This week I threw out my Gillette shaving cream. Why? Because I’ve gone back to the old-fashioned method of using a shaving mug, shaving soap, and a shaving brush.
The idea struck me a week ago when Lisa and I went to the Chattanooga Market in downtown Chattanooga. The Chattanooga Market is a huge outdoor market in which local farmers and food producers sell their products. Lisa and I wanted to find some meat and vegetables. We discovered a farmer who raised both sheep and goats. Although he was out of ground lamb, we ended up buying goat chops from him. We bought some ground lamb from another vendor. We didn’t need any ground beef because we already had three pounds of it in the freezer that we bought earlier from another local farmer.
(By the way, if you’ve read the recent New York Times article about how unsafe ground beef is, you know you have something to worry about every time you buy a package of it at your chain or independent grocery store. Lisa and I don’t have to worry. When we buy our ground beef and other meats locally, we know exactly where the meat comes from. We know the animal was slaughtered humanely and the food is free from E. coli. That’s a big advantage of buying local!)
Buying the Shaving Mug, Shaving Brush, and Shaving Soap
dogwood farms Bay Rum
Anyway, Lisa is interested in natural skin-care products. So she stopped at the dogwood farms booth. The owners, Daniel And Patricia Nunley, make a variety of natural products for women, men, and pets. Stuff like that is Lisa’s thing, and I tend not to go into booths like that. But Lisa called my attention to the Old Fashioned Bay Rum After Shave that Daniel and Patricia make themselves, using a recipe that belonged to Daniel’s uncle, who was a barber. The recipe has been in Daniel’s family for over a generation. For several years now I’ve been making my own bay rum after shave. But I’ve been out of it for awhile, and haven’t gotten around to making a new batch.
The after shave lotion sat right next to a shaving mug and shaving brush set. Hmmm. The shaving mug and shaving brush — along with a bar of cocoa butter shaving soap wrapped in brown tissue paper — had a certain appeal for me. First, they appealed to my love of history and reenacting sensibilities: I could shave the old-fashioned way, like the Victorians did (but without the straight razor).
Next, I wondered if shaving the old-fashioned way might be simpler than using shaving cream. And then Lisa sort of nudged me along by suggesting that using a hand-crafted shaving mug, a shaving brush, and hand-made shaving soap would really be going local!
So, of course, I bought them — along with the bay rum after shave.
The shaving mug, shaving brush, and shaving soap cost a total of $20.00. Replacing the soap costs $4.75 per bar. What a deal!
Using the Shaving Mug, Shaving Brush, and Shaving Soap
Shaving Mug, Shaving Soap, and Shaving Brush
I’ve been shaving the old-fashioned way — with shaving mug, shaving brush, and shaving soap — for several days now. I really like it. At first, I just applied the shaving soap with the shaving brush, but the shave wasn’t smooth. Then I lathered up my face with Ivory Soap before applying the shaving cream. That made the difference.
This process is no different from the way I used the Gillette shaving cream. I always lathered up my face with Ivory Soap first, too.
I’m really enjoy shaving the old-fashioned way. It makes me feel connected to the past. Besides that, using cocoa butter shaving soap is better for my face than using industrially produced shaving cream. Using a shaving mug, shaving brush, and shaving soap also is better for the environment.
Why Using a Cocoa Butter Shaving Soap Is Better for My Face
Using the dogwood farms cocoa butter shaving soap is better for my face than using my Gillette shaving cream. Why? Because the ingredients in the soap are natural — not harsh chemicals. Here’s a comparison of what’s in the cocoa butter shaving soap vs. what’s in Gillette shaving cream:
| dogwood farms Shaving Soap | Gillette Shaving Cream |
|
|
The only ingredients I recognize in the Gillette list are water, propane, and fragrance/perfume. Where’s the soap? Apparently, there isn’t any. I guess that’s why Gilette doesn’t call the product “soap.”
Cocoa Butter Shaving Soap
Shea butter is made from the nuts of karite nut trees in West and Central Africa. Shea butter has numerous beneficial qualities, which are listed on the dogwood farms web site. To mention just two: Shea butter is a natural moisturizer that helps your skin stay healthy. Shea butter also contains cinnamic acid, which helps protect your skin against UV rays. So compare qualities like these to qualities such as propane and stearic acid. I wonder what Gillette’s ingredients do to your skin and face?
Why Using a Shaving Mug, Shaving Brush, and Shaving Soap Is Better for the Environment
Tissue Paper vs. Can
Using a shaving mug, shaving brush, and shaving soap is better for the environment. Shaving the old-fashioned way leaves a much smaller carbon footprint than using industrially produced shaving cream. Just consider the packaging: a piece of tissue paper for the shaving soap vs. a metal can that holds all sorts of chemicals and gasses that are under pressure.
Now consider the soap container: a ceramic shaving mug that can last forever vs a metal can. When the mug gets empty, you simply put in a new bar of shaving soap. But when the can gets empty, you throw it away — where it ends up in a landfill — and buy a new one.
And what about the soap? With the shaving mug, you use up all the soap. When the soap’s gone, you buy a new bar, unwrap the tissue paper, and put the shaving soap into the mug. With the Gillette shaving cream, when the stream of cream begins to fizzle, you throw the can away and buy a new one. Tissue paper vs. a can with gas and chemicals still inside. Which one is more environmentally friendly?
I really like shaving with my mug, brush, and soap. In fact, I’m thinking of starting a collection of Victorian shaving mugs. What better way to begin my morning’s old-fashioned shave than with a genuine old-fashioned shaving mug?
Do any of you guys out there use a shaving mug, shaving brush, and shaving soap? If you do, please leave a comment about why you like shaving that way. (Or if you don’t, tell us why, too.)
See also:
Tags: shaving brush, shaving cream, shaving mug, shaving soap
Well, of course I don’t shave that way. But my dad did. He died at 79 and never ever saw him shave with anything but the soap, mug and brush. He liked the waqy of doing things. And, he always said it was better for you. I guess Pop was right! I remember when I was little, I used to stand on a chair and watch him lather up. Come to think of it, that’s the only way my grandfater shaved, too.
My great uncle, Charles Lutts, in Kittery, Maine, shaved using a mug, brush, and soap, too. My family used to visit him for a week or two every year when I was little. I never saw Uncle Charles shave, but he had all that stuff in the bathroom, including his straight-edge razor, which he always used. He was a Victorian gentleman, who was born in the last third of the 19th century.
I’ve used a badger brush and shave cream (not the type you find in stores) for years. Not only are the containers biodegradable/recyclable, but the products I use are also cruelty-free. Not to mention that they smell great, too! I occasionally use a single-blade safety razor when I have the time, but have yet to graduate to the straight blade.
[...] Why I Threw Out My Gillette Shaving Cream | Unchained in America [...]
My husband and I are old west re-enactors and you are so right about the connection with historical sensibilities. The values we have learned from studying historical facts has been amazing. My husband only shaves with a mug, brush and shaving soap. That’s actually what I’m looking for today. A recipe to make our own shaving soap. We are both professionals but we make our own body soap and lotions. I also make our own laundry detergent. You can save money and you as you indicated above, we know exactly what we’re using on our body – nothing I can’t pronounce. Even though we enjoy our modern amenities, sometime the simple things bring life into perspective.
[...] to Make Bay Rum Aftershave In an earlier post, I explained why I threw out my Gillette shaving cream. I also mentioned that I’ve been making my own bay rum aftershave for the past several years. [...]
I use unscented Sensitive Skin Dove bar soap as shaving cream because I am extremely sensitive to some chemicals. Even canned shaving creams billed as being for sensitive skin irritate my skin. Gee, think it could be the propane and/or masking fragrance? <>
Loved the article. Have been shaving this way for the last two years. Please post your Bay Rum Recipe!! I would love to try this!
