How to Shave Your Face
During Super Bowl XLVI, a popular brand unveiled its "Masters of Style" commercial for a new slider razor. It showed Adrien Brody, Outkast's Andre 3000 and Gael García Bernal making quick, shaving touchups to their dry faces. The sleek shave portrayed in the ad -- namely one of a face that is dry and unprepared -- breaks master barber Aidan Gill’s No. 1 rule: prepping the skin.
Whereas many men believe the hair follicle, whether coarse or fine, determines the ease or difficulty of the shave, it’s the condition of a man’s skin that dictates a clean shave, says Gill, whose shop, Aidan Gill For Men, has topped the short lists for the country’s best barbers in "Playboy" and in "Esquire."
Overview
At Aidan Gill for Men, the most manly of rituals is executed with aplomb by the deft hands of its proprietor. With more than 40 years of experience, Aidan Gill has mastered the art of shaving. Explore the shop and learn some techniques from one of the country's most skilled barbers.
Frank L. Aymami III
The Barber
Hailing from Dublin, Aidan Gill has honed his passion for shaving over the last four decades. His experience is firmly rooted in traditional barbering techniques.
Frank L. Aymami III
The Shop
Gill maintains a classic barber shop that revels in its devotion to maleness. Customers can enjoy a sip of whiskey or a Guinness while they wait.
Frank L. Aymami III
The Shave
Shaving is a ritual for many men, and Gill honors every step in the process. Taking a seat in his chair means you're getting a serious shave.
Frank L. Aymami III
Always Wash Your Face
Be sure to start with a clean canvas. Before shaving, wash your face with very hot water.
Frank L. Aymami III
Don't Forget the Shaving Oil
Gill maintains that shaving oil is crucial for a comfortable shave, free of razor burn. Apply a few drops after washing your face.
Frank L. Aymami III
Lather Up
Once you've washed your face and applied a bit of shaving oil, it's time to lather up with the shaving cream of your choice.
Frank L. Aymami III
Go With the Grain
Now you can get to work with your razor. On your first pass, always shave with the grain.
Frank L. Aymami III
The Second and Final Pass
After your first effort, rinse the face and apply a few more drops of shave oil. This time you can shave against the grain to clean up any remaining hairs.
Frank L. Aymami III
The Tools
Gill is not interested in hearing your complaints about pricey razors. This is your face -- it's worth it. Get the good ones. If you're shaving correctly, they should last about three weeks. Be sure to find a shave oil and a shaving cream you like too.
Frank L. Aymami III
The Razor Debate
While many men claim straight razors provide the closest shave, Gill insists this is not the case. Razor technology has advanced significantly over the years, and today's razors provide closer, safer and more comfortable shaves. When it comes to razors, go modern.
Frank L. Aymami III
An Oasis
Gill is a classic barber in nearly every sense of the word. His passion for the craft of shaving is paramount. But he also wholeheartedly embraces the exceedingly male environment of the traditional barber -- and did so for years before opening his first shop in 1990.
A Dublin native, Gill has successfully carved out an oasis with a conventional male aura that begins with the cornucopia of select, masculine grooming products that greet customers at the front door in each of his two New Orleans shops. Move to the back of the shops, and men’s magazines -- of the adult variety -- garnish the tabletops, ready for the hands of clients. Waiting patrons languidly enjoy the articles and a gratis Irish whiskey or pint of Guinness that accompanies every service.
"[Straight razors are] a statement of macho. They’re not as sharp or as good as the modern blades. They’re not horribly the worst thing to ever happen. But it’s not a closer shave -- and there’s more chance of irritation and cuts." Aidan Gill, proprietor of Aidan Gill for Men in New Orleans.
“When you come into a place and someone gives you a glass of whiskey or a pint of Guinness and you’re reading "Playboy," you know it’s safe in the sense that it’s totally a male place,” Gill said.
Gill’s safe havens have captivated even more customers following the resurgence of "Mad Men"-esque male virility. "It’s a 'lean back to the right' -- a reaction to the metrosexuality of 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,'” Gill said.
So what’s the formula for the best shave? On a crisp, spring morning in Uptown New Orleans, Gill generously obliged his premier service, coined "The Shave at the End of the Galaxy," on a willing subject at his flagship shop on Magazine Street. While mixing in absorbing tales of past clients like Hunter S. Thompson, Gill walked us through his process for the best, closest shave.
The First Pass
To prepare for "the blade," Gill says a man must first thoroughly wash his face with hot water -- as hot as he can stand it -- to remove all the natural oils that accumulate.
Gill uses an antique hot towel steamer to prepare the many hot towels -- seven to be exact -- that he applies throughout the shave. Why seven hot towels? "Because it’s a mystical number and I’m Irish and we’re superstitious,” answered Gill. For the man at home, however, he recommends just using hot water.
Once the face is cleansed and the skin rendered soft and supple, apply a few drops of shave oil. The type of oil is user’s choice, says Gill. On customers, Gill uses his own brand of shave oil that's a blend of natural ingredients.
“[Shaving oils] really have been a boon to shaving -- it’s what helps make our shave here better,” said Gill. “The shave is more comfortable when you use a shave oil. It cuts down on the razor burn. People will say, ‘But I’ve got oily skin.’ It doesn’t matter if you’ve got oily skin. You’re not leaving this on. You’re washing your face afterwards.”
After applying shave oil as a base, apply a layer of shaving cream over it. Again, the brand or type of shave cream is up to the man. Gill uses a selection of English creams because “[the English] have developed them a long, long time and have a lot of experience.” He applies the lather using a badger-bristle brush. The benefits of using a brush are twofold: you can apply even hotter water to your face than you could with your fingertips and the brush lifts the hair follicle. It exfoliates the skin and helps the soap penetrate.
Once you're oiled and lathered up, pass the blade over your face going with the grain. “You can see I’m moving my hand around trying to find where the grain is, almost like the scales on a fish,” said Gill. “What we’re doing here, with shave cream and a wee bit of oil, we’re doing what’s called the first pass. You want to go with the grain and not against it on the first pass.”
