If you have ever pulled out your safety-conscious razor in front of your grandfather or another man of a certain age, there is a very good reason why they are looking at your three, four or five blades with a glare of disgust - it is related to their impeccably groomed face and beard. If they have been brought up in the ‘old school’ of shaving, they may still have their trusty cutthroat razor, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they are paying far less than the cost of your mass-market, footballer-endorsed razors and accessories.
In men’s fashion, we already trust other old-fashioned styling elements, such as bespoke tailoring that there is still no true substitute for - there is no reason why men shouldn’t give shaving a go with a cutthroat razor. An impeccably tailored suit goes hand in hand with impeccable grooming!
You may use the associated technique to prolong the working life of your existing blades, or you could even abandon the expensive cartridges altogether! For the full experience, you can pick up a traditional shaving brush and circular soap from many retailers, and foaming it into your beard is an almost massage-like experience. Once you are foamed-up, it’s time to get to know your blade.
Forget about the mafia movies - you really don’t have anything to fear from your cutthroat blade. To ensure that you need as few shaving strokes as possible, you need to try and identify the direction of hair growth on your face, and this will also help to avoid irritation. In general, an effective cutthroat shave should go something like this:
- Shave against your skin at an angle of 30 degrees - this is the safest angle to avoid cuts.
- In the direction of hair growth, shave your cheeks first of all, from your sideburns to your jaw line.
- In a similar manner, shave from your jaw line to your neck line.
- If shaving around your mouth is desirable, you should shave below your lips, and finish with your moustache.
Everyone’s face is different, and if you demand absolute smoothness, repeat the process against the direction of hair growth after applying more shaving soap - avoid this if you are prone to shaving rash. Keep the angle at 30 degrees, and you may wonder why you have spent so much money on cartridges.