by Stefan Vincent

I get a lot of emails asking how to shave with a safety razor, double edge razor, or single edge razor. There are a few different techniques and tips I will share with you, but it’s not as mysterious and dangerous as it sounds. It’s fairly easy to get started and in time you will probably find that you get a better, closer, more comfortable shave, all the while actually enjoying what used to be a daunting or trivial task.

For this article I am going to skip over all the talk of shaving soaps, shaving brushes, and all the other fun goodies that come along with wetshaving. I’m also not going to go into detail about the different types of razors and blades you could try. That is a whole other post, or could even be a book. Let’s focus on technique and the rest will come naturally.

Every razor is a little different when it comes to loading your blade. So the first step is figuring out how to get the blade into the razor. We will assume you are using a double edge razor like this one:

This is called a three piece razor because it comes apart in 3 pieces. The head, the baseplate and the handle. The razor gets sandwiched between the head and the baseplate(make sure you don’t install your baseplate upside down, a very common mistake) and then the whole thing gets screwed back together. Simple. There are also twist to open designs which are even simpler and there are also 2 piece razors where the baseplate is fixed in place.

So you have your razor blade installed, now what? Before it’s time to lather up and shave, take a moment to map the different directions your hair grows on your face. Everyone is different, and if you’ve ever shaved before you probably are pretty familiar with your face. Now, use your favorite method to lather, whether it is canned foam or a luxury shaving soap or cream, get it on your face.

They key to wetshaving with any safety razor is taut (tight) skin. Don’t be afraid to use your other hand to pull your skin tight in the areas you are shaving. A little PRO TIP here, shaving lather is slippery, if you have an alum block or styptic pencil, rub it on the fingers of your off hand to gain more grip.

Now, with tight skin bring the razor to your face at the shallowest angle and slowly lower the handle until you can hear or feel the hairs cutting. This is the part that can take a little fiddling, and every razor has a different “sweet spot”.  You should be shaving with the grain and we are going to call this “our first pass”. Some people can get a quality shave in one pass. For some people it can take 3 or 4. Your mileage may vary, especially when you’re first starting out.

Once you have removed all of the shaving cream with the grain. Re-lather your face and do your second pass across the grain if you need it. After that, I usually re-lather again and feel with my fingers for any areas that need a touch up, and then shave (with very tight skin) against the grain in those areas only. Depending how sensitive your skin is, you may want to stop after your first pass for the first few shaves, or only shave your cheeks and finish the shave with a cartridge razor if that’s what you’re used to.

Tips and tricks: Problem areas.

The CHIN, the neck, the upper lip, and for you bald guys, the HEAD. I always say the head is all chin. Work in small areas on these problem spots and make sure your skin is as tight as possible. Don’t overdo it or you WILL get razor burn. For the upper lip, go with the grain only until you’ve got some experience and even then be careful if your blade is less than optimally sharp.

Safety Razor Shaving is very rewarding, easy, and fun. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it right the first few times. Everything in this life worth knowing needs a little work to be proficient with. Check out our safety razors here and Enjoy your shave.

This article first appeared on The Holy Black

That moisturizer your friends swear by left your face red and scaly. The cleaner you've been using for years to make your bathroom sparkle made your hands itch and burn.
 
For some people, the chemicals in shampoos, cosmetics, and detergents can trigger allergic skin reactions.
 
Causes
These reactions -- what your doctor calls allergic contact dermatitis -- happen when your immune system overreacts to chemicals that are normally harmless. They can be in products you're exposed to over and over, like cleaners, colognes, hair dyes, and personal care items.
 
Even if you've used them before, you can still have a reaction.
 
Cosmetics and personal care products have a lot of potential allergens, things you could be allergic to:

• Fragrances in soaps, colognes, deodorants, body creams, cosmetics, detergents, and tissues
• Preservatives and antibacterials, added to many liquids to keep them from spoiling
• Substances added to thicken, color, or lubricate a product
• Chemicals in permanent hair dyes and other hair products
• Formaldehyde resin, an ingredient in many nail care products
• Sunscreens, often found in cosmetic moisturizers, lip balms, and foundations

 
Symptoms
Your skin is one of the first places where the warning signs can show up. They often appear 24 to 48 hours later, but can start as late as a week after you come in contact with the irritating chemical.
 
Each person may have different chemical allergy symptoms. Some of the most common are:

• Red skin
• Scaly patches
• Blisters that ooze
• Burning or itching, which may be intense
• Swelling of the eyes, face, and genital area
• Hives
• Sun sensitivity
• Darkened, "leathery," and cracked skin

 
The symptoms tend to be worst where you touched the thing you're allergic to. If you get the allergen on your finger and then touch another part of your body, like your face or neck, you can set off an allergic reaction there.
 
Other conditions can cause similar symptoms, so see your doctor to find out what the problem is.
 
Diagnosis
Often your doctor may be able to diagnose your allergy by doing a physical exam and asking you about your symptoms.
 
Sometimes, he may suggest you see an allergist for a skin test, also called a patch test. The allergist places small samples of chemicals on your back and checks to see if you get a rash.
Keep track of your symptoms. It will help your doctor make a diagnosis. Note details such as:

• What you were doing in the 24 to 48 hours before your outbreak
• Any products you were using before the reaction
• How much of the product you were using and how often
• Where it touched your skin (even places with no symptoms)
• Symptoms you have or had
• Any previous skin reactions

 
Treatment
You'll want to identify and avoid the chemical that seems to cause your allergic reaction.
 
This article first appeared on WebMD