5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Wet Shaving
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- čas přidán 10. 06. 2024
- I’m Matt Pisarcik, founder of Razor Emporium, welcome to our channel!
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I don’t even remember the last time I touch the forbidden cartridge
Can’t say the same lol. While I find modern cartridges to be a joke, I love dabbing in classic cartridges, such as the Trac II or the Atra.
I've been straight and DE shaving since I was 15. Dad was a trained barber from the old country so we spent a lot of time together as he taught me what I needed to know at the time. As time went on, more and more info was shared by him. The best information that he shared with me is "ENJOY YOURSELF" as it will be a task that will last you the rest of your life. That's when things started to change for me. It drew my Dad and I even closer. My pals over the years mess with cartridges and electrics and inferior results as compared to DE and straight razors yet stuck to their way while laughing ours. A while back, I thought that I would check out for a new DE on line and a world of straight and DE on line info and sharing opened up to me (thanks to algorithms) and been enjoying it. I realized that your co. refreshes and tunes old razors. I have Dad's old Gillette and will be sending it your way in the very near future. So happy that there are others out there that are DE and straight razor fans.
Shine on!
butch
Thanks for the great advice! Only been at it a few years, but here's 5 more tips from me:
1. A shavette can be much easier than starting with a straight razor. Odd thing to say? Yes, they're actually sharper so it'll be more daunting at first, but if you cork the blade and be careful, you will learn to ride a stallion before riding a pony so to speak. A straight also needs maintenance, you can't swap blades and can easily feel "off" for several reasons. May seem backwards, but I fell in love with shavettes that way. They can also be much cheaper starting out, and even "dirt" cheap ones can give great shaves.
2. Buy sample packs. Want to try blades? Don't buy a pack of 25, 50 or (please god don't) 100. Now you're stuck with it for years. Buy sample packs (with like 10-20 different blades but only 1-5 of each). Same thing with soaps! Want to try a soap but not sure you'll like the scent? Sample packs. God's gift to wetshavers.
3. You don't need a fancy pre-shave, and certainly not starting out. Bloom your soap in hot water, clean/scrub your face as you normally would, have a nice shower, when you come out, pour that water into your hands and rub it into your face. Boom, great cheap "preshave". Now use the soap normally and shave. When you feel more acquainted, maybe it's time to try a preshave. Still think it's the single least necessary item in wetshaving though, unless you have extremely sensitive skin or you're taking down a really thick beard.
4. You are going to cut yourself. Accept that now. I'm not saying "go nuts and shave like a madman", not at all. Take precautions, go slow and easy, be very careful. But getting nicks and cuts is part of wetshaving, the same way accidents are part of sports - the good news is you probably won't get HUGE cuts, they're usually fairly minor or at least "thin" and quite painless. Be careful and prepared (alum can be good to have around but I honestly prefer just a good mild aftershave balm, can work wonders as well).
5. My biggest advice to minimize the amount of those inevitable cuts and nicks: prepare your face like Matt said (a shower, a face scrub, bloom your water for a preshave, a hot towel, whatever floats your boat), but I would also advice to only shave when you have time to do it, preferably alone. It's your zen moment, your time of day or evening to yourself, a little "spa treatment" of sorts. Don't throw a razor to your face if you have kids screaming, you're in a hurry to be somewhere or you're really sick/exhausted. That's when accidents happen, or on really nonchalant second/third passes.
Wonderful points here
I'll disagree with the sample packs. In fact, I'll go so far as to say "Don't buy a sample pack if you're starting out!" Personally, buy _any_ of the major market brands, and use that for at least 20 shaves. Nacet, Astra, even Rapira, even Shark or Derby. Want to buy 50 of them? Go for it. They're cheap. Use a blade for a shave, toss it - or use it for two or three shaves, then toss it. (Preferably stick it in a can and save it for recycling)
Why? It's simple. Until you've figured out how to shave WITH a DE (or SE), you won't know anything about how the blades really _are_ different. Same with handles. Get a basic handle. The ones sold at Wal-Mart, Walgreens, etc are perfectly adequate. That Merkur Slant, or the $195 Naval Stainless Steel three piece, won't do you any good _until_ you know how to shave.
Same with the shavette - I picked one up for the first time last week, and managed to do a decent job shaving (one nick, no blood). The way you have to hold them (just like a straight razor) isn't something that'll be easy to use, it'll take practice. With a DE, you can just hold the handle, even if you're a ham fisted monkey, and the blade rarely tries to rotate out of your grip to go straight into the cheek.
Starting out? Change as little as possible. That's my WOTD - consistency. You already have a routine with shaving, using lubricant X, in location Y, with razor Z. Only change razor Z, and the blade. I have 37 years of DE shaving behind me. I've shaved with shampoo, hair conditioner, "Dr Bronners", hand lotion, Dial, Safeguard, Ivory, spray gel, tube gel, spray foam, shaving cream (in a tube) - even straight water, and a few times, dry. I've used brushes, I've used fingers, I've used 'slap it on'. All of those are just as good as each other, but they take time to decide what works best for you.
