How Often Should I change Blades?

Doubleedge safety razors are simply a gift to man. They make shaving a whole lot easy and take you on your journey to become a professional. As amazing as this may sound, many men complain of the cost of some of these blades. Knowing when to change blades not only guarantees you would always have a good shave, it also helps avoid skin infection. There is no defined time or use frequency to change blades but there are some factors to guide you.

How thick is the hair?

Obviously you would have to consider the thickness of the hair to know if and when blade change is needed. If you continuously use a blade through thick hairs, it would work harder than when cutting sparse hair. Depending on the thickness of the hairs, you may have to change blades after every use. Good quality blades have a lifespan of 3 to 5 service use for low level hairs.

How often do you shave?

If you shave daily or more frequently, it means you would exceed the average service life of blades quicker than other irregular shavers. This is why there life span of blades are more specific to individuals and not a general thing.

How old is the blade?

This follows from the frequency of shaving. If you shave once a week or hoping to shave once in a lifetime, you should understand the age of the blade goes a long way to determine its sharpness. Overtime, especially if not properly kept, these blades become dull. Dull blades would not only give poor shaving, you may end up with skin irritations.

Badger Shaving Brush vs Boar Shaving Brush

Shaving has been in existence for centuries but the shaving brush only came into prominence around the eighteenth century. It was invented by the French and has had several adaptations since its inception. Before the shaving brush, history has it than men used sea sponges to make a good lather. One of the differences in today's shaving brushes is the hair type.

Badger Shaving Brush

The badger hair is the most preferred hair for making shaving brushes. This is mainly due to its properties. There are four major grades of the badger brush. This grade is differentiated by the location of the hair on the badger or where it is taken from the badger. These grades may have different names by manufacturer but the hair source remains the same. The grades include pure, best, super, and silver tip. The least expensive hair source type is the pure badger hair. The silver tip is the most expensive of all of the four grades.

Boar Shaving Brush

Unlike the badger hairs, the boar hair is harder and coarser. For someone with high skin sensitivity, the boar hair may not be so comfortable. The more coarse the hair, the better it would form a good lather. For this reason, the boar hair is greatly appreciated by some men because of its lather forming abilities. It doesn't have much color options as it ranges from yellow to white. There are also few with black bands.

Badger Brush vs Synthetic Brush

The shaving brush is unarguably one of the key components for shaving. Yet the brush is yet to get the prominence it so deserves. No matter how good a shaving cream may be, it takes the power of the shaving brush to create that good lather. When it comes to shaving brushes, there are several choices available for shaving men. This variety is as a result of the difference in material, loft, shape, size, and density. The most distinguishing factor of shaving brush will have to be the hair material.

The badger hair is the best type of hair for shaving brushes. This is because the hair’s intrinsic properties make it ideal for all a shaving brush should represent. The badger hair has excellent water retention abilities and this makes it great in lather formation. The badger hair has bristles that are able to hold and evenly spread lather with little pressure.

Synthetic brush has been around for quite a long time. It is usually the choice for individual that do not want 100% natural hair. The synthetic brush was not a preferred choice because it has problems with proper water retention. Over the years, the brush has been improved to give it a better water retention feature. The brush is usually cheaper than the badger but takes a longer time to hydrate. If you are looking for a great shaving brush, then the badger hair has got no equal. If you are on a low budget, then you may want to settle with the synthetic brush.

How to Form Rich Lather

One of the key things you will need to acquaint yourself with if you are a wet shaver is how to make a good, rich lather. It seems a whole lot easy when thinking about it but in practice, many men just waste the shaving cream and may still not arrive at the desired consistency, richness, and quantity.

Soak Your Badger Brush

Get your shaving mug in place or wherever you hope to form the lather in. Fill with hot water and allow your badger brush to sit in it for a few minutes. This will help loosen the bristles a bit and prep them for what lies ahead.

Shake the Brush

Take out the brush and throw away the hot water from the mug. Shake the badger brush to remove water contents lodged between its bristles.

Take Up the Shaving Cream

Using the wet badger brush, take up your cream with the brush tips. You do not need to apply much pressure as this will bend or break the bristles with time. Take up the cream in a circular motion.

Form Lather in the Mug

The mug should be empty of the hot water that once sat in it. Place the brush with cream on its tips into the mug. Swirl in a circular motion and if there is need for it, add few drops of water. Too much water will prevent good lathering and lead to wastage of the shaving cream.

Apply to Your Face

The lather formed should be thick and rich. Using the same badger shaving brush, gently apply the lather to your face. Once again, application should be done in a circular motion. This will help in evenly spreading the cream onto the beards and also aid the exfoliation process.

