Wet Shaving FAQs

How to clean a shaving brush?

After shaving - Rinse your shaving brush with water thoroughly and flick dry. Hang upside down in a well ventilated area.

Prior to first use - Go through a normal shave routine (but don't shave), load the brush with shaving soap, build a lather, rinse & repeat. Rinse with water thoroughly and flick dry. Hang upside down in a well ventilated area. Some people also use washing up liquid and leave the brush in water to soak for a few hours.

How to use Shaving Brush and soap?

There are two main ways. The first also involves a shaving bowl, AKA Bowl Lathering. There is an answer below for this method. The second is Face lathering, whereby you load up a wet shaving brush with soap and apply straight to your face. Using circular motions and pressure you build a lather on your face rather than in a bowl. Sometimes preferred as it helps stimulate the bear more and feels great while using one less piece of equipment (the bowl). more info

How long does a shaving brush last?

Approx. 10+ years depending on how well you maintain it and how often you use it. more info

Why use a shaving brush?

A shaving brush is a great way to apply shaving cream to your face. It feels great but importantly it stimulates your beard and prepares it for shaving. A coarser haired brush like a badge or boar will also exfoliate your skin.

How to use a shaving brush and bowl?

Easy, place a small amount of shaving cream into your bowl. Dampen your shaving brush and work the cream into a lather using pressure in a circular motion. As the cream starts to lather slowly add more water, just a few drops at a time, and continue to work up the lather. After a few minutes you'll have a bowl of lather.

Why use a Safety Razor?

Safety Razors give the best shave, cost less than plastic cartridge razors and look way cooler. Using the right tool for the job is always the first step to doing a good job.

How to Safety Razor Shave?

The technique for using a Safety Razor is simple and easy to learn. It relies more on the weight of the razor rather than the pressure applied. The correct angle of razor to skin and the use of a good shaving cream to provide skin protection and glide.

How long do Safety Razor blades last?

This is a very contested question. It depends entirely on you and which brand of razor blade you use and what type of shave you are after. Personally I use one blade per shave! Some use the same blade 5 times, some more. You'll find your "sweet spot" by trial and error.

Who invented the Safety Razor?

Frederic and Otto Kampfe of Brooklyn, New York in 1880

King Camp Gillette in 1901/4 was the first to use "disposable" double-edged blades.

How to store a safety razor?

A Safety Razor is best stored dry, personally I remove my blade but that isn't mandatory. A stand that allows you to "hang" the safety razor is recommended but failing that, laying it down in a bathroom draw is OK. They are sturdy items and will stand up to a bit of knocking around.

How long does a Safety Razor last?

Most Safety Razors are a full metal construction, steel or brass commonly. So with a little weekly maintenance one would expect them to remain functional for a lifetime.

How to recycle safety razor blades?

Two options:
1. Use a blade bank, this will hold 100's (years of shaves) of used razor blades. Once full toss it in the bin.

2. If your blades were packed in a plastic case, that case will have a slot in the bottom where you can put your used blades. Genius! Once it's full, toss it in the bin. Safety Razor Blades are NOT recyclable. They are too thin and can clog/jam sorting machines.

What is shaving cream made of?

Most shaving creams contain a "Base" which is commonly Glycerin (Vegetable or Synthetic), Stearic Acid or Tallow. With that base you'll find:

• Water

• Cleansing agent - such as sodium lauryl or sodium Laureth or sodium Castorate Oil.

• Saponifying agent - such as Sodium Hydroxide

• Moisturiser - such as Sorbitol or Propylene Glycol or Cocamidopropyl.

• Fragrance - Oils

• Preservatives

• Propellants (if in a can)

How much shaving cream to use?

As much as you like :-)

Commonly though if you are using a shaving brush it will depend on how many "passes" you'll be doing. For one shave you would load your damp brush with shaving cream for 6-7 seconds. If you are bowl lathering, start with just a finger nails worth of shaving cream in the bottom of your bowl.

How long does shaving cream last?

If you have just one shaving soap (as if!!) and you used it for every shave then you'd expect to get about 3 months worth of shaves or more. Once opened most manufacturers will say 12 months, but in practice we find they will last longer.

How do you clean razor blades?

Just run them under water to remove any excess lather and hair. DO NOT use your shaving brush!!!

What is the BEAST?

It is one of YAQI's safety razor heads that is created by combining the top plate from one head with the bottom plate of another. It's an aggressive head combination, hence the name. more information here.