Man Lessons: Shaving

There are two schools of thought when it comes to shaving:


The first dictates the traditional, after-shower shave. The second is an anything-goes cavalier style that allows shaving at any time.


I will spare the readers of this post (all three of you) a diatribe about how society is ripping manliness from men by maligning facial hair. I would like to point out though that shaving was relatively rare in America just over a hundred years ago. Manliness was equated with how much hair a man could carefully nurture on his upper lip and chin. Hipsters, I applaud you for your defiance of culture in this area.


Since we have to shave though, it is very useful to learn the proper time to do so. The time at which you shave can be just as important as the manner in which you do it. I won't get into technique in this post. If you didn't have a male figure who cared enough about you to teach you how to shave, tough luck. I suppose you still have YouTube.


Like I mentioned before, there are two schools of thought when it comes to when you shave. When you shave, do you want your pores open or closed? It is generally accepted that it is easier to shave when your pores are open, however, there are two ways to open up your pores. (Dry shaving, an intolerable practice, will not be addressed in this post)


When you get out of the shower, your pores are gaping and ready to have their whiskers gently sliced by a clean, sharp razor. The heat of the water opens up your skin and allows for a smooth, comfortable shave (Plagiarism Note: I stole this sentence from a Gillette commercial).


If you are going to shave without having taken a shower, the easiest way to open up your pores is to soak a hand towel in hot water, wrap it around your face for a minute or two and then commence your shave. This method will also open up your pores. The advantage of this second method is that your shaving time is not shackled to the time slot immediately following your shower. You are free to shave whenever it suits your fancy. The downsides are that you will have a thoroughly wet towel afterwards and the temptation to forego the hot towel before the shave is very strong. If the towel is forgotten your pores will not be open when you shave, which will result in dry skin and that excruciating "stretched" feeling.


Gentlemen, I tried to present both methods without slant, but I must confess I am an after-shower shaver. I have found over the course of my "shaving life" that the after-shower shave conforms best to my lifestyle.  It is up to you to choose, however.


Lesson Learned:
Cultivating facial hair is one of the last bastions of manliness. Take care to not abuse your privilege, men.