How To Get The Best Barber Shave At Home
Getting a barber shave is no longer a luxury experience. Any man, even you, can experience it at home. All you need is the right tools!
The average cost of getting a professional shave is about $40-$45, inclusive of expert shaving techniques, allergy checking, hot and cold towel treatment, and aftershave cleaning and disinfecting.
No matter how cheap or expensive your barber decides to charge you, stubbles will still form the following day or during mid-day—not worth it for someone who likes to have a clean shave every day!
Good thing you can learn how to shave like a pro at home and enjoy your own barber shave at home.
Let us guide you through the process:
- Why is a Barber Shave Expensive?
- Everything You Need to Shave Like a Pro
- Shave Like a Barber at Home
Why is a Barber Shave Expensive?
Barbers need to have a license before starting their careers.
Being a barber is painstaking, literally and figuratively. One cannot simply hold a razor, proclaim himself as an expert shaver, and call it a day. It takes courses, certifications, gears, money, and a whole lot of time to graduate as a pro.
Every state has varying regulations on how to get a barber’s license, but one thing is for sure: barbers need to have one before starting their careers.
One of the general requirements is to gain 1,500 hours of training in an accredited barber school. The courses usually include technical and practical classes for hairstyling, health and safety, and shaving. Once completed, the aspiring barber can now proceed to the licensing procedures that the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology mandates.
Daniel Lewis, a senior barber from Hudson/Hawk Barber & Shop, shares to Vox that every student needs to complete 30 shaves to get through barber school. Personally, he has done 90 during his practicals.
In addition, getting a professional shave would not cost too much if there was an adequate supply. Barbers used to shave with a straight razor all the time until the government banned straight razors due to an HIV scare back in the ’80s. Hence, today, only licensed barbers can give you a pro shave.
Simply put, a barber shave is expensive because you are technically paying for their effort, tools, time, and expertise. Otherwise, you can just compromise comfort with your disposable razor at home.
Everything You Need to Shave Like a Pro
Whenever you get a shave from a barber, think of it this way: what you are paying is an ROI for the personal investment they put into their careers.
On that note, shaving like a pro at home takes some investment. First, there is the financial investment, which is for buying tools. Second, you need to make time to get through the learning curve and learn every crevice of your skin to master your shaving technique.
Sounds challenging? It is! But it is fun and fulfilling too!
Here are the tools you will need:
Shavette Straight Razor
Naked Armor's Samson Shavette Straight Razor is the ideal tool for achieving a barber shave at home.
Getting a straight razor is the first thing you need to do. However, not everyone has the guts to wield one on their face, which is okay. It can also be overwhelming to clean and maintain a straight razor. Before the HIV scare, barbers used to use traditional straight razors. But since then, many barbers of today are using shavette straight razors.
Shavette straight razor is the kind of straight razor that looks the most similar to a traditional straight razor. They often have the same feel and look. The only difference is that the shavette’s blades are replaceable. Meanwhile, the traditional straight razor’s blade is not.
Do not mistake a shavette straight razor with a common shavette. Shavette straight razors can fold back into the handle as a traditional straight would. On the other hand, some kinds of shavettes do not.
When choosing your razor of choice, look for a shavette straight razor that has an ideal blade-to-handle ratio. Naked Armor’s Samson Shavette Straight Razor in Silver has a prime titanium handle and a blade holder perfectly ideal for reliable Derby blades. You get to enjoy the same quality shave Naked Armor’s classic straight razors offer, minus the hassle of stropping and honing.
Shaving oil
Just because you are using a shavette straight razor does not mean you should shave your face anyhow. The key to getting a barber shave without getting a prickly beard after is aiding the quality of your blade with the perfect skin prep.
Shaving imposes the loss of natural moisture on your skin. That is why you need to protect it with a layer of shaving oil to help prevent the sebum from drying out.
The oil is the easiest, cheapest, and most versatile tool you need to shave like a professional. You can make DIY shaving oil at home with things that may already be in your pantry!
Shave soap
Organic shaving soaps, like the Naked Armor Noah's Organic Shave Soap, has the perfect ratio of fat and alkalinity for creating the ideal lather.
The defining factor of a shave from a barber is the lather! You could not say you pro shaved your face if you did not look like Santa Klaus’ twin at some point in the process. Case in point, you need a good shaving soap.
The soap you use on your body will not do for your shaving needs. It does not have the same properties as a shave soap. A soap for shaving has high-fat content, low alkalinity, and natural glycerin that forms the creamy, frothy, thick lather.
Naked Armor has a broad collection of organic shave soap that you can try out. Their Noah’s Organic Shave Soap features natural essential oils to guarantee a thick lather that does not dry the skin.
Scuttle mug
Naked Armor's Savanna Scuttle has an inner chamber for hot water to keep the lather warm throughout the shaving process.
If you have had a barber shave once, you will know that the pros shave wet and hot. What makes the experience relaxing is the warmth of the lather. It is not too hot or cold. It is just the perfect temperature to calm your nerves and open your pores.
How did they do that? Professional barbers use a scuttle mug, of course.
A scuttle mug is the reinvented version of a shaving mug. Aside from the mug, it has a bottom chamber for you to fill hot water with. The water will keep your lather at the proper heat throughout your shave. Plus, it helps melt the shave soap, making it easier to whisk.