When I hand someone a DE to try, I hand them a couple of packs of generic blades. Sometimes Derby, sometimes Astra, etc. They'll all cut well at the start. I tell them 'Don't try to smash it into your face - that blade is RIGHT THERE. Just put it against your face, tilt down until the blade just barely touches, and pull down gently. If you don't go far enough, you just use up soap. ' I also suggest only using it on the 'flat' areas to start, and use their accustomed razor for the rest. I've only had one person that had issues, and DIDN'T convert - he used a different razor than I handed to him, and testing it a while back, I found it doing very weird things with the blade and for the first time in decades, I had face slashes. I didn't even have that the first time I used a shavette OR an SE. Turns out the head was tweaked, and nobody would get a good shave. (Was even worse than the shave with the late 60's still sealed carbon steel blade that I tried. That was rough, but still got clean)
Over on theshaveden (dot com), they emphasize 30 days - I think 20 shaves is better.
Thank you for the first tip. It really helps to put the quality of a shave back into reality.
You bet!
You are right, no talking about it ,get starting. You are the only master in your face. Long live wet shaving.❤
I was falling into analysis paralysis, but I snapped out of it. Low on budget, I bought a King C. Gillette for $15, a 6 dollar after shave balm and continued to use the same shaving creams I used with my cartridge razor. No regrets! I keep on learning and refining my technique. The alum block came later.
Later on, father's day came by, so I got a brush and a shaving cream. With a better prep I am getting closer shaves with less irritation as I learn, I even got a couple BBS under my belt now!
Matt is right, guys, there will never be a better time to jump in than right now!
As a fellow guitar player that owned 6 Epiphones before I bought my first Gibson, your point is well taken. Jumped into the DE pool with a Henson AL13 because I like the design and heard good things about the ease of use. Recently grabbed up a Rockwell 6c and loving it as well.
Great video Matt, I enjoyed it immensely.
Glad you enjoyed it
Howdy Matt and Co!
Have a blessed day y’all.
I get a BBS every time with the exception of a couple trouble very small spots... and of course, I spend like 10 minutes trying to mow those down.
Shaved with Atra I keep for two reasons-it's vintage and i use when I have no time for a proper shave.
Great video with practical, sensible advice. The obsession with BBS is ridiculous - all we're after is a decent close shave. People spend ages chasing a "perfect" shave but sometimes good enough is just fine.
That's it: Get Started! Most people most of the time can find what they need locally. Razor, brush, d.e. blades, shaving cream, post-shave balm; and mostly already there is a bowl (if want to bowl lather) somewhere in the house. The one big risk is, a person can find some fairly bad razors locally which are really troublesome in one way or another, like give a bad shave or give too many skin cuts and this may NOT be the person's fault. The quality of any first razor MIGHT be a risk; this is just something to be aware.
It’s all in practicing and repeating.
I’m a white guy with curly hair, on my head and my beard. Started losing my head hair around 21-22 years. Shaved it couple of times with cartridges 3/5/6 blades and I was a painful experience with a ton of razor bumps.
Then it hit me: I started googling the problem and found out that a lot black men do have this problem, learned a lot from afro websites and message boards.
Bought a safety razor, soap a cup and a brush and the rest is history.
Only shave with the grain, not baby butt smooth, but it looks good, and no more irritation and pain!
Decided after 5 years to shave my beard to the same style as this guy in the video has. And I’m just finding out a good way now to shave my neck to prevent razor bumps.
It’s a learning curve, but one of the best techniques to invest time in for a good and painless process
The irritation was too bad for me to try and go back to cartridge while I was learning with my Supply Razor and Rockwell 6C. From the FIRST SHAVE, I was pretty impressed what a one-bladed, single-edge razor could do and doing some comparisons with the Rockwell was a pretty interesting experience. I just went full boar and left cartridges behind and I'm SO GLAD that I jumped in the pool like that, BUT I had Matt, and Geo, and other wet shaving influencers and business owners to help in my transition...and INFORMATION and EXPERIMENTATION made my transition easier. Without you, Matt, and other folks on CZcams, I would have probably never have discovered the joy of shaving with razors outside of cartridges.
Happy to hear
I have been doing the BBS shave for 30-years. After you get used to it, irritation is not an issue. Granted I don't have thick course hair either.
Gracias Matt, todo es cierto. 😅 Algunos están buscando el “Santo Grial” de las brocha y maquinillas y no disfrutan del ritual del afeitado clásico.
Saludos!
Felipe R.
I would say my number 6 would be: Relax. Don’t be overly serious about it. Don’t be that guy.
