My Barbershop Shave with Johnnie the Barber

The Barbershop in the Bellagio

Affiliate Summit 2014 was in Las Vegas this year and I have been lucky enough to be there. The Bellagio Hotel has a salon and I thought I’d check it out.  They offered a head shaving service so that really piqued my interest. I did bring my shave tools with me but opted to go to the barber because … well … I wanted a guy spa day.

I scheduled my barbershop shave with Johnnie The Barber, who has been a barber for over twenty years and whose grandfather had also been one. So I felt like I was in good hands.  I decided to treat myself and go all out.  I got the head shave as well as their royal shave service.

It was a great straight razor (actually shavette … disposable blades for sanitary reasons) experience.  I really enjoyed it.  It started with a hot towel that contained Johnnie’s personal blend of lavender and essential other oils to relax and soften the hair. He applied a layer of minty pre-shave oil and then went hot lather machine.  The lather was applied and then my head and face was shaved with a straight razor.  My face shave was concluded with hot towel face wrapping, rejuvenating face mask, another hot towel, aftershave balm, cold towel (again with the same oil blend) to close the pores, and moisturizer.

Johnnie the barber enjoys a good shave so naturally we struck up a conversation.  So I had to ask, “if one were to try to get a barber like shave at home, what advice would you give them?”  As he was applying a layer of preshave oil, he said without hesitation: “Time and Prep.  Give yourself at least 20 minutes.  Warm up a (wet) towel in the microwave for your face. Treat yourself right because if you don’t who will.”I felt like I was doing a good job with my pre-shave prep, but I suppose it could always be tweaked. One of the points that Michael Hamm emphasized in his book Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving is a good prep routine.  Also, The Sharpologist recently wrote a nice article on shave prep (part of a series) 30 Days To A More Enjoyable Shave – Preparation which could serve as a good guide.

I walked away feeling great, not just from the shave, but the atmosphere that Johnnie tries to cultivate where men can pamper themselves. I felt like I had a really good conversation with him and am going to start paying attention to my prep routine.

How much time do you spend on your prep?


Follow Johnnie on instagram:  johnnie_the_barber 

Edit: had some inquire as to whether or not this was a complete head shave ... to answer, yes it was.  Shaved the gourd completely bald.  I shave my head with a Headblade regularly, but I wanted to treat myself to a barbershop head shave.