How to Use Your Complete Shaving Kit
How to Use Your Complete Shaving Kit
Everything for a proper wet shave, start to finish — from breaking in your badger brush to your first pass with a safety razor.
Everything for a proper wet shave.
Badger Hair Brush
Handmade with natural badger bristles — holds water and builds a rich, warm lather.
Wooden Shaving Bowl
Handmade in the Southern Highlands — where you load the brush and whip up the lather.
Artisan Shaving Soap
Handmade with coconut oil for a thick, slick lather that protects the skin.
Safety Razor + Blades
A double-edge safety razor with a sampler pack of blades to find your favourite.
Wave XL Stand
Holds the brush, bowl and razor so everything drains and dries between shaves.
Your badger brush gets better with use.
Each brush has roughly 20,000 hairs hand-tied into the knot. A couple of things to expect early on.
Give the brush a thorough rinse with warm water before your very first use. It softens, opens up and performs better the more you use it.
You'll lose a few short hairs in the first handful of shaves as they work their way out of the knot. It settles quickly — it's not a fault.
Take it slow the first time.
Preparation
Start with the hottest water your skin comfortably handles — a warm shower is ideal. The heat softens the hair and opens the pores. This is the single biggest thing you can do for a comfortable shave.
Get your tools ready
Rinse the badger brush under warm water and squeeze out the excess — you want it damp, not dripping. Have your soap and bowl ready to go.
Build your lather
Work the damp brush over the soap with a firm back-and-forth motion — not circular. The friction turns the soap into a thick, meringue-like lather. Take your time; good lather is the foundation of the shave.
Apply to your face in circular motions to lift the hairs and work the lather in. Want it thicker? Keep working the soap and add small amounts of water as you go. Full detail in the complete lathering guide.
Shave
- Start with the grain — the direction the hair grows
- Short, confident strokes; both sides of the blade cut
- Keep the same angle as a disposable, but a far lighter touch
- Rinse the razor often to keep the blade clear
Second & third passes
Optional, for a closer shave — and each pass needs fresh lather (your soap has plenty).
- Second pass: across the grain
- Third pass: gently against the grain — this takes practice, so no rush
Finish
Rinse your face with cool water and pat dry. Follow with an aftershave balm or moisturiser if your skin likes it.
Look after it and it lasts for years.
- Rinse the brush thoroughly after every shave — get all the lather out, then hang it bristles-down on the stand for airflow.
- Rinse the razor and shake off the excess water; it sits in the holder at the back of the Wave XL stand.
- Drain any standing water from around the soap — the bowl sits at the base of the stand.
- Let everything dry fully between uses — that's the whole point of the stand.
Your kit comes with a blade sampler. Use it.
Every blade brand feels slightly different — some sharper, some smoother. Give each type a few shaves before you judge it. The blade that suits your skin and hair makes a real difference, and finding it is half the fun.
Quick fixes.
Lather won't form or won't last
Load more soap and work the brush longer before adding water — build the base first, then thin it with small amounts of water.
The razor is nicking or tugging
You're pressing too hard or using too steep an angle. Lighten the touch, let the weight do the work, and make sure the lather is rich underneath.
Skin feels irritated after
Skip the against-the-grain pass while you're learning, re-lather between every pass, and finish with cool water and a balm.
The blade feels rough
Try a different brand from the sampler — blade feel varies a lot, and the right one transforms the shave.
More from the Stuga field guides.
The Double Edge Safety Razor Guide
What you actually need to know — technique, blades, cost and care. No fluff.
Read the guide → TechniqueHow to Lather Shaving Soap
The full method, plus how to rescue a lather that won't behave.
Read the guide → CareCaring for a Badger Brush
Do this and a quality brush lasts a decade. Skip it and it won't.
Read the guide →