SHAVING PRODUCTS
This is where we have to declare, up front ... we don’t like electric razors!
For us – and well over three quarters of shaving men - the ultimate shave is wet.
And we have pretty firm views, too, on the lotions, lathering agents and aftershaves that go with this process.
- Preshaves - protect the skin and soften the beard. For this, we recommend a preshave oil. Gels lubricate, too, but don’t bring the same benefit as a more natural oil.
- Shaving soaps - have been used for about 700 years. This traditional lathering method is best applied with a badger-haired brush. But you need to find a good quality soap with a fat and glycerin content that leaves the skin smooth and moisturised.
- Creams - many men regard the lathering variety as the best way of achieving a really close shave; producing a rich lather that protects and lubricates leaving the skin smooth and moisturised. Applied by brush or hand it’s more effective than the non-lathering type.
- Oils - are a more recent product and should be used with care. They give less protection to the skin so can result in a more uncomfortable shave.
- Gels and foams - revolutionised commercial shaving products in the 1940s. They are easy to use but can be quite damaging with irritating artificial additives.
- Aftershaves - generally come as lotions, balms or gels and should be a another aspect of male skin care that soothes, nourishes and moisturises ... not a wincingly painful ‘smelly’ to attract the ladies. Again - look for natural ingredients. An alcohol-free balm for sensitive skin, perhaps, or an alcohol-free gel for normal to oily skin. Avoid lotions altogether – they tend to dry out and irritate.