A hot towel shave is a full-face shave done by a barber, with you lying back in the chair, using heat, oil and lather to prepare the skin and hair before the razor ever touches you. At our shops it takes about thirty minutes and starts at $25. The menu describes it in five words: pre-shave oil, hot lather, hot towels and aftercare.
That is the definition. What it actually feels like is something else. So here is the whole thing, step by step, the way you would experience it lying in the chair.
Before you lie back
You sit down and your barber asks a couple of questions. Is this a full clean shave, or are you keeping a mustache or a shape? How does your skin usually react to shaving — any razor bumps, any spots that always get irritated? Have you shaved yourself in the last day or two?
These are not small talk. A barber shaving skin that already has a day-old nick, or skin prone to ingrown hairs, will do a few things differently. Tell them everything.
Then the chair goes back. Most people are surprised how far.
Step 1: The first hot towel
A towel, steaming, is folded over your face from the chin up, leaving your nose clear. It is hot — not uncomfortable, but properly hot — and the first ten seconds are the moment most people decide they love this.
The heat is doing real work. It softens the beard hair so it cuts more easily, and it opens up the skin so the razor glides instead of dragging. Shaving at home over a cold sink skips this step entirely, which is a big part of why home shaves pull and sting.
Step 2: Pre-shave oil
The towel comes off and your barber works a pre-shave oil into the beard area. This adds a thin layer between skin and blade, so the razor slides more easily and the skin is less likely to get irritated. It also softens the hair a little more.
Step 3: Hot lather
Next, warm lather is brushed on in small circles. The brush lifts the hair away from the skin so it stands up to meet the razor rather than lying flat. Warm lather feels completely different from cold foam out of a can — thicker, slower, and much more comfortable.
Step 4: The razor
This is the part people are nervous about the first time, so we will be specific. The barber stretches the skin with one hand and shaves with the other, in short, controlled strokes. The first pass usually follows the direction the hair grows. That alone gives most people a very clean result with very little irritation.
Depending on your skin and how close you want it, there may be a second pass after relathering. If you are prone to razor bumps, say so: a barber can keep the shave slightly less close in sensitive areas, which is usually the right trade.
You will not be talking much during this bit. You will not want to.
Step 5: Another hot towel
When the shave is done, another hot towel. This one clears off the last of the lather and gives the freshly shaved skin a moment to calm down. Most people say this is the best part of the entire service.
Step 6: Aftercare
Finally, aftercare: something to soothe the skin and keep it from drying out. Then the chair comes back up, and you get the mirror. Run your hand across your jaw. That is the bit people remember.
How it differs from shaving at home
- Heat. Hot towels soften the hair and prepare the skin far more than a hot shower does.
- Angle. Lying back lets the barber see and reach every part of your face, including under the jaw and down the neck — the places you guess at in a mirror.
- Skin stretching. A barber can hold the skin taut with one hand while shaving with the other. That is very hard to do on yourself.
- Patience. At home, you are trying to be done before you are late. In the chair, the whole half-hour is about the shave.
Who a hot towel shave is good for
- Anyone with a big day coming up. A wedding, a job interview, a funeral, family photos. Book it the day before or the morning of.
- Beard owners going clean. Taking off a long beard at home is miserable. A barber does it properly.
- People with irritation-prone skin. Not because a barber can make sensitive skin disappear, but because good preparation and a careful first pass usually go much better than a rushed home shave.
- Gifts. Plenty of people book one for a father, partner or groomsman. It is a half-hour of being looked after.
What it smells, sounds and feels like
People who have never had one ask this more than you would think. The heat is the main sensation — a steady warmth across the face. The lather smells clean and is warm, not cold. The razor, done properly, makes a faint scratching sound you feel more than hear. And there is a lot of quiet. For half an hour, nobody needs anything from you.
A few honest notes
Razor bumps and ingrown hairs
Close shaving can cause ingrown hairs in some people, especially those with tightly curled hair. The Mayo Clinic’s guide to ingrown hair explains why, and suggests shaving with the direction of growth and softening the hair first — both of which are built into a hot towel shave. If it is a recurring problem, tell your barber, and see a doctor if bumps become painful or infected.
Recent shaving
Let a day or two of growth come in first if you can. The shave works better, and your skin will thank you.
Skin conditions
If you have an active rash, cut or skin condition on your face, mention it. Your barber may suggest waiting or working around it.
Booking one before a wedding or big event
Timing matters more than people think.
- The day before is often ideal. Any slight redness has time to settle overnight, and the shave still looks fresh on the day.
- The morning of works if your skin does not react much to shaving. Leave enough time not to be rushing.
- Do not try a hot towel shave for the first time on the morning of your own wedding. Do a trial a few weeks before, so you know how your skin reacts.
- For a groom and groomsmen, a group booking or a house call can take the stress out of the day. House calls start at $225 anywhere in Western New York.
Looking after your skin afterward
Freshly shaved skin is a little more sensitive for the rest of the day. A few simple rules:
- Hands off. Touching it all day is the quickest route to irritation.
- No harsh products for the rest of the day — skip anything with a lot of alcohol or strong fragrance.
- Moisturize in the evening, gently.
- Sunscreen if you are going to be outside for long. Fresh skin burns more easily.
First-timer worries, answered
- “What if I move?” You will not, much. The chair is reclined and your head is supported. Barbers are very used to people who are nervous the first time.
- “What if I need to sneeze?” Say so, or raise a hand. The razor comes away. It happens.
- “Can I keep my mustache?” Yes. Tell your barber before they start what you want to keep.
Adding it to a haircut
A hot towel shave is its own service, separate from the Classic. If you want a haircut and a clean shave in one visit, book both back to back. If you want a haircut and want to keep your beard, book Classic & Beard instead — that includes beard sculpting and line work, not a shave. And if you are only after a clean neck and outline between cuts, the Edge Up includes a neck shave for $12.
Hot towel shave vs. the other options
- Hot Towel Shave, from $25: a full-face clean shave with the works. Best when you want to be clean-shaven.
- Classic & Beard, from $35: a full haircut plus beard sculpting and line work. Best when you are keeping your beard.
- Edge Up, from $12: edging and a neck shave. Best for a quick clean-up between cuts.
If you are torn, book the haircut and ask your barber. They will tell you honestly whether a shave is worth adding.
Where to get one
Both of our shops offer the Hot Towel Shave. This guide sits with our Williamsville shop at 6100 Main St., where Jon Palmeri, Dave Scolla, Michael Falzone and Bryan Castronova all do shaves. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 9AM to 6PM, Saturday 8AM to noon.
Book online or call 716-389-0192. If you are booking for a groom or a wedding party, our private parties page is worth a look too. And if it is your first time in the shop, the Williamsville barber guide covers the rest.
The short version
Hot towel, oil, warm lather, careful razor, another hot towel, aftercare. Thirty minutes, from $25. The closest shave most people have ever had, and the most relaxed they have been in a barber’s chair. If you have only ever shaved over a sink, it is worth doing once just to find out what you have been missing.
