— What forty-five dollars buys
Thirty-five minutes,
in order.
- Chair back, first hot towel over the whole face for two minutes. This is what softens the hair. Everything after it depends on this step not being rushed.
- Pre-shave oil worked in by hand so the blade has something to ride on instead of dragging on skin.
- Lather off the badger brush, built warm, laid on in circles to lift the hair off the face.
- First pass, with the grain. Not against it. This takes the bulk down and it is the pass that does most of the work.
- Second towel, re-lather, second pass across the grain. Against the grain only on the cheeks, only if your skin has told us it can take it.
- Cold towel to close the pores, then alum if you want the sting or balm if you don't. Fresh blade every single time, in front of you, out of the sleeve.
For the rest of the day: leave the cologne off your neck, skip the gym, and stay out of the pool. Your face has just had a very sharp piece of steel taken across it twice. Give it eight hours before you put anything on it that burns.
2Passes, never three
3Towels, two hot one cold
1Blade, used once