Greetings, I'm thinking of stepping up my shaving hence why I'm here. To begin with I'll tell you what's what. I'm 25 and have only ever used the typical razors, at the moment that's a Gilette Mach 3. My hair is thick, straight, and dark and when I shave I'm constantly left with a beard-shadow. I guess my skin is sensitive because I get red bumps on the underside of my jaw and beneath my bottom lip these break onto into spots. Because of this I avoid shaving too often, maybe twice a week, but I don't particularly mind the stubble though. So, how to solve it? Is it just a case of skin care or should I make the full upgrade into these fancy looking razors?
You'll get some fellows far more knowledgeable than I answering you but as I've understood it, the bumps and redness are probably as a result of the multi-blade razor. Using them for multiple pass shaves, particularly when you're not getting the blade angle correct, simply irritates the face and removes a lot of skin, leaving your face raw and as you describe. You may want to consider a switch to a double edge razor, I've done so in the near recent and can honestly say that the comfort of a clean double edge shave surpasses my Mach 3 and Fusion shaves. I'll use them on occasion for a change of pace, but always look forward to the double edge. One other factor you didn't mention was whether you're using a shave soap, cream, or those hideous aerosol cans or gels. You might give us a bit more info on that. bill
Ah no expert also but....You've got young skin and it's not used to shaving so shaving just pisses it off. Try using Cordaid as an aftershave cream for a while. It'll keep the irritated areas from going into overload (breakout). or a little well trimed facial hair ain't bad.
Welcome to TSD! This is the best wet shave board on the planet! There are so many variables that it is hard to pick a place to start. However, if you are using canned shave goo, it is possible that you are allergic to some of the ingredients. Additionally, cartridge type, multi-blade razors do encourage a person to use extra pressure which leads to irritation, along with cutting the hair off in such a way that the hair that is not shaved off drops back into the follicle and turns into an ingrown hair. If you are ready to take the plunge into our little hobby, stop by the TSD Shave School and check out all of the info available there. Then grab a vintage Super Speed, a DE blade sampler, a puck or two of shave soap and a shave brush and have at it! We are here to answer questions and encourage you all the way!
Thanks for the responses guys. First off, I'm using some canned gel which foams up. I've just been reading one of the advice threads, I think the pressure thing might be a definite candidate. I generally only make 2 passes: one up one down. edit: oh, and I've pretty much always shaved wet-style, I guess around here that means opposed to electric razors?? And after just watching a few 'intro' videos I think my first starting point will be changing from the canned gel into the creams or lathers and using a brush. The d.e. razor can wait...maybe...
Welcome Blackbeard to TSD a great traditional wetshaving forum. Sound like you are willing to step out and try what we old timers call traditional shaving. A couple things you need to consider. First, can you go to work with a few nicks and cuts on your face? If not you need to get into it slowly by trying it on weekends at first. As for the beard shadow. My son in law is like you with the beard. There is no way you will be able to make it go away completely until your beard starts to get grey like mine. But you can minimize the look using the proper shaving tools and technique. First thing is to get a good vintage DE razor. I suggest that you read as many post on the forum to get a feel for the right razor for you and your skin. Some guys go new razor at first, usually the Merkur HD and that is fine but I have found that the vintage Gillettes work best for me. As for blades, I would suggest that you get a blade sampler package from an estore like Bullgoose shaving. Get the largest pack you can get. Here is a link http://www.bullgooseshaving.net/ Next is to find a brush and soap/cream combo. Most guys will suggest you get a badger brush. Fine but also consider a boar. The boar brushes are usually a lot less expensive than the boar. Again, look around the forum and ask questions about specific types of brushes before you rush out an buy one. Then you need to consider the source of the lather. Soaps and creams that you make yourself are what you are looking for. Just like the razors and brushes there are many different kinds of soaps and creams. It makes no difference if you use a soap or a cream. I prefer creams but do use some soaps. I suggest an inexpensive soap like Williams mug soap. It has been around for generations and it one that was used by many barbers before lather machines came into vogue. Can be had at your local drugstore for less than $2. As for creams I can't really suggest one that is really cheap. My best recommendation is to look at the TSD store and find a scent you might like and order a tub from there to give it a try. Seems