Admittedly, I have sported a touch of facial hair for several months now and was more than happy to use DIY methods to try and keep unruly borders in check. However, as hard as I tried, it was very difficult to know what products to use and (perhaps slightly embarrassingly) how to properly use them. Step forward The Personal Barber, a monthly subscription service that helps you enjoy the art of shaving.
Each month, a delightful little package gets posted to your door. In every box the products are slightly different so you get to try new products and increase your knowledge in the discipline of manliness. The first instalment, like any good pilot, is aimed at introducing you to the correct method of shaving and making that thirty-second butchering of your face turn into a ten minute sculpting masterclass.
Included in the box is a classic safety razor and synthetic hair brush that look and feel the part. Simplicity and control seem to be the order of the day; traditional techniques favoured rather than the ten-blade razors we are now accustomed to seeing advertised everywhere. The soaps included is from a family-owned manufacturer in Austria and, as well as smelling incredible, actually work with the skin to both prepare and moisturise pre-shave.
It is important to note that, despite the plethora of components and ingredients, there is a handy how-to guide that will hold your hand throughout the process. It makes shaving feel intuitive again and you really feel like you are shaving ‘properly’. It is amazing how the slightest of adjustments to the angle and pressure of a blade can change the way you shave. Sure, you may lose a little more time than modern methods, but you’ll save your face and look rather cool whilst doing it.
What is your preferred method of shaving? Are you a fan of facial hair?
