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Shaving (Your Face) :)

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Data, Aug 18, 2013.

  1. Data

    Data Guest

    So, a few people will think this is awesome, a few will think I'm really weird, and most will not care at ALL. Hahaha

    I shave my face using a double edge safety razor and a traditional wet shave kit.

    I have a DE razor that I bought a year and a half ago. I shaved for a year before that with a Schick 5 blade razor. I had horrible pulling and tugging as well as razor bumps and ingrown hairs. They weren't bad, but I didn't like shaving or the bumps I got after shaving.

    I looked up how to fix this, and I came across a group advertising the benefits of a traditional wet shave with either a DE safety razor or a straight razor. I loved it as soon as I saw someone do it in a video on YouTube.

    So, here's what I do:

    In the shower, I wash my face with the bar of soap. Just before I get out, I make sure my face is nice and wet with hot water. I get out and dry off everything but my face. I fill the sink with hot water and soak my shaving brush and razor in the hot water for a minute or so. Then I wring out the brush and add a few drops of water to my shaving soap puck. I swirl the brush in the soap and make a nice lather in a bowl I use specifically for this purpose. After I have a nice foamy lather built up, I wet my face one last time and brush on the lather. Once my whole face has been foamed up, I grab the razor and start shaving. I do one pass on one section at a time. Once the lather is gone from an area, I don't go over it again till I reapply the lather there. If it's been a day or two, one downward pass usually gets everything. If it has been longer, I end up doing 2 complete downward passes. After the downward pass is done, I rinse with hot water and reapply lather again. Then I do a pass from ear to nose sideways across my face. One pass is all that is needed by this point. After that is done, I rinse and lather again, then I do a final pass from nose to ear. Once everything has been shaved off, I rinse the excess lather off with hot water, then I rinse my face a final time with cold water to close the pores. I usually pat my face dry and let it be at that point. However, if during the shave my blade was kind of dull and ready to be tossed out, I will feel it during the shave and afterwards I will apply an aftershave moisturizing cream to make sure my skin is protected and doesn't become irritated as a result of the added resistance from the dull blade.

    I generally get 2 weeks out of a $.15 blade. The actual razor handle itself is all metal and reusable for LIFE. Seriously, it's a chunk of steel.

    When I first started shaving this way, I knicked myself 2-3 times each shave for a month or so. I have a styptic pencil for this, and it stops the bleeding as soon as I apply the pencil to the cut. I have been shaving this way for so long now (have not touched a disposable in 1.5 years. If I don't have my shave kit and DE razor, I won't shave. Simple as that), that I don't cut myself AT ALL anymore. I have gotten the perfect angle for my face worked out so that I cut the hair and not my skin.

    By the time I have done 2 downward passes, an ear-nose pass and a nose-ear pass, I have baby-butt-skin smooth cheeks. :icon_wink

    I haven't had issues with ingrown hairs or irritation since I started shaving this way. As long as I keep my blade changed out when it gets dull, the razor glides effortlessly as it slices off my hair, unlike the 5 blade which RIPPED the damn hair out instead of cutting it.

    I chose the double edge safety razor over the straight razor because the concept is the same between the two (one blade that is fixed in place and angled/moved by the user) and the maintenance is much easier on the DE razor. When the blade gets dull, I spin open the top and put a new blade in. When a straight razor gets dull, you have to hone it. Then you have to use a flattening stone to flatten the honing block. You hone every 2 weeks-a month and you strop the straight razor on a leather strop every time you use it. I just chose the DE because I didn't want to have to do all that maintenance on a straight razor.

    I'm very curious how everyone else shaves and if anyone shares my love of DE razor shaving. This is the way my grandpa shaved and my dad was shocked when he heard that I wanted to start using a DE razor. He hates them because he can never get the angle right and ends up cutting himself.:lol:

    What say you, the forum? :eusa_danc

    P.S. Did you know that human facial hair has the same effect on a razor blade as copper wire of the same thickness? That's why razors get dull so quickly!:thumbsup:
     
  2. Awkward Balloon

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    Well as I'm young I only shave twice a week, and really I just wet my face then apply foam and shave. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: I tend not to complicate it.
    I also suffer from bad acne on my face, which means shaving usually results in half of my face dripping blood for a while after...
     
  3. Data

    Data Guest

    I understans that. The time when I had to start shaving was when my barber decided to go all out and shave my sideburns with a straight razor. He put on the whole show, with a towel and a quick strop. From that point on though, the "peach fuzz" turned into prickley stubble and moved down my cheeks. Then it filled in my neck and chin. If I go a week or 2 without shaving I look like a total hobo.

    But OUCH man, have you tried any antibiotics for a case of acne that bad? Sometimes an antibiotic course is given for bad acne that won't respond to topical cream. Check it out with your doc! (*hug*)
     
  4. Mrcake

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    You should post the link to the youtube vids so we can see this process.
     
  5. Data

    Data Guest

  6. Kor

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    Wow, I’m really lazy. I use cheap disposable razors, or sometimes when I have a little extra money I buy the slightly-more-expensive disposable Gillette razors with 4 or 5 blades with that thin blade on the reverse that I never really use.

