Shaves
The straight razor shave: what to expect from a traditional barbershop shave
Most men have never had a proper shave. They've shaved themselves ten thousand times — rushed, in a bathroom mirror, with a cartridge razor — but they've never sat in a barber's chair, felt a hot towel land on their face and let someone who does this for a living take over. The full face straight razor shave is €40 on our board, it takes around half an hour, and here's exactly what happens in that chair.
Step one: the hot towels
The shave starts before any blade appears. Hot towels go on your face — usually more than one round — and they're doing real work, not theater. Heat softens the beard hair (dry beard hair is surprisingly tough — comparable to copper wire of the same thickness), opens the pores, and relaxes the skin so it sits flatter under the blade. This is the single biggest thing a barbershop shave has over your bathroom: preparation your morning routine never allows.
Step two: oil and lather
Pre-shave oil goes on next, creating a slip layer between skin and steel. Then warm lather, worked in with a brush — which lifts each hair away from the skin instead of flattening it the way hands or canned foam do. By the time the razor touches your face, every hair is soft, lubricated and standing at attention.
Step three: the razor
The shave itself happens in passes. The first pass goes with the grain of your beard — this removes most of the hair with zero irritation. Then fresh lather, and a second pass across or against the grain for closeness. A straight razor cuts each hair cleanly at skin level in one stroke; there's no tugging, no multiple blades scraping the same spot, which is exactly why razor shaves cause less irritation than the five-blade cartridge you use at home, not more. The barber keeps your skin taut through every stroke — that tension is the real secret of a nick-free shave.
Step four: the finish
A cold towel closes the pores, then aftershave or moisturizer calms the skin. You'll walk out with the closest shave you've ever had — noticeably smoother than any home shave, and it stays that way longer because the hair was cut clean at the surface rather than bent and sawed.
Who this is for
Grooms on wedding mornings. Guys retiring a beard and wanting to do it right. Anyone with persistent razor burn from cartridge razors who wants to feel the difference technique makes. And honestly — anyone who wants thirty minutes where the phone stays in the pocket and the only job is to sit still.
Getting a straight razor shave in Zagreb
The full face shave is €40 at Kačićeva ulica 10, Zagreb city center, walk-ins only — no appointment, just come by. A fade plus a shave is the full reset. If you're keeping the beard but want razor-crisp lines instead, the beard trim guide covers your options.