Actually, only one of them does. The first leg I shaved ended up(the next day, this was yesterday morning) with really red bumps scattered all over it Left leg is much less irritated but prickly! I think the bumps are ingrown hairs? They didn't sting at all except the 2 nicks I got around one knee, I don't know if that is relevant. Also they could be old and the razor just re irritated them; before this I went through an epilator phase for about 6 months and it gave me the worst ingrowns of my life that never totally went away. Anyone have any tips for this? I'm very pale so the red really stands out. =[ Regardless of all of the above, my legs have never been so soft, even the prickly one is softer than usual! So I def want to continue. what I used: -soaked in hot water first -proraso pre shave cream(the white one) -proraso shaving cream, also white one -lady gillette with astra blade -alum block(favorite thing ever I think, didn't sting where the bumps are?) -rinsed with cold water then favorite lotion I don't think redness appeared until today. Edit: my precious
Congrats on completing your first DE! Your precious cracked me up. You've clearly done your homework & the shaves will get better Two things that often cause such bumps are pressure (too much) and cutting angle (too steep). Pressure - You'll often read the phrase "let the weight of the razor do the work." That means holding & moving the handle lightly & not applying any pressure on the skin. This is quite different to modern multiblade disposables & cartridges that are so light that you're used to applying a bit of pressure. Incidentally, if you're right handed, you may naturally use less pressure when shaving your left/favorite leg. Angle - With disposables, carts & injector razors, you're used to holding the razor handle parallel to the leg & the razor head is more or less flush against the skin. To find the right angle with the DE razor, start by holding the razor handle perpendicular to the leg (so the top of the razor head is against the skin). Then slowly bring the handle down by degrees until you feel/hear the blade starting to cut hair. That is the angle to start with. It's a little awkward at first, but will become more comfy with time.
ohpaos, could it possibly be blade? I know my wife had to try quite a few before she found the right one.
Good call, Big T! Absolutely, I forgot this very important point. Victoria, I don't recall whether you have a blade sampler pack yet? All blades are sharp of course, but there are ones such as Feathers that are notoriously sharp & ones that are not as sharp such as Derbys. Even with perfect technique, using a blade that's too sharp or too dull for your hair/skin can cause irritation. The only way to know what works for you is to try different blades. Try to take notes. (The blades have similar names & you may also want to revisit blades again after you're set with your technique.) When you find a blade with which you can shave comfortably, stick with that brand blade for a month & focus on your technique. I promise it will get easier & more enjoyable to shave with hot Lady Blue
I'm sure my angle and pressure could both use some work; your method finding the right angle seems very helpful I'll have to try that right away =] As to blades, I do have a sample pack. My bf has advised me to stick with one for a few shaves before moving on, to not waste them and to really get a feel for each one. Do y'all agree with this method? I'm dying to try everything haha. It's scary the stuff I used to do with disposables, now that I know all these rules and things. And I wondered why I'd get razor burn.
Good job finding the dark blue LG, it is harder to find than the light blue, any way easier than the pink or champagne. It took me about two years to find all four at a decent price to give my wife.
I'm keeping an eye out for all of the colors; it's funny I like blue more than yellow or pink but knowing how rare they are I feel like I have to have them heh.
You should do whatever you're most comfortable with bladewise. You can come back to the blade if you want, just make sure it's dry & pop it in an airtight container if possible like a Ziplock container. (I started with Lord blades & then came to enjoy Astras as I got more consistent with my technique).
I would try a different blade. Some blades worked for me, and others made my face and head feel like they were on fire. Remember YMMV
mybe the blade just dulled out a bit when you finished with one leg and treated the other one a bit gentlier
i had similar issue when i started on my neck...too much pressure was the problem. i know you try to drag the razor and press to remove hair...but the blade just needs to contact the hair so its not about scraping.
Plausible. It does take some time to learn new habits. At first, you really have to think about it, but it will become second nature, after a while.
When my wife started DE shaving I just gave her blades to use, supermax plats, she doesn't care to try the hundreds of blades out there. But her lady Gillette does well and she's a natural at it. She even does her pits and bikini++ with it now.
Second shave went smoother, literally =] Do it! The blue ones are on ebay all the time but you have to be patient if you want a nice/clean one for a low price. They usually seem way higher than I think they should be but I don't know.
