A Peterborough barber has made it to the shortlist of a nationwide competition to be crowned the best wet shaving barber in Great Britain.
Liza Schwarz, of Spencer’s Hair Salon, Lincoln Road, will face razor sharp competition from fellow craftsmen near and far in her quest to win the prestigious competition.
The 46-year-old is set to face-off against other top barbers in the East of England regional final at Salon Services in Northampton on March 8.
If she secures the top spot in the regional heat, Liza will face the most crucial shave of her life at the national final, which will take place inside a boxing ring at Barber UK at the Birmingham NEC on May 21.
Liza has twice been crowned the region’s wet shaving champion but has gone out at the quarter final stage on both occasions at the national final.
This time around she wants to use her previous experience to help bring the trophy back to Peterborough.
She said: “I love the feeling you get when you can help an elderly man feel fresh as a daisy and look 10 years younger, wiping off the chocolate from their beards and making them the man they used to be when they can no longer shave themselves!”
Liza also wants to use the competition to raise the awareness of her charity work. “I’m just organising my 9th annual Ball Spencer’s Butterfly Ball. This is in remembrance of the many children that have passed away at my son Spencer’s School, The Phoenix in Peterborough,” she explained.
Now in its fourth year, the annual competition, run by premium male grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge and industry watchdogs the British Barbers’ Association, is fast becoming the competition of the barbering industry.
Finalists must impress judges on a number of criteria, including shave preparation, razor technique, post-shave routine, health and safety and overall efficiency.
The title carries with it great kudos – 2015 winner Luigi has since gone on to become the official barber of his beloved football team, Rangers FC.
David Hildrew, managing director of The Bluebeards Revenge, said: “Each year we are blown away by the level of talent out there. The number of entries to Britain’s Best Shave has increased year on year, as scores of barbers turn their hand to the art of wet shaving. With that, comes impressive quality, technique and timing of many candidates.
“What this shows is that competitions like this, along with the good work of the British Barbers Association, help to drive up standards in the barbering industry – that’s the overall objective.”
Wet shaving is currently enjoying a remarkable renaissance, with the latest figures showing the number of barbers performing traditional cut-throat shaves in Britain has jumped by over 60% in the past four years.
Photos: Chris Brudenell for ESP Magazine
Comentarios