Whether it’s due to nostalgia or wanting a pampering experience, a lot of those into traditional shaving want to have a classic barber shave. But is a barber shop with shave service worth it?
The Allure Of A Classic Barbershop Shave
According to various search engine tools, the keyword search of straight razor shave near me gets thousands of queries every month–and that’s just in the U.S. So the old-school wet shaver is not alone here…there is a lot of interest in the topic!
I think the allure of the barbershop shave comes from the nostalgia and manliness that it provides. It can be a time when you can escape from your worries and just relax in the company of other men. It’s the feeling of being in control, yet vulnerable at the same time. It’s about being able to relax and let someone else take care of you for once.
The Process Of A Modern Barbershop Shave
If you are interested in a barber shave but have never had one before it might be instructive to give you an idea of the actual process.
An important detail here is knowing the operation of a particular barbershop. A high-end barber is generally going to try to create that nostalgic, relaxing, spa-like experience. A “plain-Jane” local joint with a couple chairs is probably more interested in getting you in, getting it done, and getting you out efficiently–they need the customer traffic to survive.
Related post: What A Barber Learned About the Straight Razor Shave, and How to Improve Your Own Shaving Game
That’s not to say that you can’t get a great shave from a barber down the street or a lousy shave from the fancy-pants place–both have happened to me!
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There are some variations but expect that the barber will use hot towels, a “shavette” style (aka “barber straight”) razor, and lather from a machine (like this one).
Most of the time the hot towels will come out of a purpose-built towel heater/steamer (like this one). But I have also seen barbers heat towels in a microwave–or even use a thick layer of hot, wet paper towels in a pinch.
What kind of razor the barber uses is partly dependent on local and state hygiene regulations, at least in the U.S. Most use a razor that looks like a straight razor but takes replaceable blades. It’s actually kind of rare to see a “real” straight razor used in a barbershop these days. Some barbers blow the nostalgia aspect apart by using a–GASP!*–cartridge or disposable razor.
The same hygiene regulations may prevent a barber from building lather using a shave brush and a puck of shave soap–though some barbers have admitted to me that they don’t like to build traditional lather because it just takes too long (others have said they’d be happy to do it that way if the customer brought his own brush and soap/cream). The vast majority of barbers use a hot lather machine that pumps out a good quality lubricant quickly and on-demand.
Preparation And Lathering
The minimum preparation for a barbershop shave is generally the barber placing a hot, wet towel on the face for three-to-five minutes. More often there are products introduced at the same time such as a facial cleanser, a pre-shave oil, or even just using shave lather as a cleansing/prep agent. Sometimes there are multiple applications, each accompanied by hot, moist towels.
Base preparation is followed by lathering. As mentioned earlier the barber usually produces lather from a hot lather machine. The more customer-centric barber will take the time to thoroughly massage the lather into the skin with multiple applications rather than just ‘wiping on’ the lather across the face.
The Shave
In the U.S. there is a fairly standardized routine for teaching a barber to shave the face. A 14 segment facial map is the classic barber aid in the shave process:
However that’s not to say that every barber actually uses that process: as a barber gains experience they may modify the way they shave a client’s face.
But there will usually be two passes to a barber shave, re-lathering between passes. The more careful barber will determine the directions that a client’s stubble grows in (the “grain”) and make one pass “with the grain” and another pass “across the grain.” If a client specifically asks for a close shave that second pass may be “against the grain.”
Post-Shave
After the actual shave is complete the barber will typically apply a cold towel to the face to soothe the skin and help reduce irritation, followed by wiping away any lather residue that may be left behind.
An aftershave product will then be applied. The classic barber aftershave will likely be an alcohol-based “splash”–so be prepared for some sting. More experienced barbers will be able to mitigate any discomfort and/or additionally apply a non-alcohol aftershave balm.
Cost
The price of a barber shave in the U.S. varies widely. I have seen prices as low at US $15 and as high as US $85. A tip of about 20% would be appropriate for good service.
Etiquette
A good customer should observe certain “niceties” when visiting a barber for a shave:
- Arrive on time (or even a bit early).
- Communicate what you are looking for clearly…but have realistic expectations.
- Let the barber do his/her job.
- Relax and be patient (a barber shave is not to be rushed) but avoid moving your head.
- Feel free to make some conversation (but keep in mind where the barber is currently shaving you. If he’s right around the mouth it’s probably best not to speak unless there is a problem). Also, during the service it’s probably a good idea to turn off (or at least silence) a mobile phone if you are carrying one.
