The Symphony of Shaving Accessories

Technorati Tags: dry shaving, perfect shave, shaving, Wet Shaving

Well here’s one for the books that only the Chinese can write.  An absolute must for the man on the go.  It’s something designed with the multi tasker in mind (I think I’ve run out of inane platitudes for the moment).  What am I talking about? The Shave Mobile Phone of course, what else could it be?

I’m not making this up.  A Chinese firm name Todemoketai (don’t even ask me to pronounce it) came out with this little shaving accessories beauty.  Apparently the idea came from the popular RAZR phone made by and marketed in China by Motorola.  RAZR…Get it?  At any rate with the Shave Mobile you get the best of both worlds an electric shaver and a mobile phone.

What more could you ask for?  Well how about, a 2 megapixel camera and an FM tuner to boot.  For you techies, the phone incorporates a 2.6 inch touch screen, 506 KB of memory and SD card slot for 8GB.  Oh I almost forgot, its’ also got Bluetooth support.

Owning this truly revolutionary, breakthrough  new product means that you can leave you razor,  , camera and radio all behind when you’re on the road, leaving space for that extra pair of socks.  Or it can be used for that quick touch up to rid yourself of the 3 O’clock shadow right before that big meeting.  At the same time making a phone call to let them know you’ll be late.  Yes,  the Save Mobile has it all covered.  You can save tons of time by talking to you friends, family or closing that big deal, all while you save.  I know that that’s something that I’ve been looking for.  Not certain whether or not the noise level of the shaver running would present a problem or not.

Some additional thoughts.

• You could down load and watch a video while you  shave
• You could listen to the radio
• You could even take picture of yourself shaving and send it to all your friends
• Hell, you can do all of the above at the same time

This little beauty retails for only a hundred bucks.  An investment that will surely pay rich dividends as it saves you more and more time and makes traveling less and less of a hassle.

This one gets classified under “Silly Shaving Accessories”

Technorati Tags: electric razor, mobile phone, razr, shaving accessoires

Well here is something quite out of the ordinary for a blog on, all things shaving accessories.  But to keep one’s perspective it’s important, once in a while, to look on the other side of the street and pay a bit of attention to our bearded brethren.  With that in mind I’d like to draw your attention to the First Annual National Beard and Moustache Championship scheduled to take place between June 3 and June 5, 2010 in Bend Oregon.

The competition is sponsored by the Beard Team USA, a group dedicated to the appreciation and promotion of all facial hair.  By definition facial hair includes beards, mustaches, sideburns or goatees.  From the looks of what I assume to be member photos on their web site, they are truly dedicated to their craft. It’s unlikely that anyone who has not nurtured their facial hair for decades will be able to effectively compete in the Championship.

Categories

The competition will be in five separate categories each with a cash price of $1000 awarded to the winner.  The categories are: the best moustache, the best partial beard which includes goatees, van dykes, sideburns and musketeers (?), the best full beard, a freestyle category and finally a random selection from all the contestants.

Events

Along with various recreational activities, largely dominated by brewery tours are float trips and dances.  There will be various styling clinics, a press conference, a contestant processions and of course the contest itself.  The preliminary judging to begin at 2pm on the 5^th with the finals and award ceremonies at 7pm.

While I don’t anticipate the art and practice of shaving and shaving accessories to be much in evidence, if you find yourself in central Oregon in early June, it might be worthwhile to check out the First Annual Beard and Moustache Championships and see what you’ve been missing.

Technorati Tags: beard, moustache, shaving, Shaving Accessories

Global Industry Analysts, Inc. an independent research organization has recently released a study that suggests that we may be on the verge of explosive, world-wide growth in the men’s grooming/ shaving accessories market.   They suggest that  the increase is being fueled by the rapid rise of the “metrosexual male” (however you define that phenomenon), a concerted new product effort by manufactures, a worldwide growth in the middle class, increased internet connectivity and a growing demand for “prestige” products

While there has been a niche market for male grooming products for a long time, the seismic shift has come by way of major manufactures beginning to recognize its growth potential.  They do what all good businessmen do when face with an opportunity to make a buck; they take a proactive role by introducing whole ranges of new product categories and new products.  The major and minor corporate players have attempted to expand the market beyond the traditional shaving related products and deodorants into other categories such as skin care, hair care and bath products.  Figuring that men are looking for products specifically designed for their unique needs, no longer making due with products borrowed from their wife or significant other.