    I only recently started growing facial hair apart from my moustache/chin, so I’ve been pretty low maintenance until now. But the skin irritation I get from shaving with those (even with cream) is sometimes pretty awful. I used to dry shave, but wow, no, not anymore. I’m probably not doing it right, but I was never taught so I've just been winging it.

    I’ve always wanted to learn how to use a straight razor as I’ve heard there’s no cleaner shave, but I can’t summon the courage to hold a blade to my face with my unsteady hand.

    I didn’t know that but have noticed they dull rather quickly, a fun fact indeed!

    And thanks for finding that video, DE razors look interesting. I might have to give this a shot.
     
  7. Elf Wynd

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    Interesting. I didn't know that newer model androids shaved. ;-)
     
  8. Jinkies

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    Wow.. I thought I went into detail when shaving.. I just use a Schick Intuition and that'll pretty much do the trick. It's great on my face, it's easy and it doesn't hurt. It's even got some soap there, so my face is all nice and clean when I'm finished ^^ I use the same thing on everything else, though. I shave either every other day or every 3 days, depending on how busy I am.
     
  9. Data

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    Yes, androids can grow beards. I keep it under control though. Would NOT want this to happen again!
     

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  10. Enigmatic

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    It's a Jersey thing.
     
  11. Mrcake

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    Wow thanks for showing this! I'm definitely buying some razors now!
     
  12. SlickyPants

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    I just splash milk on my face and let my cat lick it off.
     
  13. Van

    Van
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    Shaving is so annoying. I shave once a year. :grin:
     
  14. biggayguy

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    #14 biggayguy, Aug 18, 2013
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2013
  15. SunSparks

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    I have to shave everyday (I dont like and ###### and if I skip a day, its waaaay too noticeable), I also found a similar routine. I haven't tried safety razors (and probably never will b/c they seem scary) but I use Gillette Proglide power razors. The cartridges can be expensive (~$4/cartridge) but if you take care of them, each will last you 3-4 weeks without any pull or tug. It gets me more control b/c of the swiveling blade and the closest shave. I've had friends try both what I use and safety razors and they said the gillette had the best and closest shave.

    I would say, choosing the right shaving cream can make a worlds of difference. No gels from a can... try a real shaving cream. What I use is like $16/jar but it lasts you at least 4 months. That, paired with a shaving brush can get you a really nice lather. No razor burn, no ingrown hairs.

    I'm always jealous of the ppl that can go days and even weeks without shaving their face. Oh well.
     
  16. tulman

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    I use a woman's Gillette Venus. They work great. I was visiting a cousin some years ago and forgot my usual electric. She had a Venus hanging in the shower so I used it. Liked it so well I bought my own and have been using them ever since. I'm lucky. My beard was never very heavy and it keeps getting thinner with age, same as the rest of my body hair.
     
  17. srslywtf

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    I was about to go and try the safety razor, then I decided to go on a quest to try *all* of the disposables..

    I found that the womens razors are actually alot better than the mens.. I can't remember which I use, it's one of the more expensive ones - but I get free cartridges from my work so that is no issue.

    I use it to shave my face, my arms, my legs, my chest.. and anything else.

    The only downside I would mention for womens razors is they're not designed for the face so there is a lot of chunky plastic around the blades that can make it hard to reach certain edges.. not impossible, just requires a little thought.

    But in terms of irritation/etc, far superior.

    Honestly safety razor is probably the way to go, but I hate the thought of cutting myself even in the short term :lol: and there is no way I'd EVER put something like a safety razor near my genitals..
     
    #17 srslywtf, Aug 20, 2013
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2013
  18. Data

    Data Guest

    I used the Schick 5 blade razor for months before I came across the double edge safety razor. I was also concerned about cutting myself, but in reality as long as you don't push the blade into your face or use a very dull blade, the "cuts" are just little spots that aren't painful and close up as soon as you dab them with the styptic pencil. It took me about a month of shaving every other day to get it to where I didn't cut myself at ALL. Now I do a shave in 10 minutes with 3-4 passes and get a damn close shave.

    I agree that the shaving cream out of the can is horrible. I use my shave soap puck and my shave brush to make my lather and it is far superior.

    At this point (1 year of experience) I wouldn't hesitate to shave privates with the double edge razor. I don't shave anything but my face, but I feel like if I took the curse off first with a buzzer, the DE razor would shave pubic/body hair QUITE well!
     
  19. AsIUsedToBe

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    I use a Nice eletric one usually every other day I get the whole 5 o'clock shadow thing going on. Lol my facial hair grows freakishly fast xD. But I love it no razor burn, bumps, ingrown hairs. I used adisposable ones for two years and hated it. But now its easy and I dint pluck my eye brows anymore ether I use an attachment it came with same after affect but takes like 5 seconds and it doesn't hurt. :slight_smile:
     
  20. qwr42

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    Just be careful, after 10 uses razors can develop bacteria cultures that can be dangerous if they enter the bloodstream. I have never heard of anyone getting sick from that but just thought id let you know :wink: