Men: Do You Wet Shave?

[Zephyr]

I used to use a disposable until I picked up a straight razor. I cut myself like crazy my first few shaves, but I regret nothing and have never gone back to disposables or electrics. Know how many fresh blade cartridges you need to buy for a straight razor? Exactly zero.

[doppelgänger]

I use a good shaving soap (currently "Herban Cowboy") and brush, and a quality triple-bladed razor with replaceable blades. Much better shave than I ever got with an electric or that foamy lotion stuff.

[Ringer]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

I use a good shaving soap (currently "Herban Cowboy") and brush, and a quality triple-bladed razor with replaceable blades. Much better shave than I ever got with an electric or that foamy lotion stuff.

From the little I know about shaving soap, milled soap is some of the best soap you can use. It looks like Herban Cowboy fits that category.

[Worshipper]

I started shaving with an electric razor because it was a gift from my grandfather. Then, in college, I went to Europe and didn't want to fuss with converters for my razor, so I learned how to shave the real way. I didn't use a brush or special soap, though, until last Christmas, when my brother gave me a new shaving gift. Before then it was just whatever soap I used for my hands, applied by those same hands.

I find that when you're in a public restroom (like at a hostel), and you don't want any trouble with any of the guys there, it's good to shave without any soap or cream or anything. Just water and the blade. Guys give you plenty of space when they see you do stuff like that.

[No*s]

Shave? Me? Not unless I have to (haven't done so since March).

When I did shave, I usually just used water and a disposable razor, or if the bathroom was busy, just took the razor blade into the back yard. Tea is what I pamper myself with...

[Ringer]

Dang....

Shaving with just water and a disposable blade? I didn't think that was possible. I have a hard enough time getting my disposable blades to glide across my face with shaving cream after only a few uses.

[angellous_evangellous]

I use these products: The Perfect Shave - The Art of Shaving


Great stuff. I use a new Mach 3 razor each time I shave. It's expensive, but Daddy has a very tough beard.

[Worshipper]

Originally Posted by Ringer

Dang....

Shaving with just water and a disposable blade? I didn't think that was possible. I have a hard enough time getting my disposable blades to glide across my face with shaving cream after only a few uses.

And that's why guys leave you alone when they see you doing it in a public restroom!

[Circle_One]

Originally Posted by Ringer

The latest trend in shaving seems to be going back to the good ole' days when men used to shave with a safety razor or the feared cutthroat blade. Probably due to the lack of time or for the convenience factor, disposable razors slowly started to replace the classic DE shavers along with the shaving brush counterpart and shaving cream/soap. But, in our quest to shave off time in the morning, we've taken a step backwards in what should be a relaxing and pampering routine for us men. Not to mention, the 10-20 minutes it takes to wet shave could be used for contemplating the meaning of life, making our RF conversations more thought provoking. I've expressed interest of wet shaving to my gifriend and for our 1 year anniversary she picked me up my first safety razor. I may eventually graduate to the cutthroat razor but I'm taking things one step at a time. You can buy the disposable blades that you'll see represented to the right of the shaver. Not all blades are created equal and you'll find that some are sharper than others making your face either very smooth or nicked up depending on how good your technique is. Either way, they aren't expensive when comparing to the disposable razors.




The next stage is to find a nice badger hair shaving brush. After spending a bit of time on shaving forums (yes, they do exist), I've narrowed it down to the one below. The point of the shaving brush is to hold hot water and lather which is vital for a close shave. Is also serves as a gentle exfoliant to remove dead skill cells making sure that there is nothing between the blade and your face.





These are probably the two most important items but don't forget that you also need a high quality shaving cream or soap. These are not like the creams you find in the aerosol cans but are made of all natural ingredients while at the same time producing a rich lather that is vital for a smooth and irritation-free shave. It's a personal preference on whether you want to use a shaving cream or a soap. A beginner would probably be better off with a cream because it is more forgiving with shaving technique, giving less of a chance of nicks and cuts.





The last factor in the equation is something to hold your soap or cream. For those who have the money to spend, a shaving scuttle is the last piece of coolness and will make your bathroom look more manly than you thought possible. If you don't want to use a scuttle, a shaving mug or even a large coffee cup will do. You want to keep the water used to whip up your lather as hot as possible. A hot lather will be sure to keep those whiskers pliable and easier to cut, extending the life of your blade as well as less skin irritation. For this is reason it is also recommended that you shave after you shower.



Your supplies may be a little pricey depending on how extravagent they are but if you are like me and go through Gillette Fusion disposable razors like water, you save yourself money in the long run. I'm hoping I enjoy it and making it an art that I can pass on to my son when he is older. I will be, like, John Wayne-in-the-western-movies-cool and a face as smooth as a baby's butt to boot! It would be cool if anybody in RF uses this method of shaving. I don't anticipate there will be many, if any, but for you men out there, I'd give this type of shaving system some consideration if you are all about pampering yourself in the morning a few times a week and have had problemsm with skin irritation from your current shaving method. If people are at all interested, I'll post some pics of my supplies when I get them as well as some step by step instructions.

My boyfriend uses a straight razor (I'm assuming that's what you mean by cutthroat razor) on his face and I use one when I shave his whitewalls (shaving the sides and back of his head and just leaving his pomp on the top). It's a tons closer shave and he says it's easier for him to shape his chops (his sideburns) with a straight razor, rather than with a disposable, or clippers.