So what’s all the fuss about Double edge (DE) safety razors? Why would one blade work better than 4 or 5 like on the modern razors of today? They say all vintage things eventually make a come back, but it’s very rare to find a product that can actually work better, and has more benefits than it’s latest version. Simply put, the benefits of using a double edge safety razor are as follows:
- Much closer shaves
- Can reduce razor burn, irritation, ingrown hairs, and even post shave acne
- Safety Razors are very cost effective
- Environmentally friendly (if this is something that concerns you)
- Quite frankly, you’ll feel like a badass while shaving
Much Closer Shaves:
Although a bit counter intuitive, one blade works a lot better than the 4 or 5 blades that come with most razors today. Think of it like this. Would you peel a potato with a potato peeler (essentially one blade), or a cheese grater (multiple blades)? Inside the safety razor, the blade is actually bent into a curved positioned. This causes the right amount of tension in the blade, and combined with the right angle (30 degrees), makes for one close shave.
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Can Reduce Razor Burn, Irritation, Ingrown Hairs, and Even Post Shave Acne:
First things first, regardless of your weapon of choice (cartridge or safety razor), razor burn can automatically be reduced by just shaving with the grain. With the grain meaning, along the direction of the hair growth.
However a razor blade is way sharper than the mediocrity of sharpness that comes with a multiple blade cartridge razor. So even if you go with the grain using either option, 1 sharp blade slices clean, as opposed to the 4 or 5 blades leaving a jagged hair with each blade worsening the pulling and tugging with the pass of each blade.
A single blade DE razor can also help reduce post shave acne. If talking about a disposable cartridge razor, the average person will use the same razor 5 times before replacing it. Lets look at the play by play. If your using 4 to 5 blades, the first blade will do most of the work, maybe the 2nd or 3rd finishes the job, but the 4th and 5th are pushing all the bacteria and clogged hairs (stuck between the blades from previous shaves) into your open pores. That’s pretty disgusting if you think about it.
Ingrown hairs are caused when the hair is cut short enough to grow directionally into the skin. The pulling and tugging from multiple dull blades can change the direction of hair growth, and aggravate this further, increasing your chances of having to deal with this.
Saftey Razors Are Cost Effective:
Average annual cost for cartridge razors are around $240.00 a year. Think about it, why are all these new companies popping up offering disposable razors to be mailed to you for a “low cost”. Sure the initial cost of investment for the equipment of a DE safety razor may be bit more expensive than a pack of disposable cartridge razors, but after that your only expenses are the blades and or whatever shaving cream you like to use. The average price for a double edge razor is about $30, which equates to about 8 refills (cartridges) of a Gillette Fusion Proglide for example.
But over all, a 100 blade refill pack will cost you about $13.00, blowing the cost of refilling a disposable razor out of the water. Needless to say that the recommended number of shaves per razor blade is 5. I’ll let you guys do the math.
$3.75 per cartridge or 0.13 cents per blade.
Environmentally friendly:
For those who care about the environment (we all should), the waste resulting from the use of a DE Saftey razor is far less compared to the waste of the disposable cartridge razors. The actual razor, or “blade holder” is something that you can use for the rest of your life. Meaning the only waste you are going to have is a pile of razor blades vs a mountain of PLASTIC disposable cartridges and even PLASTIC disposable blade holders.
You’ll feel more like a man shaving your face than you’ve ever felt before
Although it is currently trendy to rock a beard, using a DE safety razor makes you feel just as manly. I typically sport a beard, but I still shave underneath my neck, and genuinely look forward to shaving my mug when I have to. Whether it be for a wedding, interview, or just a reinvention of yourself, nothing feels better than lathering up the cream in a mug with your badger brush, and using it to lift the whiskers off your face after a hot shower. Putting in a fresh new blade, and letting it glide to across your face making it baby smooth. Putting steel to your face feels incredible. It’s also pretty cool to go old school, and shave like your grandfather, Teddy Roosevelt, and probably the Dos Equis guy. Stay smooth my friends!
Shaving tips:
- Always shave after a hot shower. This will open up your pores and relax the skin
- Fill your mug with hot water before your shower, and let the brush soak in it while you wash.
- Once the blade is set, rinse the blade with hot water before placing it to your face
- ALWAYS BEGIN WITH THE GRAIN!!!!!! Follow the direction of hair growth.
- Angle the razor to about 30 degrees. This will definitely take some getting use to, and you may even nick yourself the first few times. But once you have it down, the difference in closeness will be incredibly obvious.
- Use short, even strokes, when shaving. Do not apply pressure. The weight of the razor is enough to do the trick. As many wet shaving pros will tell you, it's about beard reduction, not beard removal.
- To get the closest shave of your life, you will need to do either 2 or 3 passes with the safety razor. Once you begin to feel more comfortable with the angle and pressure, you can then attempt a pass across the grain, and eventually (ALWAYS LAST) against the grain.
- When finished, rinse your face with cold water. This will help close the pores.
- When drying your face, always dab your face dry. You should never rub your face with a towel after shaving. This can cause some serious irritation.
There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to shaving with a DE safety razor. In the beginning it may take you a few minutes more to shave. But if you stick with it, I promise that you will never go back to a disposable cartridge razor again.
Meyza Team