Like most of you, i’ve been shaving for years using the same ‘super technology’ Gilette Mach 3s and Sensors and Schick Quattros and whatever other new gimmick comes into town! However quite frankly I have just had a shave of a lifetime in my own bathroom. I’ve had a shaving experience which will change my beard hygiene for life! I just shaved for the first time using a proper double-edged razor, proper shaving cream, a proper brush—-and honest to god my face feels like it has never felt before.
My beautiful wife bought me all of the components to shave properly last week for my birthday. I have to say I was hugely excited when I opened the package, and after today I am not dissappointed. I took some time to read up about shaving with classic double edged razors, as well as tactics for pre-shave preparation as well as minimizing risks for slitting my skin open!
The tools i used:
Merkur Heavy Duty Double Edged Razor (Germany)
Proraso Eucalypus Shaving Cream (Italy)
Edwin Jagger Shaving Brush (England)
Pinaud Clubman After Shave Lotion (France)
I think my face woke up today after the feeling of putting the fresh smelling Eucalyptus shaving cream on with the brilliantly firm bristled Edwin Jagger brush—–I don’t think my face has felt such pleasure before! I honestly could apply shaving cream with this brush for HOURS! it’s like a full service massage……amazing.
Admittedly, the double edged razor made me nervous; (A) while handling, because I kept thinking I was gonna cut myself just installing the blade, and (B) because after installing it, I realised that it is damn sharp and any wrong angle or crooked swipe I take is going to likely cut me—-especially as this was my first time. Ultimately though, the blade was installed after a beautifully mechanic installation of unscrewing the shaft to lift up the metal plate, putting the blade in, and then rescrewing the shaft again to lower the metal plate. Just wonderful.
I took a very long time to shave today; out of precaution and out of savouring the experience. Surely I will become quicker as I become more experienced with a double edged razor—–but honestly I don’t think I am going to willingly be able to use a standard razor again.
Afterwards I applied some Pinaud’s Clubman; which if evaluated on a amount-of-greatness: amount-of-money ratio may be the best after shave in the world (it costs about $6 and has been around for 200 years).
I highly recommend that some of you try this way of shaving; I’ve been turned into a believer. It has made me think of shaving as an artform. I am also amazed how much more superior this system of shaving is as compared to the run-of-the-mill mass marketed shave that people use these days. We are losing the attention to detail, and our A.D.D. has corrupted our desire to spend time on little things. This way of shaving is from a time when people had more time…and made more time to do basic things.
I also recommend you read this article from the wonderful Art of Manliness website, a site I religiously read these days for all sorts of fantastic insight into, well, the art of manliness!
IEDEI 
.JPG){kind=link}