I have been shaving with a safety razor, shaving brush, and soap bowl for almost a year now. I wrote about it last December here. It still takes me longer to shave than with the five blade razors, but it is totally worth it. I have almost perfected the art of getting the right amount and consistency of lather on the brush every time. There is basically zero irritation. I rarely ever cut myself. These days shaving is bordering on being fun.
I am about halfway though my $10 pack of razor blades. I am on my second bowl of soap. So yes, the up-front cost is fairly high, but I have shaved for an entire year with a variable cost of less than $15. That is about what one 4-pack Gillette Fusion blades would cost.
I don’t mean to be that hipster guy who tries to convince you that you’re shaving wrong by using “modern” equipment . Over the years I have tried several different products and devices to make my shave better. More than once I thought I had the solution, only to find myself irritated and in more pain than ever before. Shaving old-school is by far the best my face has felt, and it is still working well a year later. I don’t think I will be experimenting with anything else in the foreseeable future.
