Shave Like a Gentleman

There’s shaving, and then there’s shaving. If you’ve graduated from college, then you’re old enough to throw away those Gillette razors that seemingly add another blade to each iteration and move onto something new. It’s time to step up your grooming game and shave like you’re James Bond; and who better to draw inspiration from? Using a straight edge razor is the old school way of shaving, the champion before marketing pushed disposable razors. However, if you’re too hesitant to use a straight razor, then you can opt for a double edge safety razor. Regardless of your weapon of choice, your shaving brush doesn’t get much better than the Pure Badger Shaving Brush from The Art of Shaving (who may know a thing or two about the topic).  

The beauty of this brush is that you can get it with the Lavender kit, which includes pre-shave oil, shaving cream, and after-shave balm. You may think this is shaving overkill, so let’s review why each of these will have your face thanking you after each shave:

Lavender Pre-Shave Oil: Put this on before you shave (obviously) to soften up your beard and protect your skin, prepping it for a close shave. It’s hypoallergenic so it’s great for guys with sensitive skin, razor burn, or ingrown hair. Like the rest of this kit, there’s no scent so you don’t have to worry about irritations or mixing scents from your cologne.

Pure Badger Shaving Brush: You may be used to just using your hands to put shaving cream on, but this is the peanut butter to your razor’s jelly. The brush is 100% badger hair, which makes it strong, durable, and helpful for exfoliating your skin as you lather up.

Shaving Cream: You already know what this is, but what you may not realize is that this stuff isn’t the same as the lightweight foamy creams that you’re used to. Lather up the aforementioned brush by slightly wetting it with hot water and dabbing some of this cream. Use a circular motion to build up said lather – similar to how Bond showed us in the link above – and you’ve got yourself a luxe, creamy coat that glides off with each stroke of the blade.

Lavender After-Shave Balm: This post-shave moisturizer keeps your skin feeling hydrated and smooth after your shave. It’s without oil and alcohol, so it’ll keep your face from getting too oily or dried out. Plus, alcohol-free means you won’t have to worry about feeling like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone.

Time to toss out the teenage way of shaving, and master the art of shaving. After all, It may be the closest you get to being 007.