Grooming has come a long way since the days when the local barber also doubled as the town surgeon and would pull your teeth out for a nickel. Today, it’s about luxury, lifestyle, and making sure your fade is smoother than a jazz saxophonist’s solo. We are touring the globe to find the shops that treat your face like a masterpiece.

Walking into Antica Barbieria Colla in Milan is like stepping back into 1904, mostly because that’s when it opened. This isn’t a place for a “quick buzz.” This is a place where time slows down, and an elderly Italian man treats your mustache with more respect than you treat your own parents. They use unique techniques, like singeing hair with a candle flame to strengthen it. It sounds terrifying, but you’ll leave looking like a Milanese count who owns three Ferraris and a vineyard.

Down in Australia, the sun is trying to kill you, and the spiders are the size of dinner plates, so your hair needs to be the one thing you can control. Hawleywoods in Newtown is a high-octane throwback to the mid-century barbershops of America. With a focus on traditional styles and a “no-nonsense” policy, it’s the place to go if you want a classic executive contour or a pompadour that defies gravity.

“The Bad Boys” of Paris offer a grooming experience that is quintessentially French—meaning it’s effortlessly stylish and slightly intimidating. Located in the Marais, this shop blends vintage decor with a modern edge. They specialize in traditional shaves that involve so many hot towels you’ll feel like a steamed dumpling, but a very, very handsome one.

Berlin is the capital of cool, and Nomad Barber captures that nomadic, eclectic spirit. Founded by Miguel Gutierrez, who traveled the world documenting barbering cultures, the shop is a melting pot of techniques. Whether you want a classic taper or something that says “I produce techno in an abandoned basement,” they’ve got you covered.

For a while, everyone used five-blade plastic monstrosities that cost $30 for a pack of four. Now, the straight razor—the “Cut-Throat”—is back with a vengeance.

Is the straight-razor shave a necessary luxury or an overpriced risk? Many swear by the closeness of the shave and the firstclassbarbershop.net ritualistic nature of the hot towel and brush. Others argue that they don’t have forty-five minutes to spend at the shop when a disposable razor and a bit of spit does the job in three. Where do you stand on the “danger vs. dapper” scale?