Patrick Coddou has found a way to help men shave the right way.
I used to be like you. I used to hate shaving. But then, I learned how to actually do it the right way. My best friend and I have spent the past two years running a website devoted to testing and reviewing men’s razors. Along the way, we’ve learned a thing or two about shaving. We’ve tried dozens of razors and learned the hard way what works – and what doesn’t. Take a tip from some guys that have had more than their fair share of razor burn. If you want to shave the right way, don’t do the following three things.
Not Properly Preparing for your Shave
I’m constantly blown away by the amount of men I come across that only use hot water to shave. Unless your skin is as tough as leather, this is a terrible idea. You’re dragging a sharp piece of steel across your face – protect it!
To do this, invest in a quality shaving cream or foam that is free of harsh chemicals and parabens. We recommend staying away from shave gels as much as possible since they tend to clog up your razor. If you feel like upgrading your shave, we highly recommend investing in a quality synthetic brush and shave soap. It costs a little more upfront, but lasts longer and provides an unquestionably better experience.
Preparing for a good shave is simple, but important. Start with a hot shower (or hot towel) to get your beard moist and soft. It will be tempting to skip this step, but don’t. Follow up with a generous lather – now is not the time to skimp. There is such a thing as too much lather, but I find that most men tend to be on the other end of the spectrum. If you’re using a brush and soap, don’t be shy with the water to make sure you have a really great lather.
Now that you’re prepared to shave, there’s one important thing to avoid.
Shaving Against the Grain
This tip is not universal, but it’s an important one if you have sensitive skin. If you constantly find yourself struggling with ingrown hairs and razor bumps, there is a strong chance that it’s because you’re shaving against the grain.
When you’re shaving, it’s important to know that there is a “direction” of growth to your beard – it doesn’t just grow outwards. To prove this, rub your hand against your 5 o’clock shadow. Notice that rubbing in certain directions feels rougher than other directions, and that the direction of the roughness changes as you move your hand around your face. You’ve just accomplished the first step in “mapping” out your beard growth.
When you shave in the direction that your beard grows, that’s known as shaving “with the grain.” Alternatively, shaving against your beard growth is known as shaving “against the grain.” Shaving against the grain gives a closer shave but makes you much more susceptible to ingrown hairs. If this is something you struggle with, try going with the grain. You’d be surprised how much it can help.
Using Too Many Blades
Let’s just get this out on the table. There isn’t any solid evidence that more blades give a better shave. In our experience, the opposite is actually true. Shaving with one quality razor blade gives you just as close of a shave as your multi-bladed razor, but with much less irritation. It’s pretty simple, really – more blades mean more friction, and friction irritates your skin. Millions of men (including myself) all over the world enjoy single-bladed shaving – and prefer it to multi-bladed shaving.
Which brings me back to the very beginning. As you already know, I co-founded a blog that was dedicated to finding the perfect razor for every man. The problem is, I never actually found the perfect razor for me. So I did what any guy would do – I made it. Head on over to my Kickstarter page to check out the razor that I’ve created. It truly is the perfect razor for me – and chances are it will be for you too. But if you end up using it, just remember to prep with a quality soap and shave with the grain. We already have you covered with the single-blade part.
Photo provided by author.
I’ve tried everything you’ve suggested, and I STILL hate shaving. Brushes. Good soaps. Double edge safety razors. The two words that describe the experience are UNRELENTING MISERY. I’ve never had razor burn as bad as I had, until I started using a safety razor. All my friends, some who are old enough to remember shaving with those tools when there was no other option, all asked why I would subject myself to such unpleasantness? One even said “You know what they invented right after the safety razor? The band aid”. I tend to chalk up the whole resurgence of “wet… Read more »
I used to be skeptical of the claim, but safety razors deliver a superior shave, at less cost. Yes, it takes a bit more time. But I have sensitive skin and have far fewer issues with a safety razor than I have had with cartridges or electric razors.
Patrick, thank you for the article. Got a question – sometimes I find straight razors too sharp at the beginning and it makes micro cuts in some places (mostly due structure of my facial hair), any hints how to make it not that sharp after I buy it ?
I personally HATE shaving so thank you for the write up. I guess Im not alone :-). I ditched the razor and just went with a simple trimmer on the shortest settings. No hassle.
Thank you VERY much for this article. I’ve always believed the idea that more blades means a better shave, but I’ve never really stopped to think about it. Now that I’ve done some research (the two sources mentioned in the previous comment are amazing), I’m realizing I had it backwards the whole time. Your new razor looks like an easy way to get started with the single blade style. Awesome!
Jonathan,
We’re also big fans of Mark and Brett (Art of Manliness) as well. We’re working on tweaking the screw design right now. Although the changes aren’t very extensive, we’re confident the final production version will be more user friendly than the prototype Mark was testing out for us.
Thanks for the comment!
Patrick
I fell in love with vintage shaving– specifically, double edge safety razor shaving– after reading articles at the Art of Manliness and watching The Sharpologist (mantic59) YouTube videos. I *especially* respect what Mark (mantic59) says about razor shaving, and based on what he’s said about The Single Edge, I will be watching this project very, very closely. And since I showed my wife how superior single-blade razor shaving was to cartridges, I could see her using this razor, with my full approval. One question, though- Mark did say: “Swapping out a base plate involves loosening a small set screw on… Read more »