Factors You Need to Know About DE Razors

A lot have been said about these double edge razors. As their fame grows, many men are looking to have them. One of the major obstacles they face is being able to know how to select the best double edge razor among the lots of brand out there. Here are few factors to take to heart if you fall into this category.

Weight

When it comes to this category, these razors are divided into two main categories – lightweight and heavyweight. Heavyweight razors are the most preferred because they tend to allow for a closer shave. You don’t need to apply pressure when shaving because the weight of the razor pushes the razor close to the skin.

Handle Length

With this factor comes yet another two categories – classic handle and long handled razor. Both of these have their advantage and are usually chosen with individual preference as a choosing factor. Classic handle is preferable by individuals with small hands while long handle will be ideal for individuals with long hands.

Aggressiveness

This is how sharp the blades are designed. Usually it ranges from mild to intermediate to aggressive. People with sensitive skins are usually advised to settle for the mild or intermediate aggressive razors to avoid getting nicks and cuts while shaving.

Price

Just like any other item you have bought, the price should play a key role in what you should buy. There are cheap, less-expensive, and expensive razors. You just have to get one that fits rightly into your budget. There are some affordable razors that still give quality shave like some of the expensive ones. You just have to do a proper research.

Benefits of Using a Badger Shaving Brush

Wet shaving cannot be complete without the use of a shaving brush. While the type of hair used in the manufacture of these shaving brushes has been up for debate, using a shaving brush has got its advantages.

Forming Good Lather

The goodness of the badger shaving brush is in its properties. The brush is able to retain moisture by trapping them between its bristles. With this ability, it helps it make good lather. This is because as the brush is used to collect the shaving cream, together with its retained moisture, it helps form the lather easily. A good shaving brush should be able to form lather easily, even for a beginner.

Application of Lather

The essence of forming lather is in its application. After forming or preparing the lather in the shaving cup, you would need to apply it to your face or wherever you want to shave. Just like with the forming of the lather, the badger brush will allow for easy application of the lather.

Exfoliation

Regular shaving helps in exfoliating the skin but with a badger brush, you get better exfoliation. Exfoliation is done better with the badger hair because of its design. The badger brush is able to reach within the hair and touch the skin. This allows for easy removal of the dead cell layers on the skin – the principle of exfoliation.

Avoiding Cuts with DE Safety Razors

One of the major concerns people have with DE razors is its aggressiveness. As a matter of fact, the cartridge razor is still in existence because of this fear people have towards the DE razor. While these DE razors give quality shaves, they could also cause cuts and bruises if you don't know how to use it. These razors work best with the principle of angles. This means there is an angle the razor must be held for it to give good cuts. The angle is between 30° to 45° and will require some level of practice and experience to get used to it.

It is for this reason that Vikings Blade razor introduced a feature known as the micro-comb. The micro-comb is fitted in the razor's head. This feature helps prevent accidental cuts while shaving. This is why the Vikings Blade has been able to achieve so much success since its launch. You will be able to get a close, clean shave with any razor having such feature. As a beginner, intermediate, or professional, DE razors designed with a micro-comb will guarantee zero cuts. You should also take time out to get used to the proper angle for shaving.

Care of the Badger Shaving Brush - from experts at Vikings Blade

No doubt the badger hair is the most preferred hair for use in the manufacture of shaving brushes. The badger hair is just like any living animal hair and should be treated as such.

Wash Before First Use

As earlier stated the badger hair is a living hair and have all the properties and characteristics of hairs. For this reason, it tends to come with a smell. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the brush. Just wash it under warm water to get rid of the smell before using it for the first time. Then hang it to dry.

No Need for All that Pressure

Some people are already used to applying much pressure when forming lather or applying the lather on the face. The badger brush comes with properties that makes and holds lather very well. By pushing and applying much pressure to the badger brush, you may end up bending or even breaking its bristles.

Keep Dry When Not in Use

Just like you would treat your own hair, keep the badger shaving brush dry always. Some shaving brushes come with a brush stand. After rinsing off the cream from the brush, hang the badger brush upside down to get rid of all the moisture.

Coping with Ingrown Hair Problem

When hairs are cut too low to the skin, they tend to bend backwards and pierce back through the skin. With time it begins to cause inflammation. This painful skin irritation is known as ingrown hairs. If you are having them more frequently than normal, then you may want to...

Know Your Hair Growth Pattern

The major cause of ingrown hair is shaving against the grain. The pushes the cut hair backwards and then eventually pierces the skin. Familiarize yourself with the growth pattern of your hair and shave with the grain.

