Hot Towel Shave in London: What Happens and Is It Worth It?

A hot towel shave is a traditional wet shave done for you by a barber: hot towels soften the beard, the skin is prepared with oil and lather, and the hair is taken off with a straight razor, usually in two passes, before the skin is cooled and finished. Expect 20 to 30 minutes lying back with your eyes closed. Whether it is worth it depends on what you want from it: the closest, most even shave you will get, twenty to thirty minutes of being entirely unavailable, or both. Here is exactly what happens, and who it does and does not suit.

What happens, step by step

Details vary, but a proper hot towel shave follows a recognisable sequence:

1. Consultation. A short conversation before the chair goes back: how often you shave, any razor rash, ingrown hairs or skin conditions, and what, if anything, you want to keep: a moustache, a beard line.
2. Recline and first towel. The chair tips back and a hot, damp towel is wrapped over the lower face, leaving the nose clear. It stays for a minute or two. Its job is practical: warm, wet hair is softer and cuts with less drag.
3. Pre-shave oil. A thin layer of oil is worked into the beard. It sits between skin and lather and helps the blade glide.
4. Lather. Shaving cream or soap is whipped with a brush and applied in circular strokes. The brush lifts the hairs away from the skin and works lather around each one, which a can of foam cannot do.
5. Second towel. Many barbers apply another hot towel over the lather to keep everything warm and soft. In a shave done properly, the beard should never be allowed to dry out.
6. First pass, with the grain. The barber shaves in the direction the hair grows, holding the skin taut with the free hand. This removes most of the length with minimal irritation.
7. Re-lather and second pass. Depending on your skin, the second pass goes across the grain or, for those who can tolerate it, against it. This is where the closeness comes from, and where an experienced barber will judge how far to push.
8. Cool towel. A cold towel closes things down, calms redness and feels considerably better than it sounds.
9. Finish. An alcohol-free balm or moisturiser. Some shops still use a sharp splash of aftershave; if you have sensitive skin, ask for balm instead.

Some barbers also tidy brows or include a short face massage; ask what is included when you book.

Why a barber’s shave is closer than your own

Three reasons, none of them mysterious. Preparation: the beard has had several minutes of heat and moisture, far more than the thirty seconds most men give it at the sink. Angle: a straight razor is held at a shallow angle by someone who can see the whole of your face, including under the jaw and around the corners of the mouth, where most home shaves leave patches. Tension: the barber stretches the skin flat with one hand while shaving with the other, so the blade meets a level surface rather than a contour.

A note on blades. Most barbers today use a straight razor with a disposable blade, changed for each client. This is the norm for hygiene reasons, and it is reasonable to ask to see a fresh blade go in.

How to prepare

• Leave two or three days of growth. Very short stubble is harder to shave cleanly, and the hot towel has less to work on. A couple of days gives the barber a beard to lift.
• Skip exfoliants and retinoid products for a few days beforehand. Freshly exfoliated skin is more reactive under a blade. If you use prescription skincare, tell the barber.
• Mention anything unusual on your face. Moles, raised scars, active spots or a recent cold sore all change how the barber works. Active infection or broken skin usually means postponing.
• If it is your first, book it the day before a big event, not the morning of, so any redness can settle.

Who it suits, and who it does not

It suits men who shave regularly and want to know what a properly close, even shave feels like, men who usually wear stubble and want a reset before something formal, and anyone who finds half an hour of total stillness hard to come by. It also makes a good gift for the right person.

It is less suitable if you have very coarse, tightly curled hair that is prone to ingrown hairs, because the closest shave is often precisely what causes the problem. In that case, a shave that stops at one pass with the grain, or a close clipper trim instead, may serve you better. It is also not the right service if you have an active skin infection, an inflamed rash, or a condition your GP or dermatologist has told you to keep a razor away from. If in doubt, check with your GP first.

Sensitive skin: what to ask for

If razors usually leave you red or bumpy, a barber’s shave can actually be gentler than your own, provided you say so at the start. Ask for:

• With-the-grain only, or with and across. Skipping the against-the-grain pass trades a fraction of closeness for much less irritation.
• Fragrance-free products where possible, particularly the finishing balm.
• No alcohol splash.
• A light touch on the neck, where hair often grows in several directions and irritation is most common.

These line up with the NHS advice on avoiding ingrown hairs: shave in the direction of growth, use as few strokes as possible, avoid shaving too closely, and use a sharp blade. A good barber will apply all of that without being asked, but it does no harm to mention it.

Aftercare: the next 48 hours

• Keep the face clean and moisturised. A plain, unscented moisturiser morning and night is enough.
• Hold off on exfoliants, acids and retinoids for a day or two.
• Avoid very hot showers directly on the face, and heavy sweating if your skin felt tender in the chair.
• Use sunscreen if you are outdoors. Freshly shaved skin is more exposed than it has been in weeks if you usually wear stubble.
• Do not shave again yourself for a couple of days. The shave will last, and going over it with a cartridge razor tends to undo the evenness.
• If small bumps appear, leave them alone. Picking is what turns an ingrown hair into an infected one.

Is it worth it?

As a weekly replacement for your own shave, for most people, no. It costs more and takes longer than shaving at home, and the result, while better, does not last dramatically longer. Be sceptical of anyone who tells you otherwise.

As an occasional service, it earns its place in three situations. Before something that matters, where you want the best possible shave without risking a nick at your own sink at 7am. As a reset, if you have been wearing stubble and want to see your jawline again properly. And as a genuine break, because very little else in a London week involves lying down with a hot towel over your face while someone else does the work.

Book one and notice what the barber does differently: longer preparation, a brush, the grain first. Take those habits home and your own shave improves even if you never book another.

If you wear a beard rather than shaving clean, the shaving work on the cheeks and neckline is covered in our guide to getting a beard trim right. If you are new to the area, our piece on how to find the best barber in Highgate explains what to look for.

Hot towel shaves in Highgate

The Highgate Cuts team offers hot towel shaves alongside fades, scissor cuts and beard work on the ground floor of The Highgate House, a corner building on Archway Road, N6, about five minutes from Highgate tube. If you are coming from Crouch End, Muswell Hill, Archway or Hampstead, it is a short trip rather than a journey into the West End. Full details are on our barber page. We have not published prices yet, so see the barber menu or email us.

Questions we get asked

How long does a hot towel shave take?

Plan for around 20 to 30 minutes in the chair, longer if you add a haircut. It should not be rushed, so do not book it with a meeting straight after.

Does a straight razor shave hurt?

It should not. A properly prepared beard and a fresh blade make it more comfortable than most home shaves. If anything stings, say so and the barber will adjust.

Can I have a hot towel shave and keep my moustache or beard?

Yes. Tell the barber what to keep and the razor work will be confined to the cheeks, neck and outline.

Can I combine it with a haircut?

Yes, and it is a sensible pairing before an event. Mention both when you email so we allow enough time.

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Book with The Highgate House

Ready for a proper cut? Email us at [email protected] with the service and the day that suits you, and we will come back to you with times.

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The Highgate House, Archway Road, Highgate, London N6.