A hot towel shave is the one service most men have never had done for them. It's slower than shaving at home, closer, and easier on the skin — and half the reason people come back is that it's thirty minutes of doing nothing.
1. Preparing the skin
The shave starts with heat. Hot towels over the face open the pores, soften the beard and bring blood to the skin so it shaves cleanly. Oils go on before the lather to let the blade glide instead of scrape.
2. The lather and the blade
A proper lather, brushed on, lifts the hair. Your barber shaves with the grain first, working from the neck up to the cheeks and chin and paying extra attention to coarse spots like the sideburns and under the jaw. A second pass across the grain gives the closeness you can't get from a cartridge razor.
3. Aftercare
A cool towel closes the pores, then a moisturizing product calms the skin. This is the part most people skip at home — and the reason a barbershop shave doesn't leave you red.
Shave or beard service?
If you want the whole face clean, book the Hot Razor Shave ($40, 30 min). If you're keeping the beard and want it shaped with clean razor edges, that's the Full Beard Service ($40, 30 min). A clipper-only tidy is a Beard Trim ($30). Not sure which? Ask when you sit down, or call the shop.
At home afterwards
Skip alcohol-based aftershaves; a fragrance-free moisturizer is easier on freshly shaved skin. Give the face a day before you shave again. If you liked the result, a shave pairs well with a haircut — Haircut & Shave is on the menu as a single appointment.
Prices and times are as listed in Chico's online booking menu; check current options when booking.