Number 1 truly hit home for me! I may be a bit obsessed with trying to achieve BBS! I have been into wet shaving a few months now. I really started because it is much less expensive. 10 cents per blade vs $4 per cartridge. I started with a Vanderhaggen I picked up at Walmart. It was so unbelievably mild. But I’m a bit of a gear head and I now have 5 different razors that each shave differently and several soaps and aftershaves. I use proraso for pre shave. I think my favorite soap and aftershave are the Rex 1955 products.
hey me to i started with the vanderhaggen....it felt small in the hand and the blades felt aggressively sharp and tuggy
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Not to knock you on having different razors, brushes & so forth, but my dad had one razor, one brand of blades (Gillette), & one brush. I have no idea what brand of shaving soap he used but it was only one. As far as aftershave he used Old Spice, Aqua Velva & Lectric Shave. That was his whole arsenal for shaving. 😊
Great tips! I feel like the only "need to know" to get started faster is not applying pressure. I found that advice in one little razor review and before I even bought my SEs I started practicing not applying pressure with the cartridge razor I was still using at the time.
Good Stuff Matt
#1 is so true. I took years to get started. Granted I was in college when I found this page so lack of funds was a big issue but still it took me forever.
lol my second guitar was a Les Paul Standard. 5 years later I have a room full of custom shops 🤦🏻♂️. Now it looks like I’ll be collecting razors too 🤣🤣🤣
GRAIN - Lots of videos telling people which direction you should be shaving first. This is all user specific. Feel your face. Find out which direction the hair on your face grows. You want to find which passes are the most comfortable and do those first. If it hurts or if you get bad razor burn or knicks passing a specific direction...stop making that pass.
We all have a few of each. Hahahaha. I wish.
Every tip hit the mark for this newb. No waiting to use up all the leftover cartridges. Made progress just learning DE and WS.
Great video Matt! When I started about a year and a half ago, I was afraid of cutting my face to pieces. But once I got started, I was surprised at how easy it was and how smooth my skin was. I won’t go into the complete long story, but I am now 71 and was an electric razor shaver my hole life. Just couldn’t get a good shave with the newer electric razor versions. I just got my technique down pat. I use a Rockwell 6S with a Wilkinson blade. First pass with the 4 plate second pass with 3 plate and third pass with 2 plate. I get a close comfortable BBS on my cheeks but not my neck, but that is ok because that will cause some problems. Have a great weekend Matt.👍👍👍
lmao I'm a wet shaver and I've had a single razor, single brush, and soap choice for years, really since I began. I'm only switching now to different a different brush and soap due to age and reduced quality respectively.
Some of us do not do wet shaving as some kind of esoteric hobby. We researched, bought something good enough, and never think about it again for a very long time until we have to.
100% agreed 👍
Great points, all. Thanks, Matt.
Great, thanks very much for this video.
Very nice to hear from a shaving expert that for example the bbs doesn't make sense at all.
Even after achieving 'bbs', it's a state which lasts shortly, a couple of hours at the most...🤣
Best wishes!
Thanks for watching!
Good video, Matt! Re the acronyms - people, ask! I was confused at the beginning but I asked and everyone was friendly and willing to explain. (If you're getting nasty comebacks when you ask, switch groups.)
Good advice Matt.
Listen to the experts. When I started I bought 3 different safety razor any was good at the end I bought Mercur H 34 C. The one every body recommended
Great video. I have a couple of “boutique” razors, yet the fairly affordable Merkur slant is my daily driver. Like guitars, boutique is a nice luxury but not essential.
Yes to the gear... But I would say, "The Best product is the best to you". Everyone is different and not everyone will agree that one particular product is good or bad. It's all about your personal preferences as well as features.
Watched this just in time as my first safety razor is arriving today. Thanks!!
Thanks for the video. I like to wet shave on weekends. It's a treat to take time and enjoy a wet shave compared to what is a weekday chore with my electric shaver.
I agree Matt I really dislike that lingo talk there is no need for it what's wrong with plain and straightforward English. Now as with equipment I think one should start with something approaching premium - I for example now have more double edge razors, brushes (all synthetic through choice not ethical reasons) . presheaves, shaving soaps, blades of all brands, and balms etc etc that will last me a thousand years LOL!! I now use just a Feather razor (sometimes one of your refurbished Gillette Black Beauty razor) with Feather blades, Taylors of Old Bond Street soap, and of course your charcoal soap which I cannot rate highly enough just great stuff mate.
Great advice
I could relate to the guitar analogy being a lifetime guitarist myself. Right on.
All great advice! 😁👍🏼
Thanks for watching!
It's like me having 4 shavette of which I only use 2 and just waiting for my first DE safety razor from RazorEmporium :D
Well presented. Thank you very much for the practical advice.
Glad it was helpful!
