Shaving with a Safety Razor should be an enjoyable process. We started Manly Stuff to help men improve their shaving experience and to stop it being a core. With COVID, people are shaving less for work but sometimes still want to look their best and an enjoyable shave with a Safety Razor is the perfect way to start any day. If you’re still using a cartridge razor then it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee and to start enjoying your shave again. A shave with a Safety Razor will take no longer than your usual shave with a bit of practise. The joy of a Safety Razor means you’ll have less ingrown hairs, irritation and more money in the bank in the long run!
Time needed: 10 minutes
- Pre Shave – Preparation of the skin before your shave
Did you know that stubble has the same tensile strength as copper wire when dry? By prepping your skin and softening the stubble, it brings the hair down to then tensile strength of nylon – which do you think is earier to cut? Step one is to apply some high quality Pre Shave Oil to a wet face – massage it in slowly and enjoy the process.
- Step 2 – Use a Shaving Brush to Apply Shaving Soap
A shaving brush is an essential part of your shave and is a key part of learning how to shave with a Safety Razor. Soak your shaving soap in warm water for a few minutes whilst you’re doing step 1 – this will just make it easier to lather and will provide more glide when using any of our Safety Razors. Using a shaving brush helps lift the stubble away from the skin which means you get a closer, cleaner shave. Using a circular motion, create a lather with the shaving brush by rotating it on the shaving soap. Once you have a good thick lather, ‘paint’ it on to the skin as if painting a wall – don’t use a circular motion as you see sometimes as this will actually damage and break the bristles.
- Load up your Safety Razor with a Single Edge Blade
The time has come to load up that safety razor. Holding the handle firmly, twist the head of the safety razor until it comes away from the handle. Separate the head in to the two parts, carefully remove the blade from the paper wrapping (be careful not to touch the sharp side and hold it by the ends), and then place it in to the groves on the safety razor head. Put the razor back together, be careful not to overtighten, and you’re good to go!
- It’s time to shave with your new Safety Razor!
It can seem a little daunting sometimes using a Safety Razor for the first time but fear not, millions of people have done it before so you’re next! Holding the handle with a good grip, and not applying pressure to the skin, slowly start shaving with a 30 degree handle and short strokes. Start on the cheeks and the easy parts before moving to the neck. The most important thing to remember is DO NOT shave against the grain, shave with the direction of hair growth and this will reduce the chances of irritation and ingrown hairs. Take your time shaving with the Safety Razor, you might get one or two nicks the first time you use one and that’s OK! Once you’re fully shaved the face, splash and rinse with cold water – this will draw the blood away from the skin and help soot the skin quickly.
- The Last Step – Apply some Post Shave Balm to help nourish the skin.
Possibly the most important step! You’ve just removed a layer of dead skin from your face so it’s naturally going to be a little tender. You should consider applying a post shave balm like our own that’s full of Vitamin E, Aloe Vera and lots of other stuff that’s great for soothing, cooling and healing the skin. A lovely idea is to keep it in the fridge to really help cool the face after your shave.
And you’re done! Congratulations on your first wet shave with a safety razor – you know now how to shave with a safety razor!
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