Why Shave Your Head at Home
A barber will happily take £25 off you every week to do something that takes less time than making a coffee. Once you've got a proper shaver and five minutes of practice, you'll get a closer result at home than most barbers manage — and you won't have to make small talk about your holidays while someone stands over you with a blade.
Here's how to do it properly, start to finish.
What You Actually Need
- A Smooth Geezer head shaver — handles stubble and longer growth, no prep-trimming required
- Pre-shave oil, or just warm water
- A mirror (two if you're fussy — front and back)
- Something to moisturise with afterwards
That's it. No third product you'll use once and forget about.
Step 1: Warm It Up
Hot shower, or a warm damp towel held against your head for a couple of minutes. Heat softens the hair and opens things up, so you get a smoother shave with less irritation. And no — you don't need to clipper it down first. That's the whole point of the shaver: it's built to deal with longer hair as well as stubble, so skip the extra step and the extra tool.
Step 2: Oil Up (If You Want)
A few drops between blade and skin buys you a bit of protection, especially if your skin's sensitive or this is a first attempt. Rub it in properly, don't just splash it on.
Step 3: Go in Circles, Not Lines
Your head isn't your face. Straight-line strokes are a face-shaving habit — for your scalp you want circular, overlapping passes across the top, sides, and back. Let the shaver do the work. Pressing harder just gets you nicks, not a closer shave.
Do it in sections — top, sides, back — and run a hand over as you go to catch anything you've missed.
Step 4: Rinse, Check, Repeat If Needed
Cool water rinse closes the pores back up. Feel around for rough patches and go over them if you need to — but don't keep hammering the same spot. Your scalp isn't invincible, especially the first few times.
Step 5: Moisturise. Actually Do This One.
Your scalp dries out fast post-shave. Get a fragrance-free balm on while it's still a bit damp. Going outside? SPF — your head's now fully exposed to the sun, and it will let you know about it later if you skip this.
How Often
Every 2–4 days does it for most blokes. Stay consistent and each shave gets easier, because the hair never has the chance to properly grow back and be a nuisance.
On Choosing a Shaver
Most "head shavers" are just face shavers with a bigger badge on the box. That's why they drag, snag, and need three goes to get an even finish — they were never built to follow the shape of a skull. Ours was. Flexible head, made for the contours you've actually got, works in the shower too. No point buying something that fights you every morning.
Mistakes We See All the Time
- Shaving dry without knowing your skin. Plenty of blokes shave dry with zero issues — if that's you, crack on. But if you're prone to razor burn, redness, or your skin just doesn't feel like it's gliding, warm it up with a shower or towel first. Takes two minutes and saves you a sore head.
- Pressing too hard. The blades are doing the job, not your arm.
- Skipping moisturiser. Your scalp isn't the same skin as your face — it needs the aftercare, every time.
- Running a knackered blade. A worn head drags no matter how good your technique is. Swap it out before it gets there — no faffing about, no waiting for it to properly die on you.
Right, Get On With It
Head shaving at home isn't complicated. No clippers, no faffing, no blade that's given up after three months. Get yourself a Smooth Geezer Head Shaver and stop paying someone else to do a five-minute job.