The Full Treatment

How many of you guys on the weekends, do the hot towel, lather, hot
towel, re-lather, the shave, hot towel, aftershave like the full barber shop experience? I always like to imagine myself being in the barber shop BS'n with the locals and getting the full treatment. Wish I had that kind of time every day. I like the barber shop conversation so much that I joined a local cigar club where the guys come in and smoke cigars, talk politics, sports, movies, etc. I could only imagine an old barber chair in there. We have really stepped back into an ejoyable space in time. Lynn

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Originally Posted by adjustme69

How many of you guys on the weekends, do the hot towel, lather, hot
towel, re-lather, the shave, hot towel, aftershave like the full barber shop experience? I always like to imagine myself being in the barber shop BS'n with the locals and getting the full treatment. Wish I had that kind of time every day. I like the barber shop conversation so much that I joined a local cigar club where the guys come in and smoke cigars, talk politics, sports, movies, etc. I could only imagine an old barber chair in there. We have really stepped back into an ejoyable space in time. Lynn

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I would love to but I have a six year old and a twelve year old and even on weekends I don't have enough free time. That's what I get for having kids later in life. The only free time are breaks at work (lol) :D

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Originally Posted by RichZ

I would love to but I have a six year old and a twelve year old and even on weekends I don't have enough free time. That's what I get for having kids later in life. The only free time are breaks at work (lol) :D

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Well, if you're shaving at work...I hope you're wearing a towel!

RT

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Originally Posted by rtaylor61

Well, if you're shaving at work...I hope you're wearing a towel!

RT

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Why do I think I will never live that down lol:D

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Originally Posted by RichZ

Why do I think I will never live that down lol:D

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Just make 5 more posts and I promise never to broach the subject again. Maybe. :rant:

RT

Do we have a Postmeister level.......lmao! Lynn

I do the hot and wet washclothes, lather (thin layer), more hot/wet washclothes, re-lather (thick layer), shave, hot washcloth face rinse, ice cold water soaked washclothes, alum block on the wet face, dry up, rub in a little skin food, splash on some aftershave and I'm good to go!! The whole process takes me about 45 minutes...but it's worth every second!!!

Of course, all this is performed standing up. However, I'd much prefer being seated in the barber's chair.

Jeff

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Originally Posted by adjustme69

Do we have a Postmeister level.......lmao! Lynn

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Maybe a bullshitmeister:D
or a Postmeister general

I have an irregular schedule, so 'weekends' don't quite mean the same, but I will give myself The Full Treatment once or twice a month as I feel the need to pamper. My daily shaving technique continues to evolve as well. I was doing two passes and a touch-up at the end of last year, now I'm more frequently doing a once over, but that could change.

X

I was having a hard time trying to shave everyday with the straight (since I just started about 12 days ago :D ) I get up at 6:00 a.m. to be at work by 7:00 and I am not a morning person. so the early straight will not work for me,now what I do is when I get home in the evening I make it my time. I have one of those small electric water heaters that gives boiling water on command to our master bathroom (sink, shower and jacuzzi) so I use the hot towel and hold it to my face,shave,towel ,relather etc. I do take a while ,the hair on my face grows wierd,up and down and in circular pattern but when I am finished I do spray my face with DaVinci water ,then thayers laveder witch hazel. followed by ems aftershave balm. its a great little ritual that I am enjoying.
Now like I have said before near my house there are old time barbershops
they do shave ( they are owned an operated by old time cuban barbers) even though Iam cuban myself, I find they always talk about the old cuban politics,castro or how much land they owned and lost,
and it gets old after a while. there are many cigar bars here as well with nice leather recliners, magazines and a friendly crowd. there are many cigar factorys here as well. parties and weddings usally offer a cigar roller giving out cigars as he makes them. so does anyone want :D to start a buisness down here? we can open a shave shop/cigar bar with dominoe tables as well!

My "weekends" are any days I have off or work late which frees the mornings. The best I have found is: Shower/wash face, shampoo hair + beard stubble. Lather with Dove exfoliating bar with boar bristle brush. At this piont if I am going to work soon I shave with a Gillette heavy adjustable. If it's a pamper day then the hot towel goes on over the lather with several re-heats from the full hot shower head and re-wrap. Then another lather. After shower dry everything except stubble. Check on hot pot with wash cloth over top which was on prior to shower; rainwater is the best. Make sure Jazz station is on radio (KCSM 91.1). Wrap a large towel around waist and secure with a belt; you never know when the towel will "let go"; and then slippers to protect feet. I have never dropped or nicked a razor but being careful is worth the effort. The razor was stropped prior to shower after heating it in very hot water and dried quickly prior to strop. Hot washcloth on stubble several times then lather with badger brush, cup, and Classic Vanilla cake soap (or Dove bar) with a hot, wet brush. Turn tap water down to warm and shave. Three passes (with re-lathering each time) with hot brush in 3 directions and a touch-up rinsing razor as needed in warm water and wiping to just below edge with an old, clean, and thin towel. I never let the water or lather get to the pivot. If it should I dry immediately with pipe cleaner and sponge. I usually strop between one of the passes and for sure before the touch-up. I can almost always get a BB smooth perfect shave by this method. If not it will usually be a not perfectly sharp razor or an error in technique. Hot water rinse to clear any soap followed by cold water washcloth. Let face dry while razor is heated with very hot water, wiped dry with artificial sponge cloth, heated with wife's hair dryer and then stropped while warm. Pinaud Bay rum is my usual after shave. I really love it when it when it all comes together. Very satisfying.
Monte

