Shave and exfoliate in one step?

    I get a lot of mail from people asking for questions or tips on how to clear up acne and blemishes. We are always running low on time in the mornings so I thought I'd throw in a great tip I picked up a while ago.  You can shave and exfoliate your skin at the same time. It's pretty easy and doesn't require any special equipment.
    This tip comes in from a friend who works in a day spa.  They have a "master barber." When they hook you up with their $55 dollar shave service, this is pretty much what they do.

Step 1

Get your bowl, your brush, your cream and your favorite exfoliate.

 Step 2

Go ahead and put equal amounts in a hot bowl.

Step 3

Take your wet brush and start mixing it up.

 Step 4

Add water accordingly. You might find it's a little bit too thick at times. You've got a great lather now.

As you typically would, massage and spread the lather all over the parts of your face you intend to shave. It really is that simple.

Laser Hair Removal

Available for in home use this laser hair removal device.  Basically, light is emitted from the tip towards the skin.  It heats and bakes the hair follicle.  Rated at a near 90% effectiveness in removing hair. Three different settings, low, medium and high.  It has a two hundred dollar price tag.
However! It has had poor rating across the board.  Multiple websites have given it an approximate 1 out of 5 stars across the board, out of approximately 100 ratings, respectively.
So if you're thinking of shelling out the money this season for that perfect gift, avoid this item and just get some decent safety razor supplies!

Link me.

Feel free to link me. I've gotten some requests so I made up a nice little banner.  Thanks.

Alternative to Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal Alternative for $20,

      I had the opportunity to test this product.  It runs about twenty dollars.  I think it's a pretty good product for hair removal for those who do not wish to drop the hundreds of dollars for laser hair removal.  It smells good, and boasts being organic.  Only problem is, it does not last as long.
      I get a lot of messages about laser hair removal and what I think about it.  It's good if you can afford it but I'll be sticking to my executive shaving method.

How to care for your safety razor & equipment

You've invested the time and money in purchasing and learning how to use a safety razor. With a little bit up upkeep your razor will outlast you and your grandchildren. I've found safety razors at yard sales that are from the 1950s. Badger brushes can last 20+ years with upkeep too.

Take your razor apart.

Get a vegetable steamer pot and put your razor parts in it. Add some water. Make sure you use this type of pot. You don't want the razor blade sitting on the bottom of a pot of bowling water, millimeters from a 600 degree burner.

Bring the water to a boil. Boil the safety razor for a 25-30 minutes. While this is going on get your badger brush and prepare to clean it.

If you're shaving right, you're getting olive oil on your brush. Every month or so give it a good wash. Get your trusty brush and run it under some water. Add a little bit of your favorite hair shampoo. Add a drop of dish detergent. Simply swirl it around on the side of your sink. Rinse it really well, and shake it out. Nice and simple.

 

After your safety razor has been sitting in a pot of boiling water for a while remove it from the burner. Don't add cold water to the pot, just sit it off to the side for a while until you can retrieve the parts with your hands. Adding cold water instantly could damage your equipment.

 



7a.m platinum

Possibly the closest shave I have gotten next to the feather blades. These blades feel abnormally thin next to other blades. They come in a cardboard box, no dispose unit attached.

They are double sealed in an outter coat and an inner coat of wax paper. They have a thin one coat seal on the outside of the blade. I got about 5 shaves out of it before I felt a reduction in sharpness. Very smooth shave and awesome around the neck and chin. Very sharp, very affordable. Great blade for a beginner to start out on because you can really feel the cutting edge.

Dorco Razor Blades

 

Quality blade produced in Korea. Has a blade coating. Stainless steel material. Comes in packages of 5. Cardboard box, no fancy blade disposible unit in the back.

The coating keeps the blade blemish free for the first couple of shaves. After it wears off, expect to put a new blade on your razor. This is a very sharp blade and isn't too forgiving for the novice shaver. Also, I noted some irritation around my neck a few days after using it. I wont be purchasing these anytime soon. Not a fan.

Phase 1: Lather NEW PICTURES!

Phase 1: Lather

You wouldn't build a house on a foundation of sand would you? Well, the same concept applies to achieving a great shave. We're going to cover the secret to a great shaving cream lather here!

                                                    STEP 1

Get your stull together! Your brush, cream, oil and a nice bowl.

STEP 2   

Run that brush under some hot water! Soak up all 

those bristles. Don't be an idiot and pour boiling water on it either. Get it all nice and hot. Tap it off a little bit. Keep it moist but not dripping wet.

STEP 3

You're going to want to put about a nickle sized amount on the brush now. Keep the tube clean and wipe it on the brush. This saves product and keeps the tube cap neat and tidey!

