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What you need to know about shaving with a double edged razor

Shaving with a double edged razor is something many men are eager to try today, tossing out their cheap cartridge razors for a little more style, self-indulgence and luxury as part of their morning routine. But many of the terms associated with wet shaving and double edged razors can be as confusing as figuring out which razor to buy and then how to use it.

Below we share a few details about double edged razor shaving, to shed some light on this old classic in male grooming.

Finding Your Perfect Double Edged Razor

One thing about using a double edged razor is that one man’s “perfect” razor is not another man’s right fit. So you can’t just rely on a good friend’s recommendation. Instead, look for a double edged razor that fits nicely in your hand, feels slightly heavy and has a nice grip, like the Edwin Jagger 3D Laser Diamond DE3D14BL.

If your hands are large for example, you will likely want a longer handle than others. Or maybe you will feel most in control with a slightly stout handle, like the Edwin Jagger R35611SR. Whichever double edged safety razor you choose, a quality one will last a lifetime. So this may be something you wish to invest in, as unlike cartridge razors you replace only the blades and not the entire razor.

Using Your Double Edged Razor

Learning how to use your double edged safety razor takes time and practice. You will likely experience nicks and cuts for the first several shaves while you get used to letting the razor’s weight do the work. You may still be inclined to press down on your face and neck with the razor, which will cut your skin. So don’t start using a safety razor on an important day or when you are in a hurry, as you may have to take a few moments to take care of your nicks.

To use your safety razor with double edge blades, pull skin taut in one direction and use the blade in the opposite direction. Angle the razor’s handle at about 30 degrees from your face or neck. Do not press down, instead letting the razor’s weight drive itself. Use short strokes in the same direction as your hair growth.

Keeping Blades Fresh

Like with choosing your own perfect safety razor, you will need to experiment with different double edge blades to find your favorite. There are multiple factors that determine how long a blade lasts, such as how coarse your beard is, the brand of the blade and other factors. But common blades like Feather usually last between five and seven shaves. If your beard is not coarse, a Feather blade may last longer for you. You will know it is time to replace your blade when the current one is tugging or pulling on your first few shaving strokes. Don’t forget to use both sides of the blade, to maximize life of each one.

Posted on August 3, 2016October 17, 2017 by Sean Mason

How Using a Badger Shaving Brush Can Change Your Shaving Routine

How Using a Badger Shaving Brush Can Change Your Shaving Routine

Since the 1750s in France, men have enjoyed using shaving brushes like the badger shaving brush of today. To the French, this brush was known as a “blaireau.” This translates to “badger,” the origin of animal hair used for crafting finer shaving brushes.

Handles of the Badger Shaving Brush

Simpsons Shaving Brush - Berkeley 46 Pure Badger — Simpsons Shaving Brush – Berkeley 46 Pure Badger

The handle of a badger shaving brush is where most men focus their shopping attention, once deciding what quality of hair they seek. Some handles are made of porcelain, crystal, tortoise shell, gold or silver. Once upon a time, elephant tusks were used to make ivory handles, something no longer practiced today.

Throughout the history of the badger shaving brush, the handle is where status of a man using it could be made clear. These handles started to evoke individual personality, as much as affluence, in the 1800s. Men started to seek the most expensive and unique shaving brush handles they could afford, just so anyone who walked into their bathroom or boudoir and started snooping would know what kind of man he was, or how he wanted to be perceived.

Edwin Jagger SilverTip Badger Brush & Stand - 1EJ467SDS — Edwin Jagger SilverTip Badger Brush & Stand – 1EJ467SDS

Wet shaving is becoming as popular today as it was in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, when a badger shaving brush was a man’s coveted possession. Men have once again started shopping for the precise badger brush that reflects their individual personality, style and taste. Yes, some men even today seek to raise their status or assert it a bit, by seeking the most expensive shaving brush.