I had a single razor for the first 7-8 years of wetshaving. A Merkur 34c. Just recently bought a Henson AL13 from you guys and I like that too.
Great tips!
Glad you think so!
!!! Greetings from Montréal, Québec, Canada !!! Love this video !!! True, WHY have very expensive equipment if the budget one does the job !?! Recently, I have had a crazy idea of buying more D/E Razors, brushes and soaps for the fun of having differents smells (wich can be fun too) but put a 'Temporary' stop to that idea until further notice. Always thinking of my father whom I saw shaving with such razor in 68-70 (I was 8-10 then, I am 63 yrs.old now) some 30 years ago, I tought, IF it was good for my father, it cannot be that bad for me, RIGHT !?! Sooo I bought my first low budget shaving brush (Not sure of what kind???) and a 'Williams Shaving puck' that I put in a beautiful coffee mug (that was laying around) but NEVER came around to using them until I would buy my 1st D/E Razor wich I did when I came accross your videos 2-3 yrs. ago. With all the viedos I have seen about wet shaving (Donald Yougner W.T.F. / Lennon Sinatra), I decided to go for a 'Ming Shi' adjustable razor and a 'Wilkinson' non ajustable razor to see wich would be best for me and Wilkinson seems to do a good job IF I do not shave too quickly like 'Donald Youngner' frome Wet The Face...that man SCARES ME on how fast he shaves without cutting himself !?! Ha Ja Ha Recently bought the Wilkinson shaving puck and a tube of 'Nivea Protect and Care' shaving cream with a bottle of Nivea After Shave Balm, It all smells very nice and that is why I want to buy more scented shaving soaps, BUT I would have to figure a way to have them all in my SMALL bathroom. Coming closer to retirement, I shall have plenty of time to look into buying ALL OF THOSE GOODIES in two years !!! Stay healthy my good man and looking forward to your next videos !!! Cheers !!!
I am in Montreal too. 66 years old. Started recently with my father's 1960 Gillette fat boy. Then purchased a Merkur Futur. The merkur blades work great with this razor, the feather blades ripped my face up the first time I tried one. Just picked up a used 34C and the legendary Merker vision 2000 as a collector's item. Love the Proraso red line and the Canadian boys selling the Rocky Mountain line. Prep is the most important. Take your time and don't go crazy. You will be shaving again in 2 days if you are lazy or retired like me.
Spot on with #1. I've been "getting into wet shaving" for years... Every time I start back down the rabbit hole I get overwhelmed and put it off until the bug hits me again. The other day I grabbed a Wilson Sword butterfly DE razor and matching blades just because I saw them on the rack while picking up a new toothbrush figuring "Meh, what's the worst than can happen?". The worst thing did happen - best shave in years! Now of course I need an upgraded razor, new brush, mug (or scuttle(or both?), soaps, cremes, pre-shave stuff. I feel like an idiot for not having jumped in sooner.
Hi Matt. Ive recently started wet shaving after using cartriges for most of my life. (just turned 70!). I started the transition process With the Henson offer. During the learning stage, I re-remebered things I had forgotten. For example, you can change the process, but it takes your skin a while to adjust to the new methods. Skin has to "learn" what's happening and slowly acclimatize to the new experience. Also, the whole experience of the prep and anticipation of a good shave is really a gift to one's self! Ive thoroughly enjoyed your videos and respect the fact that you are also a Maker who knows what is important to put into a good product. Thanks for all the good advice. Have a DFS!
First of all, sorry for my bad English, I´m Brazilian. I just want to say that your videos are really fantastic! I was one of those baby butt result chaser. And my skin is absolutely sensitive with really thick beard. For me bbs is not a reality. With your advices (warnings!) I´m much happier while wet shaving, which is the best and most therapeutic way to shave.
After using a shavette years ago I realised cartridge razor is a SIN.
I shaving and yard work, more than one tool for the job first clipper,hot shower,pre shave,lather,DE,cartage razor, electric razor,and post shove.
niiiiice tips! thanks Matt!
You bet!
One of the most important things I needed to know was, in beginning to use a three-piece double edge razor, TIGHTEN the head to the handle sufficiently.
Be careful, though. Many of the three piece, even the Gillette Techs, starting in the 60's, are Zamak, and you can strip those threads like nobody's business. Best thing, to me, is to be in the habit of each time you rinse, you check the handle. If you flip the razor over, check the handle.
I literally started two years ago being fed up with cartridges and electric I am still rocking mostly the same set up with some tweaks and I’m all in under $100. Just start. The most important thing is blades
agreed!
I wish I had seen this when I started. Thanks.
Love your VIDs! I fell in love with DE safety razors and vintage shaving, because of you 😂 Best experience in life. 😊 But ☝️the time has come to upgrade to a straight razor, so wish me luck... 😁 Greetings from EU sLOVEnija 🤗 🇸🇮
Excellent video Matt, if I were to add a 6th item on this list is to not give up on a brand of DE blades; a blade that’s terrible in one razor might be perfect in another.
