Good morning, Lads,
Maybe you're dealing with this, too. It has long seemed to me that my whiskers, particularly on two or three days' growth, are unusually dry and coarse. While I've never considered myself to have a "dry" complexion, it seems that my whiskers, however, are. Maybe it's due to age (I'm 44) or some other factor, but I've really only noticed it relatively recently. I've never thought of myself as having a particularly dense beard as I have no "shadow", 5 o'clock or otherwise, but I must say that it seems to me that it can at least be classified as coarse.
Anyway, I was reading a thread here or there in the last few days that mentioned "dry whiskers" and it was something of a relief to me to see someone else mention such a thing. Additionally, I was reading about the interaction between the soap/cream and the beard and how the former's task is actually to stiffen the latter in order that the blade might slice through the whiskers easier. The idea that it is easier for a blade to cut through something stiff as opposed to soft seemed odd to me but then upon further reflection it seemed to make sense. Further, this particular thread entry, or Youtube video, suggested that after a shower or hot towel prep, that a pre-shave be applied to a reasonably dry face in order to facilitate the aforementioned interaction between cream/soap and beard.
Well, as it turned out, I had two days' growth that I was going to attack the next day so I kept these tips in mind. After my shower and after brushing my teeth, instead of re-wetting my beard I just wet my hands a bit and squirted the requisite snurdle of Proraso Red into my hands and rubbed it on my more-or-less dry beard as a pre-shave conditioner. I then loaded my Simpson Grosvenor boar/badger blend with Proraso Red Tub and set about lathering my face.
I shaved with a fresh 7 O'Clock Black in my NDC SS and got the closest 2-pass shave I may have ever gotten. Now, I could have done with a 3rd pass, at least on my neck area but I didn't want to push it as the reason I had two days growth was that I was recovering from a bad case of burn after pushing a shaved-out 7 O'Clock Green. Mea Culpa.
Point being, while all of the factors, esp the Proraso prep, played a part in the quality of the shave, the one variable that I introduced was the more-or-less dry face to start. I think it may have some merit, I don't know. I am about to find out, however, as I will repeat all the same steps on today's one-day growth and see what happens. Esp on the neck.
To close with my original point, do you have to deal with "dry whiskers", and, if so, what is your solution?
Cheers!
-Greg
Maybe you're dealing with this, too. It has long seemed to me that my whiskers, particularly on two or three days' growth, are unusually dry and coarse. While I've never considered myself to have a "dry" complexion, it seems that my whiskers, however, are. Maybe it's due to age (I'm 44) or some other factor, but I've really only noticed it relatively recently. I've never thought of myself as having a particularly dense beard as I have no "shadow", 5 o'clock or otherwise, but I must say that it seems to me that it can at least be classified as coarse.
Anyway, I was reading a thread here or there in the last few days that mentioned "dry whiskers" and it was something of a relief to me to see someone else mention such a thing. Additionally, I was reading about the interaction between the soap/cream and the beard and how the former's task is actually to stiffen the latter in order that the blade might slice through the whiskers easier. The idea that it is easier for a blade to cut through something stiff as opposed to soft seemed odd to me but then upon further reflection it seemed to make sense. Further, this particular thread entry, or Youtube video, suggested that after a shower or hot towel prep, that a pre-shave be applied to a reasonably dry face in order to facilitate the aforementioned interaction between cream/soap and beard.
Well, as it turned out, I had two days' growth that I was going to attack the next day so I kept these tips in mind. After my shower and after brushing my teeth, instead of re-wetting my beard I just wet my hands a bit and squirted the requisite snurdle of Proraso Red into my hands and rubbed it on my more-or-less dry beard as a pre-shave conditioner. I then loaded my Simpson Grosvenor boar/badger blend with Proraso Red Tub and set about lathering my face.
I shaved with a fresh 7 O'Clock Black in my NDC SS and got the closest 2-pass shave I may have ever gotten. Now, I could have done with a 3rd pass, at least on my neck area but I didn't want to push it as the reason I had two days growth was that I was recovering from a bad case of burn after pushing a shaved-out 7 O'Clock Green. Mea Culpa.
Point being, while all of the factors, esp the Proraso prep, played a part in the quality of the shave, the one variable that I introduced was the more-or-less dry face to start. I think it may have some merit, I don't know. I am about to find out, however, as I will repeat all the same steps on today's one-day growth and see what happens. Esp on the neck.
To close with my original point, do you have to deal with "dry whiskers", and, if so, what is your solution?
Cheers!
-Greg
