How to properly hydrate my face before shaving? (canned gel and cartridges)?

Can you recommend me a good way of moistening my face properly before shaving? I am currently using a Hydrating Gel from Gillette, paired with ProGlide razor, and although I find the razor brilliant and sharp enough, even a brand new blade drags a bit over my face, which means I haven't hydrated the facial hair enough. What I am doing before shaving is splashing water over my face like 10 times and then massage the gel from my fingertips to my face. I don't know whether my technique is wrong or I should change the shaving product. Can you please help me? Thank you very much.

 

Try a face wash. Or some exfoliating wash. If you still get dismal results after that, it must be a sign to move onto some other product.

 

I wash my face with soap and hot water. It takes about 30 seconds. That's it unless I am shaving right after a shower, then it is just part of the shower face wash and rinse. I try not to dry my face completely and then I apply my cream to my face when it is wet.

I know you have tried it, but I strongly recommend you go back to using a brush and shaving soap or cream. The brush will prep that beard better than anything else.

Good luck,

 

You could try leaving the lather on your face a little longer before you start shaving. Give it 5 minutes and you'll probably notice a big difference. You may have to re-hydrate the lather and maybe apply a little more before you shave. I was never a fan of the Gillette gels. If you're still not satisfied with the results, try Proraso (or CO Bigelow shave cream from Bath & Body Works - same thing). It seems to be one of the best beard softeners I've found. I like it better when used with a brush but you can use your hands too.

 

Massage the gel or foam into your face for 2 minutes. It will soften the whiskers nicely.

 

some guys can get great shave with cartridge razors, but I think some dragging and grabbing are just part of the design. I could never really be satisfied with the shave I was getting with cartridges, no matter what I did.

Gillette designed that razor to kind of grab onto your face and lift skin/hairs for cutting. If you don't like that, you could try 1 blade bics, DE razors, etc

 

I use a wet brush to apply instant gel or foam. I wet brush and face lather, adding water to the instant can lather as needed. Hydrates, Easy, Effective, Quick and Clean. I can get an awesome shave with instant using this method.

 

Sure, but if you add wather to your already lathered face, wouldn't the gel/foam wash out of it? Shouldn't water be applied on your face before you lather up?

 

OLD SCHOOL Method: Apply a very warm, damp wash cloth (or towel) to your face for approximately 4-5 minutes. Then splash on more hot water before applying an lather-producing product.
Some have found that applying the hot, wet towel over a face full of lather (5 minutes, again) will really help soften the beard and improve results. Re-lather before shaving.

 

Why not buy some Body Shop cream? It can be used brushless and it's not that expensive. And it's tons better than that junk in a can.

 

Before I converted to DE I shaved in the shower. IMO that's the only way to fly when using the equipment you are. Also used my wife's Skintastic gel, I found it to be superior to any of the Gillette labeled products.

 

A preshave oil/gel/cream can help and if you don't want to buy any of that, good old fashioned hair conditioner sitting on your face while showering can make a big difference too.

 

Do you shave every day? When I shaved with cartridges if I let the stubble grow more than one day it would be a painful shave no matter what I did. IMHO cartridges work best on short stubble, shave every day if you can.
Also I found canned shaving creams gave a smoother shave than gel.
There is a Gillette face wash that works well, it doesn't dry out, so you can put it on your face in the shower and leave it on for a few minutes, let it soak in and soften the stubble.

Hope this helps. Good luck

 

Let the lather sit and soak for a few minutes.

 

+1 on not letting the beard grow too much. Carts work best daily.

 

Wash your face with soap and hot water. Rinse off with hot water and a wash cloth. Ring the wash cloth of hot water and soak your whiskers for 10-15 sec. 3 or 4 times. Then apply your pre-shave and your ready to lather up. Cartridge razors work best when shaving every day or two.

 

Drink a pint of Guinness Stout. It may not hydrate your face, but it won't seem so important. To be honest though, I just shower before shaving (No, I don't drink a pint of Stout before 6 am)

 

Visit the Widow Danbury out by the old farmhouse out on Old Willett's road. Give her a silver dollar and she'll hand you a small brown bottle. Take that bottle back home and find a 1 pound toad. Make the toad drink the potion in the bottle. Within a fortnight the toad will die. Bury the toad body in a marsh at midnight on the next full moon. Go home and wait 4 days. On the fifth day, you are guaranteed a BBS with moisturized face. If that doesn't work, go back to the Widow Danbury. She will tell you YMMV.

 

I agree with the old school method described above by HolyRollah. I've been doing it this way for 20+ years.

 

Try out cleaning your face with simple bar soap and hot water. As hot as you can support. Rinse and do the massaging motions as you do now. Then, try to leave your foam on the face for two-three minutes before shaving.

Now, it depends how big your hair is too. If you are shaving rarely, something like ProGlide or Mach 3 will pull, no mater how good your prep is. Try shaving more often, at least once every two days if not daily.