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Best Shoes For Hairdressers & Barbers

Engineered with the ultimate cushion and comfort to support your feet during those long hours on your feet.

Hairdressers and barbers spend most of their days working long hours, oftentimes standing. More often than not, they end their workday with their feet feeling sore, tired, and swollen.

As glamorous as it is to beautify someone’s appearance, it’s hard work. You need the stamina and the endurance to withstand the unforgiving salon floors. But it shouldn’t be an uncomfortable experience for you. Wear shoes that provide the best support for your ankles and legs without sacrificing style. This article will tell you all about it.

Top Features of Shoes for Hairdressers and Barbers

When you’re a professional hairdresser, you need to search for the most comfortable shoes on the market. They should be able to accommodate the demands of your job and provide you with the assistance you need to withstand even the longest and most grueling days.

Many cosmetologists assume that substituting the right hairdresser shoes for athletic footwear will suffice since they function the same way. But that’s not truly the case. Active footwear is created for dynamic foot movement, not endurance. On the other hand, hairdressers or barber shoes are made for support and structure. Between the two options, you need the latter to help you overcome the challenges of standing up all day long.

Now that you know the difference, it’s time to shop for the best hairdresser shoes. Here are the features you need to look for to get the best benefits.

Wide and Flat
Ideally, the best shoes for cosmetologists have a wide and flat outsole. These features enable the footwear to have full contact with the ground. As a result, it can evenly spread pressure in all areas of your foot as you’re standing up or moving about.

Spacious
As a hairdresser, you’re most probably standing or walking around more than usual. Because of this, you might experience a gradual swelling of your feet by the end of the day. So, to ensure that your feet remain comfy and snug, you need to find cosmetology shoes that have a rather spacious toe box. If it’s too narrow, it becomes incredibly painful and cramps, which will only add to your discomfort. Not only that, but if you continue to tolerate the tight fit of your shoes, you may end up deforming your toes, producing blisters, and aggravating structural problems. To avoid these, you must find shoes that have enough space for your feet, even as they expand.

Lightweight
When choosing the best shoes for barbers and hairdressers, select one with a lightweight design. This will allow you to walk around with enough flexibility to support a wide range of motions. Plus, it won’t feel like something is weighing you down, which is a definite advantage since the last thing you want is to feel like you’re dragging bricks everywhere you go.

Other Features
Besides these, other notable features that make up the ideal shoes for cosmetologists include durability, slip and water resistance, and low maintenance.

As you may already know, your shoes will be exposed to external factors like water, soap, hair strands, dust, dye, and so much more. So, as much as possible, they should be able to weather these forces without affecting the shoes negatively.

Once you find the perfect pair of comfortable shoes for cosmetologists with the right fit, you’ll be surprised at how big of a positive difference it will make to your day-to-day activities.

  • Woman wearing KURU PIVOT sneakers.

Workplace Foot Injuries

Find out what types of safety or ergonomic hazards cosmetologists and barbers face in the shop or salon that can lead to foot injuries.

Wearing the wrong shoes in the salon can lead to numerous foot injuries like muscle and joint problems, aching feet, calluses, arthritis, bunions, fallen arches, sprains, fungal infection, blisters, and malformations.

Often, the causes of these injuries stem from standing for long periods on hard floors and wearing inappropriate footwear. If you’re also in an unconducive environment (e.g., slippery floors, hot temperatures, and uneven floors), these injuries can worsen over time.

Haircare Industry Facts and Stats

According to studies, around 71% of hairdressers around the world suffer from work-related injuries. The majority of these people experience back and neck pain from bad and awkward posture all day long. The remaining percentage revolves around the vein, knees, and feet problems.

Among the many injuries, sore legs and feet are problems that all hairstylists go through, at least to a certain extent. Some may experience muscle cramps, varicose veins, and swollen feet. If you experience the onset of any of these aches and pains, it’s important to address them immediately before they become more severe.

Foot Injury Prevention

Learn how to best protect your feet in the haircare industry.

Some of the preventive measures you can take to alleviate foot problems is to buy orthopedic shoes approved by medical professionals that are designed to meet the demands of your job.

Besides this, be sure to practice good posture by maintaining your center of gravity and keeping your spine straight. Doing so will lessen the strain on your lower limbs and distribute your body weight evenly.

In addition, make sure that you take breaks frequently throughout the day to allow your feet to recuperate. After the end of a workday, stretch your hamstrings and ankles to loosen up the joints and the muscles.