I have covered the middle of the shave process. As for the beginning there are many ways to do the prep. The easiest is to just get a hand towel or wash cloth and get it as wet with hot water from the tap and hold in against your face for a minute or so while in the shower. This will soften the beard and make it easier to do the shave. Some guys use pre shave stuff but that is not absolutely required. As for after the shave, I do suggest that you get some Thayer's Witch Hazel as an astringent. I find this an integral part of my shave routine. Get those pores closed quickly and allows me to feel soothed. The I would move onto an aftershave balm or milk rather than a shave splash. Just my personal preference. It is here that you get the relief from razor burn and the bumps that you may get. Finally when you shave you need to develop a good technique for moving the razor along your face. You need to find how the grain of your beard runs on your face. And you need to realize that you may need to do two to three passes of beard reduction to get that smooth shave you want. My best advice is for you to view the shaving mantic59's shaving tutorial videos. Mark has done some amazing things to show us all how shaving should be done. He is experience and done it all so you can depend on his advice being spot on. See them here: http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59 Almost forgot, if you decide to check out the link to Bullgoose shaving I suggest that you ask Phil for his recommendations for shaving equipment and goods. Phil will get back to you very quickly with what he recommends. Of course he will want to sell you something and that's fine since the prices he charges on his products are very competitive and his shipping and service are above industry standard. So in conclusion, I recommend the mantic59 videos and reading all you can about traditional wetshaving in this forum. You will see a lot of different opinions but you will then be able to make your choice of razor, blade, brush, soap/cream, aftershave in an educated way. Good luck as you venture into one of the greatest hobbies on earth.
Jeff (stingraysrock) has the vintage Super Speed he suggested..go look in the classifieds section here on The Shave Den. With a young face, you'll want to consider staying away from the red tip Super Speeds though. When you do go DE, just let the weight of the razor do the work. There's no need to apply pressure. Good prep is a warm to hot face wetting, apply the lather with the brush, let the brush massage the beard hairs to get them to stand up, give a minute or two for the soap or cream lather to soften the beard and then apply that DE gently. You'll hear the blade sing as it cuts the beard ( I love that sound ). Once with the grain of your beard (which may not necessarily be a simple downstroke, you may find your beard grows in different directions!), lather up again and go against the grain. Some will go cross grain as well, I don't. Rinse with cool water, apply an after shave balm and look forward to that next great shave. Good luck. Check out Jeff's classifieds for those vintage SS razors. bill
The advice to use a real shaving soap or cream is golden. DEs are a great idea, too, but they are different from the cartridge you're using in that you need to be more conscious while using it. First thing to do would be not to shave against the grain on those trouble spots and see how things improve.
There's good advice for you so far in this thread, so all I have to add is that even if you don't make the jump to safety razors, stop using canned gel or foam. Get the Omega boar brush with beech handle for about $11 and a stick or two of Arko. While not the most premiere soap, it does build lather easily, is inexpensive, and provides a nice slick shave. I like Williams, but it is harder to lather then the Arko sticks which can be frustrating just starting out. Another fairly easy option is Bigelow shave cream found at bath and body works. Its made by porasso and is a pretty nice cream. A small tube is $5. With razors, it is most definitely a YMMV thing. I would buy used as your first razor definitely won't be your last. I tried a good number of razor / blade combos before finding a few different setups that worked for me. Hope this helps some.
As for DE razors, I would ask some of your older relatives if they would happen to have a DE razor laying around. That is the way I found my first. Also purusing the antique shops is another great way to find hidden gems. Good luck with whatever way you choose.
Everyone is giving you great advice...I second all they have said. Check out Shaving School Stickies Mantic's videos Arko Shave Sticks for cheap great lather-they carry those at TSD Store Omega Boar brushes-inexpensive and very popular Super-Speeds-Always my recommendation whether newbee or Pro...and Harpman's right...StingraysRock has em and Jeff is a great help Also TSD Store for JoAnna's World-Class Wheat Shave Cream and After Shave Milks Large blade sampler pack-the Possum gave you a great link-as well as alot of perfect advice I second all that....sounds like the way I would like to have done it the first time...)
