Restoring Self-Esteem with a Shave
Naked Armor
It doesn’t seem like much, but sometimes giving someone a good shave is a humanitarian act that makes all the difference in making someone’s day better.
Published by Naked Armor
Every August 19, the world celebrates World Humanitarian Day.
This August 19, the entire world celebrates World Humanitarian Day. On this day, the United Nation highlights the plight of civilians around the world who have become caught up in conflicts in order to raise awareness and support for its programs on eradicating conflict.
Over 134 million people throughout the world are currently in crisis, either through war or natural disasters and they are in need of humanitarian aid. American development workers, along with their international colleagues, constantly risk their limbs or lives to render aid.
But one doesn’t need to go out of the country to render humanitarian aid.
Because, here in our country, homelessness continues to be a humanitarian issue that is present in our streets.
Homelessness in Our Streets
In California alone, homelessness rose from 12% and 16% from a year ago in the county and city of Los Angeles. Other large counties in California, which has the most people without housing of any state, reported increases in the homeless populations this year despite new spending intended to address the issue. With 129,972 homeless in 2018, California is ranked No. 1 in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti has been quoted as saying that homelessness is “the moral and humanitarian crisis of our time”, and has been working to solve the issue in the county. But the local government can’t do it all alone.
Homelessness continues to be a humanitarian issue that is present in our street.
Doing Your Bit for the Homeless
Obviously, one can’t give away homes to the homeless. But if one wants to do something for them, especially on World Humanitarian Day, do the one thing that will restore their self-esteem.
Give or sponsor a homeless man a shave.
A shave might not seem like a major life-changing event, but it can make a big difference in the way someone sees themselves. For a homeless man, a cut and a shave can do wonders with how he feels because once he starts feeling good about himself, he will have more to look forward to.
Detroit police officer helping a homeless man shave
his face
Photo by: Jill Metiva Schafer
Benefits of Shaving on Mental Health
Even psychologists and mental health researchers agree that shaving can have positive impacts on your mental health.
This is because the act of shaving sets the mind in motion to get better. It helps that we associate it with our childhood memories of our dads shaving in the mornings. It reinforces the brain with positive energy for work.
Our brain also associates a better appearance with success. How we perceive ourselves also influences our moods. We feel good when we look good. Cleaning ourselves up can spark a level of self-care and self-investment which is often lacking among the depressed homeless.
A shave might not seem like a major life-changing event, but it can make a big difference in the way someone sees themselves. For a homeless man, a cut and a shave can do wonders with how he feels because once he starts feeling good about himself, he will have more to look forward to.
— D'Rock, Naked Armor Founder
Shaving is Hygienic
Shaving regularly is also a hygienic way of getting rid of parasites that might be living on unwashed and unruly beards. It’s also a way of removing the dead skin cells on your face so that the skin can breath.
Remember the article that said beards have more bacteria than a dog’s fur? Well, shaving can get rid of that too. A lot of pimples and acne are caused by bacteria build-up. Becoming clean-shaven is one strategy to keep your skin smooth and pimple-free.
Random Shaving Acts of Kindness
That’s why if you google the internet there are many examples of how the simple act of shaving can help a homeless man get on his feet.
You’ve got the story of a police officer helping a man get shaved, and which had the happy ending where the homeless man was able to get a job at a local McDonalds. Or the Aussie barber who gives homeless people a free haircut and shave, making them feel good.
It’s just a small thing but it can do a lot for these homeless people.
So if you’re looking to give a free shaves, we recommend that you pick up a Naked Armor Shavette.
A shavette razor looks like a straight razor in that it could be a folding blade (like a Western style straight razor) or a fixed blade (like the oriental Kamisori straight razor). The only difference? It uses a disposable blade.
This can be really handy since you won’t have to strop the blade. Just swap in a new blade after every shave. Now if you’ve never really tried out a shavette before, it’s really just the same as using a straight razor.
Florica police officer helping a homeless man shave his face in order to apply for a job at McDonalds.
Photo by: Kelly Duvall
Using a Shavette
First, always remember to prep your face by warming it up with a hot moist towel and applying shaving lather to your facial hair.
Hold the shavette very lightly, at a 30-degree angle from your skin. Any degree higher than that, the odds of you nicking yourself become higher.
Start with a sideburn; begin from the top and use small light strokes to go down. To make the shaving area more flat, stretch the skin using your free hand. This will make shaving easier.
Shave by following the cheek down to the jawline, then moving towards the mouth. Use really small strokes and be patient. Once you are done on one side, move on to the other side.
Depending on your preference, you can shave in two to three passes. On the first pass, shave lightly. Apply lather and then shave again. Most skilled straight razor users will often shave against the grain of their facial hair on the second or third pass. For newbies, we recommend that you stick to shaving along the grain until you become more familiar with shaving your face.
Naked Armor's Shavette Straight Razor with a wooden handle that is included in our Lucan Wood Shavette Straight Razor Kit.
Always use an aftershave when you’re done shaving. Not only does it close the pores but it also kills the remaining skin bacteria which can cause acne breakouts.
So there you go. Shaving is easy with a shavette. Go make a homeless man’s day by giving him a free shave.
If you want to check out our other razors, visit our site.
More Shaving Articles to Read
Wet Shaving Tips and Tricks for Men
Your Ultimate Guide to A Military Shave
How to Shave Your Head With A Straight Razor For St.Paddy's Day
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