Discrepancy between the Way a Shave Looks and the Way It Feels

[docholliday77]

Does anyone else look at the finished product and think it doesn't look all that great? Looking at my post-shave face tonight, it looks like a CCS. But it meets definition of DFS (can only feel stubble when rubbing ATG). I do have black hair (although gaining more salt in the pepper all the time...), which is probably part of it. The effect seems most pronounced on my neck.

The reason I bring it up, is because I think most of my irritation comes from too much work with the blade (passes, touch up). Tonight I had a great shave with no irritation, because I set the bar low (aimed for CCS). However, I ended up with the DFS anyway. So I love the results, but I'm not sure about the appearance.

 

[dpm802]

I notice this discrepancy often. I shave mostly by feel, since without my glasses on, I can't clearly see what I'm doing in the mirror. So I keep shaving until I can't feel any more stubble, but when I rinse, apply aftershave and put my glasses on to check the results, I see that some areas look red, but don't necessarily feel irritated.

There are numerous causes for this. I may need more moisturizer on my face. I may need to start using a PSO again. I may need to adjust my technique.

Whatever the cause of the redness is, the results are temporary. Although it doesn't look as good as I'd like right after the shave, within an hour or so, the parts of my beard with redness is gone and my face is the same complexion all over.

 

[OneShaveAttaTime]

I have the same problem sometimes I guess that is why I have been so curious about the ATG pass, as I fall deeper and deeper into this wet shaving paradise (I was going to say abyss, but I refuse) I find that my critique is becoming more and more strict, luckily my technique is also improving so I am able to take more risks I find without as brutal of consequences.

 

[BSAGuy]

Agree with Doc. It is easy to overdo this. For me, it is just WTG, ATG, then a couple of touchups. Gives me BBS on flat surfaces and DFS everywhere else. I have learned that this is enough and doing more gets me into irritation-land.

 

[BeardFace]

I definitely feel this way and it annoys me. I don't feel any hair/stubble and it just doesn't look all that great when I look in the mirror. What's more frustrating is taking that subway ride to work and seeing how others get BBS shaves that actually look good and they probably spend 5-10 minutes in the morning with a cartridge and some can of goop.

 

[dpm802]

Another thing I've noticed is that even with the same components, two or three shaves might turn out differently.

Using the same prep, the same soap, the same razor, and the same technique, I might get near BBS on one, DFS on another, and CCS on the last.

I don't really understand this, but I've noticed it over and over again.

 

[docholliday77]

UPDATE:

Today I added back in the ATG pass and I like the way it looks. No irritation either, so this is the holy grail for me. I didn't do any touch ups, which is probably my biggest rabbit hole to irritation.

My best shave is what I call DFS+. That's BBS in most places, but DFS in some spots on my neck and jaw. I'm (slowly) learning that it just isn't worth trying to make these spots BBS. As long as it looks good and has no irritation - good enough!

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

Does anyone else look at the finished product and think it doesn't look all that great? Looking at my post-shave face tonight, it looks like a CCS. But it meets definition of DFS (can only feel stubble when rubbing ATG). I do have black hair (although gaining more salt in the pepper all the time...), which is probably part of it. The effect seems most pronounced on my neck.

The reason I bring it up, is because I think most of my irritation comes from too much work with the blade (passes, touch up). Tonight I had a great shave with no irritation, because I set the bar low (aimed for CCS). However, I ended up with the DFS anyway. So I love the results, but I'm not sure about the appearance.

With me it's the other way round. Quite often I'll do a shave which I feel is unsatisfactory, with a fair bit of stubble I can feel, yet it looks absolutely fine all day long. The fact I have lightish coloured hair probably has something to do with it.

 

[SpikedLemon]

I don't strive for BBS; there are lots here that try to achieve it on every shave. I would be happy w/ a CCS or DFS.

 

[paintflinger]

What kills me are the shaves where you can feel stubble at the end, then you complete your post shave, let everything dry, and BAM! smooth skin. Bugs me because I end up irritating my face to get that stubborn bit of stubble and come to find out that it didn't matter.

 

[docholliday77]

What kills me are the shaves where you can feel stubble at the end, then you complete your post shave, let everything dry, and BAM! smooth skin. Bugs me because I end up irritating my face to get that stubborn bit of stubble and come to find out that it didn't matter.

Yes! I've had to get better at calibrating what needs touching up and what should be left well enough alone based on my feel test. Once you've done your post-shave routine, a lot of that scratchiness definitely disappears.

 

[PMT]

Agree with Doc. It is easy to overdo this. For me, it is just WTG, ATG, then a couple of touchups. Gives me BBS on flat surfaces and DFS everywhere else. I have learned that this is enough and doing more gets me into irritation-land.

+1

 

[Vespasian]

I shave by feel. Big prep. Then I lather well and do the first pass. Depending on the blade, lather, etc., I can be doing really well or stuck behind the 8-ball. I lather up for pass #2, then I get lather from my bowl and slap that across the mug, feeling where I need the attention. This is the money pass. More finger-rubbing, then a touch-up pass, sometimes my chin line, often parts of my neck.

Then I stop, to avoid irritation. My shaves got better and closer, finally getting to DFS most of the time. No pressure. The after six months, I dialed up the Fatboy to 6 and started to use Astra SPs and Tcheon Fung Sing soap. Bingo. BBS shaves more often than not, unbidden, pleasant.

But I am very happy with the DFS shaves as well. The journey, not the arrival...

 

[August West]

 

[ahntu]

Sometimes I feel just a WTG/XTG pass looks better than a WTG/ATG pass. I think it's because the ATG changes the hair growth slightly making it stick out rather than hide.

We need a dermatologist to answer this question.

 

[docholliday77]

 

[alex2363]

UPDATE:

Today I added back in the ATG pass and I like the way it looks. No irritation either, so this is the holy grail for me. I didn't do any touch ups, which is probably my biggest rabbit hole to irritation.

My best shave is what I call DFS+. That's BBS in most places, but DFS in some spots on my neck and jaw. I'm (slowly) learning that it just isn't worth trying to make these spots BBS. As long as it looks good and has no irritation - good enough!

That is that approach that i take too. I have crazy hair patterns on my neck and i just do a 2 pass with the grain. I wont even attempt a BBS, it would just lead to irritation and a bad shave result.