Beginner
Intro to Barbering
Try the trade before you commit to barber school.
Intermediate class · Licensed barbers
Beard & Shave Craft
Straight razor, hot towels, steady hands.
- Duration
- 4 days · 20 hrs
- Schedule
- 4 days in a row, 10 AM – 3 PM
- Group
- up to 6 students
- Price
- $850
About the class
Beards and shaves are the most loyal part of a barber’s book: clients who find someone they trust with a razor rarely go anywhere else. In four days you will learn to design a beard for any face and deliver a traditional shave safely.
You start on balloons (yes, really), move to practice skin and finish by shaving live models under supervision.
Who it’s for
- Licensed barbers who want to add shaves to their menu
- Licensed cosmetologists moving into men’s grooming
- Anyone licensed who is nervous about the straight razor
What you’ll be able to do
- Design a beard shape that suits the face
- Do crisp cheek and neck lines with trimmer and razor
- Prepare skin with hot towels and pre-shave products
- Deliver a two-pass straight-razor shave safely
- Handle sensitive skin, ingrown hairs and nicks
Program
-
01 Beard design Day 1
- Face shapes and beard proportions
- Scissor-over-comb on beards
- Fades from hair into beard
-
02 Razor basics Day 2
- Straight vs. shavette razors
- Stretching the skin and razor angles
- Practice on balloons and practice skin
-
03 The traditional shave Day 3
- Hot towel sequence
- With-the-grain and across-the-grain passes
- Cold towel and aftercare
-
04 Live models Day 4
- Beard sculpt on a live model
- Full shave on a live model
- Assessment and feedback
What’s included
- Razors, blades, towels and products
- Live models on day four
- Certificate of completion
Licensing
Application
Apply for Beard & Shave Craft
No payment now. Leave your details and we will call you within one business day to answer questions and hold a seat for you.
- A $200 deposit holds your seat
- Payment plans for courses over $1,000
- Free transfer to the next group if plans change
FAQ
Good questions
Will your courses get me a barber license?
No. Merzotti Academy is not a licensed barber school, and our courses do not count toward licensing hours. Intro to Barbering is a taste of the trade and a roadmap to licensing; the advanced courses are continuing education for people who already hold a license.
Who can take the advanced courses?
Fade Mastery, Beard & Shave Craft and Classic Scissor Cuts include live-model work, so they are open to licensed barbers and cosmetologists, and to registered apprentices with their supervising barber’s approval. Please bring a copy of your license on day one.
Do I need to bring my own tools?
For Intro to Barbering, no — we provide everything, and you take a mannequin head home. For the advanced courses, bring the tools you work with; if something is missing, we can lend it.
Who will I practice on?
Intro students work on mannequin heads only. In the advanced courses you also cut live models that we find and book for you, always with an instructor next to you.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes, every course ends with a Merzotti Academy certificate of completion. It shows what you trained in; it is not a state license or credential.
Can I pay in installments?
Courses over $1,000 can be split into two or three payments. A $200 deposit holds your seat and counts toward the full price.
What if I miss a session?
Let us know in advance and you can make it up with the next group within six months, free of charge.
Do you help barbers find a chair?
We share openings from partner shops across Brooklyn and Manhattan — both booth rental and commission — and our strongest graduates are invited to work a chair at Merzotti.
Keep learning
Other classes
Beginner
Advanced
Fade Mastery
Cleaner blends in half the time.
Intermediate
Classic Scissor Cuts
Shears first, clippers second.