An invitation from the oldest barbershop

Khairul Amin, an investment banker, had had a tough week. Nothing had been going well for him. Even the haircut he had was not satisfactory at all.

At work, Khairul must look good and dress well. Proper care is essential to be able to present himself to customers and superiors.

Desperate times require desperate action, so he decided to visit a newly opened hair salon in Gulshan based on the enthusiastic reviews of his colleagues.

When he pushed open the polished wooden door of the hair salon, Khairul was warmly received. After a few minutes, the banker was escorted inside.

He sat in a black leather armchair and wondered what kind of hairstyle he would get now. When the designated hairdresser began to consult with him, things started to pick up.

The next 105 minutes were a breakthrough experience. Who would have thought that caring for men can be so sophisticated? After everything was said and done, Khairul stood up and looked at the mirror in front of him.

Great! The man in front was completely unrecognisable. An elegant haircut and trim completely changed his look from a mundane banker into a dynamic one.

Truefitt & Hill is the world's oldest barbershop, World Guinness Book 2000 has certified it. Truefitt was founded in London by the hairdresser William Francis in 1805.

Nowadays, grooming is an inseparable part of working life. Whether it is a simple family meeting or an important board meeting, it is necessary to look good.

Keeping that in mind, Lloyds Luxuries Ltd and Royal Affairs Ltd have joined forces to establish a renowned brand such as T&H in Dhaka.

Fortunately, I was invited to pay a visit to this royal barbershop, which was quite an experience.

The waiting room was small yet elegant, and the corner was decorated with a wooden hanger. Before me was a wooden cabinet with a rack containing all T&H's exclusive products. Complementary cologne bottles were placed on a wooden glass table around the corner to entice new customers.

Over the years, the number of men's parlors across the city has increased in Dhaka. Some have lower-than-average standards, while others have unfortunately not met expectations.

"Truth be told, this is an experience that sets us apart from the rest," explains Mahira Hussain Khan, CEO of T&H.

She added, "You can go and get groomed at any store in Dhaka, but I can guarantee, you won't find anything to match our service and hospitality."

With more than 50 stores across the world, what is their main objective of T&H in Bangladesh?

"In Bangladesh, luxury services have a market, and there is nothing as luxurious as T&H. The conscious, young and new people are our target audience," Mahira replied.

Once our conversation was over, it was time to try out the famous service and hospitality that British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Byron, Oscar Wilde, Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Sinatra and many others enjoyed.

I was introduced to barber Sanjit Biswas from Tangail, who was about to give me a Royal haircut and a beard trim. He explained the procedures to me and instructed me to sit on the leather barber's chair.

Finally, the long wait was over. When he began to comb my hair, Sanjit found that my earlier haircut was uneven.

After washing my hair with tepid water, the first T&H product that was applied to my hair was a thickening shampoo. Sanjit began to cut my hair and every hairline was measured in between.

After the haircut, it was time for another round of shampoo, followed by a head and neck massage with a vibrating machine and a bowl of warm almond oil.

The massage was the best possible. I could feel the stiffness slowly easing off.

The follow-up to the massage was even better, a hot-medium towel for a maximum of two minutes. As soon as the towel was applied, I could feel my tiredness leave me. Trimming my beard was no different. As I like to keep a bit of a beard, things were much easier but no chances were taken by Sanjit.

He took his time, and finally, when everything was done, I glanced at the big mirror in front of me. I was flabbergasted! Who was this young gentleman standing in front of me? Not at all the shabby looking guy I know myself to be.

In no way was I Sir Winston Churchill or Frank Sinatra, but certainly I felt much closer to them. Mahira was true to her words, "The experience that sets us apart from the rest."

So if you're looking for a groovy beard trim or a sleek haircut, stop by Truefitt & Hill in Gulshan. While your perceptions may vary, the experience will be life changing.

T&H products for him

The specialty of Truefitt & Hill (T&H) is that all their products are only available in their stores. Over two centuries, a classic British barbershop and salon, with precise research and development, has adapted their products as naturally as possible. Before applying a product, Barbers consult clients, so don't worry about hair loss, oily scalp or any other issues.

Moisturing vitamin E shampoo

Price: Tk2,000

Perfect for dry hair nourishing, this special shampoo will make your hair moisturised and shiny, with a subtle smell of lemongrass and bergamot.

Ultimate comfort pre-shave oil

Price: Tk2,900

The Pre Shave Oil contains ten essential glide oils, which are moisturising, healing and conditioning. It is used to protect your skin and soften your beard before shaving.

Skin control invigorating bath & shower scrub

Price: Tk2,200

Jojoba beads, which contain natural vitamin E heal the skin. The scrub fills the lost moisture without stripping or drying. Smell with a very cool rosemary-mint fragrance.

Skin control advanced facial moisturiser

Price: Tk3,400

With a subtle lavender and lime fragrance, this moisturiser is suitable for all skin types. It has three active moisturizing agents. The first is a strong antioxidant that reduces wrinkles and prevents damage to collagen. The other prevents the development of wrinkles. The third avoids damage to cells by the sun.