Apply the oil: Squeeze a small amount of shave oil into your hand and massage it into the area you want to shave. Most notably, Alexander the Great made it a common practice for Greek soldiers to shave their beards, since having a beard was a liability during battle; it gave another soldier the opportunity to grab their face. Now that we've got our skin sorted, let's move on to the tools. A good shave requires more than just a razor, my friends. Here's a list of the essential tools you'll need: The Art of Shaving is a United States retail business of high-end men's shaving and skin care accessories. The first store was founded by Eric Malka and Myriam Zaoui in Manhattan in 1996. [1] It was announced in January 2020 that parent company Procter & Gamble planned to close "most" stores due to a decline in mall traffic and changing consumer shopping habits [5]

Following these four steps using The Art of Shaving products, every man can experience his daily shave the way it was meant to be—even those with sensitive skin or tough beards are left with skin that feels smooth, comfortable, and ready to face the day ahead with style. Large-scale razor manufacturing began in 1680 with the steel-edged ‘cut-throat’ straight razor, which was manufactured in Sheffield, England. Steel straight razors were the most common throughout the 19th century. This was a step up from the medieval razors which resembled small axes. Nonetheless, other innovations were just beginning, particularly the safety razor. The Safety RazorBefore we dive into the nitty-gritty of shaving, let's take a moment to understand our skin. You see, every face is unique, and what works for your mate, might not work for you. So, it's important to know your skin type and what products will work best for you. Do you have dry skin? Oily skin? Sensitive skin? Understanding your skin will help you choose the right shaving products and techniques to avoid any unwanted irritation or discomfort. The Essential Tools for Shaving In 1770, Jean-Jacques Perret wrote The Art of Learning to Shave Oneself ( La Pogontomie). Around the same time, the Perret razor was invented. This razor had a wood guard that both held the blade and prevented deep cuts. The Perret blade is seen as a step towards the invention of the safety razor.

However, due to the culturally fragmented nature of classical Greece, many different attitudes regarding beards arose. For example, cutting a man’s beard against his will was a shaming action used after battle, but in other parts of Greece, barbers set up shop in the agora (town square) to shave men with sharpened blades. Unfortunately, the average disposable blade for a safety razor would often rust after a single use or two, making them prohibitively expensive for many. But in 1960, manufacturing began making blades using stainless steel which allowed the razor blades to be useful for multiple shaves before needing to be discarded. This innovation greatly increased the sales of safety razors, and stainless steel became the primary metal for producing razor blades from then on. The Electric Razor Start by using warm water to open your pores and soften the hair on your face. Shaving after or during a warm shower can be an easy way to make this convenient. Then, use The Art of Shaving Pre-Shave Oil to support razor glide. Shaving in ancient times took on particular importance in Greece and Rome, since the ability to grow a beard was celebrated as a rite of manhood and as an indicator of civic duty.

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Modern electric shavers may have a high starting cost, but they last on average twenty years. These come in two main categories, foil razors and rotary razors. Electric razors are most often recommended to men with curly beards or those prone to ingrown hairs. This is because they don’t give a close enough shave for ingrown hairs to take place, which is a benefit when the main cause of ingrown hairs is hair that’s sliced at an angle below the skin. More blades do lead to a closer shave. However, the efficacy of shaving is more reliant on technique than the number of blades. Nonetheless, multiple blade technology allows a closer shave because the razors are able to cut just below the skin’s surface without breaking it. Each of these razor innovations have been fine-tuned, refined, and improved in our modern age, allowing for even greater luxury when it comes to safety and close shaves, no matter which shaving method you choose. Modern Shaving and the Modern Razor However, clean shaving remains popular. Due to the increased convenience and safety brought on by the shaving innovations of the past few decades, daily shaving is seen as lower maintenance in some cases than cultivating a beard.