Thoughts on my son shaving...

[Jaybyrd]

My son wanted to shave electric initially, but when push came to shove he said at dinner he wanted to do it like me (not me helping him but like me!). With the help of B&B brother Mitch reached out and gave my son a Gillette Slim for his 16th birthday. I supplied soap, brush and blade. And off he went. Never looked back.

I gave some small hints and tricks, but he mostly just watched the same videos I did in the beginning.

Some casual approaching is ok but no direct questions or hints (mine was in full teenage puberty mode at the time) and see what he wants.

Cheers,

Guido

That's a great idea! Maybe I will get him a wet shaving setup as a gift then if he doesn't take to it, I get to keep it for me haha. But in all seriousness, if I got him setup and offered help if needed or told him to watch YouTube he might be more into it.
Thank you all for contributing.

 

[Merchant Seaman Z]

Yea, I’m currently assisting my 16yr daughter. She has expressed an interest So I have her a TTO long handle and 20 GSB’s to start. Said there is a slight learning cure involved. The razor head doesn’t move, don’t press hard and don’t rush, but you will get a better longer lasting shave. And gave some DE shaving advice also. Now the wait begins.

 

[lak611]

Yea, I’m currently assisting my 16yr daughter. She has expressed an interest So I have her a TTO long handle and 20 GSB’s to start. Said there is a slight learning cure involved. The razor head doesn’t move, don’t press hard and don’t rush, but you will get a better longer lasting shave. And gave some DE shaving advice also. Now the wait begins.

I wish I would have known about DE shaving when I was a teenage girl. My mom used cartridge razors, and my dad used an electric shaver. I suffered with cartridge razors until my late 40s but then saw some wet shaving YouTube videos by women and made the switch. I've come to enjoy shaving now and especially love trying new soaps and aftershaves. I don't have any kids, but I think perhaps letting kids try out samples of soaps and aftershaves might be a good way to introduce them to wet shaving.

 

[Jaybyrd]

I wish I would have known about DE shaving when I was a teenage girl. My mom used cartridge razors, and my dad used an electric shaver. I suffered with cartridge razors until my late 40s but then saw some wet shaving YouTube videos by women and made the switch. I've come to enjoy shaving now and especially love trying new soaps and aftershaves. I don't have any kids, but I think perhaps letting kids try out samples of soaps and aftershaves might be a good way to introduce them to wet shaving.

Same for me, I just learned about it this year. If I had a ton of money I would advertise wet shaving because it's a hidden gem for many of us here in the States. Not sure about overseas, is wet shaving particularly huge in other parts of the world?
My son was intrigued with a couple new soaps and aftershaves I recently got. He really liked the art work then smelled them and was totally into it. I will post about his first shave when the time comes, he's made some comments that he wants to try it then says nevermind so I will wait it out...no pressure - pun intended

 

[rudygu]

I don't have kids, but I see no harm in saying:

Hey son, looks like you're getting some hair on your face...let me know if you want to explore traditional wet shaving with me.

A father should be able to approach his son without worry.

Some casual approaching is ok but no direct questions or hints (mine was in full teenage puberty mode at the time) and see what he wants.

I went about it similarly to these suggestions. My son is 17 now and has been shaving since he was 15, I believe. I asked him if he was interested in shaving but made sure he understood I was fine with it if he wanted to wait. He said he did, so I got him a Phillips One Blade electric, he used that every day for a few months and eventually expressed to me that he wanted something more effective. At that point, I had him scope out various artisan soaps with me online, and he was quite taken with the Noble Otter artwork. He picked one out, and I added a Gillette Guard and a couple of packs of refill blades for it to the order. When it came in, I gave it to him along with an Omega S brush I wasn't using, a tube of Cremo in case he didn't like the brush and soap, Nivea balm, and Nivea vanilla bourbon splash. I showed him how to load the soap onto the brush and face lather and left him to it. Told him to use what he liked and let me know if he needed help. He went on like that for a good long while, shaving every day with the Noble Otter, S brush, and following it up with the splash sometimes. The cremo and balm were unopened for over a year until I took them. Last fall, I asked him if he'd like to try out anything new, and he said he did. I let him try my Henson mild and told him I'd get him one if he liked it - he hated it, and he didn't like DE blades in general. He was worried he'd cut himself dealing with them and assembling it all. I helped him with it, but it just wasn't for him, so I picked up a supply SE. The fins on the head make it look and function very similarly to the Guard, so he is comfortable with it right off the bat. Also, he appreciated the injector loading system.

