Shaving Ritual

My morning shave ritual is a special time for me, an interval for relaxed, meditative Zen mindfulness without worries, concerns, or other distractions. I enjoy its regular, repetitive steps, like the notes of a familiar melody.

First I lay out my towel, a plain white one or my iron-on labeled Penhaligon's or Floris towel, over an open drawer by the sink. I fill my small brush scuttle (Becker scuttle or World Market gravy boat) with warm water and start my brush soaking, and if I am using a hard shaving soap I put a shallow layer of warm water on the top of the soap in its bowl. Then I wash my face with warm water and apply a thin coating of CeraVe glycerin moisturizer to soften my beard. While the brush and soap soak and the hairs soften, I go to the kitchen and pour a cup of coffee, which I take back to the bathroom. If I feel like it, I turn on the transistor radio or mp3 player for some music. At this point I run hot tap water and fill and cork the scuttle reservoir.

After about 3 minutes of soaking/softening and coffee sipping, I rinse my face, pour the soap water into my palm and rub it into my beard, give the brush one medium shake into the sink to remove excess water, and rest the brush in my scuttle bowl. I put my French stainless steel mixing bowl in the sink and fill it with hot water for rinsing the razor, and then I load the brush on the shaving soap and use the scuttle bowl to gradually build a good lather. (If I am making superlather, I add a pea-size bit of shaving cream and a couple drops of glycerin to the bowl during this process.)

I apply the lather to my face, rubbing softly to defoliate the skin, check to make sure my razor is tightened down well on the blade (having learned early that a loose razor head is not good at all), and do a first razor pass with the grain, rinsing off the razor blade in the hot water bowl when needed. When the pass is finished, I enjoy a sip of coffee. After applying lather again, I do a pass across the grain, in a nose-to-ear direction, followed by another hit of coffee. Then I do a final third pass, this one against the grain and done with even more care and focus than the first two, with touch-ups here and there as necessary. This of course is followed by coffee.

Now, while the small amount of residual lather sits on my face and conditions my skin, I rinse out and dry the stainless steel bowl and disassemble, rinse, pat dry, and reassemble the razor and blade. Next I pour the hot water out of the scuttle reservoir, fill the scuttle bowl with warm water, and dip/swirl the brush well to rinse out all the lather. I refill the small brush scuttle with warm water and put the brush in it to soak for a couple minutes while I empty out and put away the regular scuttle and rinse my face with cold tap water. After my face is dried with the towel, I apply the day's aftershave, then check to make sure the water in which the brush is soaking has remained clear. (If it shows any soap at all, I empty it and refill, then dip/swirl and soak a little more.) Finally I gently squeeze the water out of the brush and hang it on a stand, and I empty out the brush scuttle.

I wipe clean the soap (usually in a wooden bowl) and move it to my bedroom dresser top, where it will sit uncovered to dry for 24 hours. After hanging up the towel and putting everything else away, I check my rotation schedule and get out and set up all the items for the next day's shave. And finally I finish my coffee.

What is your shaving ritual?

This is a great post. I'm transitioning away 'stuff' part of wet shaving to the enjoyment of the ritual.

I'm starting to put my ritual together. One thing I did based on churchilllafemme's comment is to lay a hand towel across the counter at the front of the sink, thus no long having water all over the place. I also lay out my soap and aftershave before. Of course, a great cup of coffee is an important part of the process, drinking some after every pass.

I shave at night usually.

I pick a brush and soap, put it in my "basket" along with my small bottle of pre-shave oil.

Depends on the brush but if it's a boar, I wet the whole knot but only dunk about 90 percent of the knot in a small container of water.

If it's a synthetic or badger, I don't soak them.

I proceed to take a quick shower, just to feel clean and get rid of the dirt and stress of the day.

I don't bloom soaps. If it's MWF or Williams, I squeeze the water out of any brush directly on to the puck, proceed to make a proto lather for like 10-15 seconds, throw away, and then start to make the lather I am going to use.  

I dry myself, squeeze one pump from the shaving oil bottle (equivalent of abut 3-4 drops) massage it onto my face and neck specially.

Wet the brush, squeeze out the excess water specially synthetics. I don't like surprise water coming out of the knot.

I proceed to load my damp brush, depends on the soap but 15-20 seconds is about right.

Apply the lather to my face, most of the time it's a little dry and pasty which is the way I like it at first cause it gives me control.

And then once I have applied enough of the soap to my face, I dip the tips of the brush to get water and start face lathering.

I add water accordingly, until I get to a yoghurt like consistency. Not too pasty and not too runny.

I then proceed to shave with the grain. Right side first, and then chin, and then under the nose, and then left side of the face.

Also with the grain on the neck, starting on the left now to the right.

Apply lather on face,  across the grain this time. Same.

Apply lather on face, across but slightly going against as I go up the cheeks. It's rare the I can go against the grain without razor bump issues, but I get near BBS anyway with this routine, which works really well for me.

I then wash my face, if the shave was rough, apply alum, but most of the time there is no need.

If I applied alum, I leave it on until I rinsed the brush and razor and have eveything ready before I wash my face again.

After I wash my face, I proceed to rinse my brush thoroughly, flick the water out gently and rub the knot gently onto a towel.

Rinse the razor, but I don't remove the blade not unless I am chucking it or planning to use a different razor for tomorrow.

Back in the basket it goes, with the soap and the pre-shave oil.

I hang the brush on the stand, which is in open area, along with the razor. I leave the soap in the basket without the lid so let it dry thoroughly.

I use witch hazel the first part of my after shave, after it dries a bit on my face, that's when I proceed to add another aftershave balm. If the shave was bad, I use Cade balm first, once it absorbs, then I proceed to add another balm, could be Stirlings, PAA, Gingers Garden etc.

That's pretty much it for the shave.

I wipe the pre-shave oil bottle to make sure it's not wet in any parts. Leave both soap and pre-shave oil out, and proceed to put it back in the cabinet in the morning when I am sure there is no moisture.

Same routine after the day ends. I just put back the brush I used the day before in the cabinet, before I pick the brush and soap and I'll use for that shave.