Shaving can be a bit of a chore, don’t you agree? We feel as though shaving at home is never as good as a shave we’d get from a barber. After all, they are professionally trained and come prepared with some of the best equipment. Whilst you may not want to replicate it exactly, we’ve adapted the barbershop shave and condensed it into 3 simple steps to give you a great shaving experience from the comfort of your own home.

First Things First: Equipment

Before starting your shave, it might be worth gathering together everything you need. You should already have a razor and the shaving product of your choice, however we also recommend getting a wash cloth and essential oils. We’ll go into this more later, but trust us, it’s essential for that barbershop shave at home.

The Preperation

Prepping your skin is the first, and potentially most important step. This is where the wash cloth comes in. If you've ever had a barbershop shave before, you'll know they press hot towels onto your face. As well as being ridiculously relaxing, this also helps to soften your facial hair, helping to give you a close, comfortable shave. Place a couple of drops of your chosen essential oil onto your wash cloth, run it under the hot water and apply it to your face.
The Shave

After you've prepped your skin, it's time to get on with the shave. Using a shaving brush to apply your shave cream helps to aerate the product and lift your facial hair away from the skin. Run your brush under hot water first, tap off the excess and then apply your cream.To get the smoothest shave, start at your sideburns and shave downwards along the hair, not against it. Leave your chin and moustache last as the hair here tends to be coarser, so you can give it more time to soften.
The Aftercare

Once you've completed your shave, don't stop there. Aftercare is equally important to ensuring your face is left as smooth and protected as possible. It also helps to make sure any future shaves are easier. The pores are open after shaving, so it's the perfect time to tone and moisturise. It'll keep your skin supple and soft. You could now hold a cold wash cloth over your face to close your pores, but make sure it's only slightly damp.

There you have it! If you follow the above steps you’re closer to having a barbershop shave from the comfort of your own home. What’s your favourite shaving tip? Tweet us and let us know @Mankindcouk.