Recreate a 1950s shave?

I've been wondering about this and know there will be many of you who could chime in on products and historical relevance.

I have a late 1950s Superspeed. Can't remember the exact year, but let's say 1958. Is it possible to recreate the products that a man in 1958 would use to shave with in current years? What soap or cream would he have used? What brand of blade? What after shave did men use in the late 1950s?

I'm aware that you can get vintage shaving items at different online emporiums, but are there modern equivalents to these products? Are formulations similar to any from the late 1950s?

As a history buff I wonder about this kind of thing. It's fun to think about who owned and used the older razors I have. What were their lives like, etc?

I hope for some good and fun info from all your generous and great TSD folks!

 

I've thought about this also Perry and i'm also curious what they might have used, but i'm quite sure it wasn't as glamorous as our shaves.

 

I bet you're right! Of course people 50-60 years from now will be saying the same of us. So interesting how things change and evolve.

 

Buy an Omega boar bristle brush, a Palmolive (EU) shave stick, and some Swiss Pitralon AS, and there you go.

Not 1950's .... but my granddad used Tabac products for as long as I can remember. So if you want to go classic, that is an option too,
In fact, the Tabac scent brings me back to the barbershop in the small village where I grew up as a kid ... that shop was already old fashioned back then!

 

Carbon steel blade, mint vintage or modern. That'll be the biggest factor for a 1950s feel.

 

I'm thinking Gillette blues.

 

Barbasol canned goo, or vintage Old Spice puck soap for lather. Of course Gillette Blues for blades, any Super Speed for razor. These are some of the things I have looked at to use to recreate a typical shave my father might have used. I fortunately have his 1952 Black Tip, so this question has entered my mind as well. I also have an NOS Made Rite brush or a vintage Marvy#2 boar brush I would use.

 

Tabac soap or Palmolive (or Arko!) stick, Gillette Blue carbon blade, vintage brush (you can still find them - I've got a late 1940's travel boar brush), alum, Floyd AS. One pass shave, sigaret in mouth corner, cuppa Joe within reach, Billy Holiday album on.

 

In the mid 1960 I was in college and wanted to try a mug and brush. Their was so few quality products around I had to order my mug and brush through my barber. Then I made the mistake of using Williams Shaving Soap. I found the cost/work didn't equal benefits and went back to the cans. I am sure some of the geezers of the day had good shaving items, but I never asked.
The Gillettes of the day were great, but man have the blades improved, and we have such a good choice of all the products, thanks the internet ordering and our shaving forum for information.

 

I started shaving in the late 1950's. Typical items used where a Gillette Super Speed razor, a carbon steel blade, Rise SC from a can and Old Spice A/S. You can still get all of that except maybe the Rise SC. Good luck with that. Today's stuff is so much better in my mind

 

Well here goes! I started shaving in 1953, Gem or Pal (the blood letters in my day). Jump forward to 1958. A TTO, a Gillette blue blade, can of Gillette foamy, Skin Bracer or Old spice and that`s just about it. BTW, I was in the Navy in 1958.

Bill

 

Nearly NOS late 50s SOTD. (AVON is mid 60s.)

 

Funny I just did a 50s shave tonight not even realizing it...
54......super speed
Old spice mug and puck
Vintage eveready brush
Old spice AS.

 

Yeah,

This is precisely what I'm doing while juggling other orders and products.

I just bought a replated nickel antique Gillette Superspeed razor circa 1947-1952 and it's still sitting in a package as I wait for my revamped Ever-Ready 150 brush from Razor Emporium and Marconi Ivory razor/brush stand from England to arrive. I already have an 1960's Old Spice shave cup. I just ordered an actual vintage Shulton aftershave/cologne/soap package from Ebay (thanks planofman!).

I've purchased these products to try to recreate a 1950's shave. I will take pictures of my setup. Both containing the Shulton products of old and the Protor & Gamble of new.

I'm about to also order a potential second Old Spice shave cup and a restored/replated satin nickel 1960's Gillette Superspeed Redtip from Razor Emporium.

I'm going to bring sexy back with this setup. (Not that it ever really left. Just needed to be dusted off a bit.)

 

Barbasol. Seriously. It's so fifties...

 

We have all these new products, including carts, because the stuff in the '50's was so inferior but if you insist; I used a Schick Injector (whatever model was in the store, can't remember), Barbasol brushless goop in a tube and Old Spice aftershave; additional equipment included bits of tissue and on rare occasions small bandaids for repairing damage. One pass N to S except sorta E to W or W to E (depending on which side) under nose, lower lip and around chin. Like me, I'm sure many in the '50's had no instruction, we just jumped in and did what seemed right.

 

Ya don't like it, eh?

 

A 50's shave recreation would be Andy Robustelli(NY Giants defensive end)doing his Rise commercial. I remember seeing that as a little boy.

 

All part of the charm.