Hi guys
tl;dr: I have very strong facial hair and I like to be clean-shaven (ideally, I'd like a smooth face every day). Gillette Fusion (Power) does not do the job without some time and pain. I have to shave ATG a couple times or more to get really clean, and that means lots of cuts here and there. Can electric razors do a better job? Or do I need to go back to basics and adopt the classic safety razor? Would that surprisingly be a better fit for my face?
Background: It has been a frustrating 10 years. Shaving has always been a chore. It means 15-30 minutes in the bathroom just to shave; it is a real POTF (pain on the face). I started shaving ATG very, very early on because a straight down trip wouldn't cut anything (I didn't use foam/lather or aftershave back then, which was probably bad practice and led to even stronger regrowth). My stubbles are stubborn like no other; only several swipes of ATG while pulling the skin can get rid of them.
So, over the years, the ATG habit has no doubt actually made the hairs even more durable. I have climbed the Gillette ladder, from 2, 3 to 4 blades. I have been using the Fusion (first the manual, then power, but not the glide) since its inception, probably around 5 years already. However, I don't think the extra blades are doing any better. I have brown skin and so always have razor bumps form after a day or so (yes, they all grow back in less than 12 hours). Because every shave means I cut myself (ATG always cuts somewhere), I become a brown guy with a red face at the start of the day.
The frequency of shaving has decreased over the years. When I was young and had regular dates I used to shave every single day (I expected I'd kiss that day and my girl wouldn't like to kiss stubbles). At the most, I'd do styles like the chin strip sometimes with a curtain to attract some attention. I am generally hairier than my friends, including on the face (or my hairs are stronger). As I aged I grew sick and tired of shaving. I had to save time. Now I shave every two days or so. If I have no social event or date it can stretch to a couple days more until I have a fully visible young beard. During emergencies I usually just leave a circle beard since that part of the face is the hardest to shave. And I don't really look good unshaven, as I've received the "why don't you shave?" question from women and men alike.
My kit is pretty standard. Off-the-shelf ready-made lather (Gillette), the razor, and then aftershave (I adopted this very late and maybe I had less burns and bumps since). It's not that I haven't had a perfect shave. I have - but a perfect shave currently means a long time spent shaving and pain afterwards (burns, bumps). I'm looking for the really perfect shave - one that will leave a smooth job and create no burn or bump.
I have never tried electric razors fearing my investment would go down the drain. I need to be certain that it can deal with my stubbles and I don't think a budget electric shaving kit can. I have also never tried shaving at the barber, or the single blade, or the classic safety razor that my father had as a relic. I really think the solution is in one of these things that I've yet to try. What do YOU think?
tl;dr: I have very strong facial hair and I like to be clean-shaven (ideally, I'd like a smooth face every day). Gillette Fusion (Power) does not do the job without some time and pain. I have to shave ATG a couple times or more to get really clean, and that means lots of cuts here and there. Can electric razors do a better job? Or do I need to go back to basics and adopt the classic safety razor? Would that surprisingly be a better fit for my face?
Background: It has been a frustrating 10 years. Shaving has always been a chore. It means 15-30 minutes in the bathroom just to shave; it is a real POTF (pain on the face). I started shaving ATG very, very early on because a straight down trip wouldn't cut anything (I didn't use foam/lather or aftershave back then, which was probably bad practice and led to even stronger regrowth). My stubbles are stubborn like no other; only several swipes of ATG while pulling the skin can get rid of them.
So, over the years, the ATG habit has no doubt actually made the hairs even more durable. I have climbed the Gillette ladder, from 2, 3 to 4 blades. I have been using the Fusion (first the manual, then power, but not the glide) since its inception, probably around 5 years already. However, I don't think the extra blades are doing any better. I have brown skin and so always have razor bumps form after a day or so (yes, they all grow back in less than 12 hours). Because every shave means I cut myself (ATG always cuts somewhere), I become a brown guy with a red face at the start of the day.
The frequency of shaving has decreased over the years. When I was young and had regular dates I used to shave every single day (I expected I'd kiss that day and my girl wouldn't like to kiss stubbles). At the most, I'd do styles like the chin strip sometimes with a curtain to attract some attention. I am generally hairier than my friends, including on the face (or my hairs are stronger). As I aged I grew sick and tired of shaving. I had to save time. Now I shave every two days or so. If I have no social event or date it can stretch to a couple days more until I have a fully visible young beard. During emergencies I usually just leave a circle beard since that part of the face is the hardest to shave. And I don't really look good unshaven, as I've received the "why don't you shave?" question from women and men alike.
My kit is pretty standard. Off-the-shelf ready-made lather (Gillette), the razor, and then aftershave (I adopted this very late and maybe I had less burns and bumps since). It's not that I haven't had a perfect shave. I have - but a perfect shave currently means a long time spent shaving and pain afterwards (burns, bumps). I'm looking for the really perfect shave - one that will leave a smooth job and create no burn or bump.
I have never tried electric razors fearing my investment would go down the drain. I need to be certain that it can deal with my stubbles and I don't think a budget electric shaving kit can. I have also never tried shaving at the barber, or the single blade, or the classic safety razor that my father had as a relic. I really think the solution is in one of these things that I've yet to try. What do YOU think?
My priority now is to look up brushes and creams, since those are pretty new things to me. And I also have some reading to do at the wiki. I'm really excited to get this going, so I'll return on a later date in the not-so-distant future to post my results. Thank you all once again!
