Best Barber in London

We know many claim to be the best barber in London, but who really holds that accolade?

Maybe we’re a little biased, but we’ve got lots of reasons to think we are in with a really good chance of claiming that title.. and it’s not just our egos talking.

So what would constitute being the best barber in London? Well, firstly, how about experience, knowledge and expertise?  At Pall Mall Barbers, we’ve definitely got those in bucketfuls.  With 3 barbershops in Central London – Westminster, Trafalgar Square and Fitzrovia, our barbers have over 300 years of collective barbering experience between them, in London, the UK and internationally. We’re often inundated with applicants from fellow barbers wanting the chance to come and work at Pall Mall Barbers, such is our reputation in the industry and amongst our peers.

It’s that reputation that leads to us often being asked for advice, tips or opinions from some of the leading media companies in the UK. We did a live shave off of Tim Lovejoy’s beard on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, one of our barbers had a part shaving Mr Selfridge on the ITV show when an actor couldn’t quite manage the bare blade shave required and the BBC have filmed numerous shows and interviews in our salons whilst the presenter enjoys a luxury wet shave.

We really seem to be the barber of choice for these companies.

And it’s not only filmed media, it’s the printed media too where Pall Mall Barbers are featured – we’ve been written about in Esquire, The Independent, The Telegraph, Men’s Health and even the New York Times, to name just a few. All features that were independently written by journalists and weren’t paid for articles.

Some of the media companies where we’ve been featured:

So the industry, our peers and the media seem to think we’re pretty good but really without customers there wouldn’t be a Pall Mall Barbers. Having recently opened our third barber shop in London, and a fourth on the way, our expansion has been bought about by demand. As we get busier and busier and word seems to spread, we’re looking to open more barber shops to meet our growing numbers of customers.

So, the best barber in London? We think we might just be.  To see what all the fuss is about, why not book an appointment and try us out for yourself? We offer the full range of men’s hairdressing, shaving services and products and you can book online.

Men's Razors

Men’s razors come in all shapes and sizes – a bit like men really.

But what’s the “best” one? Well, that really depends on you and how you like to shave.

Take the electric razor. As men’s razors go, it’s not one we’d recommend.  Yes, we know they make shaving easier and quicker – you don’t need any of the usual shaving gear like shaving cream, gels or even water and you can use them anywhere (even on the London tube – believe us, we’ve seen it!) But they won’t give you a great shave. With this particular type of men’s razor, you won’t get a very close or smooth shave even if it means your daily shave is less hassle for you in the morning.

Moving onto cartridge men’s razors. These are the Gillette Mach 3 type of blades. Cartridge men’s razors were developed to encourage men to make repeat purchases – Mr Gillette recognised that a blade that stayed sharp for a very long time wouldn’t make him much money, so he developed a more disposable one. And anyone who uses these types of men’s razors will know how much money that probably do make the manufacturers – these things are not cheap! But they’re easily available with every corner shop seeming to stock them and they’re very portable, even if they do cost a fortune!  And regardless of what the marketing hype tells you, the more blades there are does not mean the closer the shave. What it does mean though is probably more chance of skin irritation and surface cuts.

So, moving onto the men’s razors that we do recommend. It’s the safety razor… and we’re not just saying it because we sell them.  We use them, day in, day out.  Why?  Because they really do give the best, closest, smoothest shave.

The initial investment with this type of men’s razor can seem high, but over time that investment and the new blades required for it, pale into insignificance when compared to the cost of cartridge blades and disposable men’s razors. So, a better shave and less cost.  What’s not to love?

If you’ve not used this type of men’s razor before, it might take a bit of getting used to so you’ll need to find one that is comfortable to hold and easy to use – they do differ slightly.  Why not book in for a shaving lesson with one of our professional barbers (reputed to be the best in London). They’ll help you choose the right men’s razor for you, give you a proper wet shave with loads of advice and tips on getting the best shave and will demonstrate how to use shaving products to get the best out of them (like adding a bit of shaving oil to your shaving cream.)

You can book an appointment for a shaving lesson online for any of our central London barber shops or call in the next time you’re passing for some helpful advice.

Safety Razor

What Exactly is a Safety Razor?

It sounds a bit like safety scissors. You know those ones with the rounded edges that can’t actually cut anything and you give them to children?  Well, thankfully, a safety razor is nothing like those!

