Wet Shaving's Appeal: Part 1 – The Joy of Improvement

A significant pleasure of wet shaving lies in the "sense of accomplishment." On the first day I held a razor, I barely knew how to use it, but with daily practice, I've steadily improved. This is quite a satisfying feeling. The shaving process involves first shaving in the direction of hair growth (with the grain), and then, once that's done, shaving against the grain. Initially, I would carefully switch hands to reposition the razor, but as I got used to it, I learned to swiftly rotate the razor with my fingertips to move to shaving against the grain. The shaving cream, too, which initially clung stubbornly and wouldn't lather, now produces a rich, satisfying foam. I can achieve a Santa Claus-like beard-free face in no time. The time taken has also decreased. Now, I can complete the entire process in just over three and a half minutes. Below is my personal method for wet shaving, arrived at through various experiments. It's a technique I particularly recommend for the indolent.

Wet Shaving's Appeal: Part 2 – The Opportunity to Truly See Your Face

Many people pay attention to their fashion but don't invest much effort in grooming. I was one of them. However, once you start wet shaving, you are forced to confront your own face for a certain period each morning. This leads to many discoveries. For instance, the fact that nose hairs grow quickly. I frequently found nose hairs protruding from my nostrils during shaving. As a "no-go" item, nose hairs are incredibly potent. No matter how expensive a suit you wear, a single nose hair can ruin the entire impression. Previously, I trimmed my nose hairs about once a week, but now I do it daily.

I've also started grooming my eyebrows with a T-shaped razor. However, I don't shape them thinly like younger men do. I simply shave off the fine hairs that grow around the bridge of my nose and the brow area. According to professional makeup artists, tidying up the lower part of the eyebrows (between the brows and the eyelids) in particular can improve one's appearance. While I'm at it, I also shave the fine hairs on other parts of my face for a complete finish. Incidentally, the safety features of modern razors are superb; even with somewhat rough handling, they don't damage the skin. As mentioned, it's been a month since I started shaving, and I haven't drawn blood once during this period.

Truefitt & Hill also offers a product called pre-shave oil. As the name suggests, it's an oil applied before shaving. While not widely known in Japan, it's apparently a popular item in the UK. It further softens the beard, allowing for a smoother shave. Moreover, it's perfect for facial massage. Applying it before shaving and massaging your temples and brow area feels wonderfully soothing. Since massage is said to be effective for wrinkles around the eyes and mouth, I recommend doing it in conjunction with shaving. I also intend to try facial slimming massages, which are currently very popular.

Wet Shaving's Appeal: Part 3 – The Enjoyment of Collecting Tools

The tools used in wet shaving are full of functional beauty. Truefitt & Hill's products are often exquisite items that satisfy a man's desire for ownership. The holder (the handle of the razor) is made of an ivory-like resin and has a substantial weight. This weight is necessary for stable razor control. The market offers many variations using premium materials such as silver, briarwood, and horn. Badger hair brushes are considered the finest. Each badger hair strand is distinct and doesn't clump together, allowing even thick beards to stand up easily. Furthermore, due to their natural habit of digging, the tips of the hairs are naturally worn down and become finer. This allows them to effectively clean dirt from within the pores. Other items to consider are a lathering bowl and a stand for organizing your various tools. An entry-level set can be assembled for around 30,000 yen, while a more elaborate setup can approach 100,000 yen. Besides Truefitt & Hill, other renowned brands include the British companies Trumper and Taylor of Old Bond Street, the Italian brand Cella, and the French brand G.B.B. Joris. For this category, European-made products are generally preferred.

What sets a T-shaped razor apart from other cherished possessions is that a state-of-the-art blade is attached to a classic holder. The Truefitt & Hill product I use is fitted with a Gillette three-blade cartridge. This is a massive industrial product sold on a global scale, with the dedicated holder alone reportedly selling over a billion units. Before its release, extensive testing was required to accommodate the skin types of all ethnicities, with development costs exceeding 80 billion yen. While Gillette holds an overwhelming share of the global razor market, Japanese steel is dominant in the actual metal used for razors. Yasuki steel, produced at Hitachi Metals' Yasugi factory in Shimane Prefecture, accounts for 60-70% of the world's razor steel market share. Yasuki steel, historically used in Japanese swords, possesses ideal strength and flexibility. The lore surrounding razors is vast, and delving into it can be endlessly fascinating. This "intellectual pleasure" is another significant appeal of wet shaving.



Kentarō Matsuo's Blog
BEST DRESSER’S RECON
The Best Dressers Encountered by the Editor-in-Chief of MEN'S EX
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/mens_ex_sekaibunkasha