Smooth operator

November 12, 2009 by Jorge Labrador 

Find some tips and tricks to stay looking sharp

Shaving with your typical disposable blade razor (as most men on the planet who shave do) can be a loathsome experience for many of us. Crummy blades (you can have up to five of them on one razor cartridge!) razor burn, cuts, irritation, ingrown hairs and shaving cream that turns out to contribute to irritating and drying out the skin – why would anyone do this to their face?

Fortunately, I’ve come across another option – and once you try it, you may never want to go back to your old ways.

The lost art of wet shaving is the secret to that smooth look without the irritation.

Wet shaving is an old tradition and the simplest way to shave. It doesn’t involve fancy multi-razor cartridges, doesn’t use aerosol shaving cream and, if done properly, won’t cause your skin to burn like a thousand fiery suns.

For starters, you have to gear up to get the best shaving experience.

Ditch the cartridge-based razor for a double-edge safety razor. These use a single, extremely sharp blade and offer an extremely close shave, with little or no irritation.

The only caveat? Sticker shock.

Cartridge-based razors are cheap up-front, but an 8-pack of cartridge refills can cost up to $20 – depending on how often you shave, this could add up quickly. Big Razor doesn’t want you to know this, but they make all their money from those overpriced razor cartridge refills.

By contrast, a handle for a safety razor runs anywhere from $25 to $130 if you shop around – a greater up-front investment. A good, adjustable handle with some good weight to it should cost about $50 or so. A 45-blade “sampler” pack of various blade brands runs for $9 plus shipping on razorandbrush.com. eBay auctions are another place to score cheap razors in bulk.

You’ll want to check out some shave soap or some classic shaving cream. Soap is relatively affordable at classicshaving.com, starting at $9. Art of Shaving at the Fashion Show Mall offers both options, with soap running about $26.

Along with your soap or cream choice comes the shaving brush. You’ll be using this brush to make lather and apply it on your face, which makes it just as important as the razor you’ll be shaving with. Badger hair brushes on classicshaving.com range from $8 to about $300. Brushes are generally made from boar or badger hair, with badger hair typically being considered the best for creating the best lather.

If you wish to avoid using animal products, or are averse to the smell that newly purchased boar or badger hair brushes will have for a few uses, synthetic brushes start at around $10.

It might be a good idea to get a few other things to start wet shaving as well – a mug or small bowl for your shaving soap or cream and an alum block or styptic pencil. Styptic pencil costs about $2 at any drug store or pharmacy section while alum blocks should run about $12 or so. Use these to stop the bleeding from any little nicks you might get while shaving.

You’ll also want to get some kind of after-shave balm, like Nivea’s (about $5). Balm is much better than other aftershave options and doesn’t burn at all.

Now that you’ve got the gear, it’s time to get started.

The first step to a good wet shave is to take a hot shower – as hot as possible. This opens up the pores in your skin and causes the hair on your face to extend slightly, making them easier to shave. When you get out of the shower, don’t dry your face. You’ll want to keep moisturized.

Drip your brush in hot water and shake it just enough that it’s no longer entirely soaked.

You want to use enough water to create a thick lather, but not so much that you create something watery and thin.

When your brush is lathered up, spread it evenly across your face and neck.

Before you even start to shave, be wary of two things: you must use as little pressure as necessary – because the weight of the handle should do all the work. You want the razor to glide over your stubble without forcing the razor against your face – I’d advise against applying any kind of pressure, as it could cause an irritable, bloody mess.

The first time you shave, go with the grain in long, smooth passes. Not everyone has perfect facial hair growth so you may want to take note of spots where the grain’ is in a completely different direction – this is usually around your chin and neck areas. Take your time and avoid applying pressure – when you’ve finished one pass, you can lather up again and try a second, this time going either at an angle or against the grain. When shaving up on your neck, you might find it more comfortable to hold the razor like you would a pencil.

If your skin is sensitive, you might want to avoid shaving against the grain the first time you try wet shaving.

If you wind up nicking yourself – moisten that styptic pencil or alum block and rub it on that cut.

Now that you’ve shaved, your skin is vulnerable – wash your face with some warm water, followed by cold water to close up those pores that are wide open. Next, you’ll want to apply some after-shave balm to soothe and moisturize your face and seal the deal. Rinse off your brush and razor and take a look in the mirror – it might have taken an up-front investment and may take a while to get used to the process, but the having a fresh shave with none of the drawbacks of disposable cartridge razors is well worth it.

Getting rid of all the people who want to feel your smooth shave, on the other hand, is another story entirely…