A safety razor is as sharp as any other razor, but it also has  the addition of a guard that glides along the skin between your face and the blade, which reduces the risk of cutting your face whilst shaving.  So they are ideal if you have sensitive skin, or perhaps scars and marks on your face. An elegant tool in any man’s grooming kit, a safety razor gives a really close, smooth shave and with replaceable single blades, they are also a very cost effective shaving tool in your daily routine as new blades are a much cheaper option than most of the multi blade alternatives.

At Pall Mall Barbers, we have a few safety razors – the St Paul, the Westminster and the St James, which are really popular with customers. It just depends on the look you like and the way you hold the razor, to determine which safety razor would be best for you.

The Independepent recently included our Westminster one in their list of 10 best safety razors – high praise indeed. They particularly liked the simple way of being able to change the razor blade with the handle releasing the razor head.

If you’d like to try one of these safety razors yourself but need some advice first, pop into one of our central London barber shops and any of the guys there will be happy to help you. Otherwise, if you know what you want, go straight to our safety razor page and you can buy online too.

History of the Beard

The history of the beard is fascinating. We've been going through a particular phase of beard loving in recent years so no doubt sometime in the future, people will look back and analyse our own social landscape as reflected by the hirsute amongst us right now.

When you look into the history of the beard, you can often identify a period by the style of beards popular at the time. For example, Henry VIII's bushy, fully grown beard was shaped as a "spade" and squared off at the chin. The style was much copied in the 16th century with most noblemen growing their facial hair as it was widely considered a sign of a man's virility!  The King even introduced a Beard Tax in 1535, knowing that men would pay it, as they wanted to keep their facial hair as a reflection of their masculinity.  Sneaky, eh?

By the time of the Stuarts reign in the 17th century, beards were shaped into a more of a pointy style quite often with the moustache separated from the beard hair under the lip and on the chin. This was known as a "Van Dyke".  In more recent years, this style has been sported by Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger and Jonathan Ross at various times.

When you look into the history of the beard, one thing is fairly constant. Beards being a reflection of a man's virility.  But they were also thought to prevent germs by preventing noxious substances getting into the mouth. Although given the lack of personal hygiene over the centuries we think a beard could have actually been harbouring more germs than was good for anyone.

Luckily, that's not the case today, even though the most favoured style of the moment is still a bushy, full on face of hair. With beard oils to keep beards in good condition, combs to shape and the general recommendation from barbers being to wash and condition the beard as you would your hair, then they really are something you wouldn't mind getting close to.

If you'd like to know more about the history of the beard, there's a great piece on The Conversation Blog.  It's written by Dr Alan Withey, who we had the pleasure of meeting when he came into Pall Mall Barbers and was filmed having a luxury wet shave as part of his research for a show on the BBC.

It's a fascinating read and you'll learn some little known facts about the history of the beard - like the development of fake beards made from goats hair in the middle of the 19th century for those who couldn't quite manage to grow their own!

Don't forget to call into one of our Central London barbers shops for all beard related products, beard trimming appointments and general beard care advice from one of our professional barbers.

Men's Shaving

Who would Adam and Eve it? Our men’s shaving services have been included in Esquire’s Style Guide as something to buy this week.

And who are we to argue?  It’s always very flattering when our staff and our services are recognised and recommended, especially when it’s by one of the most stylish and respected men’s magazines around.  So, thanks guys.

And as the popularity of beards seems to be waning, maybe it’s time to treat yourself to a professional men’s shaving appointment at Pall Mall Barbers? You’ll be in very capable hands with any of our experienced barbers and with one of our luxury wet shaves, you’ll be getting the best shave in the business.  Your skin will be cleaned and steamed with hot towels and an invigorating facial scrub and then you’ll be treated to the luxury range of Pall Mall Barbers eponymous men's shaving products featuring sandalwood and clove and include a pre shave scrub, shaving cream and post shave balm.

If you’ve never had a professional wet shave before, it’s part pampering and part grooming.  You’ll experience the closest shave possible, have the smoothest skin and leave feeling relaxing and refreshed.  As far as men’s shaving goes, it doesn’t get any better than this.

We’ve got three barber shops now in Central London and you can book your men’s shaving appointment online or give us a ring.  And if you’d like to try any of our men’s shaving products, these can be bought online or in store too.

Shaving Cream

All men use something during their daily shaving ritual to help their razor glide across the skin - it may be a shaving cream, a gel, an oil or foam.

