Tips for the Perfect Shave

How To Deliver the Perfect Shave

The perfect shave is an art form. Ask anyone with a beard, mustache, goatee, or variety of facial hair if all shaving experiences are created equally and we can bet you’ll get the same answer every single time—no way.

If you’re in the barbering business, you better believe it’s important that you’re offering the ultimate shave to your clients. Why? Because a good shave is the backbone of a quality barber (at least, we think so).

Have the Right Type of Razor

This is hands-down the most important part of the perfect shave process. To be blunt, if your razor sucks, then your shave is going to suck (like, without question).

We suggest going full straight razor for the ultimate close shave experience (if that isn’t something that’s comfortable for you just yet, you can always use a straight razor with safety guards on it). 

Your razor should be sharp, quality, and always (always!) clean, sanitized, and disinfected. If you skip any of those steps, you can essentially ensure some kind of irritant or infection on your clients’ faces, and obviously, that’s the last thing you want for your clients.

Hot Towels All Day

If anyone tells you that a hot towel is too bougie for your shaving experience, cut them out of your life immediately—you don’t need that kind of negativity. A hot towel is everything for an optimal shave experience. Not only does it just scream luxury it also does some seriously necessary legwork to get your clients’ skin ready for a healthy shave.

A hot towel will open your clients’ pores, soften their skin, and smooth out their hair, helping you provide the best shave possible. Want to take it to the next level? Sprinkle a few drops of essential oils onto the towel (think eucalyptus, lavender, etc.) for some serious soothing vibes.

Prep is Everything

You know this already, but a great shaving routine never starts by putting razor to skin immediately. The beauty is in the prep work, people, so focus on it hard. You need to ensure you’re doing everything in your power to properly ready your clients’ skin and hair for a quality shave.

Use a Gentle but Effective Exfoliant

After your hot towel routine, gently dampen your clients face and use a gently (let me repeat that) gently exfoliant on their skin to help slough away dead cells and discourage ingrown hairs from forming. But seriously, don’t use something super abrasive—the shave experience should be comforting and soothing.

Ensure your exfoliant does the job but does it gently.

Don’t Skimp on Pre-Shave Oil

Pre-shave oil is king when it comes to prep. Just a few drops of a quality pre-shave oil can help to soften up your clients’ skin and hair to ensure that you’re working with a healthy, hydrated canvas.

The last thing you ever want to do is dry shave (that’s like begging for ingrown hairs, dryness, and redness), so ensuring you’re doing everything you can to work with a moisturized, hydrated face is key.

Shave Cream via Shave Brush

Apply that shave cream—but don’t use your hands. Invest in a quality, durable shave brush that’s easy-to-clean (bonus points if it looks badass). Shave brushes don’t just offer that sweet aesthetic, they also help you do your job better. The bristles will life your clients’ hair better, making it much easier to cut at the surface. 

When you don’t do this, hair can recoil and curl, and curled hair can easily turn into an ingrown one. Run your brush under warm water, apply the cream to the brush, and work it into a lather before gently brushing onto your clients’ faces.

Go Slow, It’s an Experience

Take your time! Sure, you’re trying to accomplish a goal here, but you’re not in a rush.

The perfect shave is always an experience, so yours should be no different. A hurried shave is, in our opinion, the perfect recipe for a nick or cut, so be gentle, take your time, and enjoy the process.

Finish Off the Shave Just Right

Just because you’ve finished up the actual shaving part doesn’t mean the experience is over. Grab a that hot towel you used at the beginning of the shave, cool it off, and give your clients’ faces a gently wipe down.

The cool temperature will help to close up your clients’ pores, which works to minimize any irritation your shave might have caused. Disinfect your clients’ faces with a good-smelling aftershave and finish off with a quality moisturizer.