Does anyone else enjoy a mild 2nd shave in the evening?

[niels]

More and more, I find myself doing an enjoyable, relaxing 2nd shave in the evening. I do things half the tempo that I do in the morning, paying full attention the the sensations, the scents, the brush on my face and that wonderful crips sound of hairs snipping away under the merciless efficiency of the blade as it effortlessly glides over my skin.

This shave for me isn't about the result. If I had the same amount of stubble afterwