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Vintage Shaving

Let’s face it, times are a little tough in the pocket, and even it isn’t for you, you’d always want to save some bucks right?

Bottom line, razor packs for the fancy shavers are crazy expensive.  Thanks to my best friend, I received for my birthday a vintage styled razor that holds double-edged blades for shaving.  I first thought cool, another neat item to enhance my renewed sense of manliness (I recently bought a nice pair of brown wingtips, grown up huh?)  I was also skeptical because, the fancy expensive multi-blade shavers were all I used before.

My new razor.

This 10-pack of double-edge razors came in a nice dispensing case.

The back of the case provides a safe holding place for used blades. Clever.

Like my best friend advises me, there is a learning curve, so I do like the inherent challenge to this thing.  My first time was terrible – resulting in multiple nicks and insane razor burn afterwards.  My second time, I made sure to do the following:

• Shave immediately after a hot shower.
• Further wet my face with hot water – opens the pores and loosens/softens the hairs.
• Apply a hearty amount of shaving cream – NEVER DRY SHAVE.
• Shave slowly, almost respectfully, matching the contours of my face

The last point is significant.  Shaving slowly, simply respecting your face, is a very relaxing process.  Gone are the days where you blaze right through with those multi-blade razors – what’s the rush anyways, you did pay a fortune for those razor cartridges!  When else can you essentially have manly-me time?  To finish up the shave I did the following:

• rinse with cold water – closes the pores, plus cools the skin!
• apply face lotion to smooth everything out

The skill required for using this kind of razor is fun and challenging to learn, not to  mention also very rewarding economically.  Check out a shot of my receipt from CVS for a pack of 10 double-edge blades:

$6.19 for a pack of 10 double-edged blades!

Yes you’re reading it right, only $6.19 for a pack of 10 double-edged blades!  Do note that Wal-Mart does hold a similar 10-pack for only $1.00, but didn’t have them stocked at the time for me.  Using these blades, getting the same results for a significant fraction of the cost of those multi-blades sure makes me feel like I’m beating the system.  The fact that the newer razors relatively constantly update themselves, requiring newer blades, there’s no sense of consistency – thus forcing you to have to update and buy the new razor.  This isn’t something like a computer, which constantly upgrade in terms of hardware and software, necessary to keep up with the demands of today’s users.  This is a razor – a razor is a razor, it just shaves your facial hair.  Sorry multi-blade companies, thanks to my best friend, you no longer have me fooled.

My dad still uses a gold Omega razor he bought during his 20s, which holds dual razor cartridges that are still sold today.  I only mention this because there is something endearing to see something withstand the test of time – serving my Dad faithfully through the good times and bad.  In a way, I hope this new razor does the same for me, helping me look my best everyday.

Change it up guys, you won’t regret it.

Evidence Based Practice: New Multiple Sclerosis Treatment?

Evidence based practice is real everybody, and in its extreme applications, it can mean life and death.  Take for example an article in the New York Times here.  An M.D. has proposed that expanded narrowed veins in the body can help improve the condition of M.S. patients, a relatively radical theory considering M.S. is primarily considered an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system, and not a vascular condition.

With all due respect to M.S. patients anxiously waiting for a cure or any medical breakthrough, my personal concern isn’t with the new radical approach.  I read this today during dinner with an appreciation of how real evidence based practice is out in the health care community.  According to the article, the internet has spread this new untested theory, leaving some skeptical of the entire scientific process, which is disheartening.  The beauty of science is reason.  Science, with its calm, yet strong, restraint on fanatical beliefs helps prevent unnecessary deaths, saves time and money, and more importantly, finds the truth to the world’s unknown.  On the surface, the positive results from the radical new treatment seems more due to the placebo-effect, but who knows.  Only properly conducted clinical trials and further research can clear it all up!