If you want to learn barbering from scratch — or you're a hairdresser ready to add men's cutting to your skill set — Insight Professional's I'm Not a Barber programme takes you from the fundamentals through to shop-floor confidence. Hairco & Beauty is the official UK wholesaler of Insight Professional and a promotional partner for the courses, so we also help attendees kit themselves out at a reduced rate and reward them when they qualify. Here's how the training works, what to bring, and how we support you.
What is the “I'm Not a Barber” programme?
It's a barbering education programme run by Insight Professional, built for hairdressers, beginners and students who want real men's-cutting ability. It's open to all skill levels and taught by Connor Evans, UK Barber Ambassador, at Academy South. There are three options — two one-day courses and a five-day intensive — so you can join at the level that suits you. The courses are run and booked through Insight.
I'm Not a Barber: Cut (one day)
A focused, hands-on day on men's cutting — sectioning for balance and precision, building strong masculine shapes, scissor and clipper control, and blending and refining for sharp, salon-ready results. Ideal for hairdressers who want to structure and shape a men's cut with confidence. View the Cut course.
I'm Not a Barber: Fade (one day)
A full day elevating your clipper work — confident consultations and face-shape analysis, clipper handling and tool mastery, clean fades, blending and refined shapes, all geared to modern, salon-friendly barbering. Ideal for hairdressers building confidence in men's cutting. View the Fade course.
Trainer Insight from Connor Evans
"When setting a fade guideline, we'll either sit under the occipital bone or just above it — never cut straight through it."
I'm Not a Barber: Bootcamp (five days)
A five-day intensive taking you through the A–Z of barbering: creating masculine shapes, fades, clipper and scissor techniques, beard shaping and shaving, consultations and face-shape analysis, and a salon- and shop-ready workflow. Each day combines theory, demos and practical work. Built for complete beginners, hairdressers adding men's services, and students wanting intensive, practical training — leaving you shop-floor ready. View the Bootcamp.
What to bring (course kit list)
The courses ask you to bring your own working kit. Typically that's:
- A clipper, trimmer and guards — accepted brands include Wahl, BaByliss, Gamma, Andis and Supreme. Browse the Wahl range and clippers & trimmers.
- Combs — a short-cutting comb, a taper comb and a Wahl clipper comb.
- Scissors — straight cutting scissors and texturising scissors.
- A cut-throat razor (slide in/out) with single-use Derby blades.
- Clipper side-spray disinfectant and clipper care — see our guide to cleaning and oiling clippers.
- Neck brush, neck strips, sectioning clips (around six) and a water spray bottle — find these in barbering accessories.
- A hairdryer.
Not sure what to pick? Our barber kit checklist, best clippers for barbers and clipper guard size chart walk through the essentials, and our guide to fading covers the technique you'll practise.
Trainer Insight from Connor Evans
"We often teach using guard numbers — 1, 2 and 3 — but it's important to understand the millimetre lengths behind them too, as that's what's typically marked on the guards."
How Hairco & Beauty supports attendees
As the official UK Insight wholesaler and a course partner, we help students get the right kit without overspending:
- When you book: the course organiser will be in touch to help you buy the supplies you need at a reduced rate, so you arrive with the right tools.
- When you finish: on completing the course you'll be given a code to use across all barbering at Hairco & Beauty, to expand your kit as you grow.
So you train on the right equipment, then build your professional kit at trade prices once you're qualified.
About Insight Professional
Insight Professional is a hair and scalp care brand we're proud to wholesale across the UK. Explore the Insight range for professional shampoos, conditioners, masks and treatments.
FAQs
Who is the official UK wholesaler for Insight Professional?
Hairco & Beauty is the official UK wholesaler of Insight Professional, supplying the brand's professional ranges to the trade.
What is the “I'm Not a Barber” course?
It's Insight Professional's barbering training programme, taught by UK Barber Ambassador Connor Evans. It runs as a one-day Cut course, a one-day Fade course, and a five-day Bootcamp that takes you from the fundamentals to shop-floor ready. The courses are run and booked through Insight.
Who are the courses for?
They're open to all skill levels — complete beginners, hairdressers adding men's services, and students wanting practical, hands-on training.
Do course attendees get a discount on equipment?
Yes. When you book, the organiser helps you buy your course supplies at a reduced rate, and on completing the course you receive a code to use across all barbering at Hairco & Beauty to expand your kit.
Do I need to be qualified to buy from Hairco & Beauty?
Hairco & Beauty is a trade supplier. Registration is free and open to barbers, salons, mobile and home-based professionals and students — ideal if you're training or just starting out.
Start your barbering journey
Book a course through Insight's I'm Not a Barber programme, then kit up with Hairco & Beauty — open a free trade account to shop the barbering range at trade prices.
Written by Charlotte Read, Content Writer at Hairco & Beauty. Charlotte has over six years' experience in professional hair and beauty, and our guides are informed by colleagues with 100+ years of combined salon experience and by insight from the trade customers we supply. More about our content.
