As a newbie, I had a lot of hang-ups and worries about getting into wet shaving, but I found a cheap, simple, and easy way to learn the benefits before deciding to invest the money in a decent razor and other products, so I decided to share them:
1) A single-bladed disposable is a great trainer: A DE razor can be a hassle to find, and expensive. Also, it may seem a bit scary and intimidating, leaving you reluctant to make the move to a DE. For those who have worries or hesitations, buy a pack of single blade disposables; they’re cheap and easy to get, so there’s no real risk or investment. After getting used to brushes and soap, I switched from a cartridge razor to a single blade disposable. It is an amazing teacher. First, it shows you the benefits of shaving with a single blade; a huge reduction in ingrown hairs and bumps, and no hair clogging up between the blades. Second, the learning curve is just right (in my opinion); you’ll learn fast that hacking away like you’re peeling a potato won’t work, but it’s forgiving enough that if you do fall back to your old cartridge shaving habits (and you will at first), you won’t cut your face up too badly, and you’ll still be able to reap the benefits that come from light pressure, a slow, steady hand, and a good angle. You’ll soon find yourself getting a smoother shave with less effort (and pain) than a cartridge.
2) Once you get good with single-blades, try a cartridge once more: This is a great lesson and will help you understand with crystal clarity why wet shaving is better, and will allow you to invest in the razors and other stuff you want without hesitation or regret. After a few weeks with single-blade disposables, I decided to try a cartridge razor again, just for a lark. I don’t know if my face or beard had changed, if I became spoiled by single blades, or if it was something else, but using that cartridge razor again was a horrible, painful experience. It like rubbing sand paper on my face; the really rough kind. It tugged. It Ripped. It Pulled. It hurt. I might as well have been shaving dry because all the prep wasn’t helping. With the light pressure I was now accustomed to using, the razor just got caught in my beard rather than cutting it. After a couple swipes I put it down and breathed a sigh of relief, much like I do when I’m done getting my teeth drilled.
Now I use a Feather Popular DE razor. Since I live in Japan, the blades are everywhere and they cost practically nothing. I found it surprisingly easy to get used to it (but a fresh Feather blade can be a bit dangerous). I was also amazed to find out how much money I was saving. I’m baffled how cartridge razors became the norm in the first place.
1) A single-bladed disposable is a great trainer: A DE razor can be a hassle to find, and expensive. Also, it may seem a bit scary and intimidating, leaving you reluctant to make the move to a DE. For those who have worries or hesitations, buy a pack of single blade disposables; they’re cheap and easy to get, so there’s no real risk or investment. After getting used to brushes and soap, I switched from a cartridge razor to a single blade disposable. It is an amazing teacher. First, it shows you the benefits of shaving with a single blade; a huge reduction in ingrown hairs and bumps, and no hair clogging up between the blades. Second, the learning curve is just right (in my opinion); you’ll learn fast that hacking away like you’re peeling a potato won’t work, but it’s forgiving enough that if you do fall back to your old cartridge shaving habits (and you will at first), you won’t cut your face up too badly, and you’ll still be able to reap the benefits that come from light pressure, a slow, steady hand, and a good angle. You’ll soon find yourself getting a smoother shave with less effort (and pain) than a cartridge.
2) Once you get good with single-blades, try a cartridge once more: This is a great lesson and will help you understand with crystal clarity why wet shaving is better, and will allow you to invest in the razors and other stuff you want without hesitation or regret. After a few weeks with single-blade disposables, I decided to try a cartridge razor again, just for a lark. I don’t know if my face or beard had changed, if I became spoiled by single blades, or if it was something else, but using that cartridge razor again was a horrible, painful experience. It like rubbing sand paper on my face; the really rough kind. It tugged. It Ripped. It Pulled. It hurt. I might as well have been shaving dry because all the prep wasn’t helping. With the light pressure I was now accustomed to using, the razor just got caught in my beard rather than cutting it. After a couple swipes I put it down and breathed a sigh of relief, much like I do when I’m done getting my teeth drilled.
Now I use a Feather Popular DE razor. Since I live in Japan, the blades are everywhere and they cost practically nothing. I found it surprisingly easy to get used to it (but a fresh Feather blade can be a bit dangerous). I was also amazed to find out how much money I was saving. I’m baffled how cartridge razors became the norm in the first place.
