One thing that surprises visitors to Gaziantep — whether they come for business, travel or the food — is how thorough Turkish barbering is. A "haircut" here means something different from what it means in most countries. This guide covers the practical things you would want to know on your first visit.
Where to find a barbershop
The city's modern barbershops are concentrated in the Şehitkamil district. Şahinbey is more the historic centre and the bazaar; the traditional barbers there do good work, but communicating in English can be harder. If you are staying in a hotel, the Şehitkamil side is easier on both transport and language.
Language is not the barrier you think
Barbering in Türkiye is a visual trade. Showing a photo of the style you want communicates far more clearly than a long description. Beyond that, at HairBoss we work in Turkish, English and Arabic. Still, a few words are worth having:
- Kısa — short
- Uzun — long
- Yanlar — the sides
- Üst — the top
- Sakal — beard
- Ense — the nape
- Böyle iyi — that's good, stop there
How long it takes
A haircut runs about 40 minutes. A hot-towel straight razor shave is 30. Both together, roughly an hour. Add a skincare treatment and add another 45 minutes. Turkish barbershops take longer than most European ones because the wash, the massage and the final styling are all included as standard, not sold separately.
Do you need an appointment?
Most shops take walk-ins and so do we. But weekday evenings after 18:00 and Saturday afternoons get busy. One WhatsApp message the day before removes the wait entirely.
Paying, and tipping
Cash, credit and debit cards are all fine, and the terminals accept foreign cards. Tipping is not obligatory but it is common — if you were happy, something around 10% is normal.
Things you might not expect
After the cut, a Turkish barber will usually singe the fine hair around the ears with a flame (the traditional method), offer a shoulder and neck massage, and finish with cologne. None of it is compulsory. Saying no causes no offence at all.
When to come
The quietest windows are weekdays between 09:00–11:00 and 14:00–16:00. The two days before Ramadan and religious holidays, and weekends through the summer wedding season, are the busiest times of the year.