Shaving related products such as pre-shaving oils and lotion, shaving creams and soaps, post shaving products and, of course, razor blades continue to make up the lion’s share of the grooming business.  However toiletries; bath and shower products, hair care, skin care and deodorants represent the fastest growing segment.

Geographically, while Europe and US dominate sales worldwide, the Asian Pacific region is the fastest growing, as western taste and culture continue to dominate the life style trends.

The market for men’s grooming products is highly competitive with many companies that that use to focus on women’s beauty products shifting into the male realm.  US firms tend to dominate with, Avon, Colgate-Palmolive, Energizer Holdings, Johnson &Y Johnson, P&G and Gillette ranked in the top tier.

As proof consider the following.  In addition to the introduction of new razors by Gillette and Schick;

• During this year’s Super Bowl, Unilever, the makers of Dove, premiered its Dove Men + Care product line. The line, which includes body wash and a body bar, focuses on creating comfortable skin for men.
• While Dove Men + Care targets middle-aged men, Axe, also manufactured by Unilever, targets 18- to 24-year-olds with racy television and Internet ads. Axe promotes the use of its body wash, deodorant body spray and hair products as a way for men to look good without being overdone.
• Gillette, a Procter & Gamble brand, has offered men’s shaving products for years but has recently revamped its image and added a hair care and body wash line.
• Burt’s Bees owned by the Clorox Co., also has a line designed for men. Its all-natural products for men include soaps, shaving products, moisturizers and cologne.
• And don’t count out Old Spice, a Procter & Gamble brand. It has expanded its line of deodorants and aftershaves to include body washes as well.

Don’t expect the trend to taper off any time soon.  With so many eyeballs and so much money at stake we can expect the feeding frenzy of activity to proceed unabated.

Technorati Tags: new shaving products, shaving, Shaving Accessories, shaving accessories makret

I recently came across this study and thought that it might be of interest to many of you who experience irritation and/or discomfort when shaving.  A kind of How to Shave. While I had a couple of problems with how the study was conducted (more on that later), the overall conclusions about shaving accessories are certainly worth noting.  The study was conducted by a dermatologist at Wake Forest University, financed by Gillette (ne Proctor and Gamble).

The Study

The study was composed of 40 men who reported that they suffered from sensitive skin and irritation when shaving.  Two shaving regiments were designed.  The first was composed of regular bar soap to clean the face, canned shaving cream for beard prep and a popular razor.  The second was composed of a proprietary pre shave cleanser, a gel type shaving cream, a high end razor and a post shave balm.  The study participants shaved half their face with each shaving regiment for a period of 14 days.  The results of the study showed that the second regiment produced a significantly more comfortable shave.    They based it on three measures: the participant’s reports of less irritation, their skin was more hydrated and when skin samples were examined under a microscope, less flaking was in evidence.

Although I’m neither a demonologist nor a researcher there do appear to be a couple of things about the study that give you pause.  Fact that P&G financed the study.  Different razors were used in the regiments.  The same razor was used throughout the 14 days.  But in spite of these issues the results do pass the basic logic test.  If you prepare you face by cleansing it properly, use  high quality beard softening/ lubrication soap, cream or gel, use a hydrating post shave balm and you employ a high quality, sharp razor you will get a more comfortable shave, guaranteed.

Conclusions

The result of the study clearly demonstrates the following:

• Cleansing the skin prior to shaving removes all the dirt, oils and dead skin cells from around the hair follicle.  This improves the  hair water absorptions properties, i.e. fatting  and softening it up, enabling the razor to cut the hair closer to the skin without excessive tugging and pulling.
• Using a high quality lubricant (cream, soap or gel) will minimize tugging and pulling and will help hold moisture in hair during the shave.
• Along with the beard, skin cells and moisture is removed during the shaving process which can lead to dry irritated skin.  A quality moisturizing balm will assist and re-moisturizing and protecting the skin.

Although significantly increasing the time spent and the expense of your daily shave.  Paying attention to these extra steps will surely ensure that you get the closest most comfortable shave possible.

