Hello all, This is my first post in this forum- Or any shaving forum that is. I have been "shaving" for about 10 years now. I have tried every Gillette razor, disposable razors, flex head electric, foil electric (Braun 790 CC), single blade razors, Dollar Shave Club (Using a blade only twice) and even some razors specifically designed for African American Men. I am required to shave for work each day as I am required to wear a gas mask which requires a "tight fit" - Don't ask. I have a 10/10 course beard. I really don't know anyone who has a thicker beard. - Blame my Italian genes. Flashback: Nothing was working. In addition to the 56893468934 razors, I even tried every anti-bump solution available on the internet with sub-par results. I brushed my beard with a soft tooth brush at night, used face cleaners and did everything else imaginable.... ANYWAYS....Fast forward to now: I have been exploring DE wet shaving for almost two months now. Let me begin by saying this has been the best option so far. I am very meticulous and did my research. I bought about 25 different blades, a Viking Safety razor, and a fancy Parker Brush. I easily ruled out about 20/25 of the blades because they didn't even come close to removing my whiskers smoothly. Most of which tugged and yanked on the whiskers because they were not sharp enough. After some trial and error I have narrowed the top blades down to Feather (obviously), Astra SP, Polsilver SI, Personna Blues, and surprisingly, the Bic blades were decent! This is not a discussion of which blades work for my face rather a discussion about weekly shaving rituals. Since I began DE wet shaving, this is my routine right now: 1. Showering before bed(after work/gym)- Using an exfoliating scrub on my face 2. ZzZzZzZ 3. Prep shaving supplies- Place brush and razor in warm water in my mug 4. Take Hot Shower in the morning with an exfoliating scrub 5. Create lather, brush on face, and shave WG and XG on both my face and neck 6. Cold water and Alum block followed by more cold water 7. Pat dry and apply Proraso face Balm 8. 30 minutes later- Apply Tend Skin Bump fighter 9. Go to work and the Gym -Repeat My question here is the shower preparation and rituals. I am still getting razor bumps on my neck. I am confused as to how often and when I should scrub/exfoliate/clean/brush/etc on my face. Basically that is what I am interested in. -Am I scrubbing too often? Not enough? Should I not "exfoliate"? Should I brush my whiskers before bed? How do I soften my whiskers before I shave? Should I avoid scrubbing before bed to eliminate fatigue to my skin?
First, welcome. B) I would say too much exfoliation! Before you go to bed, then again in the morning with your shower, then again when you drag that sharp piece o' steel across your face. Shaving is all the exfoliation you need, in my opinion. Sounds like you're softening your whiskers the same way I do, a hot shower just before the shave. Edit to add - the Queen beat me by that >< much.
A couple of other thoughts: 1) Are you paying attention to the direction of hair growth on your neck? It may be different from the direction of growth on your face. 2) You might want to add a pre-shave oil to your prep. It may or may not help (some of us swear by it; others do not find it useful) but it's worth a try. They are cheap & easy to make. Click the link below, for more info. http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/how-to-make-your-own-pre-shave-oil.31132/
Unfortunately I was not blessed with perfect neck hair directions. My neck hair grows like multiple little tornadoes. I have experimented with shave oil on a few occasions. Personally, I cannot tell the difference with or without it.
I don't know if I should laugh at your joke or laugh because you like the Patriots -PS heading to foxboro this weekend to visit friends. I'll make sure to let them know I've even been trolled on a shaving forum
And just so you know, though you may see that I reside in NJ, I was born in Maine, graduated in NH - I am a true New Englandah, not a band wagon fan. Uncle Sam decided I should live out my final Air Force days at McGuire AFB here in Jersey. The Good Lord told me to stay. Have fun in Mass!! We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.
I also must wear a respirator at work so I completely understand. I think there is some great advice above. Remember to use zero pressure, let the weight of the razor do the work. If your open to trying something different shave with cold water instead of hot, it changed my shaves for the better. It got even better when I switched to ice water shaves. Good luck!
I would recomend not using anything exfoliating on the skin before shaving, since shaviG itself is exfoliating. This may be the cause of your problem. If you are getting ingrown hairs, you may want to not go against the grain for a few shaves and see how it works out for you.
I have a problem area on two parts of my neck, it is often sore and has bumps. I recently changed my razor to a Merkur 33c, which was £5.50 on eBay and it has improved dramatically. I also only ever shave with the grain on my neck. It could be that your neck is very sensitive in just those areas. I imagine too frequent exfoliation, no matter how much slick is in the product, would be like constantly scouring your face. Have you tried gentle rubbing your beard with soap in the shower, perhaps soaking with a hot flannel before you shave. If you open the hair follicles by rubbing it will allow the hair to absorb the water, much like a bristle shaving brush. Good luck fella.
Here is a page that i feel will help. http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/things-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-started-wet-shaving.51858/ I am not sure if you meant "exfoliate" or wash, but if you are truly exfoliating twice a day...that's insane. You are supposed to face wash daily, exfoliate 2 times a week, and use a clay mask 1-2 times a month. Another issue is that any single item could be causing the bumps (blade, soap, face wash, preshave oil, etc.) You are experiencing a reaction to something in your routine, and you very well may have to go back to the basics and cut out as much as possible in order to isolate the issue. Start with a "fresh" everything. Go with your normal bath soap, fresh razor with cold water, and a fresh/clean towel. If that doesn't work, switch to a sensitive skin soap and repeat. If that doesn't work, change your blade to a different brand and repeat, etc. This will take time and patience. You may consider going to an "all sensitive skin line" as well. Proraso actually makes one of the best...their white line. Its formulated for sensitive skin. It is made with green tea and oatmeal and it smells fantastic. Bulldog is a great sensitive skin face wash as well.