Well said!
and also for different situations - I tend to use either Derby Premium or Astra Platinums during the week but use up some more mild blades on the weekend like Dorco or the mild Vikings Blade that I bought with my first DE razor. There's little downside to buying 100 blades (IMO) when I find someone who's into wet shaving I'll often give away a pack or two of the blades I'm less "fond of".
Been using a safety razor since I was 16, I was miserable after every shave with my cartridge razors and financially broke and my dad being born in the 50s growing up with de razors always nagged at me to use them, but I always shrugged them off thinking they were obsolete, which is the first thing I wish I knew, they’re very much NOT obsolete. After him being sick of seeing me with a messed up face after shaving and me being sick of having a horrible shave, he threw out my cartridges behind my back and gave me an adjustable merkur to force me to try it and wow was that an eye opener. Much better shaves, but still had lots to learn which is another thing I wish I knew. You aren’t just born knowing how to shave, you don’t just magically know how to shave the moment you put a razor in your hand, it’s like an individual art for all of us having different needs and skin types, 10 years later of shaving with a de razor I’ve learned a lot from you and my shaves are even better, especially the COLD WATER HACK. Which what I also wish I knew, I thought in order to get a proper shave with a de razor I needed the old hot towel shave and hot lather etc which is all a bunch of lies. I LOVE the cold water, a week after shaving with cold water I get no irritation.
The final thing I wish I knew… is how much of an addiction/hobby wet shaving can become. I can’t just have ONE razor.. I need 7 and still looking to buy new ones. I have to always be getting new shaving brushes, I shouldn’t say I NEED them but it’s something that can become part of you and become passionate about and getting new gear and trying it is one of my guilty pleasures. Whenever my wife makes a comment all my shaving stuff I always tell her I could be spending the money on strippers or drugs so pick your battles.
BBS is my face shave i almost do it every time :) still longing for tips and tricks!
My rules of thumb.
1) DE, and SE, razors aren't magic. They're simply razors that were optimized. One blade, with one edge to control at a time, and it coasts across your skin, meaning that you're trimming hair even with the skin. A cartridge/disposable razor doesn't touch the skin - you have to shove it into the skin, which means you're trying to dredge your face.
2) There's nothing special about the shaving soaps, creams, and everything else. When Barbasol was the king, a LOT of people who used to lather their Williams Mug Soap, or their Colgate stick, switched to spray foams. These people knew what they were doing. They were trading 'possibly perfect' lather for time. Is a tallow soap better? I think so, but just because I like Arko doesn't mean that Safeguard isn't usable for a shave. Everything has a tradeoff. "Dr. Bronners" sugar soaps work for shaving - they just love drying up FAST. Vi-John or Arko shaving cream works well - once you get used to how they work.
3) Your face is different from my face. That said, you can't tell at the beginning, because, like many other skills, it takes time to understand the tools. Until you have mastered the razor (the handle), changing the blade brand or type won't give you any benefit. I personally detest Derby. A friend loves them. I can get a good shave from a Derby - I just don't like them, but I've also been using every random blade in the world, and for years, all you could readily find was Personna at Dollar General or a dollar store.
4) The razor (handle) doesn't matter starting out. Don't get something really fancy, get something solid, with decent reviews - and don't change it until you're comfortable with it. A $7 Baili BR171 three piece can give a very nice shave, as can a Weishi 9306C Twist To Open (TTO) (the letter just indicates the colour. C is gunmetal) So can the Gillette Old that I have sitting in the bathroom. I have all of those, plus a plethora of others. I bought them, not because I was having bad shaves with my original black handled Gillette SuperSpeed that I got my grandfather to buy when I was 14, but because I wanted to try different things. That SS is sitting next to the sink right now. I use it to try out blades. Right now, it has a Dollar Tree blade in it - I tossed the razor head, but kept the handle of the three piece. (I use it because with 20 years of basically exclusive shaving with it, it gives me the best feedback on new blades) In other words, the price you pay for the razor doesn't mean anything at the start.
5) Face preparation is folderol. It's there mostly to make you feel better, and relax before jamming a sharp metal object against your throat. The only preparation I've found that helps is that if your face is dirty/oily - wash it first. If you let the hair grow too long - use a set of clippers and trim it down. (Or an open blade like a shavette or straight razor) I can walk into the bathroom, wet my face, soap it up, and have a decent shave. I like warm water better than cold, but they don't affect the _shave_ - just me. If you _like_ doing all the preparation, go for it, but understand that it isn't likely to make the shave itself better - it isn't going to make the blade sharper, or your face less craggy.
