1961 Gillette
Sure, you could shave with a DE (double edge) safety razor because that’s “how a man shaves”. Or you could switch because you want to shave the way your grand-pappy did. You might even switch because you think someday someone will walk into your bathroom, see your shaving setup and be impressed. Those are all reasons, but they certainly aren’t good reasons for YOU to make the change. The reasons I just gave above are more about someone else’s perception of you. That is never a reason to change anything about yourself. Below you will find a list of real reasons to switch to a DE safety razor that directly affect you.
1. You will get a better shave
Without a doubt the most important reason to switch to a DE safety razor is the quality of the shave. To me a quality shave is marked by the closeness of the shave and the lack of irritation of the skin. I’m sure your first comment is “well, don’t five blades shave closer than one?” Absolutely not. Shaving is not about cutting all the hair off your face in one fell swoop. It’s about the reduction of hair in several passes. All the five blades do is chew up your face. Secondly, a single blade safety razor allows you to adjust to the perfect angle for your face achieving a closer shave. Additionally, it’s important to remember that the blades not only remove hair, but also the top layer of skin. It seems pretty obvious to me that five blades removing skin is much more irritating than one blade.
2. You will have better skin
Now, it’s good that your razor removes the top layer of skin. That’s called exfoliation. You just don’t want to remove too much of it. That’s called razor burn. Exfoliating your skin helps to remove dead skin cells and bring newer, alive cells to the surface which look better. This can also reduce the occurrence of ingrown hairs and breakouts. Applying your shaving cream or shaving soap with a badger or boar brush will help to exfoliate your skin too. Another reason you will have better skin is the quality of products you will be using. Those shaving creams and gels in the aerosol cans are packed with chemicals which can do more damage than good to your skin. Quality shaving soaps and shaving creams contain natural fats, acids and fragrances which will not damage your skin
3. You will save lots of money
Savings
In order to make a comparison, I’m going to to put together a starter package of DE safety razor supplies and compare the cost over two years to the Gillette Fusion Proglide line including a Fusion razor, blades, shaving cream and after shave. I chose two years because most DE shaving products will last over a year, and the longer you shave, the more the savings will add up. I am estimating the usage of all products based on my personal experience with both DE safety razors and cartridge razors.
Gillette Fusion Proglide System
Razor: Gillette Fusion Proglide – $7.99 x 1 = $7.99
Blades: Gillette Fusion Proglide 8 Pack – $31.99 x 12 = $383.88
Shaving Gel: Gillette Fusion Hydra Gel 6 Pack – $27.54 x 8 = $220.32
Aftershave Balm: Gillette Fusion Hydra After Shave Balm 6 Pack – $31.01 x 4 = $124.04
Total: $736.23
Cost per Shave: $1.01
DE Safety Razor Blade Setup
Brush: Semogue 1305 Superior Boar Shaving Brush – $19.00 x 1 = $19.00
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89 – $28.17 x 1 = $28.17
Blades: Personna “Crystals” 120 Pack – $18.88 x 2 = $37.76
Shaving Soap: Cella Shave Soap Cream – $11.59 x 4 = $46.36 (read our review here)
Alum Block: Alum Block by Osma 2 Pack – $10.99 x 2 = $21.98
Aftershave Balm: Geo F Trumper Skin Food = $31.47 x 2 = $62.94 (read our review here)
Total: $216.21
Cost per Shave: $0.30
I bet you could find somewhere else to use that extra five hundred dollars.
4. You will learn and develop a skill
Learning a skill and improving that skill over time will do nothing but boost your self-confidence and help you feel good about yourself. Style is as much about looking good on the outside as it is about feeling good on the inside. I know that sounds cliche, but nothing will help your clothes look better on you than a smile on your face, a straight back and open frame. These all come from feeling good about yourself. Anything you can do to to increase how good you feel is just another tool to go along with your wardrobe.
5. You will have some time to yourself
Solitude
If your days are anything like mine, people seem to want things from you from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to sleep. It’s great to feel needed, but it’s also important to take time for yourself. Take this opportunity seek some alone time and take care of yourself. You will be surprised how much more at peace you feel after a great DE safety razor shave.
There may be a lot of superficial talk right now about why you should switch to a traditional DE safety razor, but I hope this post will provide some real, practical reasons why you should switch. We at Tailor and Barber would love to hear about your experience. You can keep up with us at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+.
Regards,
Tailor and Barber