A straight-razor shave is becoming a lost art, but Ilia Voltchenok is one of a handful of barbers in this city that could perform one masterfully.
Voltchenok, 49 and Moscow-born, has been a professional barber since his teenage years. He spent his last 15 years at Truefitt & Hill, the posh Michigan Avenue gentleman’s barbershop frequented by politicians, business executives and celebrities.
Although Truefitt & Hill has been in Chicago since 1989, the name dates back to 1805 Britain. Once a week, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and husband of the Queen, gets a trim and a shave from their London barbers.
Voltchenok knows a few things about proper grooming. It took him nearly two decades to master the straight razor, a single blade flip-out knife, the likes not seen in popular culture since Bugs Bunny’s “Rabbit of Seville.”
The thing is, we don’t have a few spare decades to learn about the finer art of shaving, much less more than 10 minutes in the morning. So we asked Voltchenok instead for some tips on how to get a close shave.
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Shaving philosophy: “Hair grows differently, so it’s very individual. A person shouldn’t be in a hurry when shaving.”
Shaving cream or not?: “Your skin is supposed to be wet. The best way to apply shaving cream is with a shaving brush. And you want enough to cover your face. A thin layer would be perfect — if you put too much on you won’t see what you’re shaving.”
The best brush: A handmade English version of 100 percent badger hair (brushes range from $50 to $250). “It gives you the perfect, best sensation, and it helps you prepare better for a shave.”
Proper technique: “If you have a light beard, you could shave with [single strokes]. If you have a really heavy beard, you have no choice! You have to do it twice. Usually we shave once with the grain of the hair, then in the opposite direction against the grain.”
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Preventing razor cuts: “You might be pressing too hard with the razor, but most likely, you don’t stretch your skin tightly enough. You should pull back on the skin when shaving.”
Want to experience a master shave from Ilia Voltchenok and his colleagues? Make an appointment at Truefitt & Hill, on the sixth floor of 900 N. Michigan Ave. A 30-minute hot lather shave is $55. More information at 312-337-2525 or truefittchicago.com.
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