So what exactly is “wet shaving” anyway?

Wet shaving, literally, is shaving using hot water to wet your skin. However, that’s not exactly the full story. In today’s vernacular, wet shaving refers to a more traditional way of shaving before the days of plastic razors, disposable cartridges, and aerosol shaving creams. The old school tools consist of a single blade (double-edged safety, straight, or shavette – more on these in another post), a bowl, a brush, and some soap. This is the way men shaved for decades until the big corporate shaving companies figured out they could extract more money out of our pockets if they convinced us there was a better way to get a better shave. This led to disposable razors, disposable cartridges, pivoting heads, 2 blades, 3 blades, 4 blades, 5 blades, all the time requiring a new handle as the previous models become obsolete and ever increasing costs for the “new and improved” cartridges – and huge profits. It’s all rubbish and our landfills are full of it. All you need for a good shave is 1 blade, some good lubrication, and a little technique. It’s also a lifestyle choice that many are making. There is something gratifying about taking a little “me time” to begin your day. Wet shaving is as much about the experience as it is the result.