History of Shaving: Men Have Been Getting Rid of Beards for Hundreds of Years, in Various Ways

The history of shaving is as old as humanity itself. Archaeological finds suggest that men were already removing unwanted facial hair in the Stone Age. Throughout history, however, the full beard was not the only domain of men. For example, a cleanly shaven face was highly fashionable during the reign of Alexander the Great of Macedon in the fourth century BC.

In the past, the full beard dominated among men

Today's men commonly shave with razors or blades, using shaving gels, creams, or foams. Others use an electric shaver or trimmer. Men in ancient history, however, did not have such options and got rid of their beards in various ways. They rubbed them off with pumice stone or plucked them out with shells. Since they did not have the right shaving tool, in most cases the full beard dominated.

The change came with the invention of the straight razor

Around 1740, the first men's straight razor saw the light of day. This invention represented a true revolution in the world of men's shaving. Especially from the mid-19th century, when William Henson made the first straight razor with a handle. His discovery changed the way of holding and controlling the razor during shaving. Thanks to this, the straight razor was used as the basic shaving tool until it was pushed out of popularity by the safety razor.

However, even today, straight razors are among the most effective ways to shave men's beards. If you like tradition and enjoy the ritual of shaving without rushing, a straight razor is the right choice for you. A bull's-eye hit is, for example, quality straight razors from the DOVO Solingen brand, which have both carbon and stainless steel blades and through which you will achieve excellent results.

The safety razor appeared in the second half of the 19th century

In 1880, the safety razor as we know it today first appeared on the American continent. It was a blade fixed in the head of the razor perpendicular to the handle. The first patent for a safety razor was filed by the Kampf brothers from Brooklyn, USA.

Even more famous in this case is the American traveling salesman King Camp Gillette, who patented his safety razor with replaceable blades in 1901. Since then, Gillette safety razors have been sold worldwide by the millions.

Men still use blade safety razors today

Blade safety razors are also popular among men today. These quality wet-shaving razors with replaceable blades are used every day or occasionally. Also very popular among them are classic safety razors, which are ideal for quick daily shaving, not only of the beard but also, for example, of the hair on the head.

Tip: Quality blade safety razors and classic safety razors are offered, for example, by the brands DOVO Solingen, Captain Fawcett, MERKUR Solingen, or Mondial.