Whether it’s camping, fishing, backpacking, or any other activity, us men love spending time in the outdoors, enjoying nature to its fullest while being secluded.
One reccuring concern however for many of us who spend more than a day or two outdoors, is how to handle shaving.
There are two issues regarding shaving outdoors :
1. While many guys just settle for growing a temporary beard, others like myself who suffer from sensitive skin or specific facial hair types, find that a beard irritates their skin, followed by their moods.
2. Shaving outdoors is usually an experience that resembles a prison shave. For classic wet shave enthusiasts such as myself, this is quite depressing.
Luckily, I found that with pre-planning and some creativity, a classic wet shave in the outdoors is possible. In fact, I noticed that after implementing these methods, shaving in the outdoors turned into something I look forward to, rather than dread, as it has a rewarding and even spiritual feel to it.
Preparation
Washbag
A quality washbag provides room for all my wet shaving necessities, while maintaining one of the most important factors in camping… keeping things minimal. My favorite is The Bluebeards Revenge washbag as it was made with shavers in mind and is also extremely durable. It contains a special room for items like my shaving brush (which helps keep it undamaged), shaving cream, razor, and plenty of room for other items to put inside its zipped compartments, as well as a hanging hook and a detachable mirror.
Items I Put In The Washbag (Shaving Related):
– Merkur 42 Nickel “904 Replica”Double Edge Razor
– Edwin Jagger Best Badger Brush
– Truefitt & Hill Authentic Ultimate Comfort Shaving Cream Bowl
– Washcloth
– Styptic Pencils (in the case of cuts and nicks).
– Mirror (comes with the washbag)
Why I Chose An Unscented Shaving Cream
Since you’re in the outdoors, it is most recommended that you go with an unscented shaving cream, as the ones with fragrance could attract annoying bugs, not to mention bears or other wildlife. Additionally, unscented shaving creams are much more forgiving on sensitive skin, and prevent annoying burns and bumps, which trust me, you do not want to experience during your time outdoors. I chose to go with Truefitt & Hill Authentic Ultimate Comfort Shaving Bowl because not only is it fragrant free, it has enough moisturizing capabilities to enable me to skip the use of an after shave, while providing excellent skin protection.
Shaving Outdoors, How It’s Done:
1. Begin the process by warming water using a water boiling pot over the campfire, or even a grill.
2. Take a washcloth and dampen it in the warm water, then simply let it rest on my face for about 1-2 minutes (be careful not to let the water get too hot)
3. Start lathering using your choice of shaving bowl or mug. I actually love using the same pot I used for warming water, as it tends to provide a uniquely effective lather.
4. With a mirror in one hand, you can begin to lather up your face with your favorite shaving brush. Take this time to get used to using the handheld mirror before moving on to the next stage. I personally prefer to hang the washbag with the mirror on a branch in front of me, as it allows me to have the other hand free to use various skin stretching techniques for a better shave.
Tip: If for some reason you forgot to bring a mirror, you can always use a vehicle’s side mirror as a last resort.
5. Apply your favorite razor using the same techniques you would at home.
6. Rinse off your face using cold water in order to close your pores, then rinse off your razor and clean your brush before putting it all back.
That’s all there is to it! Remember, none of this is set in stone. Feel free to alter things in order to address your own shaving needs.
Do you shave outdoors?, if so, how do you go about it? Leave a comment below