I’ve always wondered whether every male gets the same sort of satisfaction I do out of a good shave? I know, for example, that shaving is a chore for some and for others it’s a chance to practice a bit of art and feel like a baby again (or at the least have a baby face).
Like most men in the US, I began shaving with a plastic disposable razor, bottled shaving cream, and no appreciation of the mechanics or art or removing hair and stubble from an oddly shaped object (viz., my face). In fact, I hated shaving so much in college that I went months without touching a razor; shaving only when I made the trip back home to see my, then, girlfriend.
Fast forward to today and I’m in love with the art of shaving (see my full article on how to shave). Specifically, I shave every other day and use a Boar bristle brush, a Merkur single blade razor, and Proraso shaving cream. I use a brush to work the rich Proraso shaving cream into my beard and then slowly remove the hair with an expertly made Merkur “Double-Edge” SS Platinum Blade. Shaving with a single blade razor takes more time but the result is vastly superior to any of the triple or quadruple blade razors available on the consumer market (it’s also considerably cheaper).
The Italian made Proraso shaving cream is the highlight of my shaving experience simply because of the smell and physical sensation of the ingredients, including Eucalyptus, Menthol, and Glycerin. Proraso was developed Ludovico Martelli over 50 years ago in Firenze and I encourage everyone to dump their canned shaving cream and get a hold of a high quality brush (Badger bristles make the best brushes) and a tube of Proraso shaving cream; I swear it will change the way you think of removing hair from your face!
