An embarrassing confession: Until last week, I’d never been to the U.K. (I know, I know. Don’t jump on my dick about it.) But I’m proud to type this missive having finally lost my U.K. virginity.
After a blow-out birthday weekend in Scotland for Scott Galloway, my friend MaryJean and I hopped over to London, had a great dinner at Rules, and retired to our hotel. I was clearly exhausted, as I didn’t wake up until 1:00 p.m. the next morning. Thankfully, MaryJean applied no timing pressure and was very understanding. But she did tell me about a men’s grooming shop she discovered that morning around the corner from the hotel and insisted that I’d love it. After I got sufficiently caffeinated, I made my way to the place she suggested. She was right.
Established in 1875 by master barber and perfumer George Francis Trumper, Geo. F. Trumper‘s original location at 9 Curzon Street in Mayfair is quite literally around the corner from the Mayfair Townhouse, where I was staying. The second I laid eyes on the storefront, I knew it was a special place. It’s the kind of authentic aesthetic that many barbershops try to emulate as an affectation without having the history and heritage to back it up.
Upon entering the shop, I was hit with the aroma, which is an intoxicating bouquet of sandalwood, musk, leather, tobacco, amber, patchouli, clove, lavender… you get the idea. For lack of a better word, the place just smells handsome. Clean and handsome. Where the fragrance floor of a department store has a pungent aroma I can’t wait to leave, Trumper’s has a warm and welcoming scent I’d like to wallow in all day.
As MaryJean and I perused the amazing fragrances, I also took in the shaving gear, the potions, the notions, the pocket squares, the cuff links… all the men’s accoutrements. I was a kid in a candy store. When I noticed the menu of services, including haircuts, shaves, manicures, and pedicures, it occurred to me I’d never had a straight-razor shave from a barber before. And since I was popping all manner of life-experience cherries that weekend, I figured I’d treat myself to a shave at the perfect place for such a shave.
The nicely tailored gentleman behind the counter checked the appointment book, which was an actual physical book tended with pencil (I love them for that), and told me I could be taken right away. Disco.
I was shown to one of the five private barber stations in the back, where I met Sezgin, the gentleman who would be doing my shave. He hung my jacket, sat me in the chair, put a cape over me, and began the process.
He started by gently massaging my beard area with a light glycerin-based “skin food.” Very soothing. Then the hot towel over my whole face for a minute or so. From there, I kept my eyes closed to enjoy the treatment. After that, Sezgin applied the shaving cream, which he’d warmed while I was under the towel, using a badger brush. Again… more soothing. So nice. Then came the blade.
I have to admit that I was a bit nervous during Sezgin’s first few strokes of the razor. Up to that point, no one but me had ever held a blade to my face. For the first time, I wasn’t in control of it. But within a minute or so, I was fine. Fantastic, actually. Turns out, having a great shave by a skilled professional with the right touch feels really good. And Sezgin slowly and gently got every surface and crevasse of my beard area. He was extremely thorough, even around my nose and the corners of my mouth, where even I can miss a stray whisker that will annoy me for the rest of a given day.
Once he finished carving a fresh, clean complexion, Sezgin applied a cold towel to my face, which cooled things down and tightened the pores. Then he massaged my face, then my scalp, then my neck, then my shoulders, then my upper arms… I was in heaven. From there, another application of that soothing skin food. To finish up, he applied some gentle spritzes of Geo. F. Trumper’s ‘Spanish Leather’ Cologne, which smelled terrific.
Thirty minutes and £50.00 (plus a 25% tip) after walking into Geo. F. Trumper, I was not only looking cleaner and better, I felt positively incredible. The experience was such a lift. If I lived nearby, I’d treat myself to this every Friday to start the weekend. But since I was merely a humble visitor, I can make it the very first thing I do after checking in to my hotel whenever I arrive in London. And I plan on coming back often.
A video I made in the afterglow…
A little favor…
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