This is from the perspective of someone that started shaving with a DE in 1985, tried disposables, cartridges, electric shavers, and eventually went right back to the DE again, even with it being insanely hard to get good blades through the 90's and early 2000's. In 2000, I even had a large Corelle bowl that I kept at my office, so I could heat water in the microwave to shave before meeting clients. Believe me, when you are forced to go minimalist, you learn what's critical. You're also willing to have fun with newer stuff.
My personal 'favorites'? I like Arko for a shave soap (it leaves a LOT of residue. Be willing to clean your razor with Dawn reasonably frequently), I prefer Nacet and Astra for shaving my face (but I have lots of others, and none are insanely bad), I have a bog standard inexpensive boar brush (starting to lose bristles after a few years), and I prefer to lather on the soap, not on my face. Razor wise, my go-to are the various SuperSpeeds, but the Schick Krona is a fantastic shaver, and the various Weishi made TTO's are pretty well made, if a bit thin. My dopp kit for the car contains a plastic can of Arko (I use the can from shredded beef jerky - perfect size for travel), a synthetic brush, a washcloth, a box of blades, bar of soap, bottle of shampoo, and a generic TTO - with zipper plastic bags for the dampness. If I'm going somewhere with advance notice, I just add a better razor. Nothing special. When flying, I take just the razor, and pick up some crappy blades from the local dollar store.
My personal 'dislikes'? Rapira blades are only good with certain razors, for my face. They can be rough otherwise. Derby blades. Razorock soaps - the underlying perfume from all of the soaps I've tried is Eau De Bug Spray. Proraso - I've found _no_ products they make acceptable, even though they're popular, and my Italian customers have said it's good. Most aftershaves. I have two, and I don't know if they make them anymore. If you want a 'toner', just use rubbing alcohol or witch hazel, if you don't mind the odour. People that try to claim that THEIR shave product is perfect, and that if it doesn't work for others, they're doing something wrong. Zinc razors with massively poor plating, yet very high dollar prices.
So, at the core, it's 1 razor, 1 brand of blade, 20 shaves, your own shaving cream, and your normal shaving routine. Once you've done those 20 shaves, you should know your face well enough to try either a different razor, or a different blade. Don't do both at once. Don't get in a hurry for perfect results - relax and enjoy the journey. Just because it's a daily routine doesn't mean you can't have some enjoyment with it.
Oh - and don't forget your styptic pencil.
Along the lines of chasing BBS - same goes for 4 Pass Pete's - there's a balance (I think) between trying to clear the land in one pass and getting crazy with more than two or three passes - I've noticed that after my face is toweled off and I use after shave balm / cream that there's really not much difference between 2 and 3 passes except for obvious redness and irritation - I may not be in the "one and done" club either but I've been known to go for one pass, rinse and only soap up the spots that need addressed again so call me a "One and a Half Man" ;-)
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Matt I love your videos. 100% on chasing BBS, its so not needed. I wish I knew just how critical applying the right amount of pressure with the razor is. I've been wet shaving for about 6 months and if I don't constantly remind myself (while I am shaving) to take it easy with razor pressure, I wind up with irritation and alum block sting. No matter how much prep and pre-product I apply. So crucial to a happy shave and a happy face :)
Great point!
Great video! 😊
Thanks! 😊
Good advice, just enjoy the me time. I have a large collection of Gillette razors plus Gem and Valet and I have a rotation that I follow, however there are times when I go back and use the first razor I bought when I was 17, my 1977 Gillette Atra. Using it reminds me of a wonderful time in my life, a redheaded girlfriend, a fast muscle car my C.B radio and going out a cruising on a Saturday night. Just learn to enjoy the shave, the rest will follow.
Right on!
Always an entertaining video Matt. Thanks. You're a NN [no nonsense] guy. As a musician myself, I know HI [how important] a GS [great shave] can be to a standing ovation performance. [SOP] So, all you musicians out there, MOF [male or female] can LF&S [look, feel and smell] your VB, [very best] Hurry on down [HOD] to your nearest [RE] Razor Emporium and [GYEO] get your edge on today! C&B.
[Cheerz & Beerz!]
Rock on!
@@RazorEmporium U2M! [You too Matt!]
I wish that there was or is a place to test drive DE razor. Just so it doesn't cost so much to try and figure out which one works best for me on that particular day. Two days beard growth, one day, five days, etc.
Thanks.
You're welcome
Matt’s wife: “Forget that shaving junk… who is that old GF you keep thinking about with that little giggle?” Busted.
The only thing I wish I knew is what blades would be my favorite lol
So many people would not know the difference. Idea might be, buy the materials and equipment and start using. While bit later, one learns about "sample pack" of blades.
Could not agree more on the chasing BBS fiasco.