The irony is that an expensive shaving brush handle does not necessarily mean higher quality of the brush, itself. Quality actually lies in the badger bristles of a brush. In fact, modern synthetics used in handles of today’s badger brushes are far more durable and remain better looking over a longer period of time, than one of precious metal, tortoiseshell, brass, or other high value substance. Synthetic handles are less prone to breakage and moisture damage.

In fact, even the most expensive brushes are often crafted using some synthetic materials, such as nylon, urethane and plastic. So do not be fooled by a pretty handle. The quality is in the badger bristles.

Badger Brush Bristles

There are a variety of quality grades of badger brush hair available for shaving brushes. You will usually notice the following options, when shopping for a shaving brush made with badger hair:

Edwin Jagger Shaving Brush - Pure Badger 81P26 — Edwin Jagger Shaving Brush – Pure Badger 81P26

As you shop, you will notice that pricing is lowest for pure badger and progresses upward for the highest quality of Silvertip badger. Pure badger hair is the most common hair found on these animals, on about 60 percent of their bodies. Best badger hair covers about 20 to 25 percent of a badger’s body, so fewer of these hairs are available. These hairs are longer and lighter in color than pure badger hair. Super badger hair is graded and sorted for superior performance. These brushes tend to feel a bit softer than the pure or best badger versions. Silvertip badger brushes have naturally silver tips, a fluffier appearance and ability to hold more water.

When reviewing available badger shaving brushes to select your own, the best choice is to start with one at a level of quality you are comfortable with, then choosing the handle that best suits your personal taste, decor or stylish shaving kit. Badger shaving brushes last a long time. So you may gain years of wear from the one you choose now. Or, you may decide to upgrade your quality at some point or buy additional brushes for travel and other purposes. Regardless of the badger shaving brushes you ultimately choose, they will provide your best wet shaving experience for years to come.

Posted on July 8, 2016October 17, 2017 by Sean Mason

Are The Advantages Of Shaving Soap Right For You?

Are The Advantages Of Shaving Soap Right For You?

Many men are loyal to shaving soap despite quicker means of applying shaving cream available on the market today. So what is it about shaving soap that makes them continue whipping it up versus creams, foams or gels?

For some, it is because hard soap for shaving has a long-standing history as part of grooming. It is the tradition of hard soap that entices them into the daily routine. For others, it is the extended experience of taking time to appreciate their shave and focused moment of self-indulgence. There are even more reasons to use shaving hard soap, so we will explore the background of these soaps for you to decide what is right for you.

About Hard Shaving Soap

Hard soaps used in shaving have been around for about two hundred years. One well-known American brand was Williams, a mug-use hard soap produced as early as 1840. Shaving soaps are still fashioned as they were back then, in hard bars most often resembling a round puck. These hard soaps have one feature many people overlook or do not realize hold significance. That is, they have a flat bottom for use in a shaving mug or a rounded bottom for use in a scuttle.

Many men enjoy the fragrance and richness of hard shaving soaps like those of the Col Conk line, Edwin Jagger or Taylor of Old Bond Street.

To use a hard soap formulated for shaving, a shaving brush is required to create lather from the soap and applied water. The brush is immersed in water and then vigorously swished around the soap until the brush bristles are coated with the soap. The brush is then applied to the face to create lather or this is done in a shaving mug or bowl. Some soaps are designed to be rubbed directly on the face, with the brush then used on the face to create foam.

Advantages of Using Shaving Soap

Taylor of Old Bond Street Hard Shaving Soap - Sandalwood — Taylor of Old Bond Street Hard Shaving Soap – Sandalwood

For many men, a major advantage of hard soap is how much hydration they provide for whiskers to be cut easily. Shaving soaps remove the natural oil from whiskers and skin, providing the means for water to more thoroughly penetrate these facial hairs. When whiskers are more hydrated, the razor is able to cut them without pulling.

For men who travel frequently, hard soap is also better for their lifestyle. Most men who frequently air travel prefer not checking baggage. Because the Transportation Security Administration permits shaving soaps in carry-on bags, getting through security and onto the plane without having to check a suitcase is a very positive benefit. The same is not the case for those traveling with liquids, gels or aerosol shaving creams. Soap is also very compact and easy to pack without leakage compared to a shaving cream tub.

