The Results Are In: You should be clean shaven in ’17

facial-hair-is-for-losers

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Schick Hydro® and Edge® Shave Gel, but all opinions are my own.

The results are in from a 2016 survey on behalf of Edge Shave Gel and Schick Hydro*, and if you have a mustache, they aren’t pretty.

Did you know that more than half (59%) of Americans, including 69% of Millennials, agree that whether a man has facial hair is a major factor in forming a first impression of him? Which can be particularly damning in the office.

If they were equally qualified for the job, 70% of Americans are more likely to hire a man without facial hair than one with it. Ouch.

Why is that? Because 67% of Americans feel that a clean-shaven guy is more likely to have a larger bank account than a man with facial hair.

Read the rest of this entry »

  

You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for content updates. Also, sign up for our email list for weekly updates and check us out on Google+ as well.

How to Shave: Schick Hydro barber Woody Donahue drops science in NYC

schick-hydro5-paul-eide

I learned more about shaving from pro barber Woody Donahue in two hours than I had in 20-plus years of begrudgingly dragging a razor across my face. Donahue, the official Schick Hydro barber, set up shop at The Carlton Hotel in New York City and gave us the full treatment via hot towel shaves at a showcase event for the new Hydro5 and Edge Shave Gel.

Schick has made a concerted effort to be the most sensitive of razor companies. So sensitive, that in the past I have mused that the Hydro5 has all the sensitivity of a toddler petting a kitten on a pillow with a rainbow in the background, while listening to Richard Marx’s hit power ballad, “Hold Onto the Nights.”

If you’re like me prior to the event, you probably have no idea how great, and how necessary a full shave from a professional is. On top of being surprisingly relaxing (considering a dude has a razor at your jugular), a hot towel treatment at the start gently opens your pores and relaxes your skin.

woody-donahue-schick-paul-eide

Rather than smacking shaving cream on haphazardly and scraping a cold metal blade across your face, the billboard of “You Incorporated,” if you will, there are several aspects necessary for a proper shave, like also making sure the blade has been at least warmed slightly by running it under hot water.

After the hot towel cooled on my face after several minutes, Donahue got to work. The number of dudes I would trust to run a razor across my face and neck can be counted on one hand. But Donahue became one of the few, and easily the best.

Read the rest of this entry »

  

Product Review: Braun Series 5 Electric Shaver

braun_5

If you grew up in the 1950s when the electric shaver was a relatively new technology, a fringe lifestyle choice, how would you feel about how electrics have evolved?

Because to me, the new Braun Series 5 Electric Shaver had everything I look for; it is the net result of 60-plus years of electric shaving “growth” and adaptation.

To find out, I sat down with a 62-year-old man and we went at each other, point/counterpoint style.

62-Year-Old Man Point:

I tried a standard head-on razor early in my shaving career. My beard is thin (I’ll never be confused with my ape-like college roommate affectionately known as “Brillo-Man”) and my skin, baby soft – in a word, sensitive. My dad had a razor like that, and who doesn’t want to imitate his dad? I found his type of shaving experience painful at best. Put simply, I was scared thanks to a painful experience years ago.

34-Year-Old Man Counterpoint:

The new Braun Series 5 Hi Tech 5090cc men’s shaver with “Intelligent Clean and Charge Station” is a far cry from the brutish “Dark Ages” era of shaving in the ’50s.

I opened the packaging and found a sleek head-on razor. I fired it up immediately and it sounded sophisticated – like the hum of a BMW. When I brought it to the underside of my chin, it was outstanding. The head can be moved 10 degrees in either direction for ease of reaching those hard spots. It was effective and not difficult to manipulate. Nothing to be afraid of, sir.

62-Year-Old Man Point:

I liked how easy it was to disassemble the Braun to clean. Popping the head off for cleaning was simple and it all snapped right back into place after. I was impressed because, back in my prime, you couldn’t take an electric apart to clean it.

34-Year-Old Man Counterpoint:

I told you you’d like it, you baby gorilla!

62-Year-Old Man Point:

Take it easy. One thing I was nervous about was the power. Was there enough to get the job done without ripping hair out? Yes, there was. The battery also kept its charge for 10 shaves without recharging, and it never made the telltale sound an electric makes when it’s low on juice.

34-Year-Old Man Counterpoint:

Uh oh, we’re starting to agree; the premise of this review is shot. I liked the power as well, and worth noting, the Braun Series 5 comes with a recharging station and cleaning station underneath. Though you could easily take it apart to clean, as mentioned previously.

62-Year-Old Man Point:

It’s a great electric, but almost too powerful. Most guys wouldn’t appreciate the Series 5’s sophistication or require its technology. One gripe I have is that the cartridges of cleaning fluid last only four weeks under most shaving conditions. It reminds me of that piece of $#!& printer I bought that requires me to have all five cartridges of ink full in order to operate.

34-Year-Old Man Counterpoint:

You know how I know you’re a 62-year-old man? You used the word “gripe.”

For more information, visit the Braun Facebook page or send them a silly hashtag via their Twitter account.

  

Product Review: Schick Quattro Titanium

schick-united-we-shave

For its latest campaign, Schick has taken a direct position against hipster douchebags. And I say it’s high time.

In recent years, the hipster population has exploded in the same way Ted Nugent says the deer population has, because there are no natural predators. Society has embraced these wayward idiots in tight pants with ironic tattoos, such as a flying toaster or a piece of pizza.

But now, Schick has positioned itself as a hipster predator. No, not this guy, but the thought of the original Predator hunting down hipster doofuses in major metropolitan areas the way he hunted down Danny Glover in “Predator 2” does get me a little excited.

The #UnitedWeShave campaign has very simple message: summer is better beardless. And not only is summer better sans beard, but so is America, which is why Schick is recruiting you to “Help Shave the Nation.”

#UnitedWeShave celebrates shaving, urging guys to buck beards and liberate their jawlines. Check out the film:

A beard says, “I’m lost. I’m taking some time out.”

The campaign is so badass, it would be easy to forget how effective the Schick Quattro Titanium is as a razor.

The Quattro features four titanium-coated blades that stay sharp to reduce irritation. A conditioning strip formulated with aloe and jojoba helps provide a smooth shave and coats your skin immediately after you shave your chosen area.

Read the rest of this entry »

  

Panasonic 3-Blade Wet/Dry Shaver

Panasonic 3-Blade Wet/Dry ShaverWith the holiday season around the corner, we’ll all be hearing a lot about electric razors. It’s such an obvious and easy gift for men, and the technology seems to get better every year.

We recently tried out one of the new wet/dry shavers from Panasonic. This electric shaver has a ton of features, starting with the Wet/Dry option. You can Enjoy the convenience of a dry shave or you can use it with foam or gel, in or out of the shower as it’s 100% waterproof. This flexibility is great when you’re giving it as a gift.

The Panasonic features a 3-blade cutting system and 30-degree inner blades featuring Nanotech technology to cut the hair at its base. It features a fast, linear motor operating at 14,000 CPM to cut through the thickest of beards. It performed nicely for us. The multi-fit arc foil follows the contours of your face for efficient coverage and maximum comfort.

It also features a popup trimmer for grooming mustaches and sideburns and comes with a charging stand and holder. Maintenance is easy as it features unique water shutters that allow water to flow freely throughout the head for easy maintenance.

Check it out along with the other men’s shavers at the Panasonic website.