thelovingspoonful.net

The Art of Shaving
Mandalay Place
3930 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 632-9356
theartofshaving.com

Ordered:
Royal Shave

Review:
I debated whether or not to write a review of The Art of Shaving.  But considering that there are few reviews out there and that we are still finishing up Wedding Week, some coverage might be useful for those who would like to treat their dads, grooms, or groomsmen out before the big day.

In recent years, shaving salons have become hugely chic and popular for men of all ages.  One reason is the nostalgia of the time-honored process.  As one man told me: “Up until I was 28 and moved to California, straight-edge was the only type of shaving I knew.  My dad and granddad would go to the local barber shop 3 times a week to get their shaves, and when I was old enough, that’s what I did too.”

Another reason is the luxuriousness of being serviced in state-of-the-art high-end salon.  The Art of Shaving locations are known for being clean, comfortable spaces.  I have not been to all the locations, but many of them showcase polished dark wood cabinetry and beams, gray marble counter tops, and buttery creams and yellows on the walls and in the lighting.  Chairs are the old-fashioned black leather barber shop recliners with beautiful aged brass work.  Discerning gentleman really love the comforts of the space; They also love AOS’ famous line of shaving and skin products for men.

T  H  E     A  R  T     O  F     S  H  A  V  I  N  G

Shave & skin products for men

Most recently, I treated Iamme to a shave at the Mandalay Place salon before going out to celebrate his birthday.  The Art of Shaving was among the first stretch of shops we saw as we entered Mandalay Place from the Mandalay Bay side (It will be toward the end of the shops if you enter it from the Luxor side, in which case you will see Burger Bar first).

Exterior:

Interior:

I had reserved a 5PM appointment for Iamme.  I wanted to snag the last time slot, but that had already been taken.  (For those who are planning their night accordingly: The Art of Shaving at Mandalay Place rarely takes reservations after 6PM.)  I requested Dennis, a barber with a lot of seniority and probably the best reputation in both Vegas locations (there is also one in the Fashion Show Mall).  Dennis had his final appointment that day at 6:30PM, but I figured that an hour and a half would give both he and Iamme plenty of time.  According to the company’s website, a Royal Shave was supposed to take 45 minutes.  I also kept into account that we would have to wait 10 to 15 minutes due to the inevitable salon lag.

Shot of Iamme, pre-shave:

I arranged for him to get a Royal Shave, which was supposed to be:
1) Hot towel
2) Pre-shave oil massage
3) Warm shaving cream and 2 shaves (lather, shave against the grain, lather, shave along the grain)
4) Hot towel
5) Fresh after-shave mask (mixed right then by barber)
6) Removal of dried mask with sea sponges soaked with lemon essential oil
7) Application of Hydrosol Rose Water and After-shave Balm.

Close-up, pre-shave:

We arrived at 4:50PM and sat in the waiting area watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians on a flat screen TV. I guess the whole point was to sedate clients enough so that they would no longer feel nicks or cuts.

The waiting area itself was small, but clean and attractive.  You could also look inside to the actual barber area to see what went on.  The only thing that was not so great was the upholstery of the waiting room chairs.  The fabric had large tears and really needed to be replaced.

Iamme was called in by Dennis at 5:10.  I told him to text me when he was done, and went out to enjoy an hour of window browsing.  My first stop was Teno.  It was just across the walkway, and I even met a Filipino salesgirl who claimed to look like my long lost cousin.  Weird part was that she actually did.

At 5:28, I received a call from Iamme. Uh-oh, I thought, something’s wrong if he’s calling me already.  But nothing was wrong. He was just done.

Shot of Iamme, post-shave:

He looked generally happy and refreshed. But I was confused and a bit peeved at how quickly Dennis pushed him out of there. Per their company menu, I paid $70 dollars (including tip) for a shave that was supposed to last 45 minutes. When I called to schedule an appointment, an older lady on the other end had already tried to skimp out by saying that it would take “30 minutes, 40 tops.” But 15 minutes for what was supposed to be a 45 minute procedure was just kind of a slap in the face. I wanted to go in and complain, but decided to let it go since it was Iamme’s birthday and we were in town to celebrate a happy occasion.

According to Iamme, the process went like this:
1) Hot towel
2) Lather of shave cream and first shave
3) Hot towel
5) Lather of shave cream and second shave
6) Application of some sort of clear gel, wipe off
7) Cold towel

He found out from Dennis that the hot towels (described as so hot they made his eyes tear) were used to open up pores and make hairs stand straight on end… resulting in closer shaves. Iamme thought the hot towels were uncomfortable, but did enjoy the cooling gel and cold towel at the end. Also, he liked the bonus of getting the back of his neck cleaned up with a razor.

He mentioned that Dennis missed a small area under his chin, and that he actually got a better shave when taking his time and using an electric or safety razor at home. I took his word for it, but had to admit that his face had never been smoother than when he walked out of Art of Shaving.  Honestly, it felt like hair had never grown there.

Iamme wasn’t sure if it was the shave or Las Vegas’ hot climate and re-circulated air, but his face was dry after the shave and, as a result, peeled for about a week afterward. Also, he noticed a groom at the salon who was bleeding all over his face after a shave from a younger female barber. I guess the groom had a lot of blemishes that were cut open during the process. Iamme didn’t know if cutting pimples open during a straight-razor shave was unavoidable, but did note that the groom did not seem angry about it. Still… if you want to look great for your photos the day of your shave… it is something to consider.

Reader to conquer:

According to Iamme, the experience was an enjoyable and unique treat. It was refreshing, a much better gift to a groomsman than a money clip or a flask from Things Remembered (their products always rust anyway). I saw a few groomsman chatting at the salon, and their time spent seemed like a relaxing bonding experience for all.

Iamme plans to do this again, probably twice a year. If I schedule another appointment for him, I might try another location. I want to give Mandalay Place and Dennis another chance, but will have to pick a VERY open time slot and be extremely candid about how I expect them to follow through. Seems like an unnecessary burden on my part though, since I would already be paying them for peace of mind.

Rating:
7 out of 10 spoonfuls

Value:
$$$

*Some images courtesy of Barber Bart and The Art of Shaving