The First Pass
To prepare for "the blade," Gill says a person should initial completely wash his face with hot water -- as hot as he will stand it -- to get rid of all the natural oils that accumulate.
Gill uses an antique hot towel steamer to organize the numerous hot towels -- seven to be precise -- that he applies throughout the shave. Why seven hot towels? "Because it’s a mystical range and I’m Irish and we’re superstitious,” answered Gill. For the person at home, however, he recommends simply using hot water.
Once the face is cleansed and therefore the skin rendered soft and supple, apply a couple of drops of shave oil. the kind of oil is user’s selection, says Gill. On customers, Gill uses his own complete of shave oil that is a mix of natural ingredients.
“[Shaving oils] very are a boon to shaving -- it’s what helps build our shave here higher,” said Gill. “The shave is more leisurely after you use a shave oil. It cuts down on the razor burn. individuals can say, ‘But I’ve got oily skin.’ It doesn’t matter if you’ve got oily skin. You’re not leaving this on. You’re laundry your face afterwards.”
After applying shave oil as a base, apply a layer of shaving cream over it. Again, the complete or kind of shave cream is up to the person. Gill uses a range of English creams as a result of “[the English] have developed them an extended, durable and have lots of expertise.” He applies the lather employing a badger-bristle brush. the advantages of employing a brush are twofold: you'll be able to apply even hotter water to your face than you'll along with your fingertips and therefore the brush lifts the hair follicle. It exfoliates the skin and helps the soap penetrate.
Once you are oiled and lathered up, pass the blade over your face going with the grain. “You will see I’m moving my hand around attempting to seek out where the grain is, virtually just like the scales on a fish,” said Gill. “What we’re doing here, with shave cream and a wee little bit of oil, we’re doing what’s known as the primary pass. you would like to travel with the grain and not against it on the primary pass.”
The Second Pass
After applying 2 a lot of hot towels, removing the extraneous lather from the primary pass, Gill applies another layer of shave oil. As he will therefore, a soothing silence settles in -- a silence kind of like the meditative quiet of knowledgeable massage spa.
“We have this space as a result of it’s quiet, there’s no talking -- it suits us,” said Gill. “There’s that famous quote by Winston Churchill concerning aiming to the barber. He sits down and therefore the barber says, ‘Mr. Churchill, how would you wish your hair cut?’ Churchill says, ‘In complete silence.’”
After applying the oil, move the blade across the face going against the grain, explained Gill. “By now, the skin is therefore pliable and soft -- virtually such as you were sitting within the tub tub for twenty minutes.”
This second pass is additionally the ultimate pass; it's when men ought to rummage around for any missed spots or resistant hairs. If there are missed hairs, or you are tidying up a goatee or beard, simply apply extra oil and follow with the razor.
Finalize the shave with a dose of cold water. Gill uses a towel plucked from a bucket of ice to invigorate the skin and shut the pores, or “bring the client back to what we have a tendency to decision the land of the living.”
Following the brisk towel treatment, Gill rubs a soothing after-shave balm into the skin. Again, he notes that the complete is of very little importance as long as it’s alcohol free. "Eventually over time, using it on a daily basis, ensuing time you shave your skin isn't quite as dry."
The Blade
You may be wondering concerning the simplest blade. the controversy rages on relating to that blade provides the cleanest shave. Gill acknowledges that several men believe a straight razor provides the closest shave. One inspect his shop’s on-line client reviews shows there's a powerful belief that a straight razor is that the final in a very barbershop shave. However, consistent with Gill, trendy cartridge razors with multiple blades unequivocally gift the simplest choice.
Why doesn’t he believe a straight razor is superior? “Because it’s primitive technology,” answered Gill. “Same reason as why the ride in a very Model T wouldn't be nearly as good as riding in a very Suburban.”
Modern straight razors don't seem to be identical as their ancestors, says Gill. they are disposable blades place into a straight razor mechanism. Present-day blades -- Gill favors a Gillette Mach three Turbo -- are simply a more robust blade. “[Straight razors] are a press release of macho. They’re not as sharp or nearly as good because the trendy blades. They’re not horribly the worst issue to ever happen. however it’s not {a closer|a better|a a lot of in-depth} shave -- and there’s more probability of irritation and cuts.”
Gill says younger men can are available in and argue with him concerning the advantages of the straight-razor shave. Citing his quite forty years of expertise, Gill makes it clear that he has no interest in driving a Model T. “What we have a tendency to do here with the shave could be a mixing of technology. We’re keeping lots of the traditions alive, however there’s the simplest way to create things higher -- represent the past, respect it -- while not being a Luddite. You don’t got to drive around in a very Model T. You don’t got to provide the soldiers muskets to travel to war. There are higher ways that to try and do things.”
