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General News
November 12, 2009
Death by Shaving
You probably aren't thinking about your shaving routine as a risky activity, other than the odd nick or bumps, but evidently it could be hazardous to your health.
"Shaving was once a dangerous and sometimes lethal endeavor. Before the advent of safety razors and sanitation laws, a man risked his life when he decided to clean up with a close shave. Here are three stories of men who met their end in pursuit of a baby smooth face."
Read the stories over at Mental_Floss, and leave us a comment if you know any other scary shaving stories.
Want some free stuff? Here's your chance to pick up some shaving accessories for free from us: Woody's Grooming Products sent us a Holiday Travel kit to give away to one lucky Shaving Stuff reader.
Included in the Travel kit are small bottles of Daily Shampoo, Exfoliating Pre-Shave, Foaming Shave Gel, and Rescue Post Shave, perfect to bring along wherever you are headed this fall. I've been using Woody's Foaming Shave Gel for the last couple of weeks, and I think it's a quality product.
To enter, leave a comment on this post through Friday at midnight telling us your favorite shaving product (shaving cream, gel, soap, razor, or aftershave), and we'll randomly pick one reader to receive the Travel kit. (One entry per person, and continental U.S. addresses only.)
"How pleased would your wife be if you could shave each morning without leaving a sink full of stubble? Wahl's Trim-n-Vac beard and mustache trimmer has a vacuum intake port at the trimmer head to capture and draw cut facial hair into a collection chamber at the shaver's base. The vacuum is, at minimum, 85 percent effective (depending on the length of the hair being cut), and the collection chamber is easy to open and clean. This innovative design, along with the Trim-n-Vac's ability to operate without a cord, make the trimmer great for travelers with hectic schedules who may need a quick shave while in the car or at the airport."
Royal Copenhagen Aftershave Lotion, with orange, lemon, jasmine, moss, and amber - a woodsy and manly aroma, regularly $45.00, now only $15.04.
According to sifynews, the term 'boyzilian wax' is now replacing 'manscaping' in the new Macquarie Dictionary:
"The dictionary's new edition, which will hit the markets next month has nearly 1000 new words like "BESTIES", meaning one's best pals, the "boyzilian wax" replaces "manscaping", and "tweets" are no more just explained as chirps of baby birds."
"As guys have become more aware of grooming themselves in general, most realise now that the natural 'Adam' look is a thing of the past... And, it's not only gay guys who are getting waxed."
"When it comes to good grooming, guys usually catch a break. Forget to shave? A five o-clock shadow passes for scruffily sexy. (Not so much on a woman's legs.) Six months between haircuts? Shaggy hair equals surfer cool. Calloused hands? That';s a sign of a hard-working dude. But in an era of metrosexuals and a manly yet manicured president, those excuses start to fall flat."
"People walking down Center Street Wednesday paused to look in a shop window at an antique barber's chair that caught their eye.
Ray Fournier smiled as two women stood outside talking as they looked in the window. His store, Gentlemen's Best, specializes in old world men's grooming supplies such as double edged and straight razors as well as shaving accessories such as brushes and soap.
"It's a whole lot cheaper and better than using the four blade disposable monsters," Fournier said. "We really missed the boat when we decided to go to a more disposable society."
While I do enjoy some high-end shaving stuff, I am a penny pincher whenever possible.
I got really tired of ponying up cash for cartridges all the time, so I invested in a safety razor (the Merkur) and am happily not having to pay good money for cartridges that get thrown away every week. Instead I buy blades (pretty cheap still) which last all week.
So if you're looking to lower your overall shaving costs, take the money you'd spend on the next couple of months worth of cartridges or disposables and invest it in a razor you can pass down to your grandkids, like a safety razor or a straight razor.
The learning curve is easier with a safety razor, but the old-school skill of shaving with a straight razor is coming back in vogue, so it's something you can share with other men.
My next investment is probably going to be a straight razor (hint, hint), and then I won't be purchasing new blades at all.
