What Wet Shaving is, and Why You Should Switch

Before the invention of the electric razor, there was only one way to shave. Once the electric razor gained in popularity, the term wet shaving was coined to differentiate the electric shave from the traditional shave using soap & water.

The term eventually fell out of fashion, but was re purposed by the classic shaving community to differentiate shaving with a soap/cream & brush versus using aerosolized shave cream or an electric razor. With the rise of the aerosol canned shave goo, the use of water in the typical shave declined as it was no longer necessary to create a lather. While the term would technically encompass the use of cartridge razors as long as soap & brush is also used, most wet shavers would say that the term excludes the use of modern cartridge razors.

Why It's Better

A hot towel shave at the barber is the epitome of shaving. The hot towel, the straight razor, the face massage, it all makes for a decadent experience. While the face massage might be hard to achieve at home, the rest of the experience is well within our grasp!

What if I told you that you could achieve a better shave and save money? Well, that's why millions of people have made the switch. A better, closer shave at less cost and waste.

Higher quality products mean a higher quality shave. Even if you just switch to a luxury brush and soap, you'll see a huge improvement in your shave. And if you make the jump to a safety razor, you can expect to pay only a few cents per blade and achieve a better shave by shaving against the grain.

Have you ever looked at the ingredients in that aerosolized canned goo they call shaving cream? It's full of stuff like Triethanolamene, propylene glycol (usually used in antifreeze), alcohol, and mineral oil. You're almost better off using water. Compare that with WSP's Rustic Shaving Soap, which only has a handful of ingredients and is a true, real soap, not some chemical laden soap-like substance.

If you switch to a luxury shaving soap & badger brush, you can expect a rich, dense, slick, and cushioning lather. And, it won't dry out your skin! The whole point of lather is to aid the razor in gliding across your face, and to provide some protection against razor burn (the stuff in the can does neither).

Imagine scraping your skin with a razor 5 times. Doesn't sound like the best of plans, right? Well that's exactly what a Gillette Fusion cartridge razor does! Instead of a single, sharp blade, you're using five not so sharp blades; and you're paying for the privilege. And if you're really brave, switch to a straight razor and never buy another blade again!

How to Get Started

If you're already using a cartridge razor and canned goo, the first step a lot of people take is to switch to a shaving brush & luxury shaving soap. This one switch will vastly improve your shave, even if you stick to using cartridge razors. The next step, of course, is to get yourself a double edge razor and enjoy all the benefits we talked about above.

Or, you can jump in with both feet and get a wet shaving kit!