One of the most wholesome corners of the internet taught me to love shaving again. The wet shaving community. I can’t even remember how I stumbled down the rabbit hole. Reddit? Google? YouTube? Doesn’t matter. Think: sincere dads trying their best on the internet. It’s lo-fi. It’s genuine. It’s what digital life used to be. Niche communities connecting with fellow weirdos. I can’t really explain it.
Here. Watch fifteen seconds of this and you’ll get what I mean.
See?
My father taught me to shave with a double edge razor and a shave brush. But then I did what most men do. I drifted. Or maybe got pushed by slick advertising and societal norms. Electric trimmers. Cartridge razors. The “easy way.” But I got it wrong. The old way is the right way.
I have sensitive skin. Always got those chicken skin razor bumps on my neck using “modern” shaving tools. So about three years ago, I went back.
Back to the double edge razor.
Back to soap in a dish.
Back to a shave brush.
Back to the old way the old man taught me.
Razor burn? Gone.
Better, closer shave? Without a doubt.
A slower, more enjoyable routine? Didn’t know I needed it.
Wet shaving is something I look forward to at home. But it’s also become a lovely ritual when I travel. Especially on a Gentlemen’s Trip. There’s something comforting about bringing a ritual on the road that feels and smells like home. Plus, getting properly spiffed up is part of what elevates it from a guys trip to something a little more considered, a little more memorable.
So I’m going to walk you through it. With sincerity. With genuine enthusiasm. With the kind of honest-to-goodness guidance the wet shaving community gave me.
Join me for a vacay shave, won’t you?
What’s in My Shaving Travel Kit (left to right)
How I Shave on Vacay
I put my brush and razor in warm water while I shower. I also add a little hot water to the shave soap dish.
Post-shower, I dump that water out, shake the excess from the brush, and lather up.
The Art of Shaving brush I have is older. Back when they made them with real badger hair (sorry, badgers). These days, most brands use synthetic, which works just as well and doesn’t, ya know, mess with the badgers or whatever.
The Proraso shaving soap is made in Italy. And while I don’t actually know what an Italian barbershop smells like, this is how I imagine it. Fresh. Clean. Slightly nostalgic. A hint of menthol and eucalyptus that gives you a light, cooling tingle. It lathers into these perfect little clouds that look edible. Yummy.
I splash warm water on my face and brush the soap on. Then, first pass. With the grain. Important. Your grain is not my grain. There’s no guide for this. You have to look at your face. Figure out which direction your hair grows. Mine goes every which way. Down on my cheeks. Toward my ears along my jaw. Up on my lower neck. Take note of yours. And shave with it on the first pass.
The Bevel disposable razor would probably get laughed at by hardcore wet shaving guys. But that’s the thing about the wet shaving community. There really aren’t any snobs. And I like having one of these in my bag. Easy. Carry-on friendly. No issues.
At home, I use a metal Bevel safety razor with Astra blades. Nothing fancy. I bought it at Target a few years ago because I didn’t want to drop $100+ on something I might not stick with. Here I am, still using it. Eventually I’ll upgrade to a big boy razor. But if you’re starting out, I actually recommend going this route. Keep it simple. Use it for a couple years. Get comfortable.
Okay. First pass done. I splash a little warm water on my face but not enough to clear everything. Those leftover bits of soap on your face? The wet shaving community calls them “residuals.” You add a little water, bring them back to life. I call it reheating the leftovers. Then I lather up again.
Second pass. Across the grain. So for me, cheeks grow downward. First pass goes down. Second pass goes ear to nose. This is what gets you what they call Baby Butt Smooth. BBS. God, I love these guys. Baby Butt Smooth. Bless.
Some people stop after one pass. Honestly, one pass looks and feels fine for me most days. But I like the second. The second lather is my favorite part. You notice things you didn’t the first time. The scent. The feel. The rhythm of it.
Some guys even go three passes. One with the grain, one across it, one against it (opposite direction of growth). Dealer’s choice. Do whatever feels the best for you.
After the second pass, I rinse with warm water. Then cold.
Then comes the alum block. The alum block does two things. First, it seals everything up. Helps prevent irritation. Second, it tells you how you did. If you’ve got any nicks or overworked spots, you’ll feel it. It stings a bit. Not in a bad way. A satisfying way. I kind of like the pain. Don’t tell anyone.
Let that alum sit for a few seconds while you clean up. Then rinse again with cold water.
Post-shave, I apply Proraso aftershave balm. And that’s it. I feel like a new man.
At home, this kind of shave resets me. Most days, I wake up early to write. By midday, I need a break. A reset. Something intentional. This does it.
And on a trip? With the Gentlemen? It becomes something more. A moment. A memory. A place and time I’ll remember. Because I slowed down long enough to notice it.
Photo via Misc. Goods Co
Bonus: The Scent Memory
I like to travel with a cologne. Smell has a way of cementing memories.
For this trip, I brought Valley of Gold from Misc. Goods Co. It smells like roses but not in a delicate way. More like you’ve been working in the dirt all day. Planting roses. Trimming thorns. Earthy and floral at the same time. And now, that scent is tied to this bathroom. This view. This shave. This trip.
Happy shaving, gentlemen.
