Alistair Finch
Why Bother With Wet Shaving?
There is something quietly civilised about wet shaving. It takes ten minutes instead of two, it demands a little attention, and it rewards that attention handsomely. Where cartridge razors drag several blades across the skin at once, a single sharp blade used with care cuts the hair cleanly at the surface rather than tugging it. The result, once you have the knack, is a closer shave with noticeably less irritation, fewer ingrown hairs and no plastic waste to speak of.
It is also, frankly, one of the few genuinely pleasant rituals left in a modern morning. A warm brush, a bowl of lather that smells of sandalwood or lime, and a few minutes of calm before the day begins. Think of it not as grooming admin but as a small daily pleasure.
Assembling Your Kit
You need remarkably little to start, and none of it needs to be expensive. Resist the temptation to buy everything at once; a modest setup used well will beat a lavish one used carelessly.
- A double-edge safety razor. A simple, well-made closed-comb razor with a knurled handle is ideal. The weight of the razor does the work, so avoid anything feather-light.
- A sample pack of blades. Blades vary enormously between brands and between faces. Buy a variety pack and keep notes — a blade that suits your neighbour may shred your chin.
- A shaving brush. A synthetic brush is inexpensive, dries quickly and works beautifully with hard water, which much of the UK has in abundance. Badger and boar are lovely in their own ways, but start simple.
- A cream or soap. A good shaving cream in a tube is the easiest place to begin; a hard soap puck and bowl take a little more practice.
- A post-shave balm and, if you like, an alum block. The alum block is a traditional styptic and astringent; a fragrance-free balm soothes and hydrates.
- A small bowl for building lather, unless you prefer to lather directly on your face.
Preparing the Beard Properly
Most of the irritation blamed on razors is really the fault of insufficient preparation. Dry, stiff hair is stubborn hair, and dragging a blade through it is what causes burning and ingrown hairs.
Shave after a shower if you can, or at least wash your face with warm water. Warmth and moisture make the hair swell and soften, so it parts before the blade rather than resisting it. Spend a full minute on this: press a warm, wet flannel against your beard, or stand in the steam for a moment or two.
Then, before you lather, map the direction of your beard growth. Run a fingertip across your jaw, neck and cheeks and take note of which way the stubble lies. On many men the neck grows upward and the cheeks downward, with swirls at the jawline. This map will guide every stroke you make, so it is worth the thirty seconds.
Building a Rich Lather
A thin, bubbly lather offers no cushion and no glide. You want something closer to thick yoghurt: dense, glossy and slightly stiff.
Soak your brush in warm water while you prepare, then shake it out firmly — a dripping brush makes sloppy lather. If you are using a cream, take an almond-sized amount on the tips of the bristles; for a soap, swirl the damp brush over the puck for fifteen to twenty seconds until it is loaded with a thick paste.
Now work the brush in a bowl or on your face using a mixture of circular motions and gentle back-and-forth strokes, adding water only a few drops at a time. This is the step beginners rush. It should take a minute or more, and you will feel the lather change from airy to creamy and heavy. If it looks dry, add water; if it slides off the brush in a thin film, you have gone too far. Take the lather to your face with painting strokes, working it into the beard rather than simply laying it on top.
The Shave Itself
Technique matters far more than equipment here. Adopt the following and your skin will thank you within a week.
- Angle the blade at roughly thirty degrees to the skin — the razor's head should sit almost flat, tipped just enough for the blade to engage the hair.
- Use no pressure. Let the weight of the razor do the cutting. If you can feel the blade scraping, you are pressing.
- Take short strokes of an inch or two, rinsing the head often, and keep the skin gently taut with your free hand.
- Begin with the grain. Resist the urge to chase a perfect finish on the first pass. Most irritation comes from hacking away at the same patch repeatedly.
- Re-lather between passes. lather once for the with-the-grain pass, rinse, lather again and shave across the grain if you want a closer result. Against the grain is optional and best saved for a third pass once your technique is settled.
- Rinse the blade in warm water only, and never tap the razor against the basin — it knocks the alignment out.
Aftercare and Looking After Your Kit
Finish with a cool rinse to close the pores, then pat dry rather than rubbing. Run an alum block over the shaved area if you use one — expect a brief sting where you have been heavy-handed, which is useful feedback — and let it dry before applying a soothing balm.
Change your blade every three to five shaves, or as soon as it starts tugging. Rinse and shake the razor dry after use and leave it somewhere airy rather than in a damp cabinet, where blades corrode. Wipe your brush gently on a towel and stand it bristles-up to dry.
Give yourself a fortnight to find your rhythm. The first few shaves may be imperfect; by the end of the month the motions will feel natural, and you will wonder why you ever bothered with anything else.
