Canggu regulars know what they want. They've tried the experimental stuff on a holiday, they've walked out of somewhere else with a cut that didn't hold up to surf and helmet, and eventually they settle on something that works. These are the four we see most often in the chair from people who live here, or stay for months at a time.
1. Textured crop with soft blend
This is the most requested cut in the studio by a wide margin. Short on the sides, one to two inches on top, cut with scissors for movement rather than pushed flat with product. A soft blend down to a 0.5 at the neck rather than a hard skin fade.
Who it suits: anyone with straight or slightly wavy hair who wants something that looks intentional without needing daily styling. Salt water makes it look better, not worse. Helmet hair brushes out in thirty seconds.
The maintenance ask: come back every three to four weeks. You can stretch it to five if you're not precious about the neck line.
2. Skin fade with textured top
A sharper version of the above, for people who like the sides tight. Zero at the bottom, faded up, scissor cut on top with enough length to push to one side or wear messy.
Who it suits: someone with a strong hairline who doesn't mind booking more often. This is the cut that gets photographed most — it looks crisp.
The maintenance ask: ten days to two weeks between cuts — see how to maintain a fade. Any longer and the skin line grows back in patchy and it stops looking deliberate.
3. Low taper with longer swept top
For anyone who wants to keep a bit more length. Grade 2 at the bottom, tapered up into four or five inches on top, long enough to sweep back or push to the side. Usually paired with a beard that connects cleanly.
Who it suits: wavy or curly hair, or someone who's had the short cuts for a while and wants a change. Works well with a little bit of sea salt spray if you want to push it into shape.
The maintenance ask: three weeks on the sides, and we'll probably take a tiny bit off the top just to keep the ends healthy rather than letting it split.
4. Buzz cut with sharp edge-up
The ultimate low-maintenance option for Bali. Grade 1 or 1.5 all over (and if you want to go shorter than that, we do full head shaves), with a clean edge-up around the hairline and sometimes a hard part if you want to add something.
Who it suits: anyone who's tired of thinking about their hair. The people who get this say it's the best decision they've made in the heat — you get out of the pool, towel off once, and you're done.
The maintenance ask: two to three weeks. A buzz cut grows out evenly, so you can push it longer than a fade before it looks scruffy.
How to ask for any of these
You don't need the exact terminology. "Short on the sides, a bit messy on top, I don't want to style it every day" will get us to the textured crop. "Tight fade, I can come back in two weeks" gets us to option two. The consultation is where we narrow it down.
Bring a photo if you have one — it is the fastest way to get what you want out of the consultation. It's never insulting. The more we know about what you're picturing, the closer we can get it.
The point of a good haircut in Canggu isn't to look perfect for a night. It's to look good on a Tuesday morning when you're coming off a scooter and you've had two minutes to get ready. These four do that reliably, which is why they keep getting booked.