STEP 4

Start swirling the brush around in the bowl. Above, this is after about 3 solid swirls.

 

Start mixing....

Get all those bristles saturated and covered with your lather.

STEP 5

Your product should look like this. Nice and smooth and fluffy. It's not too watery and not to thick.

 

STEP 6

Put that brush in the bowl and get ready for the next phase.

Some people like to keep their lather as hot as possible. I set it on a hot washcloth throughout the next few steps.

Laser Hair Removal

Because I'm getting so many messages about Laser Hair Removal, I'm just going to post an update about it.  Laser Hair Removal is all the rage lately.  Everyone is getting it.  It's become more affordable and it lasts for quite some time.  There are a few things to take into consideration when getting laser hair removal though.

• The reputation of the laser hair removal center is important.
• Make sure the center is reputable and certified. They are working with LASERS afterall.
• Special deals around holidays can decrease the cost.
• Inquire about special group buys.

How does Laser Hair Removal Work? Basically, you are heating the hair follicle with a laser beam and killing it off. This prevents hair from growing, often for lengthy periods of time. Often this requires multiple laser hair removal treatments, sometimes up to eight.
This is great for people that are prone to breaking out in acne. Shaving has been known to cause complexion problems; the executive shaving method on this page is what its all about basically.

Clear Pores, Clean Skin, Acne Treatment

I've gotten a tremendous amount of messages and comments about keeping your skin clean and clear. Clean and clear skin all starts with clear pores. Clear pores starts with a few basic things. Using the executive shaving method on this blog is the best method to keeping a clear complexion if shaving is part of your everyday task. A lot of people have been able to throw out their acne medications upon using the executive shaving method. There are a few reasons.

• It exfoliates your skin naturally.
• It thus clears up your complexion and helps to clear pores.
• Clear and clean pores= acne free face.
• Read through this blog for methods and protocols.

In the event that you still have an acne problem on a specifc part of your face, you may need to consider a few other options. Laser hair removal is a great option for those terribly sensitive spots on your face. Keep in mind, laser hair removal is very expensive, but is also considered an instant fix for some skin problems.

Acne Treatment and Laser Hair Removal?

I've gotten three messages in the past week from viewers One about laser hair removal, one about acne treatments and one about keeping pores clean and clear.

Laser hair removal. This one guy is all about the laser hair removal. He makes his living with his face and is afraid that shaving will damage his pores and screw up his complexition. I don't know much about laser hair removal except it's expensive. He said he's going to give it a try and wants to know a good place to purchase an "executive shaving kit."

Acne treatments. This individual wrote in to express thanks about stopping his acne treatments. He wasn't really up to par on how to shave but with this website he learned. He actually sent a picture of his acne medications in the trash and a new executive style shaving set sitting on his desk.

Keeping pores clean and clear. One reader wrote in with an article about keeping your pores clean and clear. Apparently, this is key to preventing acne. We are working on an article all about keeping that complexion clean and clear and will post it ASAP.

Shark Razor Blade Review

I've gotten a lot of comments about the type of razor blade in your D.E. razor. Look at it this way. The blade is like the engine in your car. They vary in performance and quality. If you put a racecar engine in the hands of somebody who has never driven a racecar, chances are disaster will strike. If you've ever seen a salon or a barbar that offers shaves, chances are they will have Shark Razor blades in their equipment. Why? Because of the price, quality and quantity that can attain.

You can purchase packs of ONE-HUNDRED blades, or 200 cutting edges, for less than 20 dollars. If you keep the blades in a dry area, they are likely to last. I'm not even sure how long 100 razor blades would last for. Well over a year. This is a great option for the person that wants a "fresh out of the box" shave every day. Or perhaps the person who is really destined to save money.

Like I said, these are the blades most commonly used in a barber shop. They are stainless steel, have a polymer coat which delivers a great smooth cut. They are a great deal . There's a link at the bottom of the page for an amazon site that sells them, they're 50% off.

Feather Blade Review

            These are the sharpest production blades in the world.  I'm not just making that statistic up.  Ask anybody and everybody who has used a DE razor before and they will tell you "Feather."  You get 10 blades for about 6 bucks, it depends where you shop. Once you test them out and if you like them, you can buy bulk lots where you get 50 blades for about 25 dollars. Keep in mind that these are "Double Edged" blades. So essentially you are getting 2x the blade. I usually keep a blade for 10 to 15 shaves.The first 5 or 6 shaves it cuts extremely well. After 10 shaves you start to get a little pull. This "pull" is comparable to the store bought high end cartridge razors straight out of the box too.

