”
“A layered cut.”
“How much will it cost?”
“I want the same style as last time.”
“Can you make it more voluminous?”
“Just a little bit of product.”
“A classic cut, nothing modern.”
“Un recorte, por favor” –
“Quiero mantener el largo”
“Más corto a los lados”
“Dejar el flequillo largo”
“Solo las puntas”
“Quiero un cambio de estilo”
“¿Puedes alisarlo?”
“Me gustaría teñirlo”
“Un corte en capas”
“¿Cuánto costará?”
“Quiero el mismo estilo que la última vez”
“¿Puedes hacerlo más voluminoso?
“Solo un poco de producto”
“Un corte clásico, nada moderno”
Microcentro Salons
Microcentro, or the downtown area of Buenos Aires doesn’t have that many places to get your haircut, except around the Tribunales (courthouse) area where people might need a trim before going before the judge.
Many of these places allow walk-ins to go in and get a quick trimming up, shave or styling.
And as foreign residents of Buenos Aires know, there is one go-to ‘expat hairstylist’ who speaks English in Microcentro.
Diaz is a former tech worker who decided to change his career and go into the salon business, training at Vidal Sassoon and Wella schools.
He does precision cuts and color and is experienced with all hair types and specializes in dry cutting curl hair.
He does his two-hour long ‘haircuts that will get you laid’ out of his apartment in Tribunales/Microcentro.
Connect with him via his instagram at @danieldiazhair, or old fashion email: [email protected].
Recoleta Salons
Guys looking for a haircut and a shave in Recoleta could try a basic barbershop such as Aldo Arias Peluquería which gives basic cuts for a reasonable price.
Aldo Arias
Parana 947
Recoleta
Tel: 4812.4176
hours: 9:30am-3 pm
If you believe paying a bit more may increase the chances that you’ll get a haircut you’re happy with you could try the high energy salon Volumen 3 in Recoleta where a basic trendy haircut and style are a bit more pricey, but reasonable.
Volumen 3
Paraná 1163
Tel: 4815-0508/8424
hours: 10-10 everyday, except Sunday
Palermo/Caballito
If you’re adventurous, have a some pesos to burn and are looking for a ‘rock star haircut,’ you could try the flashy salon, Roho which has two locations, one in Palermo and one in Caballito.
The owner, Horacio, the rock n’ roller’s barber of choice, works at the Caballito location.
If you head to Roho, just keep in mind that some Argentine rockers stuck in the 80’s do still wear mullets and you may walk out with one yourself, but it will be the most rockin’ mullet ever!
Roho Palermo
Malabia 1931
Tel: 4833-7227 / 9545
•Hours: 11am-9pm
Rojo Caballito
Pasaje Republica de Indonesia 66
Tel: (54 11) 44901-3292 / 4904 0236
• Hours: everyday, 11am -8pm
San Telmo
If you just want a quick and cheap trim at a down-to-earth walk-in salon in San Telmo try Luis César Almarás, a plastic artist and stylist who can give you a basic cut starting at a very reasonable price.
Enjoy the repartee he has with his 80-year old mom, who helps out washing hair.
You can also check out his art and amusing personal notes written to himself that adorn the walls. Luis can do whatever you like and has no problem giving non-traditional cuts, but be forewarned: don’t tell him to do whatever he wants — he is an abstract artist after all. Walk-in only, no appointments.
Almarás
Mexico 881
San Telmo
Tel: 15-6271-7900
15-5135-5147
• Hours:Mon-Sat 9:30am-8pm, closed Sun
Barrio Norte
The name is quite boring, the pricing is mid-range to high but Nuevo Club Buenos Aires, a funky place downtown gives reliably stylish men’s and women’s cuts and delivers them with attitude as well.
They also offer a few extra services, such as massages, manicures and pedicures, and they even serve alcoholic drinks along with the usual tea and coffee.
Getting a haircut here is a social occasion, and the staff are fun as well as skillful.
They are also the kind of hairdressers who offer useful suggestions regarding your hairstyle, rather than just ask you what you want, which can be particularly helpful for guys who don’t have a whole bunch of ideas about their hairstyle.
Here, it does depend somewhat on who you end up with as your stylist.
Ask for Diego, who speaks English and gives great men’s cuts, avoid ‘Cubi,’ who forgets that it’s the client is suppose to complain about life, not the hairdresser.
• Nuevo Club Bs. As.
Marcelo T. De Alvear 1217
Barrio Norte
Tel: (54-11) 4813-5947, 5235-0007
[email protected]
• Hours: 10am – 8pm
Cerini, with its four locations across the city, is always at the, er, cutting edge of Argentine and international style and is a place where fashionable Porteños get their hair cut. Ask for Andres at the Barrio Norte store.
• Cerini
Marcelo T. De Alvear 1471
Barrio Norte
Tel: (5411) 4813-3594
• Hours: Mon—Sat: 8am-10pm
Belgrano
Cerini Belgrano
Sucre 2245
Belgrano
Tel: 4787-3400
Suburbs
Vedia 3626
Dot Baires Shopping
Tel: 5777-9703
Alvear 370
Martinez, Zona Norte
Tel: 4792-4990