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How do you shave (your face)??
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I've always been shaving against the grain. I use the sensor excel with the sensor 3 refills, although I have been using my old schick diamond fx (which they don't make anymore, but i actually had a couple unused blades sitting around for a few years and said "what the hell").
Some people shave right after they shower, but I'm the opposite. The key is to wash your face from the dirt and oils and then just rinse your beard with hot water for a couple of minutes to soften the whiskers. Then just apply a good shaving cream--I use Edge Advantage--and have at it.
Never rush, take your time, and go lightly--don't press the blade to hard against your skin!
BTW, disposables aren't that bad. Gillette Good Times were the bomb for me when I was on a tight budget.
Some people shave right after they shower, but I'm the opposite. The key is to wash your face from the dirt and oils and then just rinse your beard with hot water for a couple of minutes to soften the whiskers. Then just apply a good shaving cream--I use Edge Advantage--and have at it.
Never rush, take your time, and go lightly--don't press the blade to hard against your skin!
BTW, disposables aren't that bad. Gillette Good Times were the bomb for me when I was on a tight budget.
i shave before i hit the shower. my hair grow in different directions so anyway i can is the best way. i dont cut myself much though....im good
Bless
Bless
Shaving
I picked up a 3 dollar electric from Wally World to use in the car on the way to work. Otherwise, I use a Schick Quattro with Qillette shaving cream for a close shave, or a Norelco cordless when I just need to clean up a little. I do enjoy allowing unfettered growth appear, and just letting the jungle grow wild, though.
I picked up a 3 dollar electric from Wally World to use in the car on the way to work. Otherwise, I use a Schick Quattro with Qillette shaving cream for a close shave, or a Norelco cordless when I just need to clean up a little. I do enjoy allowing unfettered growth appear, and just letting the jungle grow wild, though.
Best way I've found is actually shaving in the shower.
Get a steam resistant mirror & you get a great shave with your pores open the whole time & water soothing your face.
As for technique, my beard grows in all directions, and is as course as a wire brush, so I wash the hair through to soften it, lather up, shave once all the way round going strictly with the grain and along the jawline from ear to chin on both sides...
Then lather up again with a thinner layer so you can see more of what you're doing, and shave round agin, this time only going against the grain.
Seems like a long winded process, but it's not really. Once with the grain, once against, clean & lather inbetween.
I was told that by a barber & collector of antique cutthroat razors many years ago, and time providing, it's what I always do for a great shave.
Then make Yo Woman purr by applying a layer of King Of Shaves cooling post balm...K-BLM. A guaranteed knicker loosener.....
Get a steam resistant mirror & you get a great shave with your pores open the whole time & water soothing your face.
As for technique, my beard grows in all directions, and is as course as a wire brush, so I wash the hair through to soften it, lather up, shave once all the way round going strictly with the grain and along the jawline from ear to chin on both sides...
Then lather up again with a thinner layer so you can see more of what you're doing, and shave round agin, this time only going against the grain.
Seems like a long winded process, but it's not really. Once with the grain, once against, clean & lather inbetween.
I was told that by a barber & collector of antique cutthroat razors many years ago, and time providing, it's what I always do for a great shave.
Then make Yo Woman purr by applying a layer of King Of Shaves cooling post balm...K-BLM. A guaranteed knicker loosener.....
clippers
I use electiric clippers originally designed for use on horses, but the principle is the same as using a beard trimmer on an electric razor -- just the horse clippers are way more durable (same blades for over three years!). I've tried electric razors costing between 100 + 400 dollars, and blades of all ilk, and still got rashes and burn and generally looked like crap -- although ya I was clean shaven. The clippers leave what amounts to an ongoing 5 o'clock shadow, but at least my skin is clear. My beard is light and fair coloured so I don't know that anyone really notices anyway.
I'd rather use a blade but to date nothing has worked. If anyone has any tips for SERIOUSLY sensitive skin please feel free to share. Lots of interesting tips here though, e.g. the Proraso, which I'd never heard of.