Give the Skin a Break

If you have ingrown hair, do not shave for about a day or two. This will give your skin time to heal itself. By running your razor through a skin with ingrown hairs, not only would it be painful, you could further complicate the situation.

Remove the Ingrown Hairs

This is be slightly painful but it can help quicken the healing process. Before you do this, apply warm water to the area to open up the skin pores. Use a clean pincer to locate and pull the ingrown hair out. To avoid any infection, treat and clean with antiseptic when you're done.

Change Blades

With ingrown hairs, you would need new, clean, sharp blades. Avoid using dull blades to shave to prevent further ingrown hairs. Change blades often too and avoid sharing blades.

How to Maintain Your Vikings Blade Shaving Brush

With the recent release of the Vikings Blade Badger shaving brush, shaving experience just got a whole lot more exciting. If you have already purchased the brush, you would want to read these tips to keep the brush maintained to give better service life.

What Is It Made From?

Before you go about maintaining something, you have to know what the construction materials used in designing it is. The brush is made from badger hair. Just like your hair, you should keep it clean always. Badger brushes can have a repugnant smell if not properly treated. Over time, the brush may begin to develop soap residue. To clean this, soak the brush in vinegar solution for some minutes and rinse off.

Use Gently

The badger is the most preferred hair type for shaving brush because of its water retentive properties. Since it can hold sufficient amount of moisture, it will form good lather easily. The bristles have a design that also makes them good for exfoliating the skin while shaving. So with this, you don't necessarily need to apply too much pressure when making and applying the lather. Too much application of pressure can bend or even break the bristles.

Keep It Dry

When you're done with the brush, ensure you keep it dry. After you rinse the lather off, shake the brush to remove water molecules caught between its bristles. Then hang the brush upside down in its stand and leave to dry.

The Fundamentals of Shaving

Before becoming a professional shaver, there are 3 basic things to understand.

Knowledge

Shaving is not rocket science but it is an art. There's a whole lot more to it than just plainly removing hair. People who see it like this are the ones often plagued with cuts, bruises, and other skin irritations. Deciding the level of reduction you want to achieve is usually the first step. Then proceed to wet shaving techniques and get it right. You should know the direction of your hair and shave along with it. If you are not familiar with the direction, leave your hair to grow for a while and carefully observe it.

Shaving Products

There are lots of shaving products available in the market today. The most important wants needed for a good shave include, a good DE razor, shaving creams/soaps/gel, shaving brush, after shaves, etc. While there are expensive shaving products out there, there are some inexpensive ones also. Don't get deceived that the more expensive, the better. There are less expensive products like those offered by Vikings Blade that still provide the same quality as others.

Practice

As we earlier stated, while it is not rocket science, there are many still getting it wrong. Spend time to practice quality shaving. You'll be amazed the degree of chance - positively - you can get when you know how to do it right. There's no shame in admitting you don't know how and learning how to do it effectively. Make shaving is an awesome experience rather than an unbearable chore.

Do Men and Women Shaving Creams Differ?

This is yet another follow up question from the ‘do men and women razors differ?’ While men grooming is often talked about a lot, we tend to forget that women too have hairs on the body that need shaving. So if the same techniques advised to men to shave are to be used by women, then it implies that they too will have similar products or something of the sort, right?

While men and women razors are similar but share a little difference, shaving creams is totally on another level. Basically, men and women have similar shaving creams with only having difference in smell and price. These means other ingredients are basically the same but the fragrance and packaging is somewhat different.

If the only difference is in fragrance besides price, why then are women shaving creams more expensive? This question is still up for debate as different shaving cream manufacturing companies have their reasons for making this difference in price. Whatever the case, these grooming products have the same function in helping to soften hair in preparation for shaving.

Mistakes You’re Making When Shaving

If you are making these mistakes, chances are you are probably frustrated with all those bumps, and skin irritation. Well they have become your best friends because you have been making some shaving mistakes and making them proudly. So we will list out some of these mistakes and hopefully you take a cue as to what you have been doing wrong for some time now.

Shaving Immediately You Get Into the Shower

Understandably you are always in a hurry and would love to kill two birds with a stone - who wouldn’t? It’s a pity you came so close to getting it right but still managed to get it wrong. Getting the hair wet helps make it soft. Soft hair allows the blade to run through the stubble easily and allow for smoother cuts.

Refusing to Lather Up

Dry shaving will not help you in the long run. Unless of course, you have little, shy stubble still hoping to grow out. A good lather helps moisturize, soften, and feed the right protein to the hair. It helps reduce the occurrence of bumps and skin irritations. If you don’t have time to lather, just postpone the shave – it will be worth it eventually.