Shaving brush
Badger-friendly brushes, like Naked Armor's Swedish Wood Brush, with synthetic bristles, have longer-lasting quality.
Your shave soap will be useless if you do not have anything to whip it up. The tool for that is a shaving brush, which usually has animal hair bristles and a wooden handle.
Before, most shaving brush bristles were from adorable badgers. However, its sourcing has never been a sustainable and cruelty-free feat. Plus, it can be prone to fast deterioration if you are not keen on maintaining the brush.
That is why here at Naked Armor, we made all our shaving brushes badger-friendly. Instead, we use Futura-Synth Technology to create synthetic fiber that can withstand extreme heat and last longer than most animal hair. The thick bristles whip up lather quickly, and the wood handle’s figure guarantees a secure base.
Aftershave
Using aftershave products is the secret to having a smooth skin after shaving.
If there is anything that a man hates about shaving aside from being a tedious chore, it would be the skin irritations that come post-shave. Having a razor burn and bump-free face can be another defining factor of a barber shave.
Their secret is never forgetting aftershave. These products come in the form of a splash, lotion, and balm. Either way, they help disinfect the skin and promote healing to guarantee a smooth shave.
You can read more about the differences between different aftershaves to help you choose which one to get. But you can also opt to go natural by using Naked Armor’s Aftershave Balm or natural astringents. Whatever you do, stay away from chemicals and bad alcohols, which can further irritate your skin.
Here at Naked Armor, we have fantastic shave kits where you can find everything you need to get an excellent shave at the comfort of your home.
Shave Like a Barber at Home
Now that you have got your tools figured out, it is time to master the art of wet shaving. Since you will be using a shavette straight razor, you can check out this guide to learning how to use a shavette straight razor to know the perfect grip.
For shaving, check these simple steps below:
Assess your skin
The first step is to check your skin condition, like how a barber would as soon as you sit on the chair in his shop. Ask yourself the following questions if you have active irritations like wounds, acne, and flare-ups and if your skin is currently dry and sensitive.
If you have acne, here is an excellent guide on how to proceed with your shaving at home. We recommend putting off the razor until your skin irritations calm down. But if it has just one or two bumps, you can easily avoid shaving on top of it.
Those with dry and sensitive skin should not apply too much lather. You can also forego the lather and use shaving oil instead to keep your skin hydrated throughout.
Check your hair growth
Knowing the direction of your hair growth gives you a helpful guide to know which way you should shave.
The next thing to do is to know when your last shave was and the direction of your hair growth. Your skin needs to have enough time to heal since the last time you wielded a razor on it. Meanwhile, hair growth direction lets you know which way to shave from.
Here is a guide to consider when you want to know if you should shave with or against the grain. Meanwhile, here is how often you shave your face.
Create and warm your lather
Now, the fun part! It is time to lather up.
Boil some water and cool it down until you can touch it with your finger without feeling a surprising burn. While doing so, soak a washcloth in warm water to prepare for the next step.
Then transfer that in the chamber of your scuttle. Place the shave soap on top and whisk using your shaving brush.
For a more comprehensive tutorial, read Beginner's Guide To Using A Shave Soap.
Steam
A hot towel over the face is a barber's signature touch.
The barber’s signature touch—the hot towel. To get the whole experience of getting a professional shave, you need to cover your face with a warm washcloth to steam your skin, open up your pores, and soften the hair. Plus, it calms down your nerves before using a sharp cut-throat razor that can give you a bloody mess—just kidding.
Apply oil
Applying the oil is the crucial part of wet shaving that many enthusiasts have opposing opinions about. Many think that oil clogs up the razor when shaving, but that is only half true when you do not use a single-blade razor and use too much oil.
Nonetheless, a good layer of natural shaving oil can lock in moisture in your skin and add an extra layer of protection between your skin and blade. Before applying, remove excess water from the steam on your face and use one to two drops of shaving oil on your palm, then massage it onto the skin.
Shave
Finally, shaving! Hold your razor first, though. You need to apply the lather first!
This is why it is crucial to have a scuttle mug. Just look at how much time it takes to get to this part. Without it, your lather will be cold and frail.
To proceed, scoop the lather off your scuttle using your shaving brush and apply it in circular motions on your skin. It gently exfoliates the surface, getting rid of dead skin cells and other nasty debris off your skin.
Finally, shave as you would with the grain. Since you are using a shavette straight razor, go for gentle and short strokes to guarantee a smooth and nick-free shave. Do it efficiently, so you do not have to go beyond a second pass, which increases your risk for razor burn, and do not forget to wipe your blade each time.
Apply Aftershave
Once you are done, remove all lather and fallen hair from your face. Wipe it with a warm and clean washcloth to finish. Then proceed with your aftershave of choice. We recommend applying an aftershave splash first and top it off with a balm for extra moisture.
There you have it. A barber’s shave at home! Get all your essentials down below to shave like a pro in no time.
More Naked Armor Reads:
Shavette Straight Razor: Is It Better?
Lathering Shave Soap: Step-by-Step Guide
2021 Shaving Round-up: How To Get Rid Of Prickly Hair After Shaving
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