Hi Poss, I've been looking for some Thayer's Witch Hazel. From various websites, there appears to be two groups of products: "Toner" and "Astringent". Both contain witch hazel, but the other ingredients vary; I think the key difference between the two is "toner" doesn't contain alcohol. I assume this is the product to get? (Update: My brother found some T.N. Dickinson's All Natural Witch Hazel at a local supermarket chain - I'll have to check it out.) I picked up some Proraso Liquid Cream After-shave. I'm not sure how it compares to Thayer's; it also contains witch hazel and is alcohol free, and certainly settled down my razor rash tonight. :signs107
I can see you already have a heap of advice to sort through, but I'll just add my $0.02 Are you shaving against-the-grain (in the same direction the hair grows)? Doing so without first shaving with-the-grain (and then re-lathering) might be causing the irritation you mentioned (red spots). A lot of guys will do a pass with-the-grain, a pass across-the-grain, and then a pass against-the-grain, and that includes re-lathering before each pass. A multi-pass shave like that will also require a light touch so you don't overdo it and get razor burn. As far as trying a DE (double edge) razor, I highly recommend trying it. I switched from modern cartridge razors (Gillette Sensor, Mach 3, etc) to DE (double edge) razors a few months ago. This past week I went back to see how they compare when I incorporate all the improved techniques I've learned on these boards. The biggest difference I found is that cartridge razors give you a duller, lighter, more safe-guarded instrument, whereas a DE razor is sharper, heavier, and has a more exposed blade. That difference in blade exposure means that you can cut a lot more without having to press the razor into your skin, and in fact you'll get cuts and/or irritation if you do press. So you must learn to let it glide along your face with a very light touch. In contrast, the extra built-in safety (and light weight) of a cartridge razor keeps the blades from digging in too much, but it seems to also keep the blades from cutting enough (or maybe they're just not as sharp?), you end up having to press into your face more as you shave. To me, it ends up feeling like a lot of mild scraping instead of the gliding you get with careful DE use. One last thing I'd mention is that DE is not the only alternative to a modern cartridge razor like the Mach 3, and may not even be the best. There are also injector razors, which are similar to cartridge razors in a lot of ways but seem to cut much better, and there's also SE (single edge) razors, which I hear are at least as good as DE razors and are easier to learn. Hope I'm not repeating too much of what's been said already
good prep, a good lather, and one sharp blade are all you need getting started with DE shaving can be done for not much more than a pack of mach 3 cartridges costs look for a vintage DE (the gillette tech is a good newbie razor) buy a blade sampler, get yourself a brush (omega 10049) and soap (Van Der Hagen Deluxe is a good cheap soap) and watch mantic59's videos on youtube while you wait for things to arrive traditional wetshaving makes shaving less of a chore and more of an experience
I myself had problems with irritation of the skin after each shave, and I had to go to Gillette to require '.. then the love for the razor blade made me change the way of shaving, maybe if I went first with a certain speed ', now I'm very quiet, and I pay attention to everything .. the result is 'good, then should not ever miss a good pre-shave,' cause I think is crucial in a close shave! Always remember that shaving should be a pleasure, not a torture, and as all the pleasures to be enjoyed with a lot of peace '!
Not to hijack your thread, I just don't want to start a new one for a simple question. I made the mistake of shaving ATG a couple days ago. My entire face was then covered in bumps/ingrown hairs as the skin healed over the hair follicles and the hair had to push back through. That's not even to mention how I somehow cut myself in at least five places. My face is still red and I have bumps in places where I hadn't ever previously had bumps. My question is, should I keep shaving or should I wait a while and let the hair grow out while letting the skin heal? I don't want to rip open the bumps every time I shave, but then again, if I let my beard hair grow too long, it curls back into the skin and I get ingrown hairs. I've been moisturizing my face once a day with lotion, but my skin is peeling around the red areas.
