Shaving Basics Video

Shaving:
How To Wet Shave
Videojug has this nice video explaining the basics of wet-shaving. It only mentions cut-throat razors and double edged ones in passing, assuming that using a disposable will be good enough. But it does a good job of covering all the bases when it comes to prep, shave and post treatments.

More Shaving Tips at Fendrihan

Gillette Setting Its Sights High With Fusion ProGlide

Gillette is reaching for the upscale male grooming market by placing its new ProGlide shavers at the recently acquired Art of Shaving stores. The shopping place for affluent professionals in search of that better shave has had the Fusion ProGlide since April, though the model won't hit most stores until June 6.

The AoS ProGlide set retails for $40 and includes trial sized bottles of the chain's pre-shave oil, shaving cream, after-shave balm and a badger hair brush. Another set with a chrome power razor and eight of the blades is on sale for $150 at stores and online.

Gillette is confident that general sales for its new razor will mirror the warm reception they've gotten at the AoS stores until now.

Meanwhile, rival Schick debuted the Hydro line last month.

Full article here.

Gillette Razors at the Fendrihan Shaving Shop

New Barbasol Plant Opens in Ashland, Ohio

Barbasol has just opened a new plant in Ashland, Ohio. Read the article here. Part of their press release:

Building maintenance supervisor Tony Pifher, of Mansfield, joined Barbasol in

March from a similar job at Hi-Stat Manufacturing in Lexington.

"This is a family-oriented operation and a great place to work," he said. "It's just

exciting because it's a brand new facility and it's good to see a business growing instead of downsizing."

Barbasol officials hope to reach full production of 180 cans per minute in June.

To celebrate Barbasol's heritage, here is some of their vintage advertising:

Shaving Creams at the Fendrihan Shaving Shop

Toronto’s Truefitt and Hill Owner Backs Up Schick HYDRO

Toronto’s Truefitt and Hill Owner Rick Ricci is pictured in this Toronto Star article giving a customer a shave with the new Schick HYDRO and quoted saying "I can’t compete with this. We’re world renowned barbers and, I’m telling you, the single blade can’t do as well as this."

Schick has unveiled the HYDRO as Gillette presents the ProGlide, a reworked version of the Fusion. Both companies keep vying for customers as the male grooming market grows (though this other Star article claims razor blades sales are dropping).

Both razors are the result of extensive trials and the best that shaving engineering has to offer. But have they really outdone the single blades and straights? Mr. Ricci seems to think so.

The Razor Blade Hits a Slump

A bad offender: Alec Baldwin's unshaven neck on the red carpet

According to the Toronto Star, the razor blade has seen better days. Sales of the shaving staple and other grooming items are down. The reasons are varied:

• Some men just can't stand the daily grind. A shave a day has become too much to bear.
• Out-of -work men don't need the presentable look and rather sport the "unemployment beard".
• There's poor population growth in the boys' sector, so that means fewer new teens to purchase blades in the future.
• Another demographic factor, the number of baby boomers becoming retirees and now sporting scruffy looks or beards.
• These boomers also need shave less often as a hormonal decrease means less hair.
• Finally, the unkempt look is being sanctioned by Hollywood and other media.

Will the shaven face become the exception? Or is this just a trend that will come and go like many others?

I'm of the opinion that no matter what, a groomed face, whether clean-shaven or bearded will work better for any man who needs to look presentable socially or for work reasons. So proper grooming won't go away just yet as long as we keep being social animals.

Behind Every Badly Dressed Man...

...is a woman who should know better?

At least that seems to be the case with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. His wife, Miyuki, seems to be responsible for his garish outfits as she "coordinates what her husband wears for public events and styles his hair".

Mrs. Hatoyama has appeared on TV with some inspired wardrobe choices of her own, such as a shirt made from coffee sacks she acquired in Hawaii. She has been called the most colorful first lady Japan has produced, and her reputation shines through her husband's clothes.

Whatever the reasons or persons behind Mr. Hatoyama's fashion offenses, a Japanese fashion critic seems to think his choices are the cause for his decreasing popularity. Sounds like it's time to bring in the experts, or to at least buy a trusty old black suit and tie!