On the third week of our vacation, I was in bad need of a haircut. Yes I could have waited the three days until we departed for home. However, I wanted to experience getting a haircut outside of the U.S. (this would be a first for me). After doing some intense research (finding a barber that had photos reflecting quality African American haircuts is rare in Lisbon), I scheduled an appointment with Gilmar Santos, owner of Barbiero Gil.
When I arrived to the establishment, I was met and greeted by Gilmar, who was prepping for my appointment. Since I do not speak Portuguese (and Gilmar speaks very little English), I used my translate app to communicate the type of haircut that I desired. After offering and providing my wife and I with espresso shots (he offers other beverages as well), he immediately put his head down and went to work. Less than an hour later, Gilmar was handing me a mirror to check out the finished product.
I was extremely pleased with the overall appearance of my haircut (my wife expressed similar feelings as well). My hairline was sharp and where it should be (this is always a fear when you go to someone who is not your every day barber), my fade was evenly blended on both sides, and he even went the extra mile and throughly shaved my neck and little ear hairs. If you're looking for a barber that cuts African/African American hair well, I highly recommend that you check out Gil. Muito obrigado ao Gil de Sacramento, Califórnia! read more