Ladies, it's time you did something for yourselves and for the men in your lives: that is, get them off the fence and into becoming a real man taking his first steps into wetshaving. Here's how to get him started:
1. He needs hot lather, and a Moss scuttle, for mixing his lather and keeping it warm, is how he'll do it. Here's where to order one, and here are some instructions on using it.
2. He needs a badger shaving brush so as to create that lather in the first place . You can order one here.
3. The whiskers do need to come off, and for that he'll need a safety razor, Weishi or Merkur (there are others) are current manufacturers. The Weishi is very inexpensive and shares the shave characteristics of the old Gillette Super Speed. Merkur is a high-quality German product line, with many styles of safety razor, including an exotic thing called a "slant." Er, don't start your man with a slant razor. You can buy the classics -- the Gillette Super Speed or the Schick Injectors -- in antique shops or on eBay. Probably easier all around, though, to start with a Merkur or Weishi.
4. Pre de Provence soap (and VDH and Williams). The lather needs to come from somewhere, and "somewhere" means either a soap or a cream. Pre de Provence is French and is outstanding. The cake itself is long-lasting -- I have used mine for hundreds of shaves -- and the lather it creates is long-lasting, too, and protective and luxurious as well, and just smells great. VDH and Williams are less expensive alternatives, both still easily available in American drug stores.
5. A great British cream: this is luxury. Creams are the other source of lather, and for a beginning wetshaver they are easier to use. Unfortunately, the so-called "Three T's" of wetshaving -- Truefitt & Hill, Taylor of Old Bond Street, and Trumper -- seem to be playing games these days with formulations and with product availability. Bastards. But keep an eye on them.
6. Nancy Boy Signature shaving cream. If the grand old British names are disappointingly revamping themselves, some, er, Nancy Boys in San Francisco may just be your salvation. Their Signature cream is awesome. Period.
7. Styptic pencil and witch hazel. Cheap, but necessary. Just get them at your drugstore, when you pick up your VDH or Williams soap.
8. Blades -- get some cheapie American Personnas (you'll find generics at grocery stores, drug stores, and Wal-Mart, all made by the American Safety Razor Company) and some nice scary-sharp ones, too, such as the Gillettes made in Sweden or the Feathers, or this sample pack.
9 a Bichon Frise. Just kidding. But you know you want one.
10. Once your man begins wetshaving he'll probably find (as many of us have) that he cuts himself less often, abrades his skin much less than he once did, and all in all simply enjoys his daily shave far more than he ever has. The road is then open to the final step, which is enjoying after shaves he may never have considered before: traditional alcohol-based concoctions such as English Leather, Old Spice, Pinaud Clubman (again, French), and Aqua Velva; but also balms, and some exotica, such as Proraso (Italy), Trumper Skin Food (England), Nancy Boy (San Francisco), Musgo Real (Portugal), and Tabac (Germany). Encourage this.
His skin will thank him, he'll thank you, and you can...well, ladies, you can thank me!