7.2 Shaving Areas & Stroke Techniques

7.2 Shaving Areas & Stroke Techniques

Quick Answer: The face and neck are divided into 14 shaving areas shaved in a standard order. The first time over is always with the grain; a close shave adds a second pass across or against the grain after re-lathering. Right-handed barbers use freehand strokes on the right side of the face, backhand on the left, and reverse freehand (or reverse backhand) for upward growth on the neck.

The 14 Shaving Areas

Dividing the face into numbered areas guarantees complete, systematic coverage—you never skip a patch or shave the same skin twice. The standard areas, in working order for a right-handed barber, are:

Grain direction varies by area—downward on the cheeks, angled under the jaw, often upward on the neck—so "with the grain" means a different stroke direction in almost every area. This is why the growth analysis from Section 7.1 comes first.

The Four Razor Strokes

• Freehand stroke: The primary stroke. For a right-handed barber it is used on the right side of the face—right cheek, right jaw, right upper lip—with the razor moving downward, following the grain. The barber stands to the client's right, palm generally facing up, razor gliding away from the body.
• Backhand stroke: Used on the left side of the face so the barber does not have to reach across the client's nose or work with an awkward wrist angle. The hand position is essentially the freehand flipped—palm facing down—letting the same arm cover the left cheek and left jaw. Standing behind and slightly to the side of the client's head makes this stroke natural.
• Reverse freehand stroke: An upward stroke used where the hair grows upward — the neck and under the jaw. Milady assigns it to four of the 14 areas: Nos. 5, 10, 13, and 14. The razor is held as for the freehand, but the hand is turned slightly toward the barber so the edge faces upward, and the stroke is an upward semi-arc toward the barber with the point leading.
• Reverse backhand stroke: The one stroke that is not used in the facial shave at all. For a right-handed barber it shaves the left sideburn outline and behind the left ear during a neck or outline shave, with the client sitting upright. The razor is held as for the backhand, then the palm is turned upward and the elbow dropped to the side, and short strokes travel downward and slightly outward.

A useful rough guide — freehand dominates the right side, backhand the left, reverse freehand the upward growth of the neck — but memorise the actual assignments, because Milady breaks the pattern twice: area 2 (right side, angle of mouth to chin) is backhand, and area 8 (left side, angle of mouth to chin) is freehand. Freehand = Nos. 1, 3, 4, 8, 11, 12; backhand = Nos. 2, 6, 7, 9; reverse freehand = Nos. 5, 10, 13, 14; reverse backhand = neck and outline shaves only.

First Time Over, Second Time Over

• First time over (once over): every area is shaved with the grain. This removes the visible beard with the least irritation and is the mandatory first pass of every shave. On a client who wants only a tidy removal of growth—or whose skin cannot tolerate more (for example, pseudofolliculitis barbae)—the service ends here: a once-over shave.
• Second time over: performed only for a close shave. The barber re-lathers the face with fresh, warm lather—never shave a second pass on dry or worn-out lather—and then shaves across the grain first. Only if the client's skin tolerates it does the barber shave against the grain, which produces the smoothest result but the highest risk of irritation, razor burn, and ingrown hairs.

The distinction is a favorite exam point: with the grain = first pass always; across or against = second pass only, with fresh lather, and only when appropriate for the skin.

Handling the Difficult Spots

• Under the nose (upper lip): Ask the client to draw the upper lip down over the teeth to flatten and firm the surface. Use short, downward strokes from beneath the nose outward, stretching the skin with the free hand. Never press the nose flat or block the client's breathing.
• Chin: The chin is creased and rounded. Have the client draw the lower lip inward and upward (or tuck it over the teeth), which balls the chin and tightens the skin; stretch with your free hand and use short, controlled strokes into the cleft rather than one long stroke across it.
• Neck: Tilt the client's head back and slightly to the opposite side to expose and tighten the skin. Expect whorls and multi-directional growth—change stroke direction to match the grain you mapped earlier.
• Adam's apple: Never shave directly across the prominent cartilage. Stretch the skin to one side of the Adam's apple with the free hand, shave that flat area, then stretch to the other side and repeat. Short, light strokes with minimal pressure prevent the razor from bouncing off the ridge.

Throughout every area the fundamentals stay the same: the razor glides over the skin at a low angle with the point leading in a forward, gliding motion, skin stretched taut ahead of the blade, no downward pressure—the weight of the razor does the cutting—and strokes that follow the grain on the first time over.