Smooth Operator...
A few months ago I was in India and popped into a barber’s for a trim. While I was there I was offered a shave, and what a shave it was. I came out feeling super-smooth, refreshed and, according to my wife, heavenly fragrant! I visited that particular establishment several times during our stay.
On our return to England, I wasn’t feeling the love from my previously trusty electric razor. I wondered if there was any way to recreate that lovely sensation of a really smooth wet shave in my own bathroom. So began my research, in barbers, on the web, and in the ‘male grooming’ section of our local chemist store.
My friend the Indian barber had used a steamy, almost unbearably hot towel on my face prior to shaving. This I learned was to soften the hairs and open the pores. A steamy hot morning shower will do pretty much the same thing.
One of the reasons I switched to an electric razor several years ago, was because I was fed up with suffering from ingrown hairs and razor burn. I discovered that both of these issues are linked to poor lubrication and dull blades.
Like many European men I have particularly thick and very stiff stubble, and because my hair is dark I often look as though I have a five o’clock shadow by lunchtime. In India, the barber used a pre-shave oil massaged all over my chin to further soften the hairs. I had no idea these even existed prior to my trip, so I was delighted to find that I could buy very similar products back in the UK.
Then there’s the shaving cream. Several barbers advised that I should buy glycerine- based products, because they provide high- quality lubrication and are kind to the skin.
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They also advised that I should avoid anything containing menthol, as this tends to close pores and stiffen the hairs.
Badger-hair brushes were unanimously
considered the best and last many years if looked after. The cream should be applied in a circular motion, which lathers better, while lifting the whiskers and exfoliating the skin.
Blades should be very sharp so buy the best quality you can afford and replace regularly. Hold the area of skin you wish to shave taut, and let the razor glide over it in the direction of hair growth. Don’t apply pressure because that’s how nicks occur. Make sure you rinse the blade frequently. If you want a closer shave, re-lather then run the razor back over the skin in the opposite direction to the hair growth.
When you’ve finished, splash your face with cool water. This closes the pores. Then apply a good quality aftershave balm, avoiding anything which contains alcohol as this can irritate the skin.
If you do manage to nick your skin, make sure you have a styptic pencil on hand. These can be bought in good pharmacies and contain aluminium sulphate. When dabbed on to a small wound, they stop the bleeding as if by magic.
So there you have it, my guide to
being the smoothest guy around. By Tom Hancock
To advertise in thewire t. 07720 429 613 e.
the.wire@btinternet.com
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