You can shave yourself. Most men do. But there's a reason a good straight-razor shave from a barber is something guys will drive an hour for. Done right, it's the closest, most comfortable shave you'll ever get, and it turns ten minutes of chore into a full stop in the middle of the day.
Here's what a traditional barbershop shave looks like at The Holy Black Barbershop, at 168 N Wellwood Ave in Lindenhurst, New York.
Step one: hot towel
You lean back. The chair reclines the whole way. A steamed towel goes over your face for a couple of minutes. This isn't for show. Heat opens the pores, softens the beard, and gets the skin ready for a blade to move across it. Skip this step and you'll feel it.
Step two: pre-shave oil
A few drops of oil worked into the beard. The Holy Black Snake Oil for most of our chairs — it lifts the hairs off the skin so the blade catches them, and it puts a slick layer between the razor and the skin. This is what makes the shave close without cutting.
Step three: lather
Real lather from a soap and a brush. Not a can of foam. The Holy Black Artisan Shaving Soap is triple-milled and whips up thick, and the brush works it into the beard from every angle. This is the step canned foam skips, and it's the one that matters most for a comfortable shave.
Step four: the pass
Straight razor, moving with the grain first. The barber stretches the skin taut with the other hand and takes the beard off in short deliberate strokes. Depending on how close you want it, a second pass goes across the grain, and a third against. Each pass takes a fresh coat of lather.
Step five: cold towel + tonic
Cold towel to close the pores. Then Aftershave Tonic — alcohol-based, disinfects any tiny nicks, tightens the skin, leaves the Gunpowder Spice scent behind. Some guys finish with a light moisturizer. Most don't need it.
Step six: you look at yourself and stand up different
That's it. Maybe 25-30 minutes from lean-back to lean-forward.
Coming in
We're at 168 N Wellwood Ave, Lindenhurst, NY 11757. Two blocks north of Sunrise Highway. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 6pm. Book at Squire. Kevin, Tony, Saul, Anthony, Nick, Robby, and RJ all do the full menu — cut, shave, beard trim, or all three.
Not in Lindenhurst? Every product we use on the chair is on the site. Same routine at home, minus the reclining chair.