Dethroner Forum member “ThinkandDrive” made a great post about his shaving process, a product-heavy mix of traditional (boar’s hair shaving brush) and modern (Mach 3 Turbo, King of Shaves pre-shave oil). But as any shaver knows, it’s not just the products that you use that matter, but the ritual:
Again, here’s where your person preference and experience comes in. I generally shave in the following order and directions. Cheeks from upper to lower in long strokes. I’ll throw in an extra cross-grain stroke at the bottom of my jaw line because that’s a trouble spot. I then shave my neck from the chin down. I carefully shave in a downward direction. Top of the lip is similar.
Go check out his great write-up and then let me know what your unique shaving procedure is.
beard rash [Dethroner Forums]
Glad you approve. I only recently began taking shaving very seriously. It used to be a real pain. Then I learned to take my time and enjoy the experience. I’m now on the quest to turn the time back on my hardware. I’m torn between the classic double edge razor of jumping whole hog into a straight razor.
I found these videos floating around youtube.com a while ago. They’re very helpful in illustrating the classic wet shaving techniques.
http://www.bloggeroni.livefire.org/?p=80
I’ve been wet shaving for a couple months and I will never go back.
(LIVEFIRE
Don’t hate be because I’m gadget minded.
I too had such a ritual and I have recently changed to (gasp) a wet/dry electric. I don’t think I’ll be looking back anytime too soon.
My “ritual” is about half a minute longer because of one discovery: No matter how many blades you have in your razor, your shave will be closer if you first shave with the “nap” and then against it. Thus, each cheek: first from the goatee (yes, I have one; otherwise I’d say “from the lip”) back to the ear and then, when the region is done, forward again. Beneath the jaw: from the beard (/lower lip) to the top of the neck, then from the bottom of the neck upward (to prep the neck and finish off under the chin), then downward along the neck.
I’ve never used a blade.
I’ve got light whiskers anyhow, but I got a Norelco as a teenager and have never used anything but. I’ve had only 3 or 4 in 25 years. If I let it go a weekend, on the Monday morning shave (after the shower), I will use the goo-gel that the shaver can dispense. But usually I just rub my face with it for a minute, then apply after-shave cream.
(I know it’s a “religious issue” - blade vs electric, but you asked.)
Always shave with the grain - it’s the only rule that matters. Other than that, I use Aveeno Oatmeal shaving gel and the Bump Fighter razor on my neck. On my face, I just use twin blade disposables.
Plain and simple, I am a believe in human efficiancy, therefore I try to maximize my grooming techniques and the time it takes to perform them. My shaving technique involves a little more then creams, gels or oils. The key to my shaving is the fact that I do it in the shower. It eliminates the mess at a sink, and I generally believe it is somewhat faster. The key to shaving in the shower however, lies within the mirror. There are several availabe, ranging from cheap to expensive. The cheaper mirrors have been coated with an anti fogging agent, but after several months, the surface usually gets mucked up and the mirror has to be replaced if a good cleaning eliminates the anti-fog agent. The top of the line mirrors tie directly into the water line of your shower just before the shower head and cycle water behind the mirror, keeping it the same temperature and preventing fogging. These work well so far….
I have tried shaving oils several times, going so far as to spend quite a bit of loot on them to find perfection. However, after several attempts with various brands, I still fall back to old faithful, The Gillete Mach 3 unscented shaving gel. It’s gone toe to toe with some of the higher end products I have tried. I used to be a big fan of the brush, but its really not needed with the shower. For my shaving instrument of choice, I can roll with both the Mach 3 Power and the Gillete Fusion Power. I was skeptical at first at the notion of a viberating razor, but I think you do get a better shave or at least the impression of a better shave. Plus, my girlfriend loves it.
Are five blades better then three? Probably not. The only change I noticed was the increased amount of money I have to spend for new blades, but I do applaud Gillete for including the single blade on the fusion. Its great for tight areas and shaping. My old man refuses to move beyong a two blade razor, claiming that the new models with increased blades are just too damn big to get good shaping. He’s old, what does he know. Maybe he should get rid of his beard.