For over four years, I’ve been shaving my head daily, starting off with a rotary shaver (Remington RX5) for the first year, before switching to a foil shaver (Babyliss Pro Titanium) for the last three years. The Babyliss was great, but I was starting to get frustrated with the cleaning process after each shave, which can easily add another five minutes to my morning routine.
A few times during that first year of shaving my head, I did try using a double-edge safety razor I bought from a Murdock store in London several years ago. It’s a fairly aggressive razor with a lot of blade exposure, and lots of room for error in terms of the shaving angle, hence I ended up cutting myself in a few places. I still have that razor, but use it mainly for my beard neckline.
I know several guys who have been successfully wet shaving their heads for years, and swear by it. A couple of months ago I started thinking of trying again myself, but wary of using my double-edge razor, I bought myself a pack of four disposable Gillette Sensor 3 razors. They were on offer at the local supermarket, and I felt they were worth a shot.
Head Shaving with the Gillette Sensor 3
My first shave took quite a while, as I was afraid of cutting myself due to the time it takes for shaving nicks on my head to heal. I took it very slow, and shaved against the grain using just water. My hair has always been fine so going against the grain straight away isn’t a big deal, and I’d rather do that than have multiple passes in different directions.
Straight away I noticed a difference. The wet head shaving experience was much more comfortable than using a foil or rotary shaver, and I could feel how smooth the sections of my head were after just one pass with the Sensor 3 blades. For the first few days, I missed bits and had to go over it a few times to make sure it was shaved completely smooth without any stubbly bits, but after that first shave I felt shaving my head with a blade might be the future of head shaving for me.
Each disposable razor lasted seven days before I felt it was time to change to a new one. Over twenty-eight days I used the pack of four razors up, and had only one session where I cut myself in a couple of places while trying to go too fast. Each shave left my head feeling amazingly smooth, and I was delighted. I discovered the experience of shaving my head with a blade is actually enjoyable, without the uncomfortable vibrating buzz of an electric shaver.
Head Shaving with the Gillette Mach 3
After nearly a month of almost trouble-free head shaving with Sensor 3 razors, I decided to try something that involved less waste plastic, and bought myself a Gillette Mach 3, which has a reusable handle. I was nervous about the switch, and worried I was going to have to learn a different technique by changing razors, but thankfully it’s exactly the same, perhaps even easier thanks to the better handle of the Gillette Mach 3.
What I did notice, was that the Mach 3 blade cartridges delivered an even more comfortable shave than the Sensor 3 razors did. I think this is down to an improved lubrication strip on the Mach 3 cartridges, which releases a thin layer of gel with each stroke, and certainly gives me a fantastic head shaving experience. I think there has also been an improvement in terms of closeness, and it seems to be quicker to shave with the Mach 3 too, although that might just be me getting more familiar with the technique of wet shaving my head.
What About Cost?
Having already bought the Babyliss Pro Titanium (at a cost of £75), I was well and truly captured by the sunk cost fallacy, reluctant to throw away the money I had spent on it. However, paying for several sets of replacement foils and cutters (at £36 each), and replacement cleaning brushes (minimal cost), I was starting to discover the financial discomfort of foil shaving that accompanied that annoying vibrating buzz. I know there’s also a similar cost involved with buying disposable razors, but financially they are slightly cheaper than buying new foils and cutters every six months to sustain my daily head shaves.
Of course, the cost isn’t just financial: the environmental impact of all that waste plastic was on my mind from day one of wet shaving my head, and my plan was therefore to learn the ropes with cartridge razors before switching to double-edge razors for the rest of my life as long as I’m physically able. Double-edge blades are vastly cheaper and easier to recycle, and if they’re anything like cartridge blades (allegedly they are far superior), I’ll continue to enjoy a first-class head shave each morning.
The Head Shaving Journey Continues…
Just before writing this post I took the plunge and ordered myself a Henson AL13 aluminium safety razor. I did lots of research and opted for this brand and model because of its alleged mildness, and the design of the head which ensures there’s minimal risk of suffering cuts due to misjudged shaving angles. Aggressive blade exposure and mistakes with the angle have both been issues for me on the few occasions I’ve tried shaving my head with a double-edged safety razor. I’m hoping the Henson AL13 will resolve those issues, or at least mitigate the risk of them recurring in future.
Update: I’ve now written about head shaving with the Henson AL13.
Photo by Richard Sagredo on Unsplash.
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