The Post-Shave Soothe
A few readers and social media followers have asked about my post-shave ointments. After trying so many things over the years, I’ve settled into a very simple and effective ritual: moisturize.
You Need to Have Good Teeth
We have to take care of our teeth. Our enamel grill is both an essential part of digestion and also a vital component to how we present to others socially, romantically and professionally. It’s like our shoes: On both conscious and subconscious levels, people notice.
A Few Elegantly Presented Style Rules from Tom Ford
"I tend to like the classic rules of traditional men's wear." - Tom Ford
My Beautiful, Effective and Environmentally-Conscious Toothbrush
More on my pursuit of effective living, down to the teeth.
A Peek at Some of My Grooming Nonsense
As I get older, hair stops growing where I want it and starts growing where I don't. Here's how I deal with it...
Ditching the Unnecessary Cost (and Waste) of Cartridge Razors
When Dollar Shave Club disrupted our costly enslavement to expensive premium blade systems back in 2012, the shaving game was turned on its head. Harry’s followed Dollar Shave Club with its own subscription model, offering premium blades and better looking handles. Then Gillette clumsily copied the cool kids with it’s own subscription model with more multi-blade cartridges and hideous handles, calling it “Shave Club.”
I was an early adopter of Dollar Shave Club. As a man with limited means and the creator of a blog that explored sartorial stealth and effective living on a budget, DSC offered a brilliant and very affordable solution. But even then, I was always bothered by the waste and the plastic. We get a plastic container of plastic blade cartridges, which all get thrown out at the end of the month. It seems small, but the waste adds up. If I could be one less person contributing to the floating continents of plastic in the ocean, I’d be a happier man.
I wanted to see if I could cut the cost (and the waste) even more. And I did.
The Absence of Mastery in the Era of the “Instabrand”
Over the past decade, the internet and social media have enabled many entrepreneurs to start new businesses very quickly and relatively cheaply. Ventures like this used to require much more time and money than they do now, where we have a saturated market of young clothing, grooming and accessory brands. These young companies, however, often sell a product with a very shallow breadth of understanding, knowledge and appreciation of history and how/why things work the way they work.
Gorgeous Travel Kits from General Knot & Co.
I’ve raved about the exquisite ties and pocket linen from General Knot & Co. here and on social media, but I’ve never mentioned their travel kits. As with everything from General Knot, the dopp kits are all limited edition with the shells made from vintage fabrics. Once a particular pattern/fabric is sold out, it’s gone, making these kits (and their neckwear and hankies) truly unique.
Effective and Affordable Hair Loss Therapy from Revivogen MD
Looking at the genetics on my mom’s side and combing through my own hair at age 45, I have a low probability of any notable hair loss. For a huge percentage of men, however, the opposite is true. And while I’m a fan of guys who buzz or shave their heads, I also understand that a lot of men just aren’t comfortable with that and don’t feel confident with the shape of their head or any of the social insecurities one might feel by having less than a full head of hair. For those guys, there is a terrific, non-invasive, non-prescription, affordable and effective solution: The scalp therapy treatment, shampoo and conditioner from Revivogen MD.
Barbasol Shaving Tips
I love shaving, and I love barbershops. Here in Manhattan, we have a lot of great shops, including Best Barber, my go-to right here in Hell’s Kitchen. Like all good barbershops, they do cuts and shaves.
As I’ve written before, my preferred shave cream is Barbasol, a venerable old affordable classic made right here in the USA. I found myself on their website the other day confirming the existence of a non-aerosol version of their shave cream (It’s confirmed. It exists.), and I came across this great video they produced in 2014 at a barbershop called Old Familiar Barbershop in Columbus, Ohio. The video features shop owner Kenji Prince highlighting how he goes about giving a shave in the fantastic setting of his Old Town East emporium, which also includes haircuts, beard trims, shampoos, shoe shines, marriages and dirty jokes among their services.