When I shave to gloss (bbs) I keep getting soreness and redness as a result. I am a daily shaver and I was getting similar (though less) irritation when I tried to do a three pass shave on a daily basis. However, my understanding was that Hydrolast was supposed to provide a superior shaving experience and help eliminate the irritation that usually results from a bbs shave. I have been trying to watch Charles videos for guidance and have called him a few different times to get advice, but I'm still getting irritation and soreness after the shave. I have all of his Hydrolast products and have tried to follow his directions as best as I can. I'm a bit frustrated, honestly, that I haven't been able to achieve the mystical "gloss" shave that Charles advertises. I even went back to Proraso and got a shave as good if not better than my Method shaves (though I don't think I was shaving as close). Could be my technique, my mix (lather), or numerous other variables. Would love to hear any suggestions from you gents. Happy shaves!
I've never tried Method shaving or the products. BBS every day without irritation was my goal but I've come to believe it's just not quite possible in reality. Now I go for a good close shave with no irritation being my primary goal. I've heard Hydrolast products are really good but even so, if you take too many passes, apply pressure, or use a blade angle that's too steep, you're going to get some irritation. IMO, there's no magic product out there that will give you a perfect shave. The most important part of a great shave is you.
Ya because it's on the web it must be true. They are great shave products but don't expect miracles. I have been DS shaving for many years and just recently got a good shine in the dome within the last 6 months. It's all technique and in my case of head shaving muscle memory. Good prep is key and take your time enjoy the shave don't rush. It maybe blade choice. How many blades have you tried? If your are new at this I would suggest GD Carrington's 30 day rule. Simply put it works
I go for and achieve a weeper,nick,irritation,razor burn and pain free shave "EVERYDAY"..I do this with normal products(Arko,Corn Huskers,Nivea)..I've never tried Hydrolast as while it maybe excellent shave soap, the stuff is "WAY" overpriced I.M.O...I gave up chasing the baby...I'm happier with a DFS that is completely pain free, rather than a BBS with irritation of any kind..
Sometimes I believe we over-complicate the shaving process. It is good to try different stuff,but I believe it all comes back to what has been discussed....hydration, technique and final face care. A good soap or cream, a good blade and a good astrigent. I tend to shave the trouble spots (under the lower lip) every other day and don't try for the BBS every day. I used to, but the DFS is just as good and less time is taken to accomplish my morning rituals!!!!! I don't rush the shave, take my time, heat the scuttle and just enjoy the experience. A 3-pass shave EVERY morning, but just try for the BBS on Sunday. JMHO. Take care. Semper-fi Mike
Excellent suggestions gents! I have found that my skin is much softer and moisturized using Hydrolast, but, thus far, I haven't found it to be the magical product I expected. Oh well, just another experience in the traditional shaving world. Looks like I'll be going back to the daily DFS.
Yeah, I'm not a method guy at all. I mean, more power to you and all. I've just never felt the "one size fits all" approach works very well for me. Hydrolast is he product line from he inventor of "method shaving". http://www.hydrolast.com/Method_Shaving.html
Remember, Charles' method shaving is broken into two major components. The first is a technique that is based on eliminating as much variation from the shaving pattern as possible. For the most part I have used a very straight forward "method" long before I began traditional shaving, back in the canned gel and Trac II days of South to North pattern shaving. After years of electric shaving, when I got into traditional (wet) shaving, I found that "South to North method" still worked better for me (for most razors) even over the mapping methods which I had to learn to handle the more aggressive razors. Remember the 30 day rule is not method dependent, but time dependent using a fixed set of equipment and product, to allow you to find what techniques and / or methods work best for you. This is more to do with developing hand / brush and hand / razor coordination than mastering specific methods or patterns since the user may need to vary the commonly discussed patterns to suit the individual needs. The second is a series of products that Charles sells. From what I have seen and read from others, Charles' products are based on super slickness which for many works very well. For other people like myself, I need a little more cushion. So a build lather is real important to me to provide that cushion along with slickness. Remember that Charles got Mark Herro (Mantic59) into more of a traditional shaving mode and Mark got me, along with thousands (maybe tens of thousands), involved in traditional shaving so I owe both a debt of gratitude for paving the way for others.
Well said GDCarrington. I definitely respect both Mark and Charles for all they have done for traditional shaving these days. Charles' products are still great and it could be that I just haven't figured out how to dial them in yet. Much thanks for the feedback gents!
After reading the method shaving link, I still find it difficult to believe you can train or through shaving manipulate the direction of your grain. Is there any science or proof that it is even possible to do that?
I was always a bit skeptical about that as well BillyBowlegs and I'm really not sure. If I were to guess I would say that it isn't possible to change the direction of your beard growth from simply shaving using a certain pattern. On the other hand I have never tried this myself so my opinion doesn't really count for much.
I've found that using a traditional 3 pass, then a very light "buffing" with the left over lather (using a bowl), one hand w/ soap on it to feel the stragglers, and very light buffing/short strokes with my razor I can get a BBS shave daily. Rinsing between passes with just warm water & hands (GeoFatboy Style) and paying attention to how my skin is feeling/reacting.. Etc.. """Promptly Leaves forum and heads for the Den"""
Well gents. I called Charles Roberts up the other day and he gave me a few suggestions to help me with the soreness/redness I was experiencing and I can say it really helped. One of the first things he mentioned was to stick with a razor similar to the Merkur HD that he recommends for use with Method shaving and Hydrolast products. He said that this helps to eliminate variables in finding out what the problem could be. Since I don't have an HD he said the EJ DE89 that I have should be ok as well. He also mentioned adding more buffer to the mix with each application of mix to my face. These suggestions and being intentionally light with the pressure got me an excellent near bbs shave this morning. I have to say, Charles is a very helpful person and he will spend a lot of time talking with you to help you improve your shaving experience. Nice to see that this day and age Much appreciation to you all for your advice.
That's awesome to hear that you have direct contact with a true "legend" in the modern Wet Shaving world! Just a note: I have heard of some of the Hydrolast products giving folks a slight reaction. Not sure if this is your case, but thought it was worth mentioning.. Keep us posted as things progress!! SE
Appreciate that, StraightEdge It is a privilege getting to talk with Charles himself. He is a pretty interesting character and knows a lot about shaving, that's for sure. I was wondering if that was the trouble I was having, but I'm pretty sure it had to do with my technique, which consisted of many, many, many swipes over the same areas, plus not using enough buffer in the mix. After around 4 weeks of shaving that way, my face was pretty sore after each shave. I've toned it down a bit and am learning to "pitch" (tilt) the razor to make the shave more or less aggressive. I feel like I'm learning how to shave the right way for the first time even though I've been DE shaving for over a year previously. Definitely an educational experience