Here at Pall Mall Barbers, we use a shaving cream.  In our opinion, it really is the best product to use.  And we should know what we're talking about.  Pall Mall Barbers has been in London since 1896 cutting mens hair and delivering the closest, smoothest shaves in the capital,  All from our traditionally styled barbers shops.

In fact, we provide ourselves on delivering a traditional service in a modern manner for over 100 years.

Our barbers are some of the most experienced and respected in the UK today and you'll often see them in magazines, on the TV or radio talking about their skills and sharing their advice.  In fact, when a media company wants an expert's view or advice on shaving, it's Pall Mall Barbers they turn to. So, when we say a shaving cream is the best product to use, you should listen.

Our Pall Mall Barbers Sandalwood and Clove Shaving Cream has been developed using the finest ingredients and contains prickly pear seed oil and jojoba oil combine in this hydrating shaving cream to deliver a luxury lather and a comfortable shave.

It will create a thick moisturising foam when lathered up with a shaving brush and the circular movements with encourage the bristles on your face to stand up.This means your razor can get closer to the base of the hair, so you get a smoother shave.  The oils in the shaving cream will soften and hydrate your skin so that it feels super smooth afterwards.  Use regularly and not only will your shaving experience and end result will be better, but people will probably start commenting on the quality of your skin too.

If you'd like to try some of Pall Mall Barbers shaving cream, you can buy it in any of our Central London barbers shops or on our website, on the shaving cream page.

Shaving Cream for Men

Shaving cream is a must for a good shave.

The second step in our exclusive 3 step shaving system is the shaving cream.

We developed the Pall Mall Barbers shaving cream over several years. Applying our experience as barbers, listening to our customers and noticing what products worked well.

The result is this Sandalwood and Clove Shaving Cream with its luxurious scent and thick lather.  It contains prickly pear seed and jojoba oil which combine to create a smooth, creamy lather that encourages the bristles on your face to stand up, so that you get a smoother and more comfortable shave.

To use this shaving cream, all you need to do it wet your face with warm water, dispense one pump of the cream from the canister directly onto the face and lather it up with a shaving brush. Using circular movements with your shaving brush with generate a generous lather.  We’ve got a great video of Erin demonstrating the technique for you.

Once you’ve finished your wet shave, rinse any remaining shaving cream off your face with cool water and pat your face dry – don’t rub it with the towel.

The natural products in this shaving cream make it suitable for all skin types, even sensitive ones and it comes in a 100ml dispenser which will last quite a while as a single pump dose is all you need for your daily shave.

This product can be bought on its own or as part of our 3 step shaving system – a professionally developed range of shaving products specifically designed for men, to give the closest and smoothest shave possible.

3 Step Shaving System from Shaving Experts at Pall Mall Barbers

If you’re looking for the best shaving experience – one that gives you a close, smooth shave and will nourish and protect your skin, then we have just the thing.

Introducing Pall Mall Barbers 3 Step Shaving System.  Developed by our team of experienced barbers and their  knowledge built up over the years in our Central London barbers shop, the system comprises of  product for a pre-shave face scrub, a hydrating shave cream and a post shave balm.  All featuring the luxury scent of sandalwood and clove.

Start using these products and you will really notice the improvement in your skin and the quality of your shave.

Pall Mall Barbers Sandalwood and Clove Pre-Shave Cream includes prickly pear seed oil to moisturise the skin whilst Amazonian guarana seeds add texture to the invigorating face scrub. This prepares your skins by getting rid of any dry or deadskin cells on the surface, so that when you shave, your razor gets closer to the skin.

Next, the Sandalwood & Clove Shaving Cream also includes prickly pear seed oil with the added moisturisation of jojoba oil, which combine in this hydrating shaving cream to deliver a luxury lather, encouraging the hairs on your face to stand up for a closer shave and the smoothing properties will give you a more comfortable shave too.

Finish your routine with Sandalwood & Clove Post Shave Balm, A cooling shaving balm again featuring the superb prickly pear seed oil which will calm and soothe the skin after shaving.It has the added ingredient of glycerine which will also soften the skin and prevent dry rough patches.

These products are available individually or as a set, and make a great gift for someone special or to treat yourself.

We’ve also got a really useful video with one of our highly talented barbers going through each step and demonstrating how to use it.