The only way to shave

Let’s face it, men are the hardest to buy for. I’m always at a loss of what to get my husband, my dad and my brother-in-laws. The usuals–a tie, shirt or sweater–are getting old, and not to mention, kind of useless. Those gifts seem to get pushed into dark corners of a drawer or closet, waiting to make an appearance only when the other stuff starts to look seedy (which could be years from now).

So in a quest to get something useful, I turned to grooming. I’ve always thought the old-fashioned, brush-on shave seems more fitting for the Mad Men generation than today. But I’m determined to find something unusual this season, so I’m hoping I can convince my husband (who embraces shaving with as much enthusiasm as taking out the garbage) to be as dapper as Don Draper. Enter the Art of Shaving Starter Set. It’s basically a two week trial period, complete with a pre-shave oil, shaving cream, brush and after shave balm, that will hopefully transform my sick-of-shaving husband into a grooming guru. Plus, I love the scents–sandalwood, lemon or lavender–though, my guy would probably be more into the unscented set. For $25, it’s a worth a try, and beats the “Oh another tie!” expression. Art of Shaving “The Four Elements of the Perfect Shave”, $25.