My Introduction To The Rabbit Hole.

Unfortunately my name isn't Alice, but I am tumbling head over heels down into the dark abyss that is the amazingly, wonderful world of wet shaving.

Just before christmas 2020 I decided I wanted to take my head shave to the next level and go silky smooth bald. I watched hundreds of youTube videos and noticed a lot of people, especially the men were using double edge razors. I was instantly triggered into hyper focus and hit Google for all the info I could find.

There before my eyes, page upon page of websites tailored to wet shaving enthusiasts, a term 5 mins before, I didn't even know existed. I started to open each web page and scan my eyes over what can only be described as works of art. There were so many to choose from! Did I want to go into the whole straight (cut throat) razor world when I had less head shaves than children to my name, um pass. Then there was the sigle edge razor which looked nice but didn't make me want to use it at all. And last but by no means least, we have the double edge safety razor. A razor so called because it has a blade on both sides of it's head. But the real reason I decided to go with a DE safety razor... It was called "Thor's Hammer" and in Odin's name it would be mine.

I start pricing up for what I am going to need, ok so a razor is a must. I sit and scroll and I kid you not on one site alone there were 50 different DE razors. So now my mind is flying off in all directions and I start to try and organise my thoughts. I set myself a budget and looked at the cheaper end of the market, I mean I didn't know if this once going to "My Thing", I could try it and hate it and never want to touch a razor again in my life.

Handle chosen I then move on to blades, seriously what the hell am I seeing? 6 pages dedicated to blades, how am I suposed to know what the hell blades I want? A sharp one I guess. Cue me joining every wet shave group, forum, page and sub I could find. After lots of recommendations I added the blades to my basket.

Next up soap! "Uh not being funny Stephen, but isn't soap just... um, soap"

"Well actually no Dickhead Dave, it's not"

It turns out shaving soap is different, so off I go on a quest for soap. I may have been asking a lot in a soap but it couldn't smell like the shaving soap my grandad used to use back in the day. The scent had to be more subtle, that was the ONLY requirement. This will be a doddle! WRONG! I thought there were a lot of blades but no, that was mearly the kiddie pool at Aqua Funland. The soaps ... well hold on to your hats because we are mid fall now. You have a multitude to choose from. And not only do you have to decide whether you want a soap in a bowl or if you just want the puck to put into your own bowl (don't get me started on the bowls), you have to decide which scent to get and when they are called thing like Arctic Bliss it's not easy... oh and it doesn't end there because as you keep scrolling you find the sample size soaps!! That discovery changes everything you spent the last hour working towards, you can feel the pull of the rabbit hole now can't you. I must of tried to price up 20 different stores and I was becoming overwhelmed so I left it to the Gods of Amazon and typed in "double edge razor kit". I was still met by pages of items but I was able to process the information easier and finally chose my partner.

And without further ado I give you Carrie.

If you had seen me after my first shave with her you would understand the name.

She is made from German Stainless steel and what I'm guessing to be a porcelain handle. She has a sleek curvy handle that is the perfect shape for my hand. She has enough weight to take over the shave but not to much that she runs ahead. The brush appears to be made of badger fur so for this reason I won't be using it but it has the sleek porcelain hadle that gives a comfortable grip and does complete the look of the set. I teamed her with Derby Extra shaving blades and away I went, I lathered up so much soap I looked like a Mr Whippy ice cream. The shave was comfortable and other than a few newbie nics we both emerged victorious from our first outing together. The Carrie reference may have been a bit harsh.

With my scalp still tingling and my eyes newly opened, I venture forward on this bald mission into this amazing world down the rabbit hole.

Don't worry, we're all mad here!