I shave every day or every other day, I shave clean with a safety razor and I use a tallow based shaving soap applied with a boar’s bristle brush. I’ll skip a few days if I know I’m not going out and I’m laaaazy

I can get a shave that looks decent in like 7 minutes, but I often spend about 15 getting quite close as my boyfriend absolutely adores when my face is super smooth and I love hearing his appreciation. I’ll skip the detailed shave if I know I won’t be seeing him much that day or if I know I won’t be meeting anyone who I need to impress at work.

I shave right out of the shower so my face is warmed. I heat the soap, brush and razor for a minute or so by setting the tap so it’s steaming hot, making a small pool of water in the sink and plugging it up. I’ll usually do two applications of soap, one to go with the grain and one against (if I’m going super smooth). There’s a couple of places on my face where my hair grows in funny directions that I gotta do in a special way, but I’m 33 and I’ve been shaving since I was 16, and in this fashion since I was 20, so I’m well aware where they are and how to do it by now.

I used to apply a scented aftershave, but I didn’t find it was doing anything useful for my skin, so I took it out of the routine. Now I just rinse with warm water, pat dry, and apply a lil sunblocking moisturizer. I’ll put on a cologne depending on where I’m going and the time of day once I’m dry.

It’s kinda relevant so I’ll mention it since I’ve gotten great results outta it, I started using a foaming facial cleanser every morning and evening and applying a moisturizer after I shave and it’s done wonders for my skin. I really recommend it. The cleanser is some cheapo one from CVS, I think it’s the Cere Ve brand or something like that, and it works great. The moisturizer was a gift, lil more money, from Kiel’s, and it seems to contain every oil known to human and beast. And it kicks ass.

I’ve been considering getting an electric razor since I’ve seen some coworkers who get hella close shaves with em and they say it’s sub 5 min to do it, but I kinda like my ritual and I enjoy trying new scents of shaving soap. The shaving soap scent is fairly fleeting, so it’s really just a treat for me. I gotta put on a cologne if I want anything that lingers.