Barber Shaves In The U.S. vs. Other Parts Of The World
Barbers are governed by different rules in different countries. While the broad process of a barbershop shave will be similar no matter where you are, the tools and details may be different depending on location. More on this later in the article. Also read How Safe Is Your Face From The Barber? A UK View!
My Experiences With Barbershop Shaves
My first barbershop shave is what inspired me to investigate traditional shaving. From the “About Mantic59” page on Sharpologist:
“[My wife and I] decide to go back to Las Vegas [for our wedding anniversary]. One morning while we’re there she comes to me with a gleam in her eye and says ‘don’t shave today, I have a special anniversary present for you.’ Hmm, OK…. That afternoon we head to Mandalay Bay, where she takes me to Art of Shaving and has them give me a shave as an anniversary gift:
“It’s a little freaky at first–I mean here’s this stranger hovering over me with a straight-razor– but after a while it gets strangely relaxing and I enjoy it. The barber finishes and she pulls off the smock laying on me with a flourish. I feel my face.
“Whoa.
“Whooooooooooaaa…
My face is insanely soft and smooth. I’ve never felt anything like it before. My wife has a sparkle in her eye and a huge smile on her face as she runs a finger along my jawline: ‘Ohhhhhhhh, mama likes!’”
Since then I have had a number of barbershop shaves, from local joints to fancy-pants spas. Here’s a video from a few years ago that shows one of the better ones:
I’ve had my share of lousy shaves, too. One particular experience at a high-end barbershop in Chicago was ghastly.
Sharpologist Reader Experiences With Barbershop Shaves
I asked the readers of Sharpologist’s email newsletter information list about their experiences with barbershop shaves. The question was “is a barbershop shave worth it?”
I received almost 100 responses. And, bottom line, it was pretty much a toss-up with 52% saying yes and 48% saying no. Here are some relevant comments:
Jay comments on his shaves at a local place:
“I have my shaves done at a regular barbershop I frequented before the pandemic. Nothing special with his shop and while he offers face shaves to his clientele his main business is as a barber. I’ve never seen one of his staff shave a customer and he takes those assignments on himself. When I noticed this after several times, it told me that giving one of his clients a shave was such an important task that he needed to do it himself. He takes giving someone a shave seriously.
“I think he is very competent at what he does. I had seen him give shaves to others in the past and watched him carefully before allowing him to give me a shave. He has a standardized process that he follows whenever one of his clients asks for a shave. I knew what to expect and had confidence in what he would do. He gives shaves with a straight-edge razor, always with the grain and never against (I do shave against the grain on second or clean-up passes). He does a proper prep with shaving cream and hot towels. He has a microwave specifically to heat the wet towels. He takes his time and doesn’t rush. I had always used a styptic pencil and he uses powdered styptic instead. Old school aftershaves like Clubman.
“rkent” had a poor experience:
Bruce has had one experience and would try it again:
James has had one experience:
“I got the shave from the same barber that cut my hair when I was growing up. I’d guess he was in his 50s when I got the last straight razor shave from him.
“I think he used Barbasol and he had it in a machine that heated it. I just remember my skin feeling itchy afterwards. He shaved my head too and he cut me a little bit but nothing serious. He’s the only barber that I know of around here who does them so I don’t have anybody else to compare him to but I’d give someone else a try just for the experience and not having to think about shaving for a while.”
Stan did not have a good experience at a high-end place in Las Vegas:
“Insane razor rash. I went to truefitt and hill on las Vegas [ed. note: this particular shop closed a while back]. At the time, it felt like a really nice, close shave, and decadent experience. The shave was insanely close – I don’t think I needed to shave for a week afterwards. Which is a good thing, because a couple hours after I left the shop, my face was on fire and totally broken out in razor rash. Haven’t gone back for a barbershop shave since.”
“Dinghy” had a good experience but the shave wasn’t any better than he could do himself:
“It was a very close and smooth shave and very relaxing but I come extremely close with my One Blade single edge razor. By having someone else shave me I lost that zen like experience that I enjoy so much by doing it myself.”
Blair had a terrific experience:
“Knock your socks off shave! The wonderful relaxed atmosphere. A very barber, barber! Handlebar mustache included. The hot towels and balms, the feel of the place and lots of chrome stuff. A very comfy barbers chair was center stage. This is the Art of Shaving in Jacksonville, FL. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful I felt after this shave. It turned out to be a road map for months on how I should shape my beard and mustache. My face felt sooooo smooth for the next two days. My girlfriend loved the feel and kept telling me how good i looked. If it wasn’t an hours drive and rather expensive I would go every other day. This was on my bucket list and it was well worth it.”