C.O. BIGELOW. Established 1838

So if a product has been around since 1838 it's doing something right. I picked up 4 tubes of this stuff for 20 dollars at a local mall a little while ago. It's basically Proraso marketed here in America. It's the same all around. Though I did notice it's a little bit easier to foam up with the brush. That's a plus. I got over three months of shaves out of my last tube. This stuff is awesome. It's got Eucalyptus oil in it, so its has a strong smell and is very cooling to the face. It doesn't smell fruity and leaves a fresh scent post shave. There aren't any crazy chemicals or artificial colorings added, so rest assure it won't make your face break out. I haven't heard of any accounts at least. There's a link to an Amazon site at the bottom which sells it.

Phase 2: Shave

Well now that we covered how to make an awesome lather; lets get the ball rolling! Our bowl of lather is sitting in a sink of a few inches of hot water wrapped up in a hot wash cloth. We want to keep the lather nice and hot. Get an extra large wash cloth and heat it up with some hot water. Wring it out a bit and wrap it around the parts of your face you expect to shave.

This does a few things.

Hydrates the skin

Softens the hairs

Remove the washcloth and apply a few drops of you favorite preshave oil. Work it into the skin and assure a solid coverage. This stuff is awesome. It lubricates the skin and softens up the hair a bit too.

Begin to apply the lather with the brush. Work it into the skin and really pant it on. You want to assure all the hairs get covered.

Now that your face is hot, covered in oil and lather its time for the razor! We are going to conduct 3 shaves. With the grain, accross the grain and against the grain. These are to only be done in this order! THIS ORDER ONLY!

Grip the razor, place it again your skin. Don't pull the skin with the other hand, that is a misconception about shaving. Try it if you want to know why you dont do it.

Bring the razor down SLOWLY without applying ANY pressure. Listen for the "pops"

Conduct another stroke downward on an unshaved piece of skin.

The razor will glide smoothly. Adjust the angle until you get a solid "pop." This is the hair cutting. DO NOT APPLY PRESSURE AND DO NOT SHAVE OVER UNLATHERED SKIN

One stroke means one stoke. Because after the stroke THERE IS NO LATHER LEFT.

Working around the top of the mouth can be tricky. GO SLOW. WITHOUT APPLYING PRESSURE.

Rinse the blade between strokes. One stroke, rinse. You've got two blades. Alternate.

The chin is a bit tricky. Feel for the pop of the hair.

The neck is usually the easiest. Just feel for the "pop" DO NOT APPLY PRESSURE.

Next. We completed 1 with the grain shave. You could stop here and not look like a street urchin. But you'll still get a 5:00 shadow.

Across the grain time! You should be lathered up and ready to roll. Start anywhere. I start on the check. Place the razor against the skin.

One slow stroke WITHOUT APPLYING PRESSURE.

Keep working along.

One side of the face complete.

Here's where it gets tricky. Against the grain time!. You should be lathered up and realy to roll. Place the razor on the skin.

Slowly run the razor up the skin. Don't apply pressure. One stroke per area. Listen for the pop. Adjust the blade angle as necessary to attain the perfect "pop."

Working the cheek.

One stroke, one area. Complete the entire face.

Why don't I apply pressure like I do with my normal piece of shit razor?

The blades you are shaving with are sharp. I'm not talking sharp like your grandpas hunting knife, or that knife in your kitchen drawer. These blades are sharper than ANYTHING you can buy commercially. In fact, many places that produce them have two production lines. One lines goes to the surgical world, the other for shaving. These things are so sharp I can't give justice to them in words, you'll just have to see.

So why do I only do one pass per area?

Becasue you don't have any lather on the area after one pass. It'd be like shaving without any lather numb nuts!

Do I need to conduct an against the grain shave?

Nope! In fact just a with the grain and across the grain shave is MORE than enough for most people. If you're like me and don't feel like shaving every day, against the grain buys you this time.

What about all those fancy after shaves?

Repeat after me. After shaves are SHIT. They are SHIT. They are also a MAJOR contributer to shaving bumps and acne. Imagine if you would for a second a wet sponge. Now throw a handful of sand on it. The sand sticks. Now take a sry sponge. Throw a handful of sand on it. Doesn't stick right? Well If you keep your face wet all day with some lotion type shit, all kinds of things are going to stick to it. Dirt, bacteria and spores of all kinds. These are the things that lead to infections redness and bumps.

If you must use aftershave, put that shit on at night before you go to bed.

Are there any post shave concoctions I can use?

Get a good post shave tonic. Save that expensive aftershave shit for the metrosexuals and pansy men.