Technorati Tags: pre shave cleanser, razor, Shaving Accessories, shaving balm, Shaving Cream, shaving gel

Maintenance…Ugh!!! Who has time to spend on maintenance?  The products we buy should last forever with absolutely no maintenance, Right?  Well that might be correct and if you have something that proves the point let me know, will you.  I’m going to rush right out and get it.  Maintenance is part and parcel of everything we buy.  Neglect it at your own peril, for without a bit of tender loving care the usable life of the item will be cut back drastically. You’ll need to replace it earlier than need be, which that will end up costing you more money.  Shaving Accessories, specifically shaving brushes, are no exception.  A small bit of time spent in extra cleaning and proper storage will prolong its usefulness life significantly.

Post shave maintenance

The first step in the brush maintenance process takes place immediately after your shave.   While probably self-evident, always clean your shaving bush after each shave.  Rinse the brush with warm water removing soap residue.  Once soap is no longer visible give the bristles a gentle squeeze from the handle side to remove the excess water.  An addition gentle shake or two would also be in order simply to ensure that as much water as possible is removed from the bristles.  Using pre shave oil could reduce the water retention properties of your shaving brush.  If you do use oil, it would be a good idea to work up a bit of lather on the brush with some hand soap, then rinse thoroughly.  This should  get rid of the oil residue.

Between shave storage

There are a couple of schools of thought on how to store your  brush between shaves, bristles up or bristles down.  I’m of the bristles down school.  Even though the handle of your brush is flat, allowing for bristle up storage, it’s my feeling that, in many cases, (i.e. inexpensive brushes or those with wood handles) that any water that remains behind at the bristle and handle junction will more rapidly degrade brush.  Storing the brush handle down will allow the water to drain away from that area. Do invest in an inexpensive brush/shaving stand that allows water to drain away from the handle.  If not, simply store the shaving brush bristles down in your shaving mug.

Keep you shaving brush in the open.  Allow it to dry completely between shaves.  Don’t enclose it in a confined area with no air circulation.  Mildew can develop on things that stay damp for too long.  If traveling, don’t store your shaving brush in your dopp kit, leave it in the open.  Don’t worry the maid won’t steal it.

Preventive Maintenance

At least once a year it’s a good idea to give your brush a more thorough cleaning.  My preferred method, although not the most pleasant smelling, is to use a vinegar solution.  Vinegar dissolves the any soap residue that may remain on the bristles or trap in the handle area.  A 9 to 1 hot water to white vinegar ratio should do the trick.  Soak the brush for a couple of minutes making sure that the bristles and lower handle are completely submerged in the solution.  Stir occasionally.  You want the vinegar to penetrate as deeply as possible into the brush.  Once soaking is complete rinse the shaving brush thoroughly and let it soak in clear warm water for a moment to insure that all the vinegar has been washed clear.  Dry with a towel, fluff and store.  You may want to increase the vinegar proportion if you have especially hard water or your brush doesn’t appear clean after the process. If vinegar is not too your liking try Borax, at a ½ teaspoon to 1 cup or water ratio and follow the same procedures.

A good shaving brush will set you back a couple of bucks so a little bit of maintenance will prolong the life of your shaving brush, save you money and insure that you’ll continue to get a great shave year in and year out.

Technorati Tags: borax, maintenance, shaving, Shaving Accessories, Shaving Brush, vinegar, Wet Shaving

Where did the idea of shaving come from?  After all a shaved face is not man’s natural state is it?  Unfortunately the guy who first thought it up hasn’t been around for about 100,000 years or so.  We can only guess, but it may have had something to do with hygiene or, more likely, a request from a charming Neanderthal lady that started the whole process.  With the why lost in the fog of history, we can trace shaving accessories and trends well back in time. 

The first shaving devise was a couple of clam shells used as tweezers to literally pluck each hair.  Not a good way to go IMHO and was eventually replaced with flint blades.  The oldest date back to about 30,000BC. Depending on where you live you might also use a sharks tooth or volcanic obsidian glass to perform the task.  The first major breakthrough happened in and around 3,000 BC with the development of metalworking.  Copper razors were frequently found in India and Egypt around this time period.

Greece

The guy who really gave shaving its’ first real shot in the arm was Alexander the Great and it wasn’t at the request of a charming lady, Neanderthal or otherwise.  He did believe that shaving gave one a tidier appearance but the real motivation was likely a deadly one.  He strongly recommended that his troops shave before combat to eliminate the enemy’s ability to “beard grab” during battle.  Alexander’s subjects use a novacila (see picture), to get that smooth clean shave.