I absolutely look forward to a un-rushed shave on the weekends. I sometimes get an extra minute during the weekend and sneak in an extra towel before the second shave just for kicks. I always use at least one hot towel before the first trip down my tree trunks and after applying the skin food I use another one as a finishing technique. Hot towels make a real difference between the comfort and closeness of my shaves. jmsbcknr

I will assume the "tree trunks" to which you refer to are not your legs, rather, some part of your face.

Is this a safe assumption???

Jeff

I try to give myself a good shave every morning - but when I want the full treatment, I have to find a barber. It's just not as relaxing when you do it yourself.

As for the cigar - I hear ya, Lynn. I want to be like Capone in that opening scene of The Untouchables - chit chatting as I get my shave. Though without the cut. And I don't think he had a stogie at the time.

One of these days, I'll have a finished basement with a barber chair. :P

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Originally Posted by adjustme69

How many of you guys on the weekends, do the hot towel, lather, hot
towel, re-lather, the shave, hot towel, aftershave like the full barber shop experience? I always like to imagine myself being in the barber shop BS'n with the locals and getting the full treatment. Wish I had that kind of time every day. I like the barber shop conversation so much that I joined a local cigar club where the guys come in and smoke cigars, talk politics, sports, movies, etc. I could only imagine an old barber chair in there. We have really stepped back into an ejoyable space in time. Lynn

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I do this every morning. Unfortunately it means that in order to get my workout completed, shave, dress and get to work by 0700 I have to get up at 0330. But it is worth it all to start the day with a BB feeling face where the wiskers don't begin to peek out until 7-8 pm.

I was until just recently doing the shower shave routine. Now whenever i get the chance i do the whole shebang, Hot towels lather, hot towels lather, lather, shave, hot towel lather, lather, shave and so on for three passes. amazing!!
Its more relaxing but i still think a real barber shave is better because of the environment, old men talking about the good old days! As a marine i got my hair cut once or twice a week so i also got a full shave just because the opportunity was there.

I would love to say yes, but alas, I cannot. All i do after the shower is sometimes use preshave oil, lather, shave (two passes with the grain on the face, two passes on the neck one down and one up), splash the scent of the day on my face, and call it good. I get a BBS shave. I have a three year old and a 1 1/2 year old, and I can't justify taking more time away from them in the pursuit of that "perfect" shave, which would only be marginally better than what I already achieve. One extra hour a week equals 52 hours per year, or more than a work week, I could have spent with my daughters and wife. I know it seems small, but at the rate these girls are growing I don't want to miss anything I am not forced to miss (through work).

I do the full treatment most days. On weekends I try to lay off so I get a good shave on Monday.

I took the time for a full treatment yesterday. Loved it. I try to do that at least every week. J.

I'm in the honeymoon period of straight razor shaving and every day that I do shave is a full treatment day. I look forward to each experience.

I've made some different choices but one thing I doubt I'll regret is the time I've spent on shaving.

Thanks again Lynn and Tony for your products and efforts and thanks to all those who add what they can to this forum.

I'd want to get the barber treatment from a barber before I tried to replicate it at home.

I usually try to replicate the experience on Sunday morning. The full lather hot towel treatment..takes about 45 min and is extremely relaxing. I usually concentrate on taking my time on each pass and getting the shave so BBS there's no need to shave on Monday.

Y'know, I don't do this. I never do this and it's a wonder really. Must be laziness. I don't like having to hang and wash extra towewls. I've got plenty so what's my excuse? I've often got the time too.

In my defense I have to say that shaving out of the shower gives me ample prep and I really don't feel I need to do more. It's conservation of energy too. After the shower my beard is ready for a shave so why not take one. :D

If I were denied a shower and forced to sponge bathe on a day when I needed or really wanted a shave, I'd go for the multiple hot towels and latherings. The few times I have done it, it has been very pleasurable and great prep too, of course.

Thanks, Lynn. You've got me feeling like I can step up. :tu

X

What a well-timed post, Lynn! I used to focus loads on beard prep when starting out. But as I've been getting better at shaving with a straight I've cut corners here and there to be a little quicker (down from 40 minutes to 25). One of the corners I cut was the whole hot flannel routine I used.

Anyway, despite freshly honed razors, I've been noticing some irritation and burn on and off for the last few weeks. As a result of this thread, last night I decided to go for the whole treatment. Hot flannels for 10 minutes, radio on, proraso pre-shave followed by T&H pre-shave oil before using hot lather via Moss scuttle... you get the picture.