Edwin Jagger Shaving Soap Sandalwood SSSW

For many, the extra time and a bit of extra effort required for shaving soap use drives them to use more modern methods. But many who are loyal to shaving soaps enjoy that time of quiet reflection in the morning or for an evening shave, when they can focus on themselves and not everything else they are responsible for.

Shaving soaps also seem more expensive at face value. But over an extended period of use, shaving soaps are actually cheaper than other means of developing a foamy lather, comparable in cost to creams and gels at the very least. This is mainly because soaps are hard molded where a shaving cream would lather up with water and a shaving brush.

For environmentally conscious wet shaving enthusiasts, shaving soaps bring the benefit of not hurting the environment. Because there is no aerosol application, less ecological impact is inflicted by men using these soaps over canned creams.

Posted on June 29, 2016October 17, 2017 by Sean Mason

How To Get The Perfect Classic Shave

Getting a “classic shave” means stepping away from your quickly executed, disposable razor-quality shave using canned shaving cream. A classic shave is an experience and daily ritual men of many generations have enjoyed. You can enjoy your shave, too. The keys to that lie in having the right implements and knowing how to execute a luxurious shaving experience from start to finish.

What You Will Need for a Classic Shave

For a truly timeless shave, you will need several items:

Shaving brush, like the Edwin Jagger Super Badger Shaving Brush
Razor, like an Edwin Jagger Safety Razor
Quality shaving cream, such as Col. Conk High Desert Breeze Shaving Cream

Once you have these items on hand, fill a sink full of hot water. Ensure it is not scalding, but nicely hot and steamy. The best time to shave is after you have had a hot shower.

While you are filling the sink, allow your shaving brush to soak in the water.

Prepping Your Skin

Splash enough hot water on your freshly showered face to keep it very wet. It is important to ensure your face stays well hydrated and warm throughout the shave.

Take your shaving brush out of the hot water and hold it upside down until all of the excess water has flowed out. Swirl the warm, wet-tipped brush on the surface of the shaving cream in circular motions. Do this until white lather appears. You will need sufficient shaving cream, but not too much. When you have done a few classic shaves, you will know how much cream is right for your shave.

Paint the lather onto your face using an up and down motion. Ensure all of the areas you will be shaving are covered with cream. The layer of shaving cream should be thick and opaque. Put down your shaving brush and replace it in your hand with the razor.

Executing Your Classic Shave

Shave in the direction of hair growth. That means you shave with your whiskers, not against them. If you are using a safety razor for the first time, you must remember that safety razors require slow, light-handed application. Do not stroke it heavily across your skin in rapid movements, like you do with a disposable razor. Part of the experience of the classic shave is in appreciating the slow, relaxing movements.

You will need to pay attention to your hair’s growth pattern while shaving to avoid cuts and razor burn. Unlike with a disposable razor, a safety razor requires greater care and attention to the growth patterns. Also remember to rinse your safety razor frequently, between each pass if needed. Your whiskers may require two passes over each area, to ensure a close shave.

After the Shave

Once your shave is complete, rinse your face with cold water. Using cold water closes your facial pores. Pat your face dry with a towel.

Rinse your razor and shaving brush very well to ensure all lather and residue are removed. Shake the shaving brush dry and store it using a shaving brush drip stand. Never store your delicate shaving brush on its side. Bristles need to air dry and this is done by hanging the brush from the drip stand. Properly maintained, your shaving brush can last more than 20 years.

Taylor of Old Bond Street Aftershave Lotion - Eton College — Aftershave Lotion for a perfect classic shave

Finish your classic shave with a non-alcohol after-shave lotion or moisturizer. Moisturizer meant for after your shave will not sting and bring tears to your eyes like traditional after-shave made with alcohol. Follow the methods of wet shaving with the appropriate products listed and you are guaranteed to have a perfect classic shave.

Posted on June 17, 2016October 17, 2017 by Sean Mason