At this point, he's gone through 3 tubs of different Noble Otter soaps, but it still hasn't quite used up the first bottle of Nivea Splash and has zero interest in any of my brushes other than that S brush. He's on his second dispenser of injector blades and has happily settled into using 1 blade per week shaving daily.

 

[Jaybyrd]

I went about it similarly to these suggestions. My son is 17 now and has been shaving since he was 15, I believe. I asked him if he was interested in shaving but made sure he understood I was fine with it if he wanted to wait. He said he did, so I got him a Phillips One Blade electric, he used that every day for a few months and eventually expressed to me that he wanted something more effective. At that point, I had him scope out various artisan soaps with me online, and he was quite taken with the Noble Otter artwork. He picked one out, and I added a Gillette Guard and a couple of packs of refill blades for it to the order. When it came in, I gave it to him along with an Omega S brush I wasn't using, a tube of Cremo in case he didn't like the brush and soap, Nivea balm, and Nivea vanilla bourbon splash. I showed him how to load the soap onto the brush and face lather and left him to it. Told him to use what he liked and let me know if he needed help. He went on like that for a good long while, shaving every day with the Noble Otter, S brush, and following it up with the splash sometimes. The cremo and balm were unopened for over a year until I took them. Last fall, I asked him if he'd like to try out anything new, and he said he did. I let him try my Henson mild and told him I'd get him one if he liked it - he hated it, and he didn't like DE blades in general. He was worried he'd cut himself dealing with them and assembling it all. I helped him with it, but it just wasn't for him, so I picked up a supply SE. The fins on the head make it look and function very similarly to the Guard, so he is comfortable with it right off the bat. Also, he appreciated the injector loading system.

At this point, he's gone through 3 tubs of different Noble Otter soaps, but it still hasn't quite used up the first bottle of Nivea Splash and has zero interest in any of my brushes other than that S brush. He's on his second dispenser of injector blades and has happily settled into using 1 blade per week shaving daily.

Very cool. Sounds like a good experience overall, he learned what he liked by trying it. I haven't used a Supply SE but a good thought for sure. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Guido75]

He was worried he'd cut himself dealing with them and assembling it all.

Mine is not worried about cutting himself, but cleaning isn’t his thing either - so every once in a while I can satisfy my OCD when he is in the gym. I give the Slim a quick clean and everyone is happy

 

[rudygu]

Mine is not worried about cutting himself, but cleaning isn’t his thing either - so every once in a while I can satisfy my OCD when he is in the gym. I give the Slim a quick clean and everyone is happy

Lol, yep, same here.

 

[Merchant Seaman Z]

I wish I would have known about DE shaving when I was a teenage girl. My mom used cartridge razors, and my dad used an electric shaver. I suffered with cartridge razors until my late 40s but then saw some wet shaving YouTube videos by women and made the switch. I've come to enjoy shaving now and especially love trying new soaps and aftershaves. I don't have any kids, but I think perhaps letting kids try out samples of soaps and aftershaves might be a good way to introduce them to wet shaving.

It’s the only way both and wife have seen me shave since ‘10. If they want to ask questions or try when both are old enough. I can show them the door, but they have to open it. The wife tried it for a few weeks years ago, But since has graduated to waxing… ”everything”…