I use electiric clippers originally designed for use on horses, but the principle is the same as using a beard trimmer on an electric razor -- just the horse clippers are way more durable (same blades for over three years!). I've tried electric razors costing between 100 + 400 dollars, and blades of all ilk, and still got rashes and burn and generally looked like crap -- although ya I was clean shaven. The clippers leave what amounts to an ongoing 5 o'clock shadow, but at least my skin is clear. My beard is light and fair coloured so I don't know that anyone really notices anyway.
I'd rather use a blade but to date nothing has worked. If anyone has any tips for SERIOUSLY sensitive skin please feel free to share. Lots of interesting tips here though, e.g. the Proraso, which I'd never heard of.
Pff, you're all wussies. I use a lightsaber and hydrochloric acid.CubaTBird said:i shave in some back alley at 3 am in the morning only with a piece of broken glass and a puddle of water to comfort me..
I shave against the grain. It's kinda weird, but I like shaving for some reason. I usually shave right before a shower, wet, with a razor.
I shave against the grain for closeness but suffer all the time with ingrown hairs which is getting really, really annoying!
However, some top stuff I've gotten into using recently is Khiels shave creme and Tend Skin, two magic products.
I've also found that letting your beard grow as long as it can inbetween shaves helps. Unless I have a meeting during the week, I can get away with just shaving on Monday mornings so it further limits irritation.
Oh, and Mach3 all the way. Elecs don't get anywhere near close enough.
However, some top stuff I've gotten into using recently is Khiels shave creme and Tend Skin, two magic products.
I've also found that letting your beard grow as long as it can inbetween shaves helps. Unless I have a meeting during the week, I can get away with just shaving on Monday mornings so it further limits irritation.
Oh, and Mach3 all the way. Elecs don't get anywhere near close enough.
That's pretty much how I do it. I generally have a shower, put gel on, leave it about a min. Shave with it, then shave against it 1-2 times, I don't always need more gel. It works wondersJovian9 said:
BTW. Electric ones never shave as close, but they do cost more
Wait!, that's not a good thing! 
Whew...
Saw the title of this thread and though maybe this one had been resurrected:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/147106/
Anyway...I use an electric, but there are certain parts of my face where it doesn't work too well, and sometimes I end up using a razor for those parts.
Saw the title of this thread and though maybe this one had been resurrected:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/147106/
Anyway...I use an electric, but there are certain parts of my face where it doesn't work too well, and sometimes I end up using a razor for those parts.
in the shower
Mach 3
Gillette foam
daily...if I skip a day, the next shave is really close
Down on the upper half, up on the neck. But then I have to go over the neck a few times in different directions to get the crazy hairs.
Mach 3
Gillette foam
daily...if I skip a day, the next shave is really close
Down on the upper half, up on the neck. But then I have to go over the neck a few times in different directions to get the crazy hairs.
The rule to "not shave against the grain" is ment for you. If you don't have problems with ingrown hair, shave any way you like. If you do get ingrown hairs occasionally, it can help to always shave with the grain.AlBDamned said:
I expect the whole point to shaving with the grain is to not get the closest shave possible as this increases the risk of ingrown hairs.
I use a Mach 3 (still not my favorite), Barbasol shave cream (I hate gels), and against the grain except for my mustache; I have to go with the grain first, then against. Otherwise it feels like my lip is going to rip off. I usually do it before a shower so I don't have to worry about rinsing my face afterwards.
I've tried electric shavers before, and they definitely don't get close enough (I have dark brown hair), and always irritates my neck.
I would love to use a straight-edge. I hear it's the best way to shave, and then I can say I come *this* close to death every day
I'll probably wait until I can afford a really nice set to experiment with.
I've tried electric shavers before, and they definitely don't get close enough (I have dark brown hair), and always irritates my neck.
I would love to use a straight-edge. I hear it's the best way to shave, and then I can say I come *this* close to death every day
I'll probably wait until I can afford a really nice set to experiment with.
gekko513 said:
believe it or not gekko, the point of a non-close shave and not getting in-grown hairs has only really dawned on me reading this thread
.It makes sense that the less close the shave, the less chance a hair will have of getting caught under freshly shaved, healing skin.
The problem is, a non-close shave just looks and feels so bad, but not so bad as an in-grown hair I guess.
