Getting Started Safety Razor Shaving What's Needed

Q: Aiden from Montrose, Scotland. I want to start shaving with a safety razor, I have a budget of around £100.00 what do I need to buy?

I don't want too expensive or too cheap items, I want good advice from you. I am age 24 and have a medium heavy bread growth and I shave almost every day.

A: Hi Aiden, We get asked this question almost every day.

Let's start with the razor.

There are 100s to choose from, aggressive shavers, non aggressive shavers, butterfly opening razors, adjustable razors, it seems the variables are endless. But for your first safety razor, I would go for our top seller which is the German made Muhle R89. The Muhle R89 is one of those razors that looks and feels just right, finished in shiny chrome, the R89 is 65g in weight and has a total length of 9 cms, it is balanced and engineered to perfection. The R89 will give a close, comfortable shave every time, it is not an aggressive shaver so it is perfect for a beginner like Aiden. At only £25.00 the R89 is a bargain. 

The all important blades.

You'll need razor blades, personally I think the much praised, top selling Feather Double Edge Safety Razor Blades (DE Blades) are over rated and for me, a tad too aggressive. I prefer Personna Double Edge Safety Razor Blades, they are less aggressive than Feather yet Personna's give me a nice close shave without any discomfort. At only £3.50 for ten you can afford to use a new one every four or five shaves.

The Pre Shave

A good shave starts before you even pick the razor up. Fill a basin and wash the face in warm to hot water with Claus Porto Musgo Real (that's Real as in Real Madrid) Glyce spiced Citrus Soap, this wonderful soap is specifically for cleaning and preparing the skin before shaving, it will soften even the toughest of beards, don't wash it off, the glyce will also help your razor blade to glide over the face. The subtle scent of spiced citrus is a real bonus in the morning.

Put your razor and shaving brush in the warm water, a warm razor shaves better than a cold one.

The Shaving Cream

Stay with Claus Porto for your shaving cream,  they have one in Spiced Citrus Shaving Cream same scent as the pre shave soap. Claus Porto shaving creams are highly regarded, they are very lubricating and the lather up well. As far as I'm concerned nothing lathers up a shaving cream or soap like a badger hair shaving brush.

The Brush

Our very own Executive Shaving Super Badger Hair Brush is made in England to our specifications, we're really proud of it and our customers have given the brush high ratings on our website and the shaving forums. Leave the brush in warm water for a minute or two to let the hair soak the water up and absorb heat. Take the brush out of the water and with a flick of the wrist, flick off excess water.

Squeeze a small amount of Claus Porto Spiced Citrus Shaving Cream onto your shaving brush and lather up on the face, firstly in gentle swirling motions then use a painting motion to spread the cream over the bearded area. You should end up with a bubble free and run free emulsion like coating on your beard. Lather up on the face for a full minute to lift the bristles off the face and to soften them too.

The Shave

You are now ready to shave, shaving with a safety razor is something we have covered in many blogs before, the golden rules for a close, comfortable shave are:

1) Shave with the grain twice and once against the grain one in that order for a very close shave.

2) Use short strokes when shaving, never more than two inches at a time.

3) Use minimal pressure, a sharp blade and the weight of the razor head is sufficient, there is no need to apply anything other than very light pressure on the razor.

4) Chill out, take your time and enjoy the experience. Post shave, splash the face with cold water to close the pores. Then, apply an after shave balm or a moisturiser.  I recommend Audaca Soothe After Shave Balm which is a light, cooling and non-greasy aftershave balm.

So Aiden, remember the three stages to a good safety razor shave, preparation, the actual shave and the post shave stage. How much will this cost?

To find out all about these excellent shaving products view or Men's Shaving range here.