I would add that the most important part of “wet shaving” is the wet part and not the metal part. I’ve been wet shaving since 1964 using a decent brush and, in the beginning, Williams mug soap. The available soaps now are a lot better. But to this day with a good shaving soap and a decent brush nothing beats a Schick Injector (started with and still occasionally use a Type I [eye]). I’ve got DE razors that cost hundreds of $$$ and are works of art but none actually shaves better than a Schick Injector with a good blade - I prefer Japanese Schick or Supply Black Label blades. I use synthetic or boar brushes now to avoid the cruelty, and I try to avoid micro-plastics; but as long as one doesn’t use “sh*t out of a can” it’s all wet shaving!
Matt is right about the BBS: a few hours of extra closeness is not worth the irritation. What works for me: an hour or more after shaving, when the skin has calmed down, I like to use my Philips Oneblade or Braun Series 7 to pick up some small forgotten hairs (e.g. under the nose). What I also discovered is that not stretching the skin but really relaxing the skin in some places works better for me than the skin stretching. I'm mainly talking about the area in the neck.
I have 2 DE razors, 1 brush, and 1 lathering bowl. So you came close to knowing someone who has minimal gear. My razors were well researched (Henson mild & Karve Overlander).
Great tips. You are absolutely hilarious and I agree with you most about just getting started.
What has helped me improve my traditional wet shaving techniques and tricks has been using the app “Shaving Buddy”.
I track every shave which for some seems ridiculous. But it has helped me to document what works and what doesn’t. I am constantly experimenting with my soap water ratio. Since beginning wet shaving, I have reduced my soap usage per shave by 87.5%. So I can do a 3-pass shave using 1/16 tsp of soap per 1/2 Tbsp of distilled water.
I am of Scottish heritage and thus I am a cheap bastard who stretches his soap to last almost forever. If you haven’t already guessed I am an avid bowl lathering guy. I mix the soap and water in the bowl until it becomes a slurry. With a slightly damp synthetic brush, I whip up an incredible lather in no time. I always use a pre-shave; that is a winning technique.
For new shavers, keep track of your shaves by any means you deem appropriate. It will guarantee that you progress a lot faster!!
Have a peachy day.
Fantastic advice
@@RazorEmporium Thank you good sir.
Bruh, #1 is so accurate. Really hit home for me. I need to just chill, man! 😅 I've gone down a rabbit hole for like 2 months now researching stuff and trying to find the *_"HOLY GRAIL"_* of stuff i think is the endgame and will just use and have that forever. I think i might be like that for a lot of stuff. I go and research tons of stuff before trying to make a decision. It's a problem I have. It's probably not mentally healthy or as fun either. Sometimes the random discoveries are what makes up ourselves over time!
I have OCD, so i end up getting obsessed over stuff and try to learn a ton, then i end up moving on to something else i obsess over! it's something im working on and I know it's Ludacris, but it's just a subconscious thing. 😅😮💨🤣👌🏻 great info!
Also yeah, the acronyms are out of control, man! So man and some so confusing! 😆
I dont shave my face, but i fully shave my head. Any prep recommendations from fellow BBS heads 😂🤷♂️
Friday is my favorite day of the week because of your videos When I first looked into wet shaving I did have Information Paralyzation at first, but I jumped in about 30 days ago and I am so glad I did. BTW, is there going to be another Big Shave West at some point?
Love it!!
Excellent Matt! As usual. Thank you!
My pleasure!
Getting a BBS shave without irritation might be as simple as finding the perfect blade and using cold water. I have a Konsul and I can achieve BBS smooth with the most minimal irritation with a Wilkinson Sword followed closely by an Astra Green. I can get BBS with Kai, Feather, Personna and Rockwell razors but there is a fair amount of irritation, especially with the Kai and Feather. Also...when going Against the Grain? Instead of going Directly ATG try tilting the razor a little and going ATG with a bit of an angle. It's a mix of XTG and ATG and it can help achieve BBS in those areas of divots and strange angles or where your blade will skip because you cannot pull the skin tight enough to prevent it.
Love the "just get started" message. I was agonizing over the Henson AL13 sitting in my cart unpurchased a few weeks ago. My wife said "that's what, two packs of Fusion cartridges? If you don't like it no big deal, if you do, you're saving money on every shave". DE safety razors are like the EVs of shaving: more cost upfront, less cost as you go, way less waste.
Wait until you start trying different soaps. And preshave items, and aftershave balms or lotions. But at least you can do better than crap from a can and find some whose scents you really like.
@@GenXAccord totally. I have it on good authority that Santa is bringing me a sample set of Razor Emporium shave soaps, a preshave bar, and a sample set of DE blades 😅 Some fella that Santa is!
Cartridges are still better for under the arms imo (yes men can shave under their arms, it smells less and feels better)
BBS Shave, means not using a cartridge razor.
Number 6 is don't worry about the perfect tv comercial lather from your shaving soap. White peaks from the soap mean you mixed up too much.
