When you think of new shaving technology, you probably picture battery-powered heated razors and cartridge razors that pivot 360-degrees. Sure, those razors are considered technological advances in shaving, but they’re inferior to traditional shaving tools.
What’s wrong with modern shaving tools?
An efficient razor will give you a clean, close shave with minimal effort. New shaving tools don’t make that cut. For example, plastic razors – whether disposable or cartridge – don’t provide a truly close shave. You have to press the razor into your skin pretty hard to get a good shave. You also have to make a handful of passes and sometimes you need to finish the job with a foil razor.
Disposable razors are dull out of the package. Cartridge razors are a little sharper, but the blades are still wrapped in wire, limiting the closeness of your shave. Worse, multi-blade razors are notorious for snagging and ripping out curly beard hair.
When all is said and done, all plastic razors can cause razor burn, bumps, and rashes – three problems you won’t experience with classic shaving tools.
Classic wet shaving razors are superior to modern razors
If you grew up using plastic razors, your shaves might feel close. However, until you’ve used a classic wet shaving safety razor (or a straight razor), you haven’t experienced a close shave.
It sounds odd to say that 100-year-old technology is superior to modern technology, but it’s true. Modern razors were not invented to improve your morning shave, but to make the shaving industry profitable by creating a repeat customer base. You can’t make much money unless your customers need to continue purchasing items from your business.
Straight razors don’t bring in a steady stream of income because they rarely need to be replaced, even after multiple generations. Tools used to maintain a straight razor – like sharpening stones and strops – can also last a lifetime.
Double-edged safety razors are only slightly more profitable since they require replacement blades. However, blades cost between five and ten cents each and can last up to an entire week.
We can thank aggressive advertising – not functionality – for making modern razors popular.
Today’s generation is missing out on the best-kept shaving secret
Like their parents, most Millennials grew up shaving with plastic razors. Unless their parents were into classic shaving, they’ve only seen straight razors and safety razors in movies.
Younger generations tend to view using old-fashioned razors as a hassle. They’ve bought the marketing message that disposable razors make shaving easier. Technically you can shave faster with a disposable razor, but you won’t get a good shave. Getting a clean, smooth shave requires a sharp, single-blade razor and a little bit of skill.
Old-time shaving tools avoid razor burn and bumps
Perhaps the most important reason classic wet shaving tools are superior to new shaving technology is the absence of razor burn and bumps. No matter how many razor commercials announce a new blade designed to eliminate razor burn, it’s not true.
Razor burn and bumps are directly caused by disposable and multi-blade razors. You can’t eliminate razor bumps by adding more blades to a razor. More blades create more burn. Since the blades are already dull, shaving requires extra strokes that cause micro-abrasions in the skin. Using a multi-blade razor multiplies those abrasions per stroke.
Over time, those tiny abrasions get irritated and infected and turn into rashes and bumps. The only way to eliminate razor burn is to use a simple, single, sharp razor.
Both straight and safety razors require no manual pressure – just the weight of a safety razor’s handle is enough pressure to get a good shave. You’ll need to use a few passes to get a clean shave, but not as many as you’d use with a disposable or cartridge razor.
The other part to preventing razor burn is using proper lather. It doesn’t matter if you use shaving cream or shaving soap as long as you work up a good, thick lather.
Old shaving technology is making a comeback
Right now, there’s a shaving revolution happening. People all over the world are ditching their plastic razors after discovering the benefits of classic wet shaving. It’s actually considered “cool” to shave like your grandparents.
If anyone you know is still using modern shaving tools, let them in on the secret. Each time they buy the latest high-tech razor, they’re not only wasting their money, but they’re also missing out on the best-kept shaving secret.