Rome

Around 300BC Publicus Ticinius Maenas, a wealthy Greek businessman brought professional barbers from Sicily to Rome.  This introduced a whole new Roman craze for shaving.  Soon the wealthy had a skilled live-in servant to shave them.  The less well-off visited the tonsor, or barber.  They use thin-bladed iron razors, which are sharpened with water and a whetstone.   This type of shaver corrodes quickly and becomes blunt, so customers often got cut.   The tonsor fixed this by applying the world’s first styptic stick, a plaster made from a perfumed ointment and spider webs soaked in oil and vinegar. Even then the barbershop was the preferred meeting spot of the day, with Rome’s men flocking there daily to get the latest updates in gossip and news.  Young men about age twenty-one were required to have their first shave as part of an elaborate party-like ritual where the young man’s bead shavings were offered to the gods.   Scipio Africanus and Julius Caesar both preferred the hairless face look, although Caesar reverted to the old fashion plucking routine.  Julius’s army, unfortunately, had to rub theirs off with a pumice stone.   As shaving spread throughout most of the world, men of unshaven societies became known as “barbarians,” meaning the “unbarbered.”  The positive shaving trend endures until the days of Emperor Hadrain (76-138 A.D.); who would revive the fad for beards to hide some nasty skin problems.

Through the following centuries shaving goes in and out of style with some noted improvement in shaving accessories and materials.  The next big mile stone was the development of the precursors of the safety razor in the 1700 but that’s a story for another day.

Technorati Tags: Alexander the Great, barber, Ceasar, razor, shaving, Shaving Accessories

Hey its’ happened to us all.  We get up early in the morning, still half asleep.  We start shaving and #@!!? we cut ourselves.   Blood running everywhere.  It always seems to happen when we’re in a hurry or have an important meeting that day, doesn’t it?  Early on many of us learned that the quickest way to stop the bleeding is to apply a small piece of toilet paper, right?  Yes, that usually does the trick until such time as you remove it from your face.  With the paper usually comes the scab and it starts bleeding all over again.  Or worse yet you forget it’s there and you show up for that important meeting with a wad of bloodied toilet paper stuck to your face.  Not quite the impression you were looking for.

There are better ways you know.  Probably the most common method to stop the bleeding from a razor nick is the good old fashion styptic stick applied directly to the cut.   A styptic or hemostatic pencil is a short stick of medication, usually anhydrous aluminum sulfate (a type of alum) or titanium dioxide which stops the bleeding by constricting the blood vessels and promoting coagulation at the site of the cut. Readily available at most drug stores.  It will put you back about $1.75 or so.  A shaving accessory that should find a home in every bathroom drug cabinet.

But just suppose you’re on the road and forgot to drop it in your dopp kit.  What then?  Well there are a couple of lesser known but effective ways to approach the problem.

• Try applying an ice cube to the cut.  The ice will  cool the affected area, constricting the blood vessels and stem the bleeding.

• Apply a dab of Vaseline jelly to the cut.  This serves to clog the cut allowing the blood to coagulate quickly.

• Apply witch hazel.  Apply with a Qtip or cotton ball.  Witch hazel is an astringent which,like a styptic stick and ice constricts, the blood vessels.

• · Got a tube of Chapstick around?  Try that.  It works like Vaseline jelly clogging the cut.

• · Check your deodorant.  Many contain aluminum chloride or a derivative like aluminum chlorohydrate.   It helps a blood clot to form quickly.

• Although I’ve not tried this one, I’ve heard that applying a bit of sugar to the cut will stop the bleeding immediately.  Not sure what it is about sugar that makes it so, but worth a try if nothing else is available.

• · What if you don’t have any of the above handy, then what?  Take a dry wash cloth or towel and apply pressure to the cut.  It will stop eventually but your significant other may not be too pleased with to find the towels spotted with specks of blood.

Of course, the best way to solve this problem is to prevent a nick from occurring in the first place.  Slow down and pay attention to what you’re doing whenever  you shave.  If you are nick prone try moisturizing  your face before you shave.  That may help lessen the occurrences.

Pick you poison.  There are a lot of different shaving accessories that will help to avoid nicks and the dreaded toilet paper fix.

Technorati Tags: chap stick, shaving, Shaving Accessories, shaving nick, styptic stick, vaseline, witch hazel