Please help! My face is destroyed :(

atta boy, now you are hooked...will echo that it may take time to find what works best for you but you will know when you do. continue to focus on your technique and get that down....remember you always want to build on a solid foundation. the BBS will come

 

I'm chiming in a bit late, but I see you have already made some great progress! Good on ya!

Perhaps it is best to stay with WTG and XTG at the moment until you're really comfortable shaving this way. This new way of shaving takes some time for your muscle memory to catch up. Be patient. You'll get there, so don't rush things.

The fact that the blade gets caught on the hair may be due to shaving technique (in this case probably angle and/or pressure) and the cheap razor. The blade alignment is really important. Look at the razor from the top. Do the blade edges look the same on both sides of the blade? If not, that is (part of) the problem.

As for pressure: what helps me is to concentrate on shaving off only the lather and not to concentrate on the stubble. When I started out I thought I was using little pressure, but by looking at it this way I used even less pressure. Just a thought.

Connaughtshaving.com is a great place to fill your den even more.

Keep us posted on your progress! You will get there!

 

This is an interesting point and once the EJ arrives I may do a trial week of shaving every day to see if things are very different - if nothing else at least it will give me more practise runs. I did go into boots on Saturday and noticed loreal men expert do a new moisturiser with 'stubble softening technology' or something like that. May not work exactly as advertised but maybe that's worth a shot too in the future.

 

What ever you do, don't shave twice in12 hours!

I had a shave last night and then again this morning before work: not a good idea!

Face feels raw and although not red or razor burned, definately not comfortable! Put that down as a lesson learned, at least for now! lol

 

Sorry to hear that mate I hope you recover soon! Yeah I think i'd probably have the same issues at the moment.

 

Welcome to TSD. You will like it here.

 

Welcome to TSD great to have you hear. All the above +1. It is also possible that the blades your using may be too sharp. I've tried Feathers and got razor burn, Went back to my old blades Wilkinson Sword or Personna Reds. But remember, what razor, blade, soap etc. that works for one man might not work for another. I'd like to add that Hydrating the beard is important also. If I may suggest, after wetting your beard, then lathering, Brush teeth and comb hair and then start to shave. This lets the lather penetrate and Hydrates the beard even further, making the hairs softer for easy cutting.
After time you will learn proper angle and technique.
Happy shaving, Denis

 

Oh...and if you can score some Pre de Provence No. 63 you may want to try it. I don't have a large arsenal of products but I have found nothing to complain about with that soap/shaving soap/balm. The smell is outstanding and the lubrication and moisturizing are also surprisingly good. It's made in France so it may be more available on your side of the Atlantic because I've heard people have trouble finding it here.

 

I thought i'd come here and post because I FEEL AMAZING!

I thought i'd shave tonight (which was probably a bad idea in itself as I still had some residual razor burn from yesterday but nonetheless in my haste to improve I thought i'd give it another go). I popped the feather out of the crappy razor and popped an astra back in and away I went as normal. By the time I had finished WTG and XTG I was pretty unimpressed with my shave so stupidly I decided to try ATG again. I realise I am a fool for repeatedly trying it but there you go. This time I really backed off on the angle (like, the blade was almost parallel to the skin, just a little bit angled) and off I went. What I experienced can only be described as shaving enlightenment as I performed the perfect ATG pass. No additional razor burn, perfectly smooth BBS under my chin. It feels so good. As a consequence I have realised just how off my angle was for ALL passes - I really just couldn't see how shallow you had to go before. I've got a big old smile on my face and every one else in the house thinks im weird but it feels so good to strike gold after tearing up my face quite a few times! You guys were right about the angle and pressure and it is amazing how shallow the angle is and how little pressure you need but when you get it right its like the hair just falls right off.

Thank you all SO MUCH, for all the advice and all the support. Onwards and upwards!

 

Fantastic news.

 

Woo-hoo!

 

Great going!

 

You can have great lather, great blades, and a great razor and still have a terrible shave if your technique is off. Congratulations. While I am sure you will still get some bad shaves, they will be getting fewer and further apart as your technique becomes refined.

 

The EJ DE89L arrived today! I can't wait to shave with it but i'm going to wait until tomorrow as I am still DFS not far off BBS from yesterdays shave! Here is a pic on my modest shelf, may she continue to grow and acquire products:

I plan to add some bay rum aftershave to it at some point as well as some TOBS grapefruit shaving cream and a proper alum block. Any other suggestions?

 

Looks like you are set.

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

Looks like you are well on your way!

Re blades, have a look at the Asda own brand blades (£2 for 10)..The small print on the back says they are Israeli made Personna's. I tried one tonight and was seriously impressed (see my post in the General forum) with my best shave to date and virtually no irritation, and no nicks or weepers. Tesco own brand appears to be the identical blade but the packet is simply marked as "made in Israel" but the actual packaging holding the blades is identical...

 

First shave with the DE89 was heavenly. It feels like its so much more effective than the cheap razor I had before. The shave on my top lip was incredible. One day later and my top lip feels smoother and better than anything i've ever felt before straight after shaving! The chroming on this thing is truly beautiful too. Very glad I bought one.

I did not know Asda or Tesco did DE blades! I did have a quick look in Tesco the other day out of curiosity but I couldn't see anything related to DE shaving, where abouts are they located?

 

Perhaps it depends on the local store?

The blades were located with the rest of the shaving stuff..They both also carried Wilkinson Sword brushes and puck soap as well..I alo looked in Sainsburys but their own brand blades were made in Vietnam so I gave them a miss!

They did however have the new Niva shaving cream...I have some of the "original" and if anything its even better than the now discontinued Palmolive which is pretty good in its own right so I have high hopes for the new stuff..

Edited to add I am glad the DE89 is a success! I have a Muhle R89 which basically has the same head and I have been very impressed...

 

Here is a link to the Tesco version: http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=258863798

I can't find the Asda ones on line and they were on sale when I bought them so maybe they have been discontinued?