From 03:23 to 03:40 it’s just a masterpiece 😂
#6; you'll figure it out! I have to laugh when I remember my first double edge shave. I trembled with fear!
Hi there. I would like to say hello as a wet shaver with only one razor, one soap, and one brush. We exist! 😀
Love it!
Great advice. I’m in just my eighth week of wet shaving and I’ve already had enough nicks and irritation chasing the BBS shave. I can get a much better shave than with my old three blade razor, with much less irritation
Hope you stick with it - I've only been safety razor shaving for about six months now. I'm one of the lucky ones who after a few days switched (for the most part, I still use a cartridge razor for my bald head in the shower). I think I'd avoid "over thinking" things but would suggest trying a few different razors and blade combinations - the mechanics of shaving with a safety razor are almost opposite from a cartridge razor - but there's no rule that says you have to switch entirely or for every situation - if you have an event and you get a better result with a cartridge razor or electric I'd go for that. I probably get a closer shave with an electric but only use mine when I travel - when I'm home I enjoy the process much more than how close it gets and over the past few months I've gotten much better after changing the blades and a couple razors.
I dove head first into wet shaving, Pun intended, made the mistake of chasing BBS. Good tip on that.
What razor and blade combo and what kind of shave soap/cream? I was getting nicks using a plastic Feather adjustable and Feather blades but it's a totally different experience with a Rex Konsul and Wilkinson Sword. Also...preshave oil can help a lot. Don't spend a fortune online but get a small bottle of extra virgin olive oil at the store. Per oz. its cheap and good for your skin. The only cheaper oil is baby oil but it's mineral oil and not food grade. Also... don't use shaving cream from a can. It's crap. Try Razor Emporium's soaps. They are good quality, lather well and cheaper than almost all their competitors.
Great list Matt. Also Stick with one proven setup until technique gets better. The only exception may be a different blade if it just isn’t working. Map the beard grain before you get started.
Great point!
#6
When straight razor shaving, don’t let the cat jump up on the counter.
I cut myself fairly badly. There was no pain, but it did leave a mark. The guys at work tortured me for days.
I finally lied about what I had done.
I told them that I fight crime at night.
😂
@@RazorEmporium
🤷
What, you didn't tell them that it was the cost of a little pussy? (Like you can STOP the darned things from jumping on the counter)
Hi i just start too shaving this way and i want you opinion what shaving machine what soap cream or blade too use for bigginer i dont whant something too expenisive or something cheap thank for your help
We have beginner kits on our website
Matt’s advice is solid, cut through the bull, be your self acting like a Clone Clown is dumb.
Good job Matt.
Ok I get getting started instead of delaying, but is it too crazy to start with a fatip? My other option would be the merkur 25c
Like but no reply?
Hello dear Matt! Thank you for your useful efforts, and I hope you continue your useful work.
I have an unrelated question:
Can we buy your Shaving Brushes (Razor Emporium Shaving Brushes) in Europe? to be exact in Italy? ... My Little Sister is now in Italy and would be there for less than three weeks), and I want to know if she can find your Shaving Brushes there, so I'd appreciate it if you could answer me.
Thanks.
I don't think any vendor has purchased them for wholesale in Europe
@@RazorEmporium What a shame! I'm really sorry to hear that.
It was my only window of opportunity to the free world for buying something valuable that I really need.
Thanks anyway (for answering fast).
Have a great day.
1 Its expensive...?.......look at no. 2
2 the rabbit hole you fall in buying tons of soaps, after shaves ect
3 i wish i knew about wet shave earlier
well so far on top of my head
If I was going to add a number 6, understand there is a learning curve and don't beat yourself up as your learning. Yes, the shaving technique is similar but there is enough of a difference that those first 4-5 shaves I was beating myself up because my face looked like it was shaved with heavy grit sand paper. My number 7 would then be a blade (or razor) for thee may not be for me. The Dorco reds work great on my face, but RK, Personna's or Feathers just don't do the trick for me. Maybe in time I'll appreciate something sharper but for now I've got my blade and now I'm looking forward to trying out different razors to see which one(s) I'm comfortable with.
I'm only about 6 weeks in and my face (mainly neck) doesn't look like ingrown hair central. Wish I would have switched years ago.
Awesome to hear
Cuts are inevitable. They typically don't hurt, they always heal, and they never kill you.
I'm not worried about Lingo, I'm worried about Ligma
#6 could be "Try a few different products." It's taken a while to find the right combination of blades and razors. What works in my Gillette Slim might not work in my 6S.
Have you ever heard of anyone that starts shaving there head and shingles develop from irritating a nerve? I had that happen according to my Dr. im still not sure I believe him but im afraid to try again shingles sucked.
No 😔
Excellent advice for all fields of study!
you didn't put Tankless hot water heater in the new studio?
No interest in hot water shaves :)