Close shave

I’d like to take this opportunity to extol the joys of the pre-shave exfoliating mask. It’s an experience that I believe is little known and hence thoroughly under-utilized. Yes, I realize that masking (or at least admitting to it) is somewhat taboo amongst non-metro straight men. But masks need no longer be linked to the potentially disconcerting image of yourself in a bubble bath with cucumbers over your eyes.

Back in the day, when real men wore fedoras, they would often start their days with a trip to the local barber shop where they would receive an expert shave with a manly, no-frills straight-razor. The barber would prepare the customers’ skin by wrapping it in a piping hot towel for several minutes before applying shave lather with a thick bristled brush. The heat opened up the pores while the massaging of the brush’s badger hair served to loosen up the dead skin covering the hair shafts.

Nowadays the elegance and function of that pre-shave ritual can be experienced in the comfort of your own bathroom (or if you are in a rush, in the kitchen while you make coffee…) with a simple mask. (My personal favorites are Exfoliating Fruit Enzyme Mask and Intensive Resurfacing Peel). In fact, high quality masks are a great improvement on the towel and brush method. While they also prepare the skin for an excellent shave, good masks have a variety of additional benefits. Many will provide an antibacterial effect to prevent folliculitis, and infuse your skin with intense hydration, soothing ingredients and healthy antioxidants. In addition to supporting a smooth shave, a mask can therefore have the added benefits of evening skin tone, moisturizing, clearing pores and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

I realize some of you may be harboring some reluctance to the experience, but for all of you uninitiated out there, trust me. Try it out. You’ll be glad you did.