Hate Shaving? Read on…
So I’ve always loathed shaving since I had to start doing it when I was 17. In the army you have to shave every day you’ll be wearing your uniform, which means 5-7 days a week. Not only is traditional disposable cartridge shaving like Gillette, Schick, Bic, etc… expensive as hell, for me it results in razor burn and irritated skin (FML). Electric shavers are okay in a pinch (or in the field when you don’t have warm water for shaving), but I find they don’t produce a close shave, and they result in a burning sensation from all the metal wires that just got dragged in circles all over my face.
So recently I delved into the relatively obscure (at least for members of my generation) world of wet shaving. Wet shaving in this case refers to using a shaving brush, a straight or safety razor, and shaving cream or soap that doesn’t come out of an aerosol can. Straight razors are a little too serious for my liking/purpose, so I picked up a double-edged safety razor. These razors are the old-fashioned looking type as can be seen below.
They involve a razor and handle, into which you insert a single double-edged razor blade. One of the advantages of these blades are they are WAY cheaper than the cartridge variety. One blade lasts me an entire week (5-6 shaves), and cost $0.10. Compare that to Gillette Fusion cartridges that last just as long but cost around $6-$8 a pop. The shaving brush is used to lather the shaving soap or cream, and apply it to your face (which incidentally, feels awesome)
Shaving in this way turns it from a chore into a pleasure. You’ll quickly forget about the extra 3 minutes it takes in the morning to shave when you finish it feeling refreshed, awake, and a like proper, sophisticated gentleman. Other than the initial investment in the razor and brush, you’ll save tons of money in the long run. I got a 100 pack of double edged blades on amazon.com for $13 after shipping. That’s 2 years worth of blades. The ones I got:
To spell it out in point form (TL;DR)
CONS:
-The first few shaves you might sustain a couple cuts as you get used to the proper blade angle. I didn’t really have any incidents (surprisingly), but most people find there’s certainly a learning period.-Initial investment. this is pretty easy to get over. I was over it after the first shave.
-Not as fast a shave as multi-blade disposable cartridges with aerosol canned foam. As a recently, (and aptly) accused “bed
-mongerer” who hates getting up in the morning, I am enjoying the shaving experience so much that the extra 3 or so minutes of shaving time is totally cool with me.
PROS:
-Better for your skin. Less razor burn, less razor bumps, less hating your life from raking plastic and steel junk across your face.
-Price. $6-$8 cartridge vs 10 cent blade. Self-explanatory.
-Better for the environment. You are producing less waste with extremely thin, metal blades vs bulky multi-blade plastic cartridges, or even worse: Bic disposable one-piecers with plastic handles.
-Closer shave. Especially vs electric shavers- and the shorter your hair is cut, the longer your shave lasts.
Don’t be put off by the 10 minute run time. He is busy explaining stuff. I get done in 5 or 6 minutes.
If you dislike the way you are currently shaving -or are just interested in trying something new in your daily routine- I highly recommend you give traditional wet shaving a shot.
The products I use: Merkur 180 Long Handle Safety Razor, Parker Chrome handled Silvertip badger brush,Proraso shaving cream, Proraso Pre-Shave cream, Astra Superior Platinum double edged blades. All items obtained at amazon.com except the Proraso stuff, which can be bought for less money at Shopper’s Drug Mart.
-Tom