Another way you can save some money is to use an affordable shaving cream, like Cremo, which gives a quality shave despite being priced in the lower level compared to a lot of other creams. Or try baking soda or a DIY shaving cream for something a little different.
Looking for deals on Shaving Stuff? Who isn't, right?
Here's a couple of great deals we found:
Over at Details for Men (one of my favorite sites), you can pick up a free alum block with any order over $60. Don't know about alum?
"Alum, a natural mineral found in Europe, was used by the Egyptians more than 4,000 years ago as a shaving essential. Its antiseptic properties calm razor burn, soothe irritations and help stop bleeding in the event of a nick or cut."
Use the coupon code "FREEALUMBLOCK" to grab your free alum block.
At ZIRH , right now you can get free shipping on all orders, and pick up a free IKON laptop bag with orders over $75.
"In a special section for staff with facial hair and beards, it says that those with "excessive facial hair" cannot expect the face mask to provide protection unless they are clean-shaven.
"Therefore, healthcare workers with facial hair, including stubble, are advised to remove it at the beginning of a shift" if they are likely to be exposed to infection due to the procedures they have to perform for swine flu patients."
This leaves me wondering where those health workers are putting their beards...
"Google will tell you the study of beards is called pogonology. So will Malcolm Payne. He's the professor who holds the Michaelis chair of fine art at the University of Cape Town, and who for the past 18 months has been working on a pogonology exhibition - paintings of beards, 27 so far.
"Beard mythology is quite a rich field," says the professor, who once had a beard himself but found it itchy. "My images hover between merkin and beard. Some say they remind them of female pubic hair formations."
"Men's BYB shaving cream is specially designed to treat sensitive and irritated skin, when it nourishes, soothes while shaving. BYB only focus on the private part of the man. BYB makes it smooth and fresh, so no wonder why the ladies call it "The New Woman's Best Friend - For Men."
"After a recent back surgery, Mr. Reynolds felt like he was going through hell and after a while, realized he was a prisoner of prescription pain pills."
"In Texas, only barbers are licensed to trim beards, and they are unhappy that cosmetologists are cutting into their market. This fight illustrates the effects of occupational licensing -- legal restrictions on workers' ability to enter certain markets."
"Michael Fassbender, recently starring in Inglourious Basterds (and Band of Brothers back in the day) featured on the cover of the New York Times Style Magazine: Fall Men's issue."
"Well, beyond an undying passion for sporting the most awe inspiring beard, mustache or goatee known to man, it takes the voting help of friends, family and fellow facial hair enthusiasts. In collaboration with the Wahl Let it Grow Tour, the Man of the Year contest allows people to vote for the top facial hair all-star in the beard, mustache and goatee categories for each of the 12 cities the Tour buzzes through."
I don't know about you, but when I have a 3 day weekend, I'm always tempted to start a beard. I like to shave at night, so after Thursday night's shave, I know I won't have to shave again until Monday night on a 3 day weekend. So on Friday and Saturday, I leave the razor in the cabinet, and my face enjoys some time off.
But once I've let it grow for 2 or 3 days, I start to see that it might be nice to have a goatee again, or a Fu Manchu moustache, or even some Neil Young mutton-chops, and so I think about shaving just part of it off. Once I've got the razor out, and my face lathered up, I may decide to go for a clean shave for the coming week. Because if I show up Monday morning with a partial beard, people might be thinking that I'm gonna grow a Grizzly Adams style beard, and that might start something of a trend (and not being a trend-setter, I'll probably disappoint).
And if I start a beard, I have to either trim it neatly, or shave around the outside to shape it, and then I always wonder at what point it's really a beard and not just a scruffy face. 1/4 inch? 1/2 inch long?
So at this point in the 3 day weekend, I've got some hard choices to make: commit to a beard, have another day of scruff, or head straight for the Merkur and get down to it.
Is it just me, or does this happen to you as well?