Madeeha Syed

Achieve a professional barbershop shave in the comfort of your home. Expert tips and techniques for the perfect shave.

How To Get A Barbershop Shave At Home

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Overview

A traditional shaving blade or a straight razor can be a great way to trim or remove your facial hair at home. It not just saves your time and money, but also gives you the same result as any professional barber. The problem is, many people struggle to often replicate the same process and so avoid the experience. This read can help prevent your wallet from emptying. Let&rsquo;s go. 
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Strop Your Razor

Of course, you didn&rsquo;t think you would just dive in without prepping the material now, did you? One of the most crucial steps in this whole process is stropping your razor to ensure the best possible results.

What&rsquo;s a strop? A strop is made up of two components &ndash; (a) the fabric and (b) the leather. The fabric half helps the leather stay clean of any sort of defects while the leather does most of the work on the razor&#39;s surface so that it stays straight and aligned.

<h5>So How Do You Do It?</h5>

<ol>
	<li>&nbsp;First things first. Make sure that the strop is clean and hygienic at all times. If you spot some defects, then you can either wash it or consider getting a new one.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Make sure the strop has a hook beneath it. That way, you can hang it wherever you like to use it.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;When it comes to stropping, you have to do it gently and slowly.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Keep your hand relaxed so that your movements are smooth.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;When you reach the end of the strop, rotate your razor towards the backside so as to avoid blunting the edge.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Repeat the procedure preferably 20 times on both the sides; first with the fabric and then with the leather.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Make sure you clean your razor after every usage. You can also apply a stropping paste to your leather to keep its surface smooth and moist.</li>
</ol>

As a novice, you will be slow. So, no need to worry about that. You&rsquo;ll quickly learn the art of stropping when you do it again and again. 
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Note: Strop is important before you start shaving. It will give you the sharpest edge for a smooth shave. 

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How to Shave?

Now that you&rsquo;ve got the gear right, the next step in the process is to prep your face for shave. Shaving at home doesn&rsquo;t mean you can&rsquo;t pamper yourself anymore. 
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<ol>
	<li>&nbsp;Wash your beard with soap and shampoo to remove any kind of natural oils.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Soak a towel in hot water and press it onto your face.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;It&rsquo;s time to apply the lather. For that, you need to soak your brush in hot water and use a minute amount of shaving cream or soap and mix it with the brush until a lather is produced. Cover the surface of your face that you want to shave completely with the lather. Apply it in a swirling motion.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Leave the lather on your face for a short period of time before shaving it. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

This is followed by the main part of the process &ndash; shaving. 

<ol>
	<li>&nbsp;Keep your razor at approximately 30-degree angle from your face and move it in the direction of your beard, using slow strokes and little pressure. Let the sharpness and weight of the razor do all the work.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Starting with one side of your face, gently pull your skin upwards with the non-shaving hand and hold it taut in that manner. Then shave downwards towards your jaw.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;After you are done with your cheek, tilt your head back to check if there&rsquo;s any stubborn stubble under your jaws. If yes, tighten your skin by gently pulling with the fingers and continue to shave until there are no beard patches left.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Also, softly pull the upper lip downwards and shave in the same direction. Next, stretch the lower lip upwards and shave.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;If you shave with the grain, then it will help remove most of the unwanted hair in the simplest of ways. Shaving with the grain basically means gently shaving with your razor in the same direction as your beard naturally grows. While it will definitely help you avoid skin irritation or razor burn, it may not be able to give a perfect finish.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Alternatively, if you shave against the grain or shave against your hair growth, it can prove to be worth the extra time and energy you invest in the process. You will achieve a really close result.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;A third technique is shaving across the grain and it&rsquo;s quite useful for many people who have an issue shaving with or against the grain. Shaving across the grain means going from one side of the cheek towards your mouth and onto your nose.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;For newbies, a single pass can suffice. Some, however, prefer multiple passes; the most common of this method is the three-pass technique (with grain, across grain, against grain). Choose according to your preference, like how close a shave you want, and depending on your skin&rsquo;s condition, like how much it can take in one go. For instance, if your skin feels irritated with a three-pass shave, opt for just one pass. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

Note: Don&rsquo;t skip the after-shave step. Wash your face with cold water and put on an aftershave gel or a cream you normally apply. 
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Hone Your Razor

Leather strop helped align the edge but it didn&rsquo;t sharpen the blade. You have to hone your razor using a honing stone every now and then to ensure that the blades are always sharp. Before you stress over another thing you need to do, remember that practice makes perfect so there&rsquo;s no rush. 
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<ol>
	<li>&nbsp;You will need to wet the stone. Also, make sure that the surface of the stone is clean.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Then place your razor, facing towards you, onto the top of the stone. Pull your razor back towards yourself on a 15-degree angle so that the entire blade is drawn across the stone.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Do it slowly and let the stone do all the work.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;After each stroke, turn your razor around. Make a X-patten with each position and stroke.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Make sure the edge does not touch the stone because that will blunt the edge again.</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Repeat the process if you feel the razor is still blunt. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

Bottom Line

If you have been struggling to shave like your local barber does, consider implementing this guide and you can easily get a barbershop shave at home. Shaving by traditional razor blades is an old albeit a sure-fire way to get those unwanted hair off your face.