Are Traditional Shaving Methods Right for You?
The Season changes, and it is time for some seasonal changes. Put away your sweaters, coats, and Grizzly Adams beards, please, or put them on as the season requires. Time for a new but old way to shave. Time for a new but old way to shave.
Maybe you’ve seen Salzano’s store with all the shiny razors, or you’ve pulled out your dad or grandpa’s razor and are intrigued. The razor looks dangerous, deadly, and MANLY. There is a growing number of people who are reverting back to single-blade shaves, either with a double-edged safety razor, an injector-style razor, a shavette, or even a straight razor. But is this old-fashioned traditional shaving right for you?
There are two main reasons why people start to get interested in these types of razors. They are looking for a better shave that will not cause razor bumps or irritations. Or they are looking for more of a budget shave. One thing they are not looking for is a quick shave because, as mentioned previously, SHARP DANGEROUS AND DEADLY (only if used improperly or by Sweeney Todd).
Is it really beneficial to use a single blade razor and brush with shave soap or cream? The simple answer is yes. The complicated answer is yes. The brush helps to loosen dirt and oils from the face that the razor then exfoliates from the skin. In a spa, you can get a similar procedure done that is called dermaplaning. This helps to maintain bright, youthful skin on the surface. If you are prone to razor bumps, you can rest assured that learning proper shaving techniques and beard mapping will help alleviate, if not eliminate, this issue. With a single-edge razor, you are cutting the hair at the surface of the skin so it never leaves its natural path when growing.
The modern razors even show you how their razors extract the hair ever so slightly, to then cut it below the surface of the skin for it to later retract underneath. Many times the hairs – especially if you have curly hair – do not find their natural growth path and curl back into your skin, causing the razor bump. These can later get infected and turn painful. Chris P, a local banker, has noticed the change not only with the clearing of bumps but also the disappearance of hyperpigmentation (discoloration). His wife, on the other hand, only had one thing to say about it: “his face is so soft and smooth now.”
You can talk to your barber about your facial hair growth patterns to have it mapped out for shaving with the grain of hair growth (WTG) and, as you learn proper technique, across the grain (XTG) and lastly against the grain (ATG). We will talk more about advanced shaving techniques in the future.
Secondly, the economy of using a double-edge or even straight razor is much more frugal over the course of a year as opposed to some of these big-name razors advertised on TV. You can set up to do a traditional shave for as low as $100 over the course of one year if you know how to shop once you spend your initial investment for a razor and a brush. The soaps and double-edge razors (or maintenance to a straight razor) are very economical. Stop in and see us to get started. Stay tuned for more articles.
Author – Taylor Alejandro
Copyright: NejroN / 123RF Stock Photo
