Getting shaved with a straight razor by your personal barber is an experience imbued with masculinity and often reserved for mobsters in movies. While I’m no crime lord, my wife recently arranged for me to have a traditional shave at The Art of Shaving. After all, even though I work from home, I appreciate the look and feel of a good shave as much as any guy.

The Art of Shaving was started in New York by aromatherapist/cosmetic specialist Myriam Zaoui and businessman Eric Malka in 1995. Using her knowledge of botanical ingredients and essential oils, Myriam created a special pre-shave oil to help prepare Eric’s sensitive skin for his own daily shave. This pre-shave oil turned out to not only condition and protect his skin; it also enhanced the quality of the shave itself and eventually became the foundational ingredient of The Art of Shaving’s 4 Elements of the Perfect Shave.

This 4-step shaving process was based on the notion that because a man will shave more than 20,000 times in his lifetime, the quality and care of both the shaving process and the ingredients he uses will greatly effect the condition and appearance of his skin. In addition to their foundational pre-shave oil, Myriam and Eric created a full line of grooming products to round out the perfect shave including glycerin-based shaving cream and alcohol-free aftershave balm. These products are available in three different scents: Lavender, Lemon, and my favorite - Sandalwood, as well as a hypoallergenic unscented option.

In addition to the traditional shave, my wife gave me a Sandalwood shaving kit which combines the pre-shave gel, shaving cream, and aftershave balm with a genuine badger brush for lathering and applying the shaving cream. While you can purchase these items individually, the kits are a tremendous value and are offered at a variety of sizes and price points ($25, $50, and $100). In addition, if you spend over $100, you receive a free unscented starter kit which you can use on the road or give to a friend or family member. This is a nice way to upgrade your brother’s or friend’s shave. The Art of Shaving also offers supplemental, specialized products including ingrown hair treatments, skin care, hair care, fragrances, and The Perfect Shave for Women.

The Art of Shaving also offers a decent selection of razors and shaving brushes in both their stores and online, including a few exclusive models created by Gilette and The Art of Shaving. However, I have found many of their other razors, including both safety razors and straight razors, and shaving brushes on other websites for better prices. Both Classic Shaving and Best Grooming Tools have a great selection of similar or identical razors as those offered by The Art of Shaving. By purchasing from these sites, you may save a few dollars, but you will forgo the free ($25 value) Art of Shaving starter kit and, in some cases, a free shave.

If you find yourself in a city that boasts an Art of Shaving store, do yourself a favor and stop by. If not, check out The Art of Shaving website. After all, even the most masculine spa-phobic guy appreciates a good shave. While their prices on razors and brushes may be above that of online-only retailers, their own line of shaving products is available in a wide range of scents and kit sizes sure to please any nose and satisfy any budget. And if you spend over $100, your purchase will be upgraded with an extra item or two. If you are interested in upgrading your shave (or your guy’s), The Art of Shaving delivers on their goal to bring art and passion to a daily routine.