Ariel the Barber is a barbershop at 223 Parkhurst Road in Parakai, Rodney, holding a perfect 5.0 Google rating. Barbers trade in clipper work — short back and sides, fades, flat-tops, beard tidies and a crisp neckline finished with the razor — which is a different craft from the colour and long-hair styling of a full salon. A good one asks how long it has been since your last cut, thinks about how the shape will grow out over the following weeks, and cuts to suit how you actually wear your hair. Regulars know the value of sticking with one barber who remembers the length, the parting and the bits you always fuss about. In a small township like Parakai, having a five-star barber on Parkhurst Road is a handy thing for locals and passers-by alike.