Safety razor perfection

Shaving since 14 or so I was initially given disposable razors that were always kept in my house. These were bought at Sainsbury’s in packs of 50 and were not great. Although not safety razor prices they lasted perhaps several shaves. Also embarrassingly enough they were used by the whole family some of which shaved their legs. I always had the same Gillette shaving foam that had a very light menthol scent. But there was a certain mustiness to it that was a bit rough. My families main gripe with my shaving was in my teenage selfishness.  I would not rinse the bowl of my hair. Which i can understand as being a bit grim for my sister. Saying that she put fairy liquid in a drink once and watched me down it.

I used to cain through these cans and use up to 10 a year which is clearly a consumerist ploy. As a Muhle puck will last 8 months on it’s own at the price of a modest 5 pounds. When i grew up and jacked in the disposable razors, I graduated onto the more expensive stuff. That’s right cartridge razors costing 18 quid for the refills. Safety razor blade packs just seem to last especially if you have a few packs you alternate through. A blade will last a week of shaving. I find a high quality stiffer sharper blade like a Muhle or Feather blade will last up to 10 days. Depending on what razor blades you prefer will determin what you use. I like flimsy blades like Lord or Crown as they possess a flexibility that helps me have more control over the shave.

I would also recommend these to any barber that provides wet shaves to the public. Knowing some hairdressers having a lot of trouble with not cutting clients to the point of taking wet shaves off the menu.

Shaving cream

Shaving creams or shaving soaps? I find that a shaving cream is considerably more luxurious providing a thicker lather that feels nicer on your skin. Lot’s of shaving soaps are glycerine and I am not to bothered about this chemical component to make it last longer. Even though we are in a age of veganism and being super careful about chemicals. I do enjoy handmade natural soaps but it is quite hard to find a trully chemical free shaving soap. You will also sacrifice lather and also the longevity as they seem to go down pretty quick . SLS is a foaming agent  that is present in a lot of things which lather, it isn’t the worst thing in the world. It could lead to an itchy scalp and possibly a bit of baldness worst case scenario. The ones you don’t want are Parabens it seems doing research also philates. Parabens are in loads of things so stay vigilante. Sadly these preservatives are carcenagenic so a bit more of a hazard than itchy scalps.

I tend to use a safety razor everyday as I can really carve hair off my face. Technique is very important in shaving with a safety razor but it is fun to learn I find. Finding the perfect shave is for the man who has nothing better to do. That must be me or do I just professionally seek perfection. I hope the later is concurrent with my chosen occupation as a gents grooming merchant. I love to shave with non aggressive razors as I feel I can get a lot of control over the shaver. But I am competent enough at shaving to use more aggressive razors like the Edward’s lifetime razor. It will eraze facial hair no matter how thick and wirey, given I use the a hot lather and maybe some shaving oil. Shaving oil is great way to make a barrier against any cuts from a blade. Making the hair more exposed to your razor of choice which hopefully is the Edward’s lifetime razor.

https://edwardstraditionalshavingemporium.co.uk/product-category/safety-razors/