Achieving the perfect shave is an art form and a science. As with any art form or science to achieve excellence the proper equipment, supplies, and education are essential. Today’s consumer is also very well educated. The client coming to the barbershop or salon for a shave is treating himself to a luxury service and will not settle for anything but the best. You will need to give a close shave without any irritation in a comfortable and relaxed environment.

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

• Identify the supplies needed for providing a shave.
• Understand the proper first aid in case of razor burn, nick, or minor cut.
• Explain the products used to give a comfortable shave.
• Explain the correct sanitary measures for dispensing shaving creams and lotions.
• Identify and explain how to use a hot lather machine.
• Identify and explain how to use a hot towel machine.
• Understand the importance of having the highest quality barber chair.

SUPPLIES

1. Terry towels will be used for the hot towel steam machine. They are much thicker than the barber towels and hold more moisture. This results in the towel maintaining the heat longer which is ideal for the beard preparation.
2. Barber towel will be used for draping around the clients neck over the hair cloth. They will also be used for keeping your hands dry from the slippery oils and creams. When the proper stretch cannot be achieved because the face is too slippery the barber towel will assist in the stretch by placing it directly on the face for a better grip. (The terry towels can be used as a substitute)
3. The straight razor is the tool use for the shave. Make sure to pick a razor that is extremely comfortable and feels like an extension of your hand. A razor that takes disposable blades is highly recommended for ease of use and sanitary purposes. A heavier razor tends to use sharper blades that last longer. This will require much less pressure during the shaving stroke and allow you to just glide the razor across the skin. The lighter less expensive razors aren’t as durable and the blades aren’t as sharp. These razors require more pressure during the shaving stroke and sometimes changing the blade halfway through the shave is necessary. Experiment with both to figure out what works best for you.
4. Disposable blades will be used for the straight razor or safety razor. Buy the appropriate blades for the razor you choose and make sure to change the blade in between face shaves. If the razor is just being used for the sideburns and the back of the neck soak in barbercide in between uses. If using a safety razor (which is sometimes required for sensitive skin, skin with blemishes, or any difficult areas that can’t be shaved easily with the straight razor) have the appropriate blades available for the razor you choose.
5. Sterilized “popsicle sticks” for dispensing creams out of any jars or tubs that contain creams that will be used. Do not place your fingers in any container. Always use the sticks for sanitary purposes.
6. Septic powder for first aid. In case there is a small nick or cut septic powder will be needed to stop the bleeding. Put a rubber glove on and shake out septic powder onto a towel and apply to the skin with light pressure. This will clot the blood and stop the bleeding.

SHAVING OILS, CREAMS, AND MOISTURIZERS

1. Pre-shave oil will be applied to the face lubricate the skin. The oil will help the razor glide smoothly across the skin and is the first step in preparing the face for the shave.
2. A moisturizing shave cream containing mineral oils and shea butter will further lubricate and soften the skin and beard before shaving. The mineral oil serves the same purpose as the pre-shave oil. The shea butter is an anti-inflammatory which calms the skin from the irritation that shaving can cause.
3. Liquid shaving soap mixes with water and goes into the hot lather machine. With the proper mixture as indicated in the directions make a thick cream. The heat from the cream is what keeps the skin warm, pores open, and beard standing up for a close comfortable shave.
4. An alcohol-free after shave balm will be used to calm and moisturize the skin after the shave. Alcohol will burn the skin so make sure it is alcohol-free. Mineral oil, coco butter, and shea butter are excellent ingredients to look for in a good balm. The oil and coco butter will replenish the natural oils in the skin that the razor can shave. The shea butter is an anti-inflammatory which will have a natural calming or effect on the skin.

EQUIPMENT

1. The hot lather machine is a must have. It will make your client feel like he did when he was growing when his father and/or grandfather brought him to get a haircut. There is no replacement for the sound of the machine and the feel of the hot lather. The hot lather is a necessary component of softening the beard and preparing the face for the shave. Mix one cap of liquid shaving soap and water in the machine and you are ready to go.
2. The hot towel steam machine is where the towels are kept steaming hot for the shave. Make sure to get a good one that holds at least one dozen towels. These towels are also very good for applying to the clients face while he is lying back in the sink with a tea tree conditioning treatment. These towels can also be used for facials. Fold the terry towel into thirds for ease of wrapping around the face. Soak in water and wring out so there is just a little bit of water left in the towel and place in the machine.
3. The barber chair with head rest. The client will be laying down for the shave so comfort is a priority. A heavy duty barber chair with an adjustable head rest is what is recommended. Check with your local distributor to go over all of the options.

One of the most important components of a finished haircut is picking the hair up evenly when cutting. The comb is the tool used to perform this task. You will need to become so comfortable with the comb that it feels like an extension of your hand. It will replace your fingers when the hair is too short to pick up. Combing through the hair correctly will enable you to determine how to cut the hair to the proper lengths and shape based on growth patterns and contours of the head.  Correct use of the comb will ensure a consistently blended haircut time after time. The Large Scissor Comb: This comb is extremely heavy duty. It will be used for controlling large amounts of hair and removing bulk (rough cut). You will use it primarily for scissor over comb techniques.

