[twitter]At the Dad 2.0 Summit in New Orleans, many brands came with booths to offer products to attendees. AnimalJam brought out alligators and skunks. LEGO had a medal. Cottonnelle offered bum portraits, Lee had jeans, Dove Men+Care brought in a father-son barber team, Kevin and Kevin, to work on the guys over the weekend with old school haircuts and fresh straight razor shaves.

I got in at 830 of the first morning.

It is, without doubt, the best shave a man can get. Not because it’s the closest, my beard was still a little rough around the edges, but because it’s the best.

There’s something magical about ritual. It’s soothing, comforting, and relaxing. Having a straight shave is about ritual.

You lean back in the chair. You close your eyes. And then, you get a facial. There are differing temperatures from the cool balm to the hot towel. There’s the rough sound of the hair being scraped from your face balanced with the smooth, fluffy glide of the cream. There’s the rich, musky smell of man.

It’s why I love pedicures. The ritual. From the hot soak to the massage to the paraffin, it’s a routine in an order that offers comfort. The straight shave is the same sort of experience. A relaxing, soothing 30 minute ritual that turns a daily grooming chore into a exercise in relaxation.

Achievement unlocked.

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