The Metaphysics of Shaving and Shaving Accessories

Shouldn’t we get way more from our daily shaving routines? We spend a good bit of time during our lifetimes engaged in the singular act of shaving…my best guess is about 2 months’ worth. Most of us have been doing it so long that it has become horribly rote. Something we do without thinking or even caring very much. We grab whatever shaving accessories that happen to be around and just start to hack away. It becomes a drudgery we would much rather do without. There has to be a better approach.

Why even shave?? Simply put, we undertake this daily ritual because we want to look our best. The grunge look aside, shaving is part of an effort to put our best foot forward. As an old baseball coach once told me “look sharp, play sharp”. That’s the impression you want to give, isn’t it? But is that all there is? Maybe we should look a bit deeper.

What else can we expect from our daily shave? Well, if you think about it, it really is one of our first non-compulsory, assertive acts of the day. I mean, regardless of its routine nature, we actually do make a conscious decision to shave or not to shave, each and every day. As such, perhaps the act of shaving should give us a stronger, more positive outcome than simply looking good. If our first decision of the day results in some real pluses, wouldn’t that put is in a more positive frame of mind, make us more self-confident and enable us to exude more of a “presence” all day long?

I’d like to suggest that perhaps we can get more. At the risk of sound too “new age” it seems to me that the shaving experience can and should have a “metaphysical” dimension. A mood setting reward for our first decision of the day. We’ve already mentioned the concrete grooming aspects. What else? If approach correctly, the acts of preparation, lathering, shaving, rinsing and pre and post shave rituals, can be transformed into a luxurious, comforting, affirmative experience.

To achieve this result will require that you explore the various shaving methods and their respective techniques. Take a hard look at the wide range of shaving accessories and how they interact with and complement one another. Look at cultural issues surrounding shaving and how they have changed over time. By taking these elements and relating them to your own unique wants and needs you can adopt a shaving routine whose results go way beyond simply looking your best. Getting the consistency of the foam just right can be a challenge with its corresponding sense of accomplishment. The tactile feeling of brushing the warm foam on you face gives one a sense of luxury and comfort. The soothing or bracing effects of your chosen after shave sweeping away those last cobwebs. The list goes on and on. The metaphysics of shaving.

Starting the day off right is what it’s all about, isn’t it? What better way than with a terrific shave. One that not only makes you look good but also gets you ready to face the day with vim and vigor.