1. The small scissor comb: This comb will be used primarily for picking up the hair for the scissors over fingers technique. The comb can also be used for the scissor over comb technique in the semi-finish area.
2. The Flat Top comb: This comb will be used for much more than the name suggests. It is heavy and stiff which makes it excellent for all short precise haircuts. The comb does not bend when using the clipper over comb technique and its surface is smooth instead of grooved which allows for the clipper blade to glide smoothly across it. This comb is also a great tool for controlling long thick hair that you are going to use a clipper/scissor over comb technique on.
3. The Clipper Comb: The primary use for this comb is to blend short sides and back areas to the top. The comb is thin allowing it to cut the hair close to the skin. Its surface is smooth and teeth close together allowing for a properly blended cut.
4. The Finishing Comb: This comb will primarily be used for the semi-finish and finish areas of the haircut. It is very thin and light which makes it easier to use with small amounts of hair around the perimeter.

There are two ways to hold the combs:

1. The first way you will hold the comb is for picking the hair up for the scissor over fingers technique. You will be holding the scissor and comb at the same time for this. Place the comb in the palm of your hand and wrap your fingers and thumb around both sides of the comb.  When you are holding the hair in your fingers switch the comb to the opposite hand so it doesn’t get in the way of the scissor when cutting the hair.
2. The second way you will hold the comb is for scissor/clipper over comb. You will place the end of the comb in the palm of your opposite hand with your thumb on the bottom and pointer finger, and first crease of the middle finger on top. This will allow you to comb through the hair evenly without turning your wrist by pushing with your top fingers and pulling with your thumb when combing downward and the opposite when combing back up.
3. Disinfecting the combs:
4. After using your combs rinse with warm water and soap and place them in the barbicide. Before reusing, remove the comb from the barbicide jar, rise with warm water, and dry off before combing through the hair.

A straight razor can be used for much more than just shaving. As you will learn in the advanced techniques section the straight razor has many uses for cutting hair also. In order to be versatile with razor cutting and shaving you should have at least two if not three different razors. With today’s technology the quality of the disposable blade razors is excellent. There is no need to worry about stropping and honing razors any more.

 

RAZOR GUIDE

Heavy duty razor for shaving: Heavy duty razors today come with disposable blades. They are a lot easier to use, clean, and sanitize than the old fashioned straight razors. You don’t have to sharpen them. Simply dispose of the blade when done using and replace with another fresh blade. When using a heavier razor with sharp blades very little pressure if any is needed for the shave. This razor is recommended instead of the lighter weight razors for shaving because they glide through the beard without any pulling or scraping. The lighter razors are not as sharp and the razor does not hold the blade as tightly which tends to pull and scrape the beard slightly resulting in an uncomfortable shave for the customer.

There are 4 hand positions for this razor for the shave:
Freehand stroke: Hold the razor with the thumb placed on the inside of the blade with the blade facing down, pinky resting on the tang, and your three middle fingers on the opposite side of the blade and handle. Push with the thumb and pull with the three middle fingers to create the necessary tension to hold the razor firmly.

Reverse freehand stroke: Hold the razor with thumb on the outside of the razor with the blade facing up, back of the pinky resting on the tang, and the three middle fingers on the inside of the blade and handle. Push with the thumb and pull with the three middle fingers to create the necessary tension to hold the razor firmly.

Backhand stroke: Face the blade in the opposite direction and turn your hand upside down. Place thumb on the inside of the blade with the blade facing down, back of the pinky resting on the tang, and the three middle fingers on the outside of the blade and handle. Push with the thumb and pull with the three middle fingers to create the necessary tension to hold the razor firmly.

Reverse backhand stroke: Turn the razor upside down. Place thumb on the inside of the razor with blade pointing up. Rest back of pinky on the tang and three middle fingers on the outside of the blade and handle. . Push with the thumb and pull with the three middle fingers to create the necessary tension to hold the razor firmly.

Light weight razor with guard for shaving: This is an excellent razor for learning how to shave. It is extremely light weight and has a guard on it which makes it very difficult to cut the client. This razor has a solid construction vs. the less expensive light weight razors without guards which makes it ideal for giving a close comfortable shave. It is also very good for the barber who has a heavy hand and finds it difficult to shave with the heavier razor. The same hand positions from above apply to this razor as well.

Light weight straight razor without a guard for cutting hair. This is a great razor for the majority of the razor cutting techniques demonstrated in the advanced techniques section. It has a long blade which covers a large area and is very comfortable to handle. Some barbers like to use this razor for shaving because they prefer a lighter weight razor without a guard.

Light weight razor with a guard for cutting hair: This razor is excellent for cutting hair with. It is perfectly designed for the sculpting technique on the hairline and the thumb over razor technique. Both of these techniques are covered in detail in the advanced techniques section.