When I started wet shaving a few years ago, my shaves were resumed to consistent blood baths and days-long worth of irritation. Once in a while, I would achieve a better shave, meaning less blood but the same level of irritation. Dying inside but determined to feel like the happy men seen on vintage shaving ads, I pushed through. Until I couldn't. Took a break. Missed it. Came back. That time, less blood but same bad irritation and nicks.
What the hell was I doing wrong? Kept pushing, trying, changing razors, blades, soaps/creams, pre-shave methods, etc. Nothing worked until... I stopped showering before shaving.
Was it that simple? In my case, the most absolute, resounding, big fat, yes. I can't go into the dermatological aspect of it and I can extrapolate that showering dried my skin to a point where there was no natural moisture/lubrication left on my skin. I thought it was the water but the same would happen in different states and even overseas.
Granted that my technique has greatly improved (I shave with a R41 almost as easily as I would with a Gillette Fusion), it's the shower part that did it for me. For context, I have dark, coarse/thick hair and I do prep the skin in washing with a soap and applying a hot towel.
If you suffer from a similar situation, give this a shot.
What the hell was I doing wrong? Kept pushing, trying, changing razors, blades, soaps/creams, pre-shave methods, etc. Nothing worked until... I stopped showering before shaving.
Was it that simple? In my case, the most absolute, resounding, big fat, yes. I can't go into the dermatological aspect of it and I can extrapolate that showering dried my skin to a point where there was no natural moisture/lubrication left on my skin. I thought it was the water but the same would happen in different states and even overseas.
Granted that my technique has greatly improved (I shave with a R41 almost as easily as I would with a Gillette Fusion), it's the shower part that did it for me. For context, I have dark, coarse/thick hair and I do prep the skin in washing with a soap and applying a hot towel.
If you suffer from a similar situation, give this a shot.