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The Best Straight Razor Strops: How to Choose One That Works
A straight razor shaves well only if its edge is kept in line between shaves, and that is the job of a strop. If you already shave with a straight razor, a strop is part of the kit; if you shave with cartridges or a safety razor, you do not need one. A strop realigns…
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Barber Leather Razor Strops: What They Are and How to Use One
A barber leather strop is the long leather-and-canvas strap a straight-razor user runs the blade along between shaves to keep the edge sharp and smooth. If you shave with a straight razor, a strop is part of the kit. If you shave with cartridges or a safety razor, you do not need one: those blades…
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Should I Wash My Face Before Or After Shaving?
The practical answer for most people is: wash before, and rinse gently after. Washing your face before you shave softens the hair and clears away oil and grime so the blade glides with less tug. A cool rinse (and a gentle wash if your skin feels greasy) afterwards clears leftover lather and hair without scrubbing…
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Aftershave Lotions and Balms: How to Choose, and What to Buy
Something after the shave does two jobs: it settles the skin and, for many people, leaves a scent they like. The mistake is treating the two kinds the same. A lotion or splash is thin, often built on alcohol, and gives you a bracing, tightening finish and the stronger scent. A balm or gel is…
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Beard Bibs for Trimming: Six Hair Catchers Compared
A beard bib is a small, cheap fix for a specific annoyance: the trimmings that scatter over the sink and floor when you tidy your beard. It is an apron that hooks to the bathroom mirror with suction cups, fastens around your neck, and hangs with its pouch over the sink to catch the hair.…
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Safety Razor Kits for Men: Six Sets Worth Buying
A safety razor kit makes sense when you want to start wet shaving in one purchase instead of assembling a razor, brush, bowl and soap separately. The catch is that a kit is only as good as its weakest part, and the accessories bundled with a cheap kit are often where the corners are cut.…
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