Lounge Essentials: The Daily "Classic" Shave Routine

One of our classic shave aficionados, The Stone Man, believes that the daily task that men perform can actually be enjoyable when done right. The idea is to use the classic shaving style of our forefathers and the right equipment (double sided safety razor, badger hair brush), creams, and balms. There are no Mach3s or other moisturized strips on his blades - he is no hurry!

These are his recommended steps which can easily become your routine:

• Shower, this will open up the pores
• Then lather up your face and neck with a "pure" badger hair shave brush. We recommend Proraso, Proraso Omega, and Eshu shaving creams.
• Using a double sided safety razor, make 2.5 passes - once With The Grain (WTG), once Across The Grain (XTG) and once - on the neck only, Against the Grain (ATG) but in the opposite direction (remember the neck can be very sensitive, so take it slow
• Rinse off with ice cold water - this serves to close the pores and stop bleeding from any "weepers" (small nicks) that may occur
• Apply a toner - Stone prefers Thayers Lavender 
• Apply an after shave balm - Stone's current go to is Eshu, but whatever you choose remember to keep it alcohol free!  The idea is to moisturize and heal here - not touting one's machismo by applying crap with alcohol in it to a freshly shaved face!

This whole process should take about 15 minutes, although the slower you go,

the more satisfying the experience.  

Resources:

Check out Classic Shaving.com and EMS Place for an excellent variety of shaving equipment - razors, blades, shave cream, after shave balm, etc.  

For shaving info (why, how to, etc.) Badger and Blade and Loungerati's Classic Shave series are terrific resources.

-  The Stone Man

Happy New Year Loungers! Best for 2013!

Buon Capo D'Anno from Loungerati!

Happy New Year Loungers! We enter Loungerati's 7th year with optimism and a renewed vigor. I hope your festivities were successful, safe, and classy. 2012 was a fine year for the team and included such noteworthy highlights as:

• The 1st annual Loungerati Beefsteak Dinner at Maloney & Porcelli for the staff and selected stalwarts of their craft.(pictured)
• Loungerati field trip to London for a visit to award winning watering holes The American Bar at Savoy Hotel and the Artesian at Langham Hotel were the standouts.
• Contributing to Umamimart's Happy Hour for the third year, special nod to the Paystyles, Vanessa, and Kayoko for bringing me into the family.
• Another year of Loungerati curated cocktail menus at the following swank affairs: Sweetheart's Soiree at Bogardus Mansion, The Salon's Silver Screen at Rebel, The Liberty Belle Spectacular July 4th Extravaganza at Empire Hotel, and The Salon's 5th Annual New Year's Eve EVE party at the DL.
• Special acknowledgement and gratitude to the following bar industry pros who stood toe-to-toe and supported us at these events: Eryn Reece, Nino Cirabisi, Kenneth McCoy, Michael Neff, Brian Quinn, and bar staffs at the former Lani Kai, Pouring Ribbons, Silver Lining,The Rum House, and Ward III.
• We look forward the opening of the re-located Milk & Honey, the Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grog, Golden Cadillac, and Attaboy bars in 2013!

As tradition calls for, I leave you with the inspiring words delivered by the Senator, one of Loungerati's founding members, at the first Lounge Summit at the Algonquin Hotel in November 2007:

"We shall drink to the end, we shall drink in the morning, we shall drink in the night, we shall drink in the gutters and the streets, we shall drink in the hills, ... we shall order after dinner drinks and digestifs, no matter what the cost, we shall never throw up, and even if we do, which I do not for a moment believe, we shall boot and rally and make it to the last call!

And so my fellow Loungers, in closing, let the word go forth that the torch has been passed [from] an older generation. Let every dancer, lounger, and barfly know, whether they wish us well or premium, gin or beer, whiskey or soda, that we shall pay any cover, tip any bartender, meet any manager or maestro, in order to assure the survival and the success of the lounge." 

All the best for the New Year!

The Loungerati staff