How to Get a Barbershop Shave at Home
You can give yourself a close, comfortable barbershop shave right at home with a few tools and the proper method. A good shave is an art that got lost with the invention of cheap disposable razors, which damage your skin by dragging more and more blades across your cheek, chin, and neck. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shaving brush
- Single-blade razor, or one with no more than three blades
- Glycerin-based shaving cream
Instructions
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Take a hot shower to open pores and soften hair. If you can't shower, place a hot, wet towel over your face for at least three minutes.
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Fill a sink with hot -- but not scalding -- water. Rest the shaving brush in the sink while the bowl fills. Splash some water on your face to keep it wet.
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Remove your brush from the water and hold it upside down until water stops running out. Put the brush in glycerin-based shaving cream and move it in a circular motion. The brush absorbs water, then releases it, while mixing with the shaving cream. Skim the brush across your face and neck in an up-and-down motion to deliver thick, rich, emollient lather and gently exfoliate your skin. The best brushes are made of badger hair.
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Shave by moving the blade with the grain of your whiskers. Hair may grow in different directions on various parts of your face and neck, so feel with your fingers before shaving to determine the grain.
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Rinse your face with cold water to close the pores. Gently pat your face with a towel -- don't rub. Finish by applying a non-alcohol-based aftershave or moisturizer.
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Tips & Warnings
If you shave against the grain, do it very gently.
Practice applying cream with the brush to get the right amount of lather.
Shake your brush dry after shaving and store it on its handle rather than on its side.
Moisturizers with sun protection factor (SPF) can help protect skin from UV damage.
Shaving against the grain can cause redness, razor burn and ingrown hair.
Multiple blades in the razor may cause increased irritation.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
