Ask Aaron Q&A: Is it okay to mix and match different shaving products?
“Dear Aaron, Is it okay to mix and match different shaving products?” asks Glenn Bullough, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Bullough, Thank you for your question! This is a good question, and it is perfectly fine to mix different brands and kinds of shaving products. If you wanted to use all the same brand that is a great option as well. I know many men (including yours truly!) that both use a single product range for one shave and for the next shave will use a conglomeration of different products.
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: How long or how many shaves will I get with a double edge razor blade?
“How long or how many shaves will I get with a double edge razor blade?” asks John Francisco, from the US.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Fancisco, Well, this is may not be the answer you were looking for, but we’ll give it a shot! The general consensus is that you should be able to get three to five days per blade (or cartridge head for that matter). However, this depends greatly upon your home environment and how much humidity is in the air, how coarse or fine your hair is, the type of coating on the blade, and many more other factors. There are also many products out on the market that claim to extend blade life, most do NOT live up to the hype, but a few do actually work. All this to say I really can’t tell you exactly how long your double edge blade will last but 3-5 days is the average for most people. Smooth shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: Should you ever have a days rest from shaving to give the skin time to recover?
“Should you ever have a days rest from shaving to give the skin time to recover, from being over shaved?” asks David Parker, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Parker, Thank you for your question! In short, yes! If your skin is burned and irritated from an overly aggressive or bad shave experience I certainly recommend giving it time to rest, regenerate and heal. I don’t think it’s necessary to rest the skin if you are not experiencing problems, but certainly do give it some time to rest if you are experiencing discomfort.
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: Any tips you could give about shaving the neck and lower neck area?
“Aaron, Any tips you could give be about shaving the neck and lower neck area? Even after plenty of wetting and preparation, I still get cut. I use Proraso pre and Proraso shaving cream. I use feather blades,a Merkur 38C Barberpole and a Simpsons Chubby shaving brush,” asks David Robin, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Robin, The next toughest area for men to shave after the mustache area is the lower neck and Adam’s Apple area. Since you have good products and a good preparation routine (because good prep is KEY!) try a couple of the following things. Pay special attention to your blade angle, try locking you wrist and moving you arm from the elbow or shoulder. If you aren’t sure of the direction of hair growth, let the hair down in this area grow out for a couple of days. (Over the weekend is great if you don’t work weekends.) Hair growth patterns can change drastically in a short area and going against the grain at the wrong time can cause cuts and skipping. Also try stretching the skin to shift the skin into a flatter surface area.
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: Can you recommend a razor/blade/cream combo that is geared for leg shaving?
“While I realize all of the virtues of wet shaving my wife has know taken an interest and began experimenting with my kit. Can you recommend a razor/blade combo and cream that she can use that may be more geared for leg shaving?” asks Everett Petronick, from the USA.
AARON SAYS
“Mr Petronick, You are a very lucky man having your wife come on board with you! Many of the products are the same but she might enjoy a floral or rose scented shaving cream to use. A product I do think would be an advantage to your wife would be a long handled safety razor such as the “barberpole” Merkur 38c and 23c razors, the Parker 52 and 96 models, and the vintage Lady Gillette which can be found in second hand shops, and online auction sites sometimes in “New Old Stock or NOS” condition. May you and your wife enjoy,
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: My shaving brush has stopped producing a great lather - Any suggestions?
“Dear Aaron, Please help me. I have two fine badger shaving brushes (one is from Shavemac). They were excellent. A few months ago no lather at all. The only different thing I started doing was to clean them with very hot water. One time I used a kind of borax powder to clean them. What might have happened? I have tried all the best shaving with them. After a very poor lather, the second time the lather simply vanishes away. Is there a way of correcting this sitruation?” asks J Alcantara, from Brazil.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Alcantara
I am sorry to hear you are having trouble with your brushes! My philosophy in brush care is to treat your badger brush the same as you would treat your own hair. Assuming you’ve not moved into an area with hard water, changed products, or technique my guess is that the borax treatment and extremely hot water has damaged the hair. However I think you can do some things to rescue your brushes. Wash them with shampoo, just as you would your own hair. Next use some good quality strengthening hair conditioner. Be sure to work the conditioner into the hairs of the brush well and leave the brush to set for a few minutes before rinsing it out. You might have to repeat this process a few times, but hopefully this will help to restore your brushes back to their normal performance!
