Thread: Taking time to smell the, er, lavender...

I realized earlier today that I have not been heeding my own advice lately, and have not been taking the time to really enjoy and savour my shaves. Work has been crazy, life has thrown its usual dose of distractions, etc., and the upshot was that I had not been setting aside time in order to take my time, relax, and simply enjoy. Corners have been cut: face prep hasn't been what it should be, cutting down a bit on the stropping here and there, etc... all of this meant that my shaves were ranging from OK to good, but seldom were they great. And more importantly I wasn't enjoying the process as much as I usually do. So tonight I decided to fix that.

Prep: hot shower followed by a hot towel (cold water shaving is great, but this was all about pampering. )
Cream: Castle Forbes Lavender whipped up in my Robert Becker scuttle using my favourite brush that I made for myself last year (30mm high mountain badger in a bocote handle)
Razor: Wade & Butcher 17/16 For Barbers Use, stropped on my Tony Miller linen and latigo
Music: a mix of old Van Morrison, Son House, and Neil Young (acoustic)
Astringent: Thayer's Aloe Vera Witch Hazel
A/S: Peary and Henson Aftershave Splash (a gift last year that I hadn't got around to trying out - nice stuff)
Time: who cares...?

The result: the most enjoyable shave I have had for a few months - probably since my last outdoor shave while camping last October

I thought about posting this in the Shave of the Day thread (which is another habit I want to get back into) but I thought that you guys who might be new to all this might appreciate a reminder that this is a process that can become something much more than simply removing facial hair. It can be a truly enjoyable experience, and one that you may well look forward to, if you don't already. And more importantly a reminder that everyone (even guys like me who have been using a straight for years and who genuinely find pleasure in the process) can get into a rut.

If you find that happening, the cure is a simple one: set aside a little bit of time for yourself to really enjoy the process. It will be worth it!

Love the Lavender. Where's the photo?

I hear you,,,tonight before bed it will be a straight razor shave, taking my time,,,

Originally Posted by JBHoren

Love the Lavender. Where's the photo?

OK, OK... time to get back into the SOTD habit after all...



EDIT: Here you go http://straightrazorpalace.com/shave...ml#post1268614

Great Little tale Cangooner. It´s all about finding the "Zen" in shaving - that moment of tranquility, however short or long it may be.
On a side note; I´ve been debating aquiring the Peary & Henson, but never quite gotten to the point. You just pushed me over the edge.
Thanks for the story...

Thanks for the reminder. Many times I have to do a quick shave (not in a hurry, to avoid a contribution to the "cut of the day" thread) simplified to less number of laps on the strop, basic face prep, and maybe a one pass and touch up. But we can't forget to take a break and pamper ourselves a little.

Originally Posted by Bademester

Great Little tale Cangooner. It´s all about finding the "Zen" in shaving - that moment of tranquility, however short or long it may be.
On a side note; I´ve been debating aquiring the Peary & Henson, but never quite gotten to the point. You just pushed me over the edge.
Thanks for the story...

I hope you like it! It's kind of similar to some of the Bay Rums I have used (Captain's Choice, Ogallala) but milder. It's also alcohol-free and contains witch hazel, so I imagine it would be a good choice for anyone trying to avoid burny aftershaves.

Hmmmm - it has just been posyponed a bit. I can´t seem to find it here in Denmark, and on-line, it will cost me about $60 so I´ll just wait for a friend of mine to return from the states. He will have to bring me one of those.

I still appreciate the story, though ;0)

Sounds like you had a relaxing time of it. I recently purchased the same shave cream in the Lavender and the Lime. Have only tried the lime so it looks like Lavender is next for sure.

Originally Posted by Brenngun

Sounds like you had a relaxing time of it. I recently purchased the same shave cream in the Lavender and the Lime. Have only tried the lime so it looks like Lavender is next for sure.

The lavender is fantastic. It's especially nice if you shave at night because lavender is such a relaxing scent.