What is "wet shaving?

Can some explain exactly what the term "wet shaving" refers to and why that phrase is used?

Thanks

Dan

On the wiki we have this FAQ entry:

• Wet shaving at its simplest, is just that--shaving with water, a razor blade, and some sort of lubricant (lather, soap, etc.) on your face. Men have shaved this way for centuries, starting early on with a sharp knife or stone, progressing to the straight razor, safety (double-edge) razors, and eventually cartridge razors from companies like Gillette, etc.

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Around here wet-shaving is often shorthand for "traditional wet-shaving", by which I mean lathering water and a soap or soap-based cream with a shaving brush.

To my mind the sharp instrument is a grey area. Some would probably insist on a traditional blade too: a straight razor, or a shavette, or a safety razor with a traditional double-edge, single-edge, or injector blade. Others would allow cartridge systems or disposables. Some might even allow wet-dry electric shavers.

Wet shaving shaving while wet. Simple as that. The alternative, of course, dry shaving, such as with an electric razor. Wet shaving covers a wide range of different methods and tools.

Wet shaving is using water to soften the hairs, instead of relying on gels / foams with softeners. To keep the hairs wet long enough, and to provide the needed glide and cushioning, lather is used. So it's shaving with water, and with soaps or creams that are whipped into lather.
The hair cutting can be done with anything, from a straight razor, to a million blade cartridge.

mblakele said:

To my mind the sharp instrument is a grey area.

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+1

wet shaving is just like dry shaving except it is wet

I prefer to call shaving with a DE, SE, or straight as traditional shaving.

Traditionally, wet shaving is using a brush and soap/cream. Some people wet shave using a mach-3 or such, but most use double edge razor/SE razor/or straight razor. As long as you are using a brush (but not canned GOO) you are wet shaving, regardless of the razor type being used.