The hot-towel
shave, explained.
Every shave at Crew is a wet shave: hot towel first, then the razor. It’s on the board as our Beard Trim (£13). A hot steam towel also finishes every haircut and skin fade. Here’s what the towel actually does, and why it’s not just a flourish.
Book direct: Isleworth Brentford Whitton Teddington
What it
actually does.
A hot steam towel softens the hair and relaxes the skin before a shave or beard shape-up, which is why razor lines come out cleaner and closer. Applied at the end of a cut or trim, it settles loose hair and calms any irritation from the clippers, and as it cools it leaves the skin feeling refreshed. It’s not an add-on you have to ask for, it’s built into the price of every cut, skin fade and beard trim at Crew.
Where it
shows up.
Before a wet shave
Softens the hair and opens up the skin so the razor glides instead of dragging. Every shave at Crew starts this way.
At the end of a haircut
Settles the neckline after the clippers, and cools the skin before you’re back out the door.
Before a beard shape-up
Softens the hair and skin so the razor line along the cheeks and neck comes out sharp, not scratchy.
The three steps,
in order.
First, before the clippers or razor touch the skin, a warm towel goes on for a minute or two to soften the hair and open things up, which is what lets a beard line come out sharp instead of dragging. Second, after the cut or trim is done, a second towel settles any loose hair around the neckline and cools the skin down from the clipper work. Third, on a shave or beard shape-up, the razor works over skin that’s already soft, which is what keeps a close shave from leaving it red and scratchy. None of it is optional or upsold — it’s built into the price of the cut, not billed as an extra.
Aftercare,
in short.
After a wet shave or beard trim the skin is clean and slightly sensitive, so go easy on it for the rest of the day. Rinse with cool or lukewarm water rather than very hot, pat dry instead of rubbing, and moisturise if your skin tends to feel tight. Skip anything harsh on the area for a few hours.
Shaving at home between visits? A warm flannel on the face for a minute before you start does a smaller version of what the hot towel does in the chair. For shaping and maintaining a beard, see our beard trim guide.
How to book
a shave.
A wet shave with the hot towel is on the board as the Beard Trim, £13, at all four Crew shops: Isleworth, Brentford, Whitton and Teddington. Walk in any day, or book a barber and time on Booksy. Want it with a haircut? Pair it with a skin fade (£20) or a taper fade (£20), and the hot towel finish comes with the cut anyway.
Common
questions.
Does every cut come with a hot-towel finish?
Yes, it’s included with every haircut, skin fade and beard trim on the Crew board, no extra charge.
Is a hot-towel shave at Crew a proper wet shave?
Yes. Every shave at Crew is a wet razor shave, with a hot towel to prep the skin first. Book it as a Beard Trim (£13).
Does it help with skin irritation from clippers?
Yes, the heat and steam calm the skin after clipper work, which is part of why it’s used at the end of every cut.
Book your cut.
Every shave is a wet shave with a hot towel, and every haircut and skin fade finishes with one. Included, never extra.
Book direct: Isleworth Brentford Whitton Teddington