Why Wet Shaving Is Worth Learning

Most men who shave learned to do it as teenagers with a multi-blade cartridge razor and aerosol foam. It worked, more or less, and the habit stuck. For most men who try a safety razor and proper shaving cream even once, going back to cartridge shaving feels like a step backward — not for any romantic reason, but because the result is genuinely better.

Wet shaving — using a safety razor with a lather built from cream or soap — isn't difficult. It takes slightly more time than a cartridge shave when you're learning. Over time, it costs less, produces a closer shave, and is considerably kinder to the skin.

What Wet Shaving Actually Means

The term simply means shaving with water and a proper lubricant — cream, soap or gel — rather than dry. In practice, it usually refers to the combination of a safety razor with a shaving brush and traditional cream or soap, as opposed to a cartridge razor with aerosol foam.

The distinction matters because the two approaches produce meaningfully different results. A multi-blade cartridge razor with aerosol foam is convenient but tends to be harsh on the skin — particularly for men prone to razor bumps, ingrown hairs or post-shave irritation. A single double-edged blade in a safety razor cuts hair cleanly without the dragging motion of multiple staggered blades, and a properly built shaving cream lather provides significantly better lubrication and skin protection than aerosol foam.

What You Need to Get Started

A Safety Razor

A double-edge safety razor uses a single blade in a hinged or twist-to-open metal head. The blade angle is fixed by the head design, which removes one of the main variables that causes cuts when people new to safety razors are learning — you hold the razor at approximately 30 degrees to the face and let it do the work. Blades are inexpensive (typically under £1 each) and last between 3 and 7 shaves depending on beard coarseness.

The Burrows & Hare safety razor is chrome-plated and available in Green. It's well-balanced in the hand and available with replacement blade packs.

A Shaving Brush

A brush serves two functions: building lather from cream or soap, and lifting hairs before the blade reaches them. Both actions improve the shave quality. Natural badger brushes hold more water and tend to produce a denser lather; synthetic brushes are equally effective in practice, dry faster and are suitable for vegans. The Burrows & Hare shaving brush range covers both options.

Shaving Cream or Soap

Aerosol shaving foam is partly propellant gas — a meaningful percentage of what you're applying is air rather than lubricant. Proper shaving cream is denser, provides better protection and lasts longer per use. A small amount of cream loaded into a brush and worked with warm water produces a lather that genuinely protects the skin through the shave in a way that aerosol foam doesn't.

The Burrows & Hare shaving creams are available in Cedarwood & Lime and Eucalyptus & Peppermint — both made in the UK with natural ingredients. The Eucalyptus formula produces a cooling, slight numbing effect that's particularly useful for sensitive or reactive skin.

A Post-Shave Balm

Post-shave balm — not aftershave with alcohol, which dries and irritates — calms the skin after the mechanical action of shaving and helps prevent razor burn. The Burrows & Hare post-shave balms are available in Sensitive and Unscented formulas. Apply a small amount to clean, dry skin immediately after shaving.

The Basic Technique

Shave after or during a shower, or after washing your face with warm water for 60 seconds — heat softens the hair and makes it easier to cut cleanly. Apply a small amount of pre-shave oil if your skin is particularly dry or sensitive; this adds an additional lubrication layer between the skin and blade.

Load the brush with cream by swirling it on the product for 15–20 seconds. Build lather either in a bowl or directly on the face using circular motions, working it into the beard. Apply a thorough, even layer to the shaving area.

Hold the razor at approximately 30 degrees to the face — the head sitting almost flat against the skin, handle angled away. Use short, light strokes in the direction of hair growth first (typically downward on most of the face and neck). Let the weight of the razor do the work; there is no need to apply pressure. Rinse the blade after every two or three strokes.

For a closer result, reapply lather and make a second pass across the grain. Rinse with cold water to close pores. Apply post-shave balm while the skin is still slightly damp.

Common Concerns, Addressed

"I'll cut myself."

Most men nick themselves once or twice in the first week while learning the correct angle and pressure. After a week or two of practice, cuts are rare — significantly less frequent than the nicks that cartridge razors with clogged, multi-blade heads tend to produce. A styptic pencil stops any small cuts within seconds.

"It takes too long."

A proper wet shave including prep takes 10–15 minutes. For men who shave daily or several times a week, the difference in time against a hurried cartridge shave is not significant. The shave is also, by most accounts, a considerably less unpleasant process when done properly.

"The upfront cost."

A safety razor costs more than a pack of disposable cartridges upfront. In ongoing costs, it's substantially cheaper — a pack of double-edge blades costs a fraction of cartridge replacements, and a tube of shaving cream typically outlasts several cans of aerosol foam. Most men recoup the cost of the switch within six months.

The Full Shaving Range

For everything needed to set up a proper wet shave — safety razor, shaving brush, creams, soaps, balms and accessories — see the Burrows & Hare shaving range. For the broader grooming range including skincare and beard care, see the grooming collection.