I’m glad you liked the post. I published the bay rum recipe a short time ago. Here’s the link to making your own bay run aftershave:
http://unchainedinamerica.com/uia_dan/2009/11/10/how-to-make-bay-rum-aftershave/
If you make it, let me know what you think of it.
– Dan
[...] probably know that I gave up my Gillette shaving cream for an old-fashioned soap mug and shaving brush. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Soak [...]
I was absolutely flabbergasted when I saw the comment stating that “Lisa and I don’t have to worry. When we buy our ground beef and other meats locally…We know the animal was slaughtered humanely…” Slaughered Humanely! That is the most absurd contradiction in terms I have ever seen. What gives anyone the right to kill or eat an innocent animal? The cruelty, vanity, stupidity and arrogance of barbaric humans who believe they have this right is staggering! Maybe serial killers should be set free as long as they slaughter their victims “humanely.”
Shea Butter can really promote great health..–
Shea Butter is also good on your skin. We use it a lot for treating dry sin or scars.`;’
oh by the way shea butter tastes good too,,’
i remember my grandma who loves shea butter so much. *~.
I’ve only recently begun wet shaving using a bager brush,soap puck and mug, although I still use my 30yrs+ Trac2 razor. I started shaving this way, hoping for a better(smoother/closer), more inexpensive, more enjoyable and less wasteful shave. Wet shaving has met all those hopes and more. There seems to be a certain comradery among wet shavers. I intend one day to make not only my own bayrum after shave, but shave soap as well.
Thank you for your very interesting articles.
[...] Why I Threw Out My Gillette Shaving Cream This entry was posted in links and tagged shaving. Bookmark the permalink. ← Santa Claus Nomi [...]
I buy Master’s Bay Rum (available at barber-beauty supply stores)
Add :
two to three spoonfulls : ground clove, cinnamon, nutmeg,
allspice, ginger, mixed together.
three spoonfulls : Orange Extract (from food store)
four spoonfulls : Cedar Wood Oil (from Crate & Barrel)
Let steep for a few days – turns a dark brownish color
You can also mix Bay Rum with Murray & Lanman Florida Water
(available at Family Dollar store)
Filter into bottle.
i use a shave soap i dont have a mug yet but im also ordering a straight razor im interested in the old fashion way of shaving myself i love the soap i prefer it over any gel or foam and i would recamend it to any man
I recently bought a “Lion Match Company” (I’m from South Africa) set of safety blades and holder… whatever you call it. This was inspired by 1) An article on “real men” I read recently and 2) by environmental consciousness… Like I say, I’m from South Africa and in the last 20 years, redevelopment has taken priority over everything environmental (I’m from Durban… ironic, we’re destroying our country and still holding a climate change conference… fooz blah blah… quickly, the IMF gave us R80bil to build green power plants and we used it to build more coal fired plants…. calming now)…where was I ah yes, so after using safety blades to shave with, I started wondering what is wrong with consumers. Safety blades are by far a more superior blade than any 3, 4 or 5 blade disposable. Granted, I ended up with a minor scratch the 1st 1 or 2 times but now it’s just pure close shave. Anyway, I’m still shoping around for a bar, I still have my grandfathers brush and bowl that he told me I’d never use. Everyone should shave this way, it not only makes environmental sense but financial sense too.
I work in a hospital and shave a patient every now and then. We have those mini cans of goop for shaving cream. One day a fella, I was shaving, said you ever look at the ingredients in those cans. I said No, lets check it out. PROPANE! the stuff I run in my grill. So out with the can and in with the cream. A thumbnail size of cream in a wet shaving bowl, a wet shaving brush and 60 sec. your ready to go. I have the soap that came with the bowl, for backup but I will go without shaving before I use can stuff again. Sorry to say, the hospital still has canned goop.