Men’s haircuts nowadays are all too simple. They’re often rushed, chit-chat is slim, and there’s no shampoo before the cut. But over at The Look Salon off Madison Street, Orion River Krynen’s barber chair offers a far more personalized experience.
As a licensed cosmetologist and barber for the past eight years who cut his own hair as a child, you can trust that he’s honed his craft. Orion’s claim to fame is his men’s cutting and fades, which he’s perfected after 29 years of cutting his own hair in the mirror: “I made a ton of mistakes that I had to wear myself - that’s probably what turned me into a perfectionist.” After walking around with his own fumbles atop his head, Orion is insistent against putting a client through the same experience.
While he’s tried his hand at other specialties, he’s majorly fulfilled by cutting and coloring. Making his clients feel happy about their image is his driving force. And when it comes to men’s cutting, he enjoys offering styles that not many other barbers are privy to - likely due to his self-taught nature.
Of course, Orion is a fully-certified cosmetologist and recently licensed barber out of Emily Griffith Technical College. But that was only after years of skating and bartending to get by, while cutting his friends’ and girlfriend’s hair on the side. But he frowned at the idea of growing up as a bartender, especially since not many bars hire older bartenders. So, while it was admittedly one of the funnest roles he’d been in, Orion sought a path that’d take him elsewhere.
During that time before his formal education, Orion developed a unique style unseen in cosmetology school. Although, he stresses that men’s cutting isn’t a big focus throughout the program.
Orion’s unique cutting style boils down to thoroughness and thoughtfulness. After sitting you down in his chair, he takes note of your growth pattern and the direction it sways towards. He’ll then shampoo your hair, which isn’t without reason: “When you shampoo and dry first, you see the true hair. You never know if someone will walk in with hat hair or bed head.”
Then, he’ll cut according to your growth pattern and its direction. The one thing he doesn’t want is a client going home clueless as to how to style it the next morning: “I want it to be as easy as possible for my clients to look great, rather than waking up the next day in confusion.”
One key difference in the Orion River Krynen experience is that he faces the mirror. Rather than turning you away, he makes sure to keep the mirror in front so that any cowlicks and wingtips are visible. You can also watch him work, rather than showing you a surprise: “There’s nothing worse than a barber shop that keeps you in the dark, until the end result.”
You can book Orion’s services at thelooksalondenver.com, or by calling (303) 322-4902 - and be sure to follow his Instagram at @orion_kryen to keep up with his work.
