Shaving with style - and some fragrant advice from Czech & Speake

You'd have thought that an older man blogging about his search for style would know all about shaving; but I don't. The reality is that most of us start in a rather amateur way in our teens. We experiment, maybe using dad's razor, negotiating the pimples to create such a bloody result that even good friends flinch from close contact. From that point on, for me, shaving became a tedious daily chore. 

A man's shaving heaven from Czech & Speake

The alternative is to grow a beard; something I haven't done since my early twenties, but the idea of a grey grizzle doesn't attract. So, I've recently set out to inject a bit of fun into shaving, trying a brush and exotic shaving soaps, foams, gels, unguents, creams, oils, mousses and products. With your help and suggestions, I'll be exploring these over the next few months. Please get in touch by e-mail or through Twitter and tell me your favourite shaving tips.

I've started with that very English brand, Czech & Speake, purveyors of everything one needs for a stylish and luxury bathroom, by asking for some simple shaving advice. Frank Sawkins, the company's founder, kindly gave me his tips for a perfect shave:

"The basic most important thing about shaving is the razor. This is about the blade and the largest use of razors is in the form of Gillette, who have developed new technology safety razor blades, making it hard for you one to cut yourself.

There is however, a growing interest in the cut throat razor, with barbers popping up all over the place who have adopted the old-fashioned method of preparing the shave almost in the old Turkish manner. The barbers' razors to buy for use at home are both good and very expensive, but obviously one needs to know how to use them. My suggestion is go to the barber for this to avoid doing it oneself for safety reasons!

In order to get the best shave, an emollient is needed in the form of a high quality soap to soften the beard and also prepare it for the shave. There are many different creams on the market but we recommend using a Czech & Speake shaving soap and brush - a good tip for getting in a routine of shaving properly is to have a shower or bath so skin is softened by hot water. All this followed by a light moisturiser or an aftershave if you can bear the 'bite' or aftershave balm".

Excellent simple and straightforward advice; the secrets being hot water and soap to soften the beard and moisturising gel or aftershave to follow.

I'm only just beginning to experiment with fragrances for men - eau de Cologne, aftershaves. I'm told that women like a man to smell (subtly) of a good fragrance, so that is good enough reason for me to experiment. To start, I've tried Czech & Speake's new Spanish Cedar. 

Its smoky cedar smell is described as 'an exotic blend of woods, resin, smoky notes balanced with citrus and piquant notes', which seems pretty accurate. Like most fragrances, it seems strong when first applied, but soon adopts a kinder, more subtle, smoky/orange character. I think it may just have converted me.

Czech & Speake have recently combined their fragrance and bathroom businesses at their store in Pimlico Road, London. See their website here.