“dpc” had 2 bad experiences:
“Actually I have had two; one as part of a “men’s spa” treatment on a cruise ship years ago and one at an old fashioned barbershop. Both were less than satisfactory and certainly not worth the price paid. I attribute the cruise ship experience to a lack of expertise (experience?) of the young lady performing said shave. The shave at the old fashioned barber shop was worse if you can believe it; I knew it was headed downhill when the disposable razor and Barbasol shave Foam can came out. Good judgment comes from experience and most of that comes from bad judgment as the old saying goes…”
“jmonty” had a really good, inexpensive shave:
“Customer Service. I was hot toweled twice and the shave itself was exceptional. I sat back and just enjoyed the experience. He took as much time on my shave as he does on haircuts. The price was $10 and well worth it”
Robert has some experiences at barbers in hotels several different countries:
“I had an older gentleman barber at the old hotel that was torn down on Wireless Road when the US Embassy expanded – I think that hotel was the “Oriental” hotel, not the modern Mandarin Oriental. It was a grand old hotel and when I was working and living in the region I always stopped in for a nice straight razor shave. I later lived in India and in Malaysia and while there were lots of barbers in stalls on the street, I never used one because of my hesitation due to sanitary conditions. There was one exception, my teenage sons and I were visiting the remote city of Sandakan in East Malaysia on the Island of Borneo as a stop-off to see Orangutans in the wild. They had a few whiskers and I needed a shave, so I told them to wander the little stalls and shops and find a place for us to get a shave. They came back in about 30 minutes telling me they had the perfect place, and they took me to an primitive stall shop where an old Chinese woman was running a barber chair. We went in and she started stropping a razor – this woman was Chinese, less than 5 feet tall with a withered, wizened face with the texture of an old boot and a tiny hand-rolled cigarette hanging out of he mouth. Of course she didn’t speak a word of English. She shaved me first and it wasn’t too bad, then she went to work on one of my boys and I remember she nicked him pretty bad with the razor under his ear and drew blood. She just muttered something, spit into her fingers and combined that with shaving cream and some trimmed whiskers and rolled it into a little ball that she put in his cut. It actually stopped the bleeding and it never became infected!
“The only other straight razor shave I remember was an isolated one in a street stall on the main street in Penang, Malaysia. A middle-aged Indian gentleman was running a chair and since I needed a shave and we were walking right by on the warm evening I stopped and let him shave me. He didn’t tell me how much it would cost beforehand, and he tried to gouge me afterwards (on price – the shave was fine) so we had some words before I left.”
Summing Up: Conclusion And Advice
The answer to the question “is a barbershop shave worth it?” almost seems to come down to luck. There are as many reports of with poor experiences as there are with good experiences. But I think you may be able to improve the odds by taking a few proactive steps:
- Don’t go into it blindly. Ask around for comments and references from others who have been to that barber/barbershop. You could even call around to barbershops in your area to find which offer shaves and can describe their service(s).
- Set your expectations. You know your stubble better than any barber could–though some barbers may take the time to be more aware of your individual circumstances.
- Price is not necessarily a tracking factor for the quality of the shave.
I also asked a couple barbers their opinions on shaving a few years ago. Their advice is useful:
As a barber for 47 yrs. I believe I can offer some insight. Almost everyone NEEDS a haircut, almost no one NEEDS a shave! So this is the “rub,” pardon the pun. I stopped giving shaves years ago. One of the reasons is that I am not in “show business.” Seems that rather than getting a “needed” service like a haircut, everyone who seeks out a barber for a shave is looking for some type of show to be put on! They want to dictate the type of razor, or have preconceived notions about how many towels should be used to prep the beard. Or whether the barber uses shave cream from a machine or lathers them up with a brush! And Heaven forbid the barber would dare shave them with a drug store style razor! If they were content to just get the whiskers shaved off, and not a show put on, it wouldn’t matter what kind of razor did the job. I have used drug store razors on my own face that made my face very smooth.
Here’s the thing: This whole issue boils down to one word, “practice.” All barbers learn to shave in barber school. But this doesnt mean much attention is given to it, usually just enough to pass their test and get their license to cut hair. Because a barbers real bread and butter are haircuts. Because once again, everyone NEEDS haircuts, no one NEEDS a shave. The safety razor that was developed 100 yrs ago, pretty much synched that. Now that barber shop shaves are becoming somewhat trendy, and can command a good price, many barbers naturally want to cash in on it, well practiced or not!