Refusing to Change Blades on Time

 Even a good razor blade like those on the Vikings Blade has an average service life of 5 shaves. As much as we would all wish longevity on these blades, they are yet to get such powers. You would never understand the punishment you have placed on yourself by using a dull blade until you change to a new, clean blade.

Sharing Blades

You probably love this person you are sharing blades with. You both probably have come to the understanding that there is no better way to show love to one another. Please be adjured by whatever you hold sacred to stop shaving blades with anyone. So many things can actually go wrong with this act. Vikings Blade have cheap blades just about anybody can afford.

Is Using of Pre-Shaves Good?

This argument on the use of pre-shaves has been on since they first came into existence. One side of the argument says it is not necessary because their granddads shave without them and didn’t have many problems. The other side of the argument says they have cuts andirritations without them. One thing both sides of the argument are forgetting or mot taking into consideration is the fact that we all have different types of skins – in terms of sensitivity.

Pre-shaves are usually made in oils, gels, lotions, and cream forms and has unarguably helped men with sensitive skin. While the razor plays an important part in whether a shave will have cuts and irritation, there are some skins that are just too sensitive even for the mildest of blades. Pre-shaves are usually applied to the chin, neck, and upper lip area. The basic idea behind pre-shaves is providing a layer of protection over the skin to check the effect of repeated contact of the razor on the skin.

These pre-shaves contain emollients whose main purpose is to soften the hair. By getting the hairs soften, it is much easier to get a cut and also reduces the number of strokes needed. These emollients also make the hair slippery. This makes it much easier for the razor to move through the skin without much contact. The slippery movement of the razor does not prevent its cutting action. A good razor like the Vikings Blade will be able to deliver a clean, smooth cut even with no matter how slippery the pre-shaves may be. 

Vikings Blade Announces Sale of Its Badger Shaving Brush on Amazon

With its recent launch of its flagship shaving brush, Vikings Blade, have announced the availability of the brush on Amazon. The company has had remarkable success in selling its products on Amazon. Just last year, the company’s DE safety razor recorded an impressive sale on through the Amazon website. Just like its razors, the badger brush will be offered for sale at a very affordable price.

This Vikings Blade badger hair brush offers a significant improvement in feel and quality over other average brushes made from other hair types. Badger hair is known for its amazing intrinsic properties that make it most ideal for use as shaving hair brush. One of such properties would have to do with its incredible water absorbing and retaining characteristics. It is also good for exfoliation purposes because it reaches deep through stubble to peel off dead skin layers. It is also best for the formation and application of lather for shaving.

According to the company, the Vikings Blade Badger shaving brush also offers the same quality provided by other relatively high priced brushes. The company says it is able to achieve and maintain this quality because it is what the company stands for. The brush is said to stand out from other higher priced competition in this regard:

• ·         Handmade with 100% Badger bristles
• ·         Rick looking wooden handle
• ·         Exfoliates the skin and prepares it for a good close shave
• ·         Industry leading bristle quality for amazing lather formation and application
• ·         Durability with greater water retention

Amazon has been a primary focus for most of the company’s marketing channel. The company has enjoyed a lot of reviews and customers satisfaction with its products. The Vikings Blade was recently voted the Best Boutique Seller on Amazon in 2014 and 2015. The company has been able to make its presence known on Amazon’s men grooming section. The badger shaving brush is just an addition to the company’s growing popularity.

The Vikings Blade - A Beautiful Grooming Equipment

The Vikings Blade is exceptionally beautiful grooming equipment. Since I bought and used it, t has become one of my most favorable shaving tools. While there is much to love about the razor, I do have a little bit of preferences. In a time when good DE razors were almost slowing becoming a luxury item to buy and maintain, I was super shocked that Vikings Blade could offer a product with great shaving power at such a low price. As it that wasn’t enough, it came with 5 unbranded blades just to keep you started. Buying more blades is as affordable as they get.

It is a heavyweight razor and gives the razor a very good grip. Although I would have preferred it if it was long handled, especially because I have big hands, I eventually got used to its classic handle. Shaving is now a fun experience for me as I can’t wait to see the VB clean up all the stubble on my face like it was nothing.  If you have sensitive skin or you don’t know why you cannot shave without a cut, then you should give the Vikings Blade a try. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to change razors. I’m certain you would enjoy the VB just like I am doing. 

