slowly (and painfully) cracking the DE shaving code
Some months ago the ever-spinning wheel of hyperfixations halted abruptly on the world of double-edged safety razors. It was weeks and weeks of research, contemplation, and tactical assessment. When the effect changed from interest to nausea, as often happens, I knew it was time to close the chapter by purchasing the equipment.
The list of necessary items was as follows: a 100 pack of safety razors, the razor itself, the shaving foam, a brush, an alium block, styptic pencil, and an after-shave. With everything setup on my bathroom shelf, I proceeded to have my first ever oldschool shave.
The term "razor burn" does not describe the evidence of multilation on my face and neck. Calling it razor burn is to refer to Nero's immolation of ancient Rome as a mere health and safety oversight. My neck was flayed; the first micromillimeter of the skin gone and replaced by what appeared to be a peeled tomato. When everything dried up a stranger could have mistaken me as a survivor of a rear naked choke by a cheese grater.
I persevered through the horrors. With time and effort masochistic fate replaced itself with learning. Having just finished shaving as this blog is being written, the neck still burns, and the cuts are still there, but there is improvement.
Besides the self-mutilation the experience in itself is a pleasant and calming one.
Every two to three days, after a hot shower, I don my bath-robe and prepare my tools. A bead of shaving cream in a bowl is foamed up with a brush and lathered onto neck and face. The shaving then takes around half an hour divded in two; a first pass, rinse with hot water and re-lather, a second pass, and then a final rinse with cold water. Alium block is rubbed on, and after another rinse, a hefty amount of Aloe Vera gel is applied. While my face dries I wash the razor, brush and bowl. If needed, a snipping of a few nose hairs is added as a bonus.
Still a long way to go, but we're getting there. Even self-care appears to come with a price, but every skill takes time to develop.