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Getting to the Core Values of the Wet Shaver

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I recently wrote an article about the Core Values of a Wet Shaver on my website, which seemed to get a lot of positive attention in the wet shave community.   As my web traffic skyrocketed and social media notifications started blowing up, I knew this article tapped into something much deeper than the words as written.  Through the community, the article was shared to various social channels including Facebook private groups, pages and Reddit.   I thought I would shed some background on how this article came to be.

My Story

For myself, I entered the wet shaving journey on the value of Frugality.  Striving for a way to cut costs, get a decent shave and avoid my dreaded electric razor.  I now realize that frugality was just the catalyst to this journey.   As I fell down the proverbial rabbit hole, I instantly fell in love with experimenting and trying different combinations of soap, blades, brushes, all while looking to unlock the perfect combination.  As time went on, I realized that more than looking for a cost effective shave, I was on a path to Mastery.

Background On The Article

When looking to uncover the core values of wet shavers, I considered both my personal experiences and those of the new wet shavers I’ve met through my business.  I wanted to uncover the motivating characteristics and behaviors that attracted people to wet shaving, other than the obvious benefits such as cost effective and irritation free shaves.  I thought to myself, we have core values in the corporate world, why don’t we have them in the wet shaving world?  After a quick Google search, I realized there wasn’t much out there.
Learn, Unlearn and Relearn:  Through my interactions, getting to see things from a new wet shaver’s perspective is so insightful and refreshing.  Connecting with people new in the game is helping me unlearn and relearn and look at things from fresh eyes.
I provide introduction to wet shaving classes in my community [Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada].   From day one, I immediately noticed similarities between the profiles and personas of people that were interested in such a class.

So What Are The Core Values?

Infographic The Core Values of a Wet Shaver
Frugality:  Wet shavers like to save a dollar and the cost savings aspect draws many people to it.
Quality:  Many aren’t afraid to invest in quality or a piece that will last them a lifetime.
Recyclability:  Whether you choose a safety razor or a straight razor, recyclability is important.
Community:  Let’s face it, wet shavers love to share knowledge, gear and opinions.  They are a passionate community that wants to elevate and help each other.
Nostalgia:  The preservation of the past through old techniques and classic gear is another important value to some.
Collectors:  Next time you meet a wet shaver, ask them what else they collect other than shave gear.
Focused Intensity:  When someone gets into wet shaving, they REALLY get into it.

What I Learned After Publishing The Post

After I published the article, I had a few seasoned wet shavers completely laugh at Frugality, which I know made a few immediately quit reading.  I’m assuming this is because they haven’t been frugal with wet shaving and have fallen into the rabbit hole of acquisition and spending.  But I’m willing to bet that the cost of cartridges was a key factor in the initial switch for many shavers.  I’m making a bold assumption here, but I bet some of those people are frugal in other aspects of their lives.  Again, not every value will resonate with the masses.
In other discussion, some other values were suggested such as:
Preservation of Legacy:  I think this was captured in Nostalgia, but I think this one deserves an honorable mention.  Legacy can run deep or some people, especially those that use/have an heirloom piece from a distant relative.
Hedonism:  The pleasure of the journey, processes and of course the scents and smells.  While this may not align for everyone, as wet shaving for some may be more about hair removal rather than sensual self-indulgence, it may resonate with those on the pursuit of pleasure.   Taking the time can serve as a stress reducer before they go to a busy and stressful day at work.
How it Makes Me Feel (AKA The Why?):  A few commented on the fact that wet shaving was more about how it made them feel inside, rather than hair removal.  Example:  A wrist watch at a basic level is a time keeping mechanism, but many wear a watch because it makes them feel good and/or defines their personal sense of style.
Slow Wet Shaving:  Much like the slow food or slow fashion movement, wet shaving is about being more purposeful and tactile.   I think this one overlaps with Intentionality, but it was worth a mention.
Neat and Tidy:  The value of staying well groomed, came up here and there, which seems like an obvious one now!

Summary

What I realized is that this article served as a great topic for a deeper discussion amongst wet shavers.  I hope that these values remain fluid and evolve as more and more people discover wet shaving or go deeper with their journey.

 

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