How to Shave Your Head at Home, and Why a $25 Head Shave Is Easier
Shaving your own head is not hard. Shaving it well, every time, without nicks at the back and bumps at the neckline, takes practice and a second mirror. Plenty of the men who come into our Laurelton shop for a head shave learned that the hard way one Sunday night.
The direct answer: clip to a 0 guard first, soften the stubble with warm water, lather, shave with the grain in light strokes, rinse the blade often, then moisturize. That is the whole method and the nine steps below walk through it. If you would rather skip the learning curve, a head shave at Lilacroix Barbers is $25 with prep and aftercare included, and a bald head with the straight razor is $35.
The nine steps in order
Do these in order the first time and you will avoid most of what goes wrong. Skipping the clipper pass and going straight to a razor on long hair is the single most common mistake we hear about.
- Clip everything down to a 0 guard, or the shortest guard you own.
- Shower or hold a warm, wet towel on your head for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Apply shave gel or cream over the whole scalp.
- Use a fresh blade, never one that has done more than a few shaves.
- Shave with the grain in short, light strokes, starting at the top.
- Follow the contours at the crown and behind the ears with the blade flat.
- Rinse the blade every two or three strokes.
- Reapply gel to any area you need to go over a second time.
- Rinse cool, pat dry, and moisturize.
Budget twenty minutes the first time. By the fifth or sixth shave it is under ten.
Step 1: clip down before you shave
A razor is built for stubble, not for hair. If your hair is longer than a 1 guard, clip it to a 0 first. Trying to drag a cartridge razor through a quarter inch of coily hair clogs the blade, pulls the hair, and leaves you shaving the same spot four times.
If you do not own clippers, this is the step worth paying for. A buzz cut at a 0 is $25 at the shop and gives you a clean starting point you can maintain with a razor at home. Many men stop here for a week or two to see how they like the look before taking it to the skin, which is the order we suggest in our checklist on shaving your head.
Steps 2 and 3: soften and lather
Warm water does half the work. Hair absorbs water and gets softer and easier to cut, so shave at the end of a shower or after three to five minutes with a warm wet towel wrapped over your head. On coily hair this matters more, because the stubble is coarse and curls tight to the skin.
Lather over the whole scalp, not just the part you are about to shave. The gel keeps the hair soft while you work and shows you where you have already been. Any plain shave gel or cream does the job. You do not need a special scalp product.
Steps 4 to 8: the shave itself
Light strokes with the grain, a fresh blade, and a rinse every few passes. That is the technique. Pressing harder does not cut closer, it cuts skin.
Find the grain
Hair on the scalp grows in several directions. The top usually grows forward, the sides grow down, and the crown spirals. Run your hand over the stubble before you lather. The rough direction is against the grain. Shave the other way.
Top first, then sides, then back
Start at the top where you can see and the surface is flat. Work down the sides. Save the back for last, with a hand mirror, and use your free hand to feel for stubble you cannot see.
Contours and the crown
Keep the blade flat and let it follow the curve. Behind the ears and at the crown, short strokes of an inch or so keep the blade in contact without digging a corner in. Pull the ear forward gently to flatten the skin behind it.
Rinse and reapply
Rinse the blade every two or three strokes so it does not clog. If you need a second pass on a spot, reapply gel first. Shaving bare skin dry is how nicks and razor burn happen.
Step 9: aftercare, and razor bumps on coily hair
Rinse with cool water, pat dry, and put on a plain unscented moisturizer. Alcohol based aftershave stings and dries the scalp. A newly shaved scalp also burns in the sun fast, so wear a hat or sunscreen outside for the first weeks until you get the habit.
Razor bumps are the main risk on coily hair. The hair curls as it regrows and can turn back into the skin, which shows up as bumps at the back of the head and along the neckline. Shaving with the grain and never pressing hard reduces that risk. If you get bumps anyway, stop shaving to the skin for a couple of weeks and use clippers at a 0 instead. Our post on razor bumps on Black skin covers prevention in detail. If the bumps keep coming back or grow into raised dark spots, see a dermatologist, because that is a skin condition and not a technique problem.
What goes wrong at home
The back of the head is where home shaves fail. You cannot see it, the skin folds at the neckline, and the grain changes direction twice. Most men leave a strip of stubble just above the neck, or nick the bump at the base of the skull.
- Dull blades. A blade past its prime pulls instead of cuts and causes most of the irritation people blame on their skin.
- Shaving against the grain for a closer finish. It is closer for a day and bumpy for a week on coily hair.
- Skipping the clipper pass. A clogged razor on long hair means ten passes over the same skin.
- Uneven neckline. The line where the shave meets the beard or the neck hair is hard to set straight by feel.
Why the $25 head shave is easier
The barber can see the back of your head. That is the main thing. The rest is tools and time: a hot towel to soften, a clipper pass, a straight razor or fresh blade, a steady hand that does this every day, and a finish that calms the skin before you walk out.
| Option | Price | Time | Who sees the back of your head |
|---|---|---|---|
| At home, first few times | Razor and gel | About 20 minutes | You, in a hand mirror |
| At home, once practiced | Blades as needed | Under 10 minutes | You, by feel |
| Head shave with prep and aftercare | $25 | One sitting | Your barber |
| Bald head with the straight razor | $35 | One sitting | Your barber |
| Bald head with clippers | $25 | A few minutes | Your barber |
A lot of men split the difference: a head shave at the shop every two to three weeks for the edges, the neckline and the beard line, with a quick home shave every few days in between. All three options are on our services list.
Get a clean head shave at Lilacroix Barbers in Laurelton
If the back of your head has been winning, let us take over. Lilacroix Barbers is at 232-12 Merrick Blvd in Laurelton, where the Q5, Q86 and Q87 stop at Merrick Boulevard and 233rd Street. Hours are Monday to Thursday 7:30 AM to 7 PM, Friday and Saturday 7 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday 7 AM to 5 PM. Walk ins are welcome, or call (718) 749-5800 to check the wait. The head shave, the straight razor finish and the clipper bald head are all listed on our services page.
Questions readers ask
Should I shave my head with or against the grain?
With the grain, especially on coily hair. Against the grain feels closer for a day but is the main cause of razor bumps at the back of the head.
How long does it take to shave your head at home?
About twenty minutes the first few times, and under ten once you know your grain and the back of your head by feel.
Do I need clippers before I use a razor on my head?
Yes if your hair is longer than a 1 guard. Clip to a 0 first so the razor is cutting stubble, not hair.
What is included in the $25 head shave?
Prep with a hot towel, the shave itself, and aftercare to calm the skin. The $35 bald head adds a straight razor finish to the skin.