Boy! What a shave! BBS, no irritation, nice and smooth.I've been focusing on honing so much recently that clearly I've lapsed on beard prep. So thanks for the reminder! :tu

As I shave at night, there really is no excuse not to do the full treatment.

I do the full works maybe once or twice a week, I've started shaving in the evenings now so I'm doing it more often as I don't have a shower before shaving.

Incidentally, my shaves are now better than I get my local barbers shop - so I don't really yearn for barbers shaves these days. Maybe if there was a decent one close by I would. The last time I had a barbers shave it was very nice and relaxing, but it wasn't BBS or even close. I lathered up and did it properly as soon as I got home! :roflmao

I wont shave unless I have time to do the full works!

It does mean that tonight I go to the movies looking like jack sparrow, but then, I am going to see the pirates of the caribbean!!

Tomorrow I have an appointment in my bathroom, at 1510, and the beard will come off in the proper way!!!!

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I'd want to get the barber treatment from a barber before I tried to replicate it at home.

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Not an option in Ontario atm. Freaking gov't banned straight razor shaves in barbershops.

I've never had he whole works.

As a matter of fact the closest I've ever been to a hot towel is one fresh from the dryer or a couple of towels I stole from a nice hotel near where I used to live.

They had this super nice HUGE pool with lots of hot tubs and tourist women.

Only problem was you had to have the same towel as the hotel provided to guests or you'd get run off !!!

Easy enough....... YOINK ! Hehehehe ... hello ladies.. where you here from? :cool:

Ok back on topic. I'm going to try the hot towel thing right now. Should 45 seconds in the microwave be long enough??

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Originally Posted by gratewhitehuntr

...Ok back on topic. I'm going to try the hot towel thing right now. Should 45 seconds in the microwave be long enough??

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I use wash cloths - I do three at the same time - get 'em wet and roll 'em up - about 1-1/2 to 2 mins (just watch for steam) - works like a champ

-whatever

-Lou

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Originally Posted by jmsbcknr

Unfortunately it means that in order to get my workout completed, shave, dress and get to work by 0700 I have to get up at 0330.

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:eek: :eek: :eek:

My morning routine used to be:
6.31 -> alarm goes off and I stumble to the bathroom like a zombie.
6.33 -> brushing teeth, putting on clothes.
6.37 -> go dowstairs, eat a sandwich I made before going to bed.
6.43 -> visit the porcelain peripheral
6.47 -> put lunchbox in laptop bag, take keys, wallet, gsm, half a stick of peppermint.
6.51 -> leave.

Now that I work only 15 minutes away, I take a bit more time because I drive to work with my wife, and we drop off our daughter at day care.
But still, my brain was not designed to be functional before 06:01

Every Day!

I'm retired and have the time, so why not. I look forward to my shave every day.

Maybe I need to get a life.:shrug:

Steve B.

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Originally Posted by Creel

Not an option in Ontario atm. Freaking gov't banned straight razor shaves in barbershops.

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Are you kiddin' me!?!?!? :eek:

X

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Originally Posted by Bruno

But still, my brain was not designed to be functional before 06:01

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Which is why I wait till at least 6:10 before shaving. And any feather use has to wait till at least 6:45, or there'll be blood in the basin.

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Originally Posted by Creel

Not an option in Ontario atm. Freaking gov't banned straight razor shaves in barbershops.

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Well, I've had a (lousy) disposable straight razor shave in town, but yeah, I doubt you're going to find anyone who'll shave you with a genuine straight edge they've honed on their own. I suppose you could bring in your own razor, but that wouldn't exactly give you the whole experience, would it? Kind of like driving your own car to a cab stand, hopping in the back seat and tossing the keys to a driver.

Someone told me that there's a high quality barbershop that gives shaves on or around Sparks St., but I haven't looked into it. Again, they're with disposable blades, but whaddayagonnado?

As for my shaving habits... well... I've been slacking quite a bit lately. Over the past few weeks I've been using my DE quite a bit. I'm not a morning person either, so I hit the snooze button as many times as possible before getting up, showering and rushing out the door to work. It shaves much more quickly, but it's definitely inferior to the straight, and I've got an unpresentable amount of growth by the next morning and I'm forced to repeat the process.

A couple of days ago I busted out the ol' Thiers-Issard, though, and had a nice little shave. I was then inspired to refresh the edge on my Goldedge, so I took it to the hone and had a nice BBS shave afterwords. 24 hours later, the stubble is there, but it's not substantial enough to warrant a shave. That'll have to wait until tomorrow. So! I spent the last hour sharpening the hell out two other razors of mine: my best, shiniest Wade and Butcher full hollow, and a Boker full-hollow. Man, those things are deadly sharp now. I ran them in turn across my forearm, and it was almost as if the hairs sliced away before the blade touched them... perhaps out of fear! I'm quite confident in my honing abilities these days, after implementing a few basic techniques I had known for a long time, but was often too impatient to use. "Is it sharp yet?? Is it sharp yet??"

I often skip the hot towels, since I almost always shave after hopping out of the shower. If I decide in the evening that I want to shave, this means I'm deciding to first take a shower... and then I shave.