Taking these preventive measures can minimize the risk of developing foot injuries while on the job.

FAQs

  • What are the best shoes for hairdressers?

    As a hairstylist, you need shoes that can withstand the demands of your profession. According to customers, some of their top picks include Chicane and Ellie from KURU. But feel free to browse through the collection to find the best shoes for yourself.

  • What are proper shoes you should wear as a hairstylist?

    The best shoes for hairdressers must be comfortable, breathable, lightweight, and durable. All of which are qualities that KURU shoes promote.

  • How do I know which shoe to buy? Which is best for me?

    The best shoe for you will depend on your unique foot type and the style you’re looking for.

    The best shoes for men and women alike offer adequate arch support and cushion. Whether you’re looking for bright blue shoes, dark blue shoes, or white shoes with blue accents, KURUs line of pain-relieving footwear help alleviate foot pain symptoms for all-day comfort.

  • How is the arch support of KURU shoes?

    KURU shoes deliver excellent arch support without the need for thick inserts or expensive, custom orthotics.

    Superior arch support starts with our patented KURUSOLE technology, which delivers natural cushioning and dynamically hugs your heel with every step. Every foot is unique, and our ULTIMATE INSOLES adapt to fit your needs by using your own body heat to custom-mold to the shape of your feet over time.

    The corrective nature of our superior arch support is designed to neutralize your weight distribution and place your foot in the best anatomical position. This support can take some getting used to. We suggest slowly breaking in your new shoes over the course of 2–3 weeks.

  • Are your shoes considered orthopedic shoes?

    While our shoes are not currently considered orthopedic by a medical standard, we have received thousands of positive reviews from customers who say their KURU shoes with good arch support helped reduce or eliminate their pain—from plantar fasciitis to bunions.

    Each of our shoes feature a wide toe box, superior arch support, shock absorption and patented heel technology, engineered for pain relief.

Three Layers of Support

At KURU, we pride ourselves on our unique approach to shoe design. We believe that shoes should be shaped to fit the natural contours of your feet, which is why we create every pair in three distinct support layers, not just an insole.

Our revolutionary ergonomic design starts with a curved footbed and adds unparalleled triple-layer support that includes shock-absorbing KURUCLOUD, heel-cupping KURUSOLE, and arch-supporting ULTIMATE INSOLES. The result? Shoes that are so comfortable you’ll stop thinking about your feet.

  • 1

    KURUSOLE

  • 2

    KURUCLOUD

  • 3

    ULTIMATE INSOLE

  • How KURU brings relief

    KURUSOLE

    KURUSOLE is one of the brand’s patented tech innovations that provides the perfect ankle, heel, and arch support for your feet. It’s designed with the natural biometrics of your body in mind to ensure that foot pressure, pain, and stress are effectively alleviated.

Our Secret

Animated GIF showing KURUSOLE tech in KURU shoes vs. typical flat interiors for plantar fasciitis pain.
Why Others Love KURU

Why Others Love KURU

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Best Shoes for Hairdressers! I bought these for work because I’m a hairdresser, so I tend to stand on my feet for 90% of the day. I bought a pair of these after doing some research and boy am I glad I did! They’re amazing, it’s like standing on air! My feet and back no longer hurt after long shifts!”

Kay K

Everything Promised!!! Being a Barber, I am on my feet all day long. With Kuru my feet do not hurt at the end of the day!!! I will purchase again!!!!!”

BrockTheBarber

Love these shoes. Was not sure at first, but I put them on took a about an hour to feel the comfortable. I’m a hairstylist and have bad feet. These saved my back and knees from pain. They r so comfortable. Will buy again.”

 

Cpanfili

Atom. Love the shoe so comfy This is my second pair and I love them. I think my plantar fasciitis is going away and the bone spur only hurts after a couple hours of standing. I’m a barber so it’s important to have a good shoe and I’m so happy a customer told about KURU.”

Letti

Beyond comfortable. I’m a hairstylist and I’m on my feet all day. The last year I’ve started experiencing major pain in one of my heels. I realized I needed to make a change to better footwear and decided to give Kuru a shot. I’m incredibly glad I did. The Atoms were comfortable right out of the box, no break in period for me. And they’ve just continued to get better over time. My heel pain is barely noticeable and I’m not leaving work limping anymore. They’re magic. I’m definitely buying a back up pair and the slippers next!”

llbeanburrito

Recommended Shoes for Cosmetology & Barber

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