Shaving: The Lost Art of Old School Shaving

Take a look at the ad above from 1905. When I bought my first safety razor over 100 years later, I paid the same price!

Shaving is something that men need to do constantly, and typically don't enjoy. But it doesn't have to be so bad. One of the major problems for men these days, when it comes to shaving, is that nobody ever taught them how to do it. The old days of fathers teaching sons to shave, have passed. What is there to teach? Buy a can of shaving and some razors and shave, right?

Not really. There is a lot to teach. And most men today don't know these things. One little known fact is that the first ingredient in shaving creams is acid. Another little discussed fact is that razor companies have progressively increased the number of blades men shave with from a single blade (1900-1960) to five bladed cartridges today! For some men (think Bluto from Popeye) this might be necessary, but for the rest, it is not. These blades, with their lift and cut technology are one of the leading causes of skin problems for men. Lifting and cutting blades lead to ingrown hairs which then become red, swollen and infected. Don't fall for what the razor blade companies tell you in the commercials. Don't let them force you to buy more and more expensive blades that you don't need.

Here is a little information about how to get an inexpensive babies butt shave, without destroying your skin, like your grandpa used to do.

• First, shower or wash your face with hot water. This cleans the surface, opens the pores and softens the hairs.

• Look around and find an old school lathering brush and a bar of shaving soap or shaving foam. I live in Paris and found everything I needed at the department store. In the US, you might have to look around a little. Soak the brush in hot water for a minute. Flick the excess water off of the brush and swirl it on the soap (or foam) until it gets very lathery and frothy. Lather it on your face. (Here you will look cooler than if you use the aerosol type, because it will cover your face evenly and smoothly, and you won't look like Santa Clause). Rinse the brush in the hot water, flick off the excess and set it on the shelf to dry.

• You'll want to have one of those old safety razors where the handle unscrews and you can put in double edged razor blade. I went to the flea market and found an old aluminum Gillete Tech from the 1950s for five Euros (the 1905 price)! You could also find them in antique shops or you can buy them new or used online. They often sell very cheaply. You'll also need a packet of blades made specifically for shaving. These will be available wherever you buy your lathering brush.

• Now, gently holding the razor by the lower part of the handle, begin to shave. The razor should be against your face at an angle of approximately 45 degrees (or a bit less). Do not apply pressure. The weight of the razor will be enough to shave. Always shave with the grain, not against. Think in terms of "cutting the hairs really short" not "shaving them entirely off." Ease into the process as slowly as you need to in order to feel comfortable. Change the blades once every week or two, or as they become dull. Change them as often as you like, they only cost about 25 cents each.

• Now rinse your face with hot water.

• And now splash your face with cold water to close the pores.

• Use an astringent and a cotton pad to return the p.h. balance to your skin (which is thrown off by the acid levels in the shaving foam). This also removes all of the remaining specks of hair and foam debris left after shaving.

• Use a gentle aftershave to heal your skin from the shaving process. Don't use the type that doubles as cologne because those are high in alcohol content and will dry out your skin. Use an aftershave balm or lotion.

That's it. Now you know. Shaving is yet another example of technology not actually improving on something. Not only is the old school method better for the skin, it's also cheaper and more fun. With a nice smelling foam, a fun lathering process, a cool old razor and a soothing aftershave, you might actually start to look forward to shaving. How many guys get to say that?