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: Do you have any tips on how to get as close a shave as possible?
“Do you have any tips on how to get as close a shave as possible?” asks Simon Buckland.
AARON SAYS:
“Use quality products that give a smooth, slick shave. If you have not already done so switch to using a safety razor. A safety razor allows you to control the angle of the blade giving you as close a shave as you want. Shave in three passes; first going with the direction of hair growth, the next going across, and the last going against the direction of hair growth. This will give you the closest shave for an incredibly smooth feeling.”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: What is the ideal shaving routine?
“Can you describe the ideal shaving routine, detailing what products to use and how to use them?” asks James Merchant.
AARON SAYS:
“The ideals shave can be boiled down to three simple steps: Prepare. Shave. Protect. To Prepare: take a shower, then wash with a mild face wash or scrub; preferably one for men or for your skin type. To Shave: lather up using a good quality shaving cream such as the Bluebeard’s Revenge, or another fine shaving cream preferably with a brush. A good quality razor with good sharp blade, whether a safety razor or cartridge razor, is ideal to shave with. Shave first in the direction of hair growth, then across, then against. To Protect: rinse all the remaining cream off the face, then rinse with cold water, closing the pores. Then apply a good quality post-shave balm, skin food, or toner to refresh and hydrate the skin.”
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An easy step-by-step method for getting the best lather out of shaving cream
Wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger’s simple guide to creating that perfect shaving cream lather
One of the most popular wet shaving items is shaving cream. Long a standard of lather making material it is good for the face creating a smooth, slick shave. However, it sometimes can be tricky to lather. Here I hope to give you an easy method that will consistently give you thick, creamy lather from shaving cream.
First gather the materials together; I recommend getting a shaving brush, shaving cream, and a sturdy ceramic bowl to whip up the lather in. While showering soak the brush and bowl in warm water. This will help get the bowl hot and prepare the brush for creating lather.
Once ready take about an almond size dollop or an inch long squeeze from a tube and drop it into the empty warm bowl.
Remove the brush from the warm water and gently shake the excess water out of the brush.
Swirl the brush into the cream to start the lather. At this point it will be too thick and cling to the bowl.
Add to the bowl a few drops of water and swirl again. Also use some pumping stokes to help distribute the cream into the core of the brush, where the mixing “magic” happens.
Continue to add a few drops of water every few seconds until lots of lather appears.
When ready, the cream will look like whipped cream or beaten egg whites, creating soft peaks.
There you have it! It may take a couple of times practicing this method to not overshoot the amount of water, making the lather thin and runny. However I am confident by using this method you will be able to generate lots of lather in no time! Until next time, Happy Shaving!
SHOP FOR QUALITY SHAVING CREAMS AT THE SHAVING SHACK
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How to care for a shaving brush - Top tips for maintaining your shaving brush
Wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger’s simple guide to maintaining your shaving brush
It’s now 2011, the Holidays are gone and you’re gazing at that beautiful new shaving brush someone gave to you as a gift. It’s a pretty wonderful gift too and it has helped you shave better than you have before. That brush is taking care of you, so how about taking care of it? Here we’ll provide some tips for giving your shaving brush the best care so you can use it for years to come.
It’s Hair:
Your brush is most likely made of boar bristle or badger hair. These are both hair products so treat it as your own! Wash your brush with a good shampoo and conditioner to keep the hair soft and residue free. If your brush has developed a soap residue, soak it in a 10:1 vinegar solution for a few minutes and then wash as above.
Kent produce high quality shaving brushes
Be Gentle:
When loading your brush with soap or building your lather with cream go easy. The core of the brush is where the magic happens and mashing down with your brush can twist and break the core hairs and over time cause hair loss and a dimpled effect in the center of the brush.
High and Dry:
When you are done using your brush shake it hard a few times to remove all the water and hang upside down in a stand to dry. If you don’t have a stand dry the brush thoroughly on a towel.
Using these tips should extend the life of your shaving brush and give you many comfortable and close shaves for years to come! Happy Shaving!
Shaving brush basics by wet shaving expert Mantic
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