No matter my routine, I'm still 30 minutes late for work.
Ceremony and routine
- Thread starter lifechooser
- Start date
Yep I'm quoting myself. I should add that this is a Monday- Friday shave. Weekends are a different story.
I personally don't care how long it takes people. I can do a 5 minute shave and have a decent shave or I can take my time and really enjoy the lathering process and go for a better shave. The most time I have spent is 45 minutes because I did a head shave too.
Close to 20 years ago, now, I got into a financial bind when I couldn't find work doing anything I had experience in, or for that matter, much of anything that paid even reasonably well. I ended up with two jobs, both part time and both poorly paid, so I was still interviewing and networking like crazy, so I had to keep shaved, but I just had no real time in which to do it.
The situation dragged on and on, and I developed some shortcuts shaving, but most of the small pleasurable things fell by the wayside, like making my own lather, using aftershaves, the entire range of self-spoiling nicer stuff we can enjoy when shaving. Don't forget, I went from knowing what a good shave, using soap or cream, and a brush, really was about, to faster, lower quality replacement software. .
Neither before that time, nor after getting back into the traditional ways, have I ever needed more than about ten minutes, although I often spend more time than that, just dawdling. .I *can* do a credible job with a shave in less than ten minutes, particularly when I shaved the day before (I have almost always skipped shaves on any Saturday that had no social engagements scheduled on it). .
The situation dragged on and on, and I developed some shortcuts shaving, but most of the small pleasurable things fell by the wayside, like making my own lather, using aftershaves, the entire range of self-spoiling nicer stuff we can enjoy when shaving. Don't forget, I went from knowing what a good shave, using soap or cream, and a brush, really was about, to faster, lower quality replacement software. .
Neither before that time, nor after getting back into the traditional ways, have I ever needed more than about ten minutes, although I often spend more time than that, just dawdling. .I *can* do a credible job with a shave in less than ten minutes, particularly when I shaved the day before (I have almost always skipped shaves on any Saturday that had no social engagements scheduled on it). .
As long as i like to take, but in general 20 minutes; hydrate face, load brush, face-lather for a few minutes, shave, relather, shave, finish up and clean up. Great ceremony when the shaves are great!
- Thread starter
- #26
I suppose my question wasn't really about how long it takes, there seem to be other threads which cover that. I was wondering what quirks and routines people have built up over time - like brush sniffing, or laying everything out the night before.
I don't understand this. Anyone know what this guy is talking about?
He must be suffering with a rare disease...
As a newbie, and what has turned me into a fanatic enjoyment for straight razor shaving, it is the self indulged pampering you do for yourself. In this fast pace, hurry to there, and phone always ringing or text messages, I use this as Me Time. And I shut the phone to mute, turn off the noise, usually T.V. I arise 45 mins. earlier,go grind my coffee and let it brew, place a wet shaving towel in freezer. I then turn on shower, pull out my elect. water kettle fill it and turn it on, place brush and soap dish in hot water then i jump in shower. Once I'm dried, the kettle has reached very,very hot,not boiling but almost. I place shave towel into other sink (yes I bought separate towels for shaving only, it's about the experience and pampering) Strop my razor, and then I apply pre- shave oil to face and then take very hot towel and place on my face, this feels wonderful and opens my pores and the hairs are now soft. Take my soap that I had added hot water to and badgers brush out of now tepid water. Refill basin with kettle water. ( this is for rinsing blade only). Mix up soap of the day, (I am waiting for delivery on a shaving scuttle I ordered to make it even more special). Take that beautiful lather,it's intoxicating scent of the first brush pass . Working the soap and brush into the beard and thinking how soft and luscious this feels to my face. Pick up my razor, pull out the accordion shave mirror on its magnified side and start my WTG strokes. Once completed I re-heat towel with second fill of hot kettle water, place on face and let that rush of warmth really reset the left behind hairs,I then take brush still full of lather,apply, and do second pass CRG strokes. Take shaving towel wipe, cold rinse, and apply alum block, wait a minute and apply freezer towel mmmm yes it feels astonishing great ,then a bay rum or such after shave and balm. This starts out my Me Time, fresh, and feeling pampered and deserving of it, walk downstairs pour that first cup of coffee, turn on phone and look forward to having a great day, as I just started out the morning with a wonderful Me Time....Sorry if I was too long..But that's what I receive out of my ritual and hope you do too....
I select each item after I get out of the shower while waiting for the mirror to defog (sometimes this involves traveling to multiple rooms or prepping a new soap in it's bowl with label, etc). Once selected I shave, set everything up to dry and call it done. Also, brushes should be sniffed both before and after when using a new soap to see if it took on the scent of a new soap (one of my marks of a quality product).
EDIT: Actually the first thing is putting away the items from the day before if I haven't already.
EDIT: Actually the first thing is putting away the items from the day before if I haven't already.
For me, there is no ceremony or ritual to things. Taking it slow and enjoying myself are what it's all about.
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