But when a barber has not been able to really keep in practice due to lack of “need,” how is he going to deliver this “smooth as a baby’s bottom” shave, when he probably hasn’t done one in months? In some cases years! Yet I contend that the patron is more demanding and picky over the quality of shave, then he would ever be over the haircut! And that is certainly understandable. I would not want to be cut up either. But this was one of the reasons I discontinued the service. I would rather be judged by my something I do every day of the year, all day long, then some occasional service that actually holds more potential for criticism because to perform a really top notch shave a barber really needs to be well practiced! We were at one time when the service was “needed,” but now it is just an occasional “novelty” service because someone wants to lay back and feel a hot towel on their face as a lark, or some sense of nostalgia!
I am not putting on a show, I am trying to make a living, and have people walk out of my shop happy with the service that I rendered. So I will stick with what I am well practiced at due to public demand, and that is haircuts. Let them shave themselves.
You made a good point that setting expectations is also crucial when planning to find the right barbershop to go to. My husband is thinking about going bald soon because his hairline might have already receded to the point of no return. Finding a barbershop that will make him look good despite his hair loss problem would be a good idea.
Likes and disllikes:
Likes:
I liked the conversation.
I liked the pampering.
I liked the the shave.
The shot of good whiskey was enjoyed.
Dislikes:
Fifty bucks for a shave is out out my league.
The front desk staff did not do well. I expected to be greeted with top-notch professionalism. They sat me down and forgot I was there, as I watched others get attention.
Fortunately, my assigned barber turned it around.
Dartan
I forgot to add:
I have a barber who works out of his van. The van is comfortable with a television screen and choice of music.
I email my barber; he tells me when he will be near my home. He parks a block away and I get a great haircut. As of yet, there is no facility to shave.
Dartan
The nice thing about getting a shave and a haircut is that your sideburns and everything is in perfect alignment for at least a single day!
As men we typically don’t pamper ourselves so I find the ritual of a barbershop shave and haircut when done right, one of life’s simple pleasures.
I’ve had mixed luck with barbershop shaves. I’ve had only one which was truly nightmarish (cuts and not close at all). The best I’ve experienced was at Truefitt and Hill in London. The barber generated lather with a shave brush which I think helped a lot. I walked out with a face which was as smooth as a baby’s butt. Barbershop shaves can be very rewarding, but I think doing research and asking around is good advice so as to increase your chances of having a pleasant experience.
I’ve also had very mixed results.
I’ve probably had 15 barber shop shaves, give or take a few. The ones I got at the Art of Shaving in NYC by Russian master barber Boris, were fabulous. He shaved my beard of over 20 years in the late 1990s. I probably got 5 or so shaves from him when I lived in the area. They actually got better, and a little closer, each time.
Most have been decent shaves, but I still loved the experience. The pampering, the hot towels, etc. Once out in Long Island I returned to a local shop where I had gotten a very decent shave, but was paired up with a different barber. He tore my face to shreds.
One barber in SF gave me a shave with a disposable cartridge. Great barber, but that wasn’t what I was looking for. Gave a good haircut and a nice head/neck massage with one of those old fashioned head massagers.
I’ve only had a few shaves since then. One other horrible experience, but most decent to quite good. I’ve had them use real straights, barber straights and disposable cartridges. I’ve had barbers lie to me and tell me it was illegal to give shaves/use real straight razors/etc. Every time I was told that, I found it was total BS. There WERE a lot of regulations about sanitizing the items and such, but no regulation banning them. There may be regulations banning some things, but don’t let one barber convince you of that. Do your research if you really want to get something particular.
I’m about to try a new place for my first barbershop shave in several years. I am only trying this because it seems like they take shaving seriously and actually like to do it. I have encountered too many barbers who really don’t want to do it, but will if you ask them.
For what it’s worth, my advice is:
If you trust the place to shave you, then you may want to give it a shot. But don’t expect your shave to be better than you can give yourself. You might be surprised and impressed. Just enjoy the experience. If you think you won’t be happy unless you get a BBS, then you may just want to skip the process.
Great article. I have had some great and mediocre shaves from barbers but I really enjoy the full barbershop treatment whenever I get the time regardless. When I was in Thailand (pre pandemic) I said I would not bring my razor with me and would only go to barbers for the duration of our vacation. That was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. My only advice was that I used Google to find local barbershops that had a good reputations and that worked out really well!
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