Tom Hartley
Wet-Shaving Enthusiast & Founder
I spent years dragging a clogged three-blade cartridge across my face, paying a fortune for refills, and assuming the daily burn and the ingrown hairs on my neck were just how shaving felt. Then I tried a safety razor, almost by accident, and it changed how I thought about the whole ritual.
What I couldn’t find back then was honest, practical help. The forums were deep but intimidating, the product pages were selling me something, and nobody explained the simple things plainly: how to hold the razor, how to build a lather that actually protects your skin, how to map the grain of your beard, and how to stop nicking your neck.
Shaving Parlour is the plain-spoken start I never got, built from years of testing razors, soaps, and brushes. A master barber vets the technique. I’m no barber, just someone who fell down this rabbit hole and wants your first month far smoother than mine.
Articles by Tom Hartley
- Alum Block and Styptic Pencil: What Each One Does and How to Use It
- DE Blades Explained: Sharpness, Smoothness, and When to Change Them
- Head Shaving With a Safety Razor: How to Shave Your Scalp by Feel
- How to Get a Close Shave With a Safety Razor
- How to Build a Shaving Lather with a Brush
- How to Care for Your Razor and Brush: Rinsing, Drying, and Storage
- How to Hone a Straight Razor: Whetstone Grits and the Basics
- How to Prevent Ingrown Hairs From Shaving
- How Often Should You Shave? Frequency, Skin Recovery, and Stubble
- How to Prevent Razor Burn: Causes and Fixes
- How to Store and Dry Shaving Soap So It Lasts
- How to Shave With a Straight Razor: Grip, Angle, and Technique
- How to Strop a Straight Razor: Technique, Leather vs Linen, and Common Mistakes
- How to Stop a Shaving Nick Bleeding: Fast Fixes That Work
- Wet Shaving for Men and Women: The Same Tools and Technique on Face, Legs and Body
- How to Use a Safety Razor: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
- Is Wet Shaving Cheaper Than Cartridges? The Real Cost
- Razor Bumps vs Razor Burn: How to Tell Them Apart
- Safety Razors Explained: Aggressiveness, Combs, and How to Choose
- Pre-Shave and Aftershave Explained: Oils, Balms, and Splashes
- Safety Razor vs Cartridge Razor: How They Differ and How to Choose
- Wet Shaving for Sensitive Skin: A Gentler Routine
- Shaving Acne-Prone Skin: How to Shave Around Breakouts Gently
- Shaving Brushes Explained: Badger, Boar, Synthetic, and How to Choose
- How to Shave the Neck and Tricky Areas Without Irritation
- Shaving Soap vs Shaving Cream: How to Choose
- Shaving With the Grain vs Against the Grain: Direction, Closeness, and Irritation
- The Perfect Wet-Shave Routine, Step by Step
- Switching From a Cartridge to a Safety Razor: What to Expect
- Travelling With a Safety Razor: Flying Rules, Cases, and Packing
- Wet-Shaving Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Fix Each One)
- Wet Shaving: A Beginner's Guide to a Closer, Kinder Shave
- Types of Razors Explained: DE, SE, Straight, Shavette, Cartridge, Electric