Engineering the Perfect Shave
So, what makes a “perfect” shave any damn way, really? Is there such a thing? Well, It's subjective for sure, but I think a great shave should meet a few expectations, and those expectations can be met by the careful engineering of the razor itself, and its usage.
Large razor companies invest a lot of money on, foremost, engineering profit into their products by coming up with absurd features which they then attempt to protect with a patent in an effort to corner the market, or take market share away from their competitors by fooling consumers into thinking this feature is the new hotness (vibration, heat, strips, six blades, dildo-shaped rubberized handle, etc.). They then pour marketing money into getting you to believe said 'hotness' is indeed true to give you the best shave. But it's not. So, what is true?
Avoid hysterisis at all cost. Hysterisis /histəˈrēsis/ is the physics principle that an object's physical state lags behind the change being induced to it. In razor terms, this is the tugging of a hair with a more blunt blade, and it then being sliced by a following blade before it can retract into the skin – providing for the cutting of said hair below the skin. Mostly all multiple-blade razors work this way. This was the first 'one-upmanship' war the corporate razor companies began fighting each other in and how they got to, today, six damn blades. It was stupid from the beginning, but how else were they gonna upsell you on such a basic staple as a shaving razor? So, from a profit standpoint, adding these dumbshit blades had to be done. It was never good for your skin, but alas... here we are.
Hysterisis is what begins the hair on its journey to becoming ingrown, and also what causes the trauma to the follicle that leads to razor bumps. Is your shave with a multi-blade a little “tuggy” or “grippy” compared to a single blade? This is why. Single blades don't tug on your hair, they slice it.
Lubricating strips are bullshit. I'm not the smartest man in the world, but generally when you lubricate a friction process, the lubrication is applied before the friction. Whether it is a drill bit, or a razor, it makes no sense to lubricate on the other side of the blade. Yet, this is how stupid the razor companies think you are. Generally, these strips (often made of cellulose or microporous sponge to hold the “lubricant”) dry out in your medicine cabinet and then scratch your face on subsequent shaves, causing more irritation. It is complete and utter bullshit, and they only still put them on there today because it has become a visual product expectation over time – something they created with marketing which they cannot now undo, kinda like multiple blades. Because to remove it from their products now would be a de-facto admission of the lie.
Beginning hair length is a major component. If you begin your shave with hair that is ¼ to ½ inch long or longer, you should not expect an outstanding feeling or result with any razor. Generally, it is sensible to trim hair with a beard trimmer to a manageable dark shadow length before picking up a razor. Sure, you can do it with longer hair... but don't expect perfection.
Heat your face. If you do not apply heat to your face, moist heat preferably, you are doing yourself a disservice. 15-30 seconds with fairly hot water from a slow tap is sufficient. Just pool some water in your hands and bathe your face in it, and repeat.
Put down the dildo. These thick, chonky-ass commercial razor handles with silicone curves, ridges and nubs actually dull the sensation or “tactile feedback” that your fingers need to feel the cutting. Most people don't think about this component, but imagine you felt nothing from your razor. That'd be really weird, right?! Your somatosensory system is very important in shaving. At UNO we recognized this, and we designed a fluted area for your fingers which we feel enhances the harmonics of that cutting sensation passing through the razor. We tried both a more solid radius design, and rubberization during R&D and we did find the feedback sensation to be inferior. Good tactile feedback subtly teaches your brain critical minutiae about the speed, pressure and angle that you will need to become an expert and master of the shave. If you shave with a razor which deadens that sensation, would true mastery even be possible?
Learn the battlefield. Your face is yours to learn. If you want to win the shaving battle, you need to learn your adversary. If you keep nicking the same scar or mole, you probably need to plan to be careful around that area, right? There are only a few guarantees in this world, and one of those is that we are gonna get older, and our skin more wrinkly, flimsy and scarred. Also, pay attention to what direction your hair grows in and perfect your style for that zone by trying different angles of attack until you find the very best one – and then lock that procedure into your memory, because it isn't likely to change anytime soon. Surely we want our shaving experience to also be enjoyable, but shaving is really a procedure where outcome is the true priority. Doing it exactly the same way every time once you find the best path... well, you might find produces the best repeatable outcome.
Cool down your face. Skipping this step is literally the most common practice we hear about. However, it is one of the most important things to do. Splash the coldest water on your face that you can get, in the same manner as the warm-up. The cold water braces your skin and soothes it.
Moisturize. Use a light moisturizer on your face after you are all done. Lots of shaving gels and creams have alcohol in them and this can dry out your face. Moisturizing will help prevent this, and also give you more pliable, resilient skin and a hydrated face.