Wet shaving offers a closer, classier, and cheaper shave than any of the modern junk littering pharmacy aisles. Wet shaving requires a double-edge safety razor and badger-hair brush, along with a healthy dose of practice, but once you have your basic equipment razor refills cost just pennies per month.

So what’s the real difference between regular shaving and wet shaving?

A: Wetshaving is just what the term implies, keeping your face (or for women, their legs) wet with plenty of hot water before, and during, the entire shave. In fact, you should always shave after a hot shower, not before (if you need to shave without taking a shower, washing your face with hot water for a few minutes will suffice). With a layer of hot water between your skin and the lather, the blade skims the surface instead of dragging on it, which is the main cause of irritation, redness, and “shave bumps”.

Wetshaving gives you more effective shaves and better looking skin. The hot water opens the pores of your skin and relaxes your facial muscles, and it softens your whiskers for more effective cutting. Believe it or not, but your whiskers are tougher than the edge of a razor blade, and shaving “dry”, or mostly dry as with the vast majority of shaving creams, foams, and gels on the market, means you’re literally tugging on each and every hair on your face instead of neatly slicing it at the skin’s surface and moving on without irritating your skin. The key to proper wetshaving is keeping your face as wet as possible at all times during the shave. Even if you keep your current tools and routine, you’ll marvel at how much closer and more comfortable shaving can be when you keep your face hydrated at all times with lots of hot (not scalding) water.

Here’s what the whole thing looks like in action:

Shave Like your Grandpa Did [Painless Frugality via Lifehacker]
RELATED: How to get that perfect shave [MSNBC]
(Photo: mthomps00)

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