Shaving Against the Grain

When it comes to effective shaving, many hair professionals always advise that men shave with the grain. As a matter of fact, shaving against the grain (ATG as it is sometimes called) is considered a taboo in some circles. This is because ATG is known to cause ingrown hairs and other skin irritations. If you have never had any of those, you probably will not understand the frustration and pain they accompanies them.

As important and good as shaving with the grain, we often see that sometimes the razor is unable to get in good proximity with the hairs. This sometimes makes shaving some areas of the body difficult. Sometimes we are left with left over stubble. To even proceed with shaving with the grain, you would have to know for sure the direction of your hair growth.

You can achieve this by rubbing your hand gently on the skin. If you can't get a good feel of it, you can make use of your credit card. Shaving ATG allows us to shave those difficult areas we just wrote about. So how do you avoid ingrown hairs and irritation if you want to attempt shaving ATG? First thing to do is to get the hair wet. Keep the hairs hydrated for about 3 minutes before applying a shaving gel or cream.

Together with shaving with a good DE razor like the Vikings Blade, you should be able to avoid cuts, ingrown hairs and irritation when shaving ATG. Do not attempt shaving ATG just like that. Begin with shaving with the grain before trying to switch direction.

Effecting Blade Changes on Time: Achieving the Best of Shaves

There are some people that just seem to have naturally well groomed shaved hair. Sometimes we often wonder if they are the god of shaving or a distant descendant of the god. There is nothing so mystical about having a clean, smooth shave. More often than not, the quality of the razor and the techniques employed plays an important role. Then there is still one major thing many men out there take for granted; knowing just when to change the blades.

Today’s double edge razor blades are often manufactured with sharpness as a major requirement, a blade like the Vikings Blade often come with extra ultra-sharpblades that can guarantee an average of 5 shaves before being discarded. Many men fail to get the right shave because they use blades that are dull. In trying not to spend much on replacing blades, they end up with cuts and bumps and spend money buying creams to stop a problem they could easily have prevented.

If you are looking at your pockets and settling for dull blades, you would be doing yourself a whole lot worse than good. There are less expensive double edge razors that offer quality shaves and even provide extra blades for your shaving experience. Invest in these kinds of razors so you do not have to compromise on blade quality because you are trying to save up on cash.

Understanding the Badger Brush Knot

Badger brush is the most preferred choice for use as a shaving brush. This has got to do with its properties and natural makeup. When badger brush knots are being discussed, these are some things that should be taken note of.

Badger brush tips

This is one way to check for the quality of your badger brush. A good quality badger brush will have the natural tips of the bristle. As a result of this, the tips will feel softer. When dealing with cheaper, inferior badger brushes, they usually have their bristle tips clipped and trimmed into a desirable shape. Such brushes have harsher edges than their natural high quality counterparts.

Brush knot density

Usually the denser the knots of a badger brush, the more it would be able to retain water and lather creams or soap effectively. Although in some few cases, a dense knot could act as lather hogs.

Machine or hand made

Badger brushes are either handmade or machine made. Machine made badger brushes usually have issues like clipped ends, excessive shedding of bristles, and poor knot density. As a result of this, they're usually cheaper to buy than handmade types. Handmade types usually do not have these issues.

Knot size

The knot will feel a whole lot firmer in the face if the knot is larger. Larger knots are formed by accumulating more badger hair. Obviously, this would make a badger brush with a large knot size more expensive.

How to Shave Sensitive Skin Delicately

Sensitive skin is no myth. There are people with sensitive skin who are easily prone to skin irritation with every shave. For them, the act of shaving alone is tormenting but it doesn't always have to be so. Try these steps if you have got sensitive skin.

Prep Your Skin

If this step could be repeated twice, it'd be better. Prepping your skin entails getting it wet and soft. Dry hair is hard and will tug on your sensitive skin if not softened. Either rinse hair area with warm water or just go take a shower. Allow skin stay wet for about 2 minutes before attempting to shave.

Use Shaving Cream

Prepping with water is just the first step to softening your hair. Shaving creams not only soften the hair, it moisturizes it by providing necessary proteins. Just like in the case of water, allow the shaving creams to sit for about 2 minutes before attempting to shave.

Exfoliate often

Dead skin can trap ingrown hairs and cause razor burns. Exfoliating helps remove these dead skin cells. Ensure you exfoliate once or twice in a week.

Allow hair to grow

You have a sensitive skin and cannot afford the luxury and perks of everyday shaving. Allow your hair grow a little before shaving. When you are not shaving, ensure you keep your skin and hair moisturized to keep them soft. With time, your hair will lose its natural dryness that causes razor burns when you shave.