Where's question 1? To question 2 - how your beard grows is how your beard grows, it won't change. You figure out how it grows by mapping. Technique can improve, but it may or may not change the direction or number of passes you make. Your face will tell you what works and what doesn't. No one here can answer for your face. We can only offer suggestions.
In reference to question 2 Generally speaking yes. If you identify how your facial hair grows, you can eliminate unnecessary shaving in a particular area becoming more proficient. For instance, if your cheek hair grows down but at an angle say from ear to chin, you can shave from chin to ear. This could eliminate a generic S to N pass.
No worries I'm always confused and getting older easily! Sorry my questions are mixed up, still getting the hang of the forum.
Right, thanks that makes sense to me. I am aiming to avoid going over certain areas more than necessary at this stage.
Absolutely not. The bottom of my neck goes S-N and if I were to go the N-S "because I know my beard map", I'd still be in trouble doing N-S as the first pass in that area. Big trouble. What happens is that you know your beard growth and get into a routine for each pass. I do the correct direction for each part of my face and each pass without even thinking about it. I have done it hundreds of times and doing my "complicated pattern" for the first pass (or any other) now feels way more natural than just going N-S, which wouldn't even cross my mind. Find the best way for you, do it for a year at least - and never look back. There is no shortcut. Sorry. It sounds worse than it is. You have the rest of your life to slowly get used to it. Enjoy.
@riverrun, @Jorvaljr, thanks for the replies. Been at home all week recovering from Covid and watching too many shaving videos! One in particular, a likeable enough fellow, seems to mostly go N-S from sideburns and down to neck, and then S-N all the way up the neck on the 2nd pass. That's why I asked, is that years of toughening up the skin and lots of muscle memory kicking in? When zooming in to his 3 or 4 day growth this does not seem to entirely follow his growth pattern. But the more I watch some of these videos, and see the weepers and so on, I am less inclined to follow their advice. My goal at this stage is to enjoy this new learning curve without too much damage!
People get too fixated on direction and multiple passes. Too much focus on smooth skin and not enough on comfort. The less pressure you use, the more you shave with the direction of hair growth, and the fewer passes you use will all contribute to a better feeling shave. I almost always shave with the grain, even on multiple passes. I can shave against the grain, now, but it took a decade of wet shaving, and even now is a guaranteed way to give myself some irritation. Yes. The best technique for that is blade buffing. Small back and forth movements of your razor, and a thin layer of lather. Don't be afraid to get your fingers in there to stretch the skin.
Not exactly. I didn't spend ten years shaving ATG and then suddenly "figure it out." I spent ten years shaving WTG, occasionally using XTG on touchups, and rarely shaving ATG on my neck. For a really long time I assumed I had sensitive skin. I don't, and the vast majority of people who think they do, don't either. What I do have is an addiction to sharp blades. The one downside to really sharp DE blades is that they have a strong tendency to dive into the skin, especially when shaving against the grain. When you shave against the direction of hair growth, it pushes the hair follicle against the skin, causing the skin to bunch up there. If you are using a sharp blade, it will slice through that bunched up skin like it isn't even there. A smooth blade will ride up over the skin, giving you a less close shave, but a more comfortable one. Remember, this is all happening at a near microscopic level. If you get bunches of pin prick weepers, that's what is happening. Is it worth going with the grain for all passes? Maybe. It depends on you, your hair, your skin, your tools, and your techniques. We've just talked about how shaving against the grain can cause irritation. It also shaves closer than shaving with the grain. So let's say you shave two passes with the grain, and one pass across the grain, plus touchups, for a total of 3 passes. On another shave, you do one pass with the grain, and another pass against the grain, plus touchups, for a total of 2 passes. You might find doing a two pass shave is more comfortable for your face than a three pass shave, even though the 3 pass shave would technically be the 'milder' of the two shaves. Savvy? (Edit: this is also assuming that the shave results were roughly even between the two shaves). Blade choice doesn't dictate our shave style, but it does influence it more than people realize and it is why the mantra of the wet shaver will always be "Technique Trumps Tools." The cotton ball trick has been around since there were cotton balls. If I recall correctly, I've seen it referenced in old barber training manuals. As for the swirly spots of hair growth, you might try blade buffing (moving the razor back and forth in small increments) with a thin, slick lather, while following the spiral in the direction of hair growth, and then avoid shaving that spot in subsequent passes. As for shaving pre- or post-coffee, it's almost always post-coffee, especially when I'm working. I'm a boilermaker by trade, so shaving is usually done after my post work shower in the afternoon. When I do shave in the mornings, after a pot of coffee, as I have been doing lately, I find the self vibrating razor effect doesn't negatively affect the shave.
Question 5. Anymore, I generally use the same razor, soap, and brush for all my shaves. Occasionally, I will want a change and put a blade in a different razor. I only keep a soap or two in use. Good luck and don't go too deep with it. I generally do two passes and a little touchup along the jaw line. On my neck, my hair grows center to out, so I and doing two XTG passes on it. If I do any more than that, I get a bunch of irritation. Hair grows back rather quickly and honestly there is no need obsess over being BBS. If two are too many, do one pass, have a little stubble and no irritation. Over time, your skill-set will improve and so will the shaves. Mindset, skill-set, then tool set
Same shaving technique every day. I've found what works, so why mess it up? Now I do use a different DE every day, Monday - Friday. I have 7 straights, use a different one every Saturday. Sundays is a different SE every week. I rotate through 18-20 soaps, different one every day. Same with all my brushes; never use the same one on consecutive days. Blades are different. I've found two DE brands and one SE brand that work very well regardless of the razor I'm using. I've never felt and urge to play around with all the different brands. I did try a sample pack in my early years, found Astra SP and a brand packaged for the military BX/PX and never looked back. You seemed to have learned one very important lesson quicker than most - don't chase the baby!
1. Always 2. Make your Face Mapping. Growth direction is not exactly N-S / E-W 3. Stretch the skin against the grain with the other hand 4. Focus cutting angle, so the bevel glides 5. More water, more load, more lathering 6. Scientific method needs proves I speak for me. Always do two modes shaving routine. Hurry: One pass, against my grain as in my face mapping (less 5min) Relax: WTG / ATG / XTG after shower (about 1h)
What's this "hurry" you speak of, as it relates to shaving? If I don't have time to enjoy my shave my way, I don't shave.
