I will be in NYC next week and have made an appointment to get the Ultimate Haircut and Shave at New York Shaving Company. Have any of you been there and had this service? If so, could you tell me what I can expect from this experience? Many thanks in advance.
New York Shaving Company
- Thread starter Toopskees
- Start date
I have had the AOS shave in Midtown, but not the NYSC. Please let us know how it goes so I can visit there if you have a good experience.
video tape it if you can =)
One word of advice as someone who lives in NY and has had an 'ultimate' shave there:
Manage your expectations. It is a pleasant experience with the chair, towels, balms, etc. But, it is not some panacea for an incredible shave. I didn't even find it a particularly close shave and I felt the barber worked WAY too fast. Almost as if he just wanted to get me out of the chair as fast as he could.
So, enjoy it for the overall experience, but don't expect the best shave you have ever had in your life.
There are plenty of threads on B&B that will tell you the same thing.
Good luck and enjoy your time in town.
Manage your expectations. It is a pleasant experience with the chair, towels, balms, etc. But, it is not some panacea for an incredible shave. I didn't even find it a particularly close shave and I felt the barber worked WAY too fast. Almost as if he just wanted to get me out of the chair as fast as he could.
So, enjoy it for the overall experience, but don't expect the best shave you have ever had in your life.
There are plenty of threads on B&B that will tell you the same thing.
Good luck and enjoy your time in town.
- Thread starter
- #5
Just back from NYC. Saturday was "All Shaving, All The Time." Started with a quick trip to AOS at Time Warner Center for cream and ASB, then off to the Bermuda Triangle (Lexington between 65th and 62nd) for stops at Cambridge Chemists and Pasteur Pharmacy (never seen so much shaving stuff in one place in my life), and then a walk to Saks for some Penhaligon's BB AS splash.
Later that afternoon, I took a taxi to Soho for my "haircut and ultimate shave" appointment at New York Shaving Company. It's a small intimate space. The anteroom has 2 chairs for customers to sit on while they wait for their appointments, an old fashioned barber chair, and an inside barber pole. There are display cases on both side walls with their products for sale including shaving creams, oils, razors, brushes, and shaving sets.
View attachment 136590
I was greeted by the owner, John Scala, who offered me my choice of whiskey or water. He is a big fan of Badger and Blade, by the way. Here he is, pouring me a glass of Jack Daniels.
View attachment 136592
The back room contains 2 barber chairs. Eli was working on one chair
View attachment 136593
while Francesco, a gentleman from Naples who has an operatic basso voice, was on the other and was my barber. First, the haircut. He used scissors almost exclusively with only minimal use of electric clippers. Then the shave, starting off with preshave oil followed by a hot towel wrap and application of cream. John told me that all the products they use are developed in house. Francesco worked quickly but carefully. There were 2 passes using short fast strokes. What I noticed most was his nearly constant skin stretching, something that I will pay more attention to in the future to improve my technique.
View attachment 136594
Then, another hot towel followed by touch-ups. He brought a third towel, and I was taken by surprise when I found out it was soaked with ice cold water. This was followed by application of a facial mask, and finally Pinaud Clubman talc. From start to finish, the haircut and shave lasted exactly one hour. John and I had a nice talk afterward, and I was pleasantly surprised when he gave me a tub of their Elizabeth Street shaving cream as a gift. I left feeling very relaxed and thoroughly satisfied with the experience. I would heartily recommend a visit to New York Shaving Company if you find yourself in New York and want to be pampered in a manly way.
View attachment 136595
Later that afternoon, I took a taxi to Soho for my "haircut and ultimate shave" appointment at New York Shaving Company. It's a small intimate space. The anteroom has 2 chairs for customers to sit on while they wait for their appointments, an old fashioned barber chair, and an inside barber pole. There are display cases on both side walls with their products for sale including shaving creams, oils, razors, brushes, and shaving sets.
View attachment 136590
I was greeted by the owner, John Scala, who offered me my choice of whiskey or water. He is a big fan of Badger and Blade, by the way. Here he is, pouring me a glass of Jack Daniels.
View attachment 136592
The back room contains 2 barber chairs. Eli was working on one chair
View attachment 136593
while Francesco, a gentleman from Naples who has an operatic basso voice, was on the other and was my barber. First, the haircut. He used scissors almost exclusively with only minimal use of electric clippers. Then the shave, starting off with preshave oil followed by a hot towel wrap and application of cream. John told me that all the products they use are developed in house. Francesco worked quickly but carefully. There were 2 passes using short fast strokes. What I noticed most was his nearly constant skin stretching, something that I will pay more attention to in the future to improve my technique.
View attachment 136594
Then, another hot towel followed by touch-ups. He brought a third towel, and I was taken by surprise when I found out it was soaked with ice cold water. This was followed by application of a facial mask, and finally Pinaud Clubman talc. From start to finish, the haircut and shave lasted exactly one hour. John and I had a nice talk afterward, and I was pleasantly surprised when he gave me a tub of their Elizabeth Street shaving cream as a gift. I left feeling very relaxed and thoroughly satisfied with the experience. I would heartily recommend a visit to New York Shaving Company if you find yourself in New York and want to be pampered in a manly way.
View attachment 136595
Nice, Toop, very nice.
Thanks for sharing this, and I bet the cold towel was an eye opener.
Thanks for sharing this, and I bet the cold towel was an eye opener.
Cool, I love the pictures you took. Ive been there just to browse , will have to get shaved one day.
very nice review, maybe i'll have to make a stop there.
Great review! I have been there and spoke with John and he is a very pleasant fellow. Didn't offer me any whiskey though. : (
I purchased a few products and will be making an appointment for a shave now based on your experience.
Thanks,
Bobby A
I purchased a few products and will be making an appointment for a shave now based on your experience.
Thanks,
Bobby A
Great post and pics. Will give it a shot on my next visit to NYC.
Nice writeup,But is that Jack being poured into a paper cup
- Thread starter
- #12
Sorry about the poor image quality. They were taken with an iPhone 3, so no video and no flash
I agree. It was by no means the closest shave I've ever had, but it was by far the most fun and most relaxing. Do not expect BBS if you go! Probably between CCS and SAS, to be honest. But it is about the total experience, not necessarily just the closeness of the shave.
I probably experienced the phenomenon of "shrinkage" at that point.
Actually styrofoam, but hey the price couldn't be beat.
Looks like a good time...I'm definitely taking part if I'm ever there.
Thanks for the pics.
Thanks for the pics.
Great pictures! Thanks for posting. I love the choice between whiskey and water 
Love the review. I haven't been back to NYC to try them out but I'm glad to hear it's a pleasant experience.
Very, very cool. Thanks for posting. An ice-cold towel was part of my shave at T&H in Las Vegas last year: I found it suprisingly pleasant! NYSC shaving creams are excellent as well (IMHO).
--Mark
--Mark
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