The neck is about all I shave. It took probably 3 months to really get my facial hair gain fully mapped out. What helped me was after a W and A pass, I put a bit of lather on my index and middle finger and feel around. Feel for myself how the hair grew. Then a pass accordingly. It's a process I still use when trying a new to me razor or blade. As a result, I'm getting DFS results most of the time.
Neck area -- a good idea not to try and shave too close there?
- Thread starter JasonJT
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Before you give up trying to get closer, I would like to attempt to convince you on trying one last thing.
When I began using a DE 11 years ago, I had the same exact trouble as you described with your neck.
I would shave my first pass on my face and going straight downwards from north to south. On my second pass, I would shave XTG on my face, but my neck area, didn’t like across the grain. I would get nicks and rashes going XTG.
However, I could easily shave against the grain on my neck. But I could always feel, a light, thin amount of stubble on my neck. It was so light, I couldn’t see it and I also couldn’t tell which way it’s grain was going by feel.
One day, I had an idea that popped in my head. I thought to myself, “I should try shaving my neck going “diagonally of the grain.”
After I have finished a first WTG pass on face and neck and a second XTG on the face and ATG on my neck, I will lather up neck area one last time and with a very light touch, gently shave my neck “diagonally.”
Basically, I will shave since I’m right handed, on the right side of my neck, from my earlobe going in a down and diagonally direction towards my Adam’s apple.
On my left side of my neck, I will still shave down diagonally, but not from my left earlobe like on the right side.
Instead I go from my center line chin area, going diagonally down towards my left side collarbone. So diagonally down both sides in the same direction from right to left.
It gets those last bits of light stubble that I can’t see but can feel. This has worked for me for a decade now, it couldn’t hurt to try?
It's not your technique it's your slant bar razor. Try shaving with a regular DE razor and see if you still have the same problems with your neck.
- Thread starter
- #24
Hi there. The same thing happened with my Beautytrack razor which is a non-slant.
Jason.
- Thread starter
- #25
Thanks to those for the most recent comment and OkieStubble for his detailed answer. Going to try some of the recommendations and see if that helps. And I’m going to try a Nacet blade for the first time given how much they are liked on this forum.
Jason.
Jason.
The beard pattern on your neck is not that much different from what I have on mine. The neck is one of the trickiest parts to shave. It can be quite a challenge.
Have you mapped the grain of your beard on your neck? My beard particularly on my neck grows in so many directions and then in spots swirls so that a WTG pass is meaningless. I look to see in what direction my beard grows the most and that becomes my WTG pass realizing that in some spots it may be XTG and ATG. I then use an exceptionally light touch in going in that direction
Because every pass I take on my face is against the grain it is essential that I use a very light touch. I have found that using the right grip on your razor goes a long way in keeping pressure off of the blade. The wiki deals with holding a razor and may help you. You may have to click on each photo to load it.
Some additional suggestions:
1. Be sure your lather has sufficient water in it. This makes your shave smoother.
2. Be sure your face is sufficiently hydrated whether you use warm or cold water. If your face is wet before you apply lather for each pass, IMHO, your shaves will be better.
3. Take a washcloth and dip it in cold water and then place it on your face after your last pass.
4. Use WH on your face after you do step 3 above. Use an aftershave balm that is a good moisturizer.
5. At night, before retiring apply a good quality moisturizer to your face. I use CeraVe but there are other good ones out there, too. Look for a product that has ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
Have you mapped the grain of your beard on your neck? My beard particularly on my neck grows in so many directions and then in spots swirls so that a WTG pass is meaningless. I look to see in what direction my beard grows the most and that becomes my WTG pass realizing that in some spots it may be XTG and ATG. I then use an exceptionally light touch in going in that direction
Because every pass I take on my face is against the grain it is essential that I use a very light touch. I have found that using the right grip on your razor goes a long way in keeping pressure off of the blade. The wiki deals with holding a razor and may help you. You may have to click on each photo to load it.
Some additional suggestions:
1. Be sure your lather has sufficient water in it. This makes your shave smoother.
2. Be sure your face is sufficiently hydrated whether you use warm or cold water. If your face is wet before you apply lather for each pass, IMHO, your shaves will be better.
3. Take a washcloth and dip it in cold water and then place it on your face after your last pass.
4. Use WH on your face after you do step 3 above. Use an aftershave balm that is a good moisturizer.
5. At night, before retiring apply a good quality moisturizer to your face. I use CeraVe but there are other good ones out there, too. Look for a product that has ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
For me, I found I would get irritation/razor burn from pressing too hard.
When I shave, I do my cheeks down to jaw line. Then from jawline straight down to the floor to the bottom of my growth.
Then re-lather and go XTG in same order.
Also make sure you have product on your face every time your razor goes over it.
When I shave, I do my cheeks down to jaw line. Then from jawline straight down to the floor to the bottom of my growth.
Then re-lather and go XTG in same order.
Also make sure you have product on your face every time your razor goes over it.
Mapping my beard and mastering skin stretching really helped me get closer shaves in my problem areas. I suggest you try either or both approaches in addition to the good advice above!
My first pass is always straight down on my face and my neck. That pass removes a good amount of whiskers/resistance. My second pass is the opposite...an ATG straight up on my neck and face. After the first pass, a good deal has been taken off or shortened. The third pass is side to side, first on my face inner to outer and the on my neck, outer to inner. The fourth and fifth passes are diagonal XTG passes only on my neck...one way first and then the opposite way diagonal second. So...I'm a full three passes both face and neck and then two diagonal XTG only on my neck.
If you have difficulty on your neck, you might want to try downward first followed by XTG diagonal passes on your neck. It's been my experience that these diagonal XTG passes, along with the side to side passes, really make a BBS possible.
If you have difficulty on your neck, you might want to try downward first followed by XTG diagonal passes on your neck. It's been my experience that these diagonal XTG passes, along with the side to side passes, really make a BBS possible.
Regardless of the direction of the beard, I find shaving the neck N to S and S to N several times with a slick lather works well with me. YMMV of course.
I've come to the conclusion that XTG on the neck is the "devil's pass."
I've come to the conclusion that XTG on the neck is the "devil's pass."
Definitely, I'd say. This might require slower, deliberate moves and using one side of the razor most of the the time.
Totally with you on points 1 and 3. I've finally accepted that I'm never going to get as close a shave on my neck as I do on my cheeks and chin, and I'm fine with it.
I can't get a BBS shave under my jaw or on my neck without using a more aggressive razor. When using a mild razor (R89, AS-D2) it's tempting to press too hard. That doesn't work, but it does cause irritation. HTH.
I rate my shave (closeness) by the lower jaw/neck area. For me, in this area Carts' win. DEs and SRs just create irritation and it isn't for the want of trying over the years
Hi Jason, I have been DE shaving for about as long as you and it seems like we are encountering the same challenges with the neck! The last two weeks have been pretty good on my neck. I changed how I do my XTG passes on my neck. I had been shaving XTG on my neck sort of parallel to the floor, ie straight across sideways. I changed to a slight diagonal XTG pass on the neck, maybe around 15 degrees off parallel. It made a huge improvement, way less irritation and less alum feedback! I guess I did not have my beard mapped perfectly for that area.
The right neck is a weird area for me. N-S and S-N on the neck is fine, but on the right neck I need a light skim, right to left, to get that area close enough for my satisfaction.
