To achieve a perfect shave, you need to have the shaving essentials. Your choice of shaving equipment will naturally be hinged on your budget, method, and location. But, some of the shaving items perform better than others, regardless of your shaving technique.
Shaving Essentials
In this article, we’ll go through the shaving essentials that never miss according to our expert barbers. Here are the shaving must-haves:
Shaving Brush
Whether you prefer using shaving cream, aerosol gel or foam, or shaving soap, you’ll always need a shaving brush to help you create shaving lather as well as apply it to your skin. The shaving brush exfoliates your skin and lifts your beard off the surface so that your razor blade glides easily and smoothly. A badger shaving brush is recommended, but boar brushes are also popular, particularly with wet shavers.
Our expert barbers’ pick for the best shaving brush is EDWIN JAGGER BEST BADGER SHAVING BRUSH WITH DRIP STAND.
Edwin Jagger, a shaving brush brand that’s based in Sheffield, England, exists to meet the needs of wet shavers globally exclusively. Since its founding in 1988, it has designed and manufactured a wide range of premium quality shaving accessories, including their excellent badger shaving brush.
As the name suggests, their Edwin Jagger Best Badger Shaving Brush with Drip Stand stands on at the top end of the shaving brush market. That should be surprising considering it’s from a company whose reputation is staked on quality.
The Edwin Jagger brush is made from Meles Mele’s badger hair – a sustainable source also referred to as European Badger. Badger hair – which has been used for hundreds of years to make shaving brush bristles – absorbs water better than any other type of bristle.
When you combine a top-quality badger brush with superior-quality shave cream, you’re guaranteed of excellent lather. But there is more to this Edwin Jagger brush, let’s take a look:
If you prefer using hot water during a shave, no worries, badger hair absorbs it and creates a creamy and luxurious lather. The badger hair brush also works great when used with hard shaving soap, particularly for men with coarse facial hair or those who prefer a firm feel during lathering.
The Edwin Jagger is made by hand; it’s the confluence of traditional craftsmanship with the latest technology.
With the Edwin Jagger, Best Shaving Brush comes a drip stand. The stand enables you to hang it as it dries and to store the brush. All these fantastic qualities make this brush a shaving essential.
The Good
- Handmade, superior construction
- Prepares your skin for the closest shaves
- Comes with a multipurpose drip stand
The Bad
- It’s a bit pricy
Shaving Razor
Your choice of shaving razor should be hinged on your shaving techniques. But, for a smooth and close shave that’s kind to your skin, our expert barbers always recommend GILLETTE MACH3 TURBO MEN RAZOR.
Gillette has been a dominant player in the shaving world for a very long time, and this is for a reason. They have a lot of excellent stuff; Gillette Mach3 Turbo is a perfect example.
Even with the many contenders, The Mach3 Turbo razor is the best disposable in the market. Gillette consistently upgrades and improves its offerings. Its Mach3 Turbo razor is one of the new additions to its collection of razors, and it has undoubtedly taken the brand to an even higher level.
Here are the standout features of the Mach3 Razor:
It delivers closer shaves without irritation.
It comes with three blades cleverly positioned for closer cuts.
Its blades as sharper compare to most disposables. Also, the blades remain sharp even after several shaves.
Comes with micro fins that precede the blades and straighten facial hair and smoothen your skin before that blades glide over. It’s similar to when you hold the skin tight before you run your razor over a risky spot.
The metal handle has rubber grips that provide an excellent grip.
Women love it too.
With all these features, the Mach3 Razor is shaving essential.
The Good
Comes with a triple-blade
Excellent grip
Easy to clean
Pre-Shave Treatment
Pre-shave treatment prepares your skin before you apply lather. It improves the glide of your razors and adds a layer of protection. Pre-shave oil also softens coarse beard hair. This makes it easier for you to cut it without it breaking off beneath the skin, which results to the growth of ingrain hair.
For a clean shave, press a few drops of THE ART OF SHAVING PRE-SHAVE OIL, SANDALWOOD into your scruff, and then add a layer of shave cream on it.
What makes this Art of Shaving Pre-shave Oil special? Let’s take a look:
It’s thick and thus provides a great protective layer when you’re shaving.
It contains multiple natural ingredients, including Hexyl Cinnamal – a chamomile extract, olive oil, and castor oil. It doesn’t include any synthetic dyes.
Whether you’re shaving your head or your face, you’ll love the excellent lubrication.
It has a subtle sandalwood scent that’s agreeable and not overpowering.
Whereas this oil doesn’t leave a residue after use, you may need to rinse your razor often because of its thickness.
The Good
Nice combination of essential oils
Excellent lubrication
Its thickness adds a nice layer of protection
The Bad
Some users have taken issue with the dispenser
Shaving Cream
Shaving cream softens your beard and protects your skin as you shave. It also enables you to slide the razor safely and effortlessly across the contours of your face and thus helps you get the closest and smoothest shave.
A lot of the drugstore foams leave your skin dry and add to post-shave irritation. You should opt for gels with ingredients like witch hazel and chamomile. Our expert’s pick is the NIVEA MEN SHAVING GEL.
The standout features of this Nivea shave gel are its ingredients that include chamomile, witch hazel, and Vitamin E. The chamomile in the gel has terrific anti-inflammatory properties. If you have sensitive skin or acne, you won’t feel the familiar burning sensation.
Chamomile also has anti-fungal properties. It, therefore, clears all the bacteria that may have accumulated on your face. Also, the chamomile witch hazel combination ensures that you feel completely comfortable as you shave. Witch hazel, which is a standard part of quality aftershave balms, displays vital astringent properties.
Why is this important? There exist a common myth that the astringent properties get your pores to open and close. While this belief is untrue, the property does relief general skin irritation by contracting blood vessels. Thanks to the efficacy of the key ingredients, a lot of men with sensitive skin rely on Nivea Men Shaving Gel.
Another standout and unique quality of this Nivea Gel is, when you wipe it into lather, it develops a ‘wetter’ feel. That enables it to easily adhere to your skin –which is great, especially if you prefer shaving in the shower.
All these considered, Nivea Men stands out as one the best shaving creams, especially for men with sensitive skin. Its perfect combination of ingredients ensures that you get a pleasant shaving experience at all times.
Other Nivea Men Shaving Cream features include:
It has a rounded bottom with zero creases, which limits rust.
It’s perfect for anyone with sensitive skin, especially those who’re vulnerable to razor bumps, acne, and anyone who experiences harsh skin irritation after a shave.
The Good
- Great for sensitive skin
- Works with most razor types
- Very affordable given its excellent performance
The Bad
- Includes a fragrance
- Its can is largish, so may not travel-friendly
Aftershave Balm
While the sting of the traditional alcohol-based aftershaves can be refreshing, they irritate the skin and leave it dry. Post-shave balm is a better option. The aftershave balms are crammed with ingredients that heal cuts and nicks (while averting infection), reduce irritation, and minimize redness. They also hydrate and nourish your skin, so they double up as moisturizers.
If you want a great post-shave balm that’s also unpretentious and reasonably priced, NIVEA POST SHAVE BALM is an excellent option. For one, it’s one of the top-rated aftershave balms on Amazon. You can’t go wrong with real users’ experiences.
Second, it’s packed with chamomile, Provitamin B5, Vitamin E, which deliver excellent soothing properties. It works exceptionally well on sensitive skin, so if you often struggle with bumps and razor burn, this product is meant for you. In 2019, This Nivea post-shave balm won The Manual Grooming Awards; this affirms its stellar reputation.
Other ingredients in the Nivea Post Shave Balm include witch hazel, glycerin, fragrance, water, and soybean oil.
The Good
- When used regularly, it bolsters the skin’s defence mechanism
- It’s especially great for sensitive skin
- It has an agreeable cologne
Toner
If you’re prone to developing ingrown hairs/razor bumps, a great toner can be an effective solution. All you need to do is add a little bit of it onto a cotton pad and then wipe your face with it after a shave. It will clear away the excess shave cream, gunk, hair, and other junk that clogs follicles and causes the formation of ingrown hairs. Also, its anti-inflammatory, soothing, and antiseptic properties will help heal your skin after a shave.
Our expert barbers always recommend the BAXTER OF CALIFORNIA HERBAL MINT TONER. Baxter of California is a thoughtfully curated line of top-quality skin, hair, and shaving essentials. The Baxter of California toner tones removes and cleanses impurities from your facial skin using its mild herbal extracts.
It’s also packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants that protect your skin from free radicals and thus leaves your skin looking fresh. Use is after face wash to prepare your skin before moisturizing or during your day to get rid of excess oil.
The Good
- It’s alcohol-free and thus doesn’t leave your skin dry
- Packed with Vitamin C and E, and antioxidants that prevent cell damage
Shaving Essentials Carry-on Bag
Even when traveling, you shouldn’t compromise on the quality of your shaving essentials. You, therefore, need an elegant bag to safely and comfortably hold your shaving essentials as you travel. The VETELLI LEATHER TOILETRY BAG makes for an excellent carry-on bag for your shaving items.
This Vitelli PU leather bag is built for men inclined to traditional Dopp Kit design and vintage style. Other than being sophisticated, the bag is also practical: it comes with sturdy steel zippers, a waterproof lining that prevents staining of the leather, as well as two spacious compartments that allow you to separate shampoo, shaving cream, razors, and other necessities.
The bag also comes with two TSA-compliant travel bottles and to make it better, a lifetime warranty!
Expert Tips to Use the Shaving Essentials
To make your shaving experience even more enjoyable and effective, follow these tips. Your skin will feel calmer and smoother, like never before.
Shower first
The moisture and warmth of the shower soften your hair and skin, making it easier to shave.
Don’t go against the grain
Gliding your razor against your hair growth direction increases the chances of razor burn and ingrown hair.
Ditch alcohol
While alcohol may have antiseptic properties, it often fails to replace the skin’s natural defensive barrier and causes irritation.
Take it slow
Using slow and steady motions yield the best results. Aim for about two inches long strokes.
Banish the bumps
Ingrown hair and razor bumps form when hair from one follicle pushes into the adjacent follicle. To clean up the build-up on your skin, and to keep the ingrown hair and razor bumps at bay, use an exfoliating cleanser daily and keep your shaving essentials at hand.