I'll try it.
wow this thread is a blast from the past......
well i use a mach 3 vibrating thing. i think it is quite good. i tend to shave as little as possible as it gets on my nerves (so about once every 4 days - but im prettty hairy then! - im a student its allowed)
oh and against the grain under the jaw - clears the hard to get areas. nothing worse than missing a bit
well i use a mach 3 vibrating thing. i think it is quite good. i tend to shave as little as possible as it gets on my nerves (so about once every 4 days - but im prettty hairy then! - im a student its allowed)
oh and against the grain under the jaw - clears the hard to get areas. nothing worse than missing a bit
Against!
Against the grain...
Which, for me, is right-to-left. I have thick, slightly wavy strawberry-blond hair (quite a few shades blonder than red... I think Americans call it 'dirty blond' ... which sounds cool.) But my facial hair is pretty reddish, and thick as fuse-wire.
Since I'm pale with relatively dark facial hair, I'm a little paranoid about missing patches when shaving.... For some reason, the grain goes left-to-right, so I have to shave the other way. Really, really painful if I'm not careful over the ol' Adam's Apple!
I'm a foam man. Gel just don't cut it (pardon the pun). With a razor, in the shower while the conditioner's doing its magic (as I say, my hair's absurdly thick... and I've currently got it long - have to tie it back for work). But I only wet-shave every 2 or 3 days. In between I'll just let the stubble appear, or maybe do a quick once-over with my 'leccy Braun shaver. Wet-shaving every day leaves my neck pretty raw, and usually results in a couple of in-growing beasties. Always use a little Nivea moisturiser after a wet-shave to calm the blotches (bane of us whiter-than-white pale folk!)
Curse my Celtic blood! Hehe
Against the grain...
Which, for me, is right-to-left. I have thick, slightly wavy strawberry-blond hair (quite a few shades blonder than red... I think Americans call it 'dirty blond' ... which sounds cool.) But my facial hair is pretty reddish, and thick as fuse-wire.
Since I'm pale with relatively dark facial hair, I'm a little paranoid about missing patches when shaving.... For some reason, the grain goes left-to-right, so I have to shave the other way. Really, really painful if I'm not careful over the ol' Adam's Apple!
I'm a foam man. Gel just don't cut it (pardon the pun). With a razor, in the shower while the conditioner's doing its magic (as I say, my hair's absurdly thick... and I've currently got it long - have to tie it back for work). But I only wet-shave every 2 or 3 days. In between I'll just let the stubble appear, or maybe do a quick once-over with my 'leccy Braun shaver. Wet-shaving every day leaves my neck pretty raw, and usually results in a couple of in-growing beasties. Always use a little Nivea moisturiser after a wet-shave to calm the blotches (bane of us whiter-than-white pale folk!)
Curse my Celtic blood! Hehe
I now master the art of shaving (with a razor) in the shower (for the soft skin) without a mirror. In the begining I had to do touch ups with the mirror afterwords.
I do shave against, otherwise I don´t get a close enough shave.
I´m forced to use Gillet, I prefer Wilkinson & Sword, but I can´t get them here in Norway. Gillet more or less a monopoly.
How is it overthere?
I do shave against, otherwise I don´t get a close enough shave.
I´m forced to use Gillet, I prefer Wilkinson & Sword, but I can´t get them here in Norway. Gillet more or less a monopoly.
How is it overthere?
AlBDamned said:
well im 20 so im not that experienced!
but anyway i wouldnt say there is that much difference to a normal mach 3 other than it vibrates a touch and david becham advertises it!
in all honestly i wouldnt say noththing beats a new blade and a good cream. but it is electric so it means technology!
russed said:
Yup. And my local Tesco never has replacement blades for the Mach 3 in stock. They're always sold out. So I use the triple-blade Wilkinson Sword instead (I forget its name... perhaps because WS don't advertise quite as incessantly as Gillette).
displaced said:
Weird. It's the same at my local.
To get around it, I just head outback and find a nice sharp rock and some platypus faeces for gel, then shave in the reflection of a still billabong thinking dreamily of long lost jumbucks...