The Art of the Close Shave, Vanished from History

Ever since I was eleven, I was faced with the dilemma of "Why the heck is shaving such a pain?" Seeing that it irritated my skin quite fiercely, causing ingrown hairs and a ton of skin flaking. The chore irritated me so much that I was halfway tempted to just go ahead and wax my face. (Might have been a little extreme, haha! What can I say? I was eleven!) I had tried both the cartridge razors, and the electric. Both with no luck. Always making it a chore to go in and shave.

Well, one day, thanks to my good friend Noah, my dreams of a decent shave came true. Thanks to http://www.artofmanliness.com/ and their article "How to Shave like your Grandpa" Noah showed me how a great shave could be accomplished. Might I add that anybody who is a man, or any boy that is trying to become one should read the articles on http://www.artofmanliness.com/ They are packed full knowledge that everyone should know.

Now you may be thinking, "How random of an article is this!" after writing my last one on bomb shelters... But I believe that every man should know about this way of shaving and should give it a try. Plus, it gives me more time to finish up other articles!

A little history about the greatest invention for shaving that got lost into history. Originally used in the 1920's, through the late 1960's, wet shaving with double edged razor's was very popular. But got forgotten because companies started coming out with aerosol shaving cream, and cartridge razors. Fortunately, the industry has come back alive due to how cheap they are to use, and the quality of the shave.

The greatest reason why I believe wetshaving, is the way to go is because it is so inexpensive compared to using cartridge razors! The most expensive part of shaving with a double edge is of course the razor. Which pays for itself very quickly. Merkur Double Edge Razors on Amazon (This is made in Germany out of very high quality stainless steel. It has a very nice weight making it very comfortable in your hands) and of course you will need blades. Now I tend to prefer the Merkur Double Edge Blades, but everybody is different and prefer different blades. You can buy packs of a bunch of different blades made by different companies. But I usually can get about 8-11 shaves out of a single Merkur blade without very many problems. They are also very comfortable your face. Now might I add, this is where the razor pays for itself. At the time I am writing, a pack of 10 blades is $6.62 making each individual blade a whopping $0.65 each... And again... I usually get 8-11 shaves out of each individual blade. Seeing that I shave every other day, 10 blades last a few months. Talk about an amazing price point! I also like using C.O. Bigelow Shaving Cream from Bath & Bodyworks, which you can get for $5 a tube. It has both eucalyptus and Menthol creating a really nice cooling effect on the face. Used just right, it can last you several months! I also use Aqua Velva Musk Aftershave which is great for whenever I accidentally nick myself and it just smells great! I also use a Tweezerman 100% Pure Badger Hair Shaving Brush. What it does is lathers up the shaving cream and keeps it warm. It also evenly applies the shaving cream to your face, while getting under the individual whiskers making it easier to shave.



A few items from my personal shaving set.

 Now it is very possible to get incredibly elaborate with your shaving. You can get different shaving mugs, shaving soaps, brushes, or some very fancy shaving gear from The Art of Shaving. After a while you realize you have built quite a collection and it is a lot of fun!
Before I close, I would just like to put four rules down.

1. Take your time and enjoy shaving! It should be enjoyable, not a chore!
2. Anytime you decide to shave, follow this instruction carefully. Start out shaving with the grain of your beard. Go for hair reduction, not removal. Second, after reducing the hair on your face, reapply shaving cream and then go against the grain. This second step is for hair removal. It is easier on your skin and prevents cuts.
3. Your wetshaving! Note the word Wet! If the cream starts drying on your face or on your brush, or your skin is causing your razor to sort of stick to your face, and bounce, just get some water on your hands and rub it into the shaving cream. **If you continue having difficulties, even if you apply water and have tried several times, your skin probably does not produce very much oil or you are using too much shaving cream. I would suggest trying The Art of Shaving Four Elements. (Note: This is a whole set, you can buy the pre-shave oil seperately. But I would suggest using the set seeing that all the different creams have the same fragerance. Might I add that lemon is a personal favorite) (Also, if anybody is interested I have three sample boxes to try out their products. Just message me on Facebook!) It has a great pre-shave oil that will lubricate your beard very well providing protection from your razor jumping. Plus, it all smells great and is made out of very high quality materials. It is well worth the money and a whole set lasts for months.**
4. Have fun! 

 Well! I hope to hear some great stories of how people are making the change to wetshaving! Remember to check out http://www.artofmanliness.com/! Thanks for reading!