What Makes a Really Good Shave

Michael Courter takes you on his journey to find a smoother & more comfortable good shave.
What Makes a Really Good Shave
Michael Courter
9/24/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/man_shave_87533943.jpg" alt="GOOD RAZOR: A good and clean shave should leave your skin smooth with very little irritation. (Photos.com)" title="GOOD RAZOR: A good and clean shave should leave your skin smooth with very little irritation. (Photos.com)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1814316"/></a>
GOOD RAZOR: A good and clean shave should leave your skin smooth with very little irritation. (Photos.com)
What makes for a better shave? The short answer appears to be more blades.

Until recently, I was a “more blade” skeptic. Then I decided to do some experimenting. I tried some razors with different numbers of blades as well as some different shaving techniques, shaving cream, pre-shave oil, and aftershave lotion.

The results of my experiments show that a razor with more blades does indeed make for a better shave, and this factor outweighs other factors in determining what makes the best shave.

Home Experiments

To get started, I bought a starter pack ($100) from the Art of Shaving store in the Westfield Valley Fair Shopping Mall in San Jose, Calif. It included pre-shave oil, shaving cream, a badger-hair brush to apply the cream, and aftershave lotion. Regardless of what number of blades I used, these products did provide a more comfortable shave.

First I tested a single-blade safety razor from Merkur and watched a DVD supplied by the Art of Shaving, which described how to use their products.

I tried the Merkur razor for one week, following the techniques on the DVD, but I could not get a good shave from this blade. The video said to make one pass with the grain and, if needed, re-lather and make another pass against the grain.

For me, this did not provide an even shave, and it missed patches around my face. When I continued shaving in order to even out the shave, I ended up getting several small nicks, usually around my neck or over my lip.

I tried this blade every day for a week, even trying fresh blades several times, and I just could not get an even or comfortable shave without cutting myself.

Next I tried a standard three-blade disposable razor from Gillette and then the five-blade Gillette Fusion razor. I tried them each two ways—first with products from the Art of Shaving and then with simple generic shaving cream.

The disposable three-blade Gillette razor provided an adequate shave far more easily than the single-blade safety razor, but the Gillette Fusion was by far the best shave of the three. It took the fewest passes, provided the closest shave, and was the most comfortable.

The Art of Shaving products made a difference mostly in terms of the comfort of the shave and the smoothness of my skin following the shave. It made a bigger difference with the three-blade razor.

When I used the three-blade razor with the standard shaving cream, I was able to get a close shave, but my face stung afterward for about an hour and my skin was red. When I used the products—the pre-shave oil, the badger-hair brush and shaving cream, as well as the aftershave lotion, my skin felt very smooth and did not sting at all after the shave.

When I used the five-blade Gillette Fusion with standard shaving cream, I got a nice shave quickly and easily, and the stinging was less severe and only lasted 10 to 15 minutes.

Using the Fusion razor with the Art of Shaving Starter Kit products was the best experience. The shave was very comfortable. Afterward, my skin was especially smooth, and there was no irritation.

I do have some comments to add about the Art of Shaving Starter Kit products. I noticed that it was very difficult to clean the razor blade when I was using the products. It would just not wash off under the faucet, even when I put it in a bowl of water, shook it vigorously, and tapped it hard against the bowl. I basically had to scrape the shaving cream and hair off of the blade and between the multiple blades to get the razor clean.

I suspected this was due to the pre-shave oil, which was applied underneath the shaving cream and seemed to change the consistency of the cream. So I tried the products without the oil and found that once again I could clean up the blades just by rinsing. However, my skin did feel smoother to the touch after using the oil.

The starter kit products contributed to more comfortable shaves with less irritation. However, it also took longer to shave this way since there are several extra steps. You have to apply the oil, exfoliate the skin with the badger-hair brush for a minute or two while applying the cream, and then later apply the aftershave. If you don’t mind the time and the extra money, you will get a better shave with these products.

I used to think that all the extra blades in the new razors were just a marketing ploy, and I would joke about how many blades we would all be using in a few years. Eight? Fifteen?

Before I started my experiment, I suspected that I would get just as good a shave from the single-blade safety razor. I was surprised by how much better the five-blade Gillette Fusion razor really did shave when I used it side by side with both the single-blade and the three-blade razor.

For another opinion, I asked my friend Steve to test the products, and his results were different. With the pre-shave oil, shaving cream, and aftershave lotion, and using the safety razor, he said it was the best shave he had had in 45 years.

Store Visit

A visit to the Art of Shaving store was itself interesting. The manager, Kahliah, and her assistant, Carlos, were very helpful.

The Art of Shaving was created by an aroma therapist who works with essential oils, along with her husband. They sell organic products with no artificial ingredients.

The company has a shaving video on its website and also sells the DVD “The 4 Steps to a Great Shave.”

I learned that the best kinds of shaving brushes are ones made from badger hair. They’re great for creating lather from the shaving soap and for getting the beard to stand up so it’s more easily cut. That’s especially good for sensitive skin and helps prevent ingrown hairs. Also to avoid ingrown hairs, you should shave with the grain of your beard first and then across or against the grain.

The store carries old-fashioned shaving soaps for those who like to make their own lather, and badger-hair brushes. At the same time, the company is innovating and developing new products for skin care such as a product they refer to as “Botox in a bottle.”

Customers often come to the store to get a good shave before a wedding or prom or other special occasion. For weddings, they even have shaving parties for all the groomsmen. The men get to enjoy the luxury of a barber shave or a trim, and then they look especially good for the photos.

The store sells razors that use regular Gillette replacement blades, so once you buy the razor, you can get new blades at the local drug or grocery store. But since the company is now owned by Procter & Gamble, Art of Shaving can offer Gillette supplies more cheaply than other stores.

Alternatively, you could buy a straight razor and possibly get it engraved. Then you could hand it down as an heirloom. Proud customers sometimes show off their heirloom razors passed down from father or grandfather.

If you don’t mind honing and stropping your straight razor to keep it sharp and toned, this old-fashioned-style razor has a few advantages. The shave from a straight razor can last multiple days so you don’t have to shave as often, and you only have to go over your face once, so it might be better for sensitive skin.

I didn’t try a straight razor in my experiment, but it sounds like it’s the exception to the “more blades is better” rule. It does require some skill to hone it properly; however, there is the green advantage of not always having to buy new blades and throw away the old ones. You just sharpen the razor similar to the way you would sharpen a kitchen knife, and then use the leather strop to smooth the blade.

Michael Courter has a master’s degree in Social Work with distinction from California State University Chico and is certified in Parent Child Interaction Therapy. He has been treating individuals and families since 2006.
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