King hell, this has risen from the crypt. I’ve had a beard for over two years, grown during a period when my house had no heating or hot water due to boiler implosion, and kept by popular demand as no one wants to see my naked face, apparently. Have to say a quick tidy up with a dinky Philips trimming machine once or twice a week is a considerable time saver. But I miss the zen ritual of a proper old school shave.
Once shaved off a ‘tache and partner didn’t notice for two weeks. Loads of brownie points recovered, miles of latitude should I forget anything and she has never lived it down as it was a friend who spotted it.
Once out of the shower and toweled dry I put the Ralph Lauren boxers back on and before applying the Mousse A Raiser, a shaving cream by Pour Hommes, I press a hot towel against my face for two minutes to soften abrasive beard hair. Then I always slather on a moisturizer (to my taste, Clinique) and let it soak in for a minute. You can rinse it off or keep it on and apply a shaving cream over it - preferably with a brush, which softens the beard as it lifts the whiskers - which I've found makes removing the hair easier. It also helps prevent water from evaporating and reduces friction between your skin and the blade. Always wet the razor with warm water before shaving and shave in the direction the beard grows, pressing gently on the skin. Leave the sideburns and chin for last, since these whiskers are tougher and need more time to soften. Rinse the razor and shake off any excess water before starting. Afterwards splash cool water on the face to remove any trace of lather. You should use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol. Never use cologne on your face, since the high alcohol content dries your face out and makes you look older. One should use an alcohol-free antibacterial toner with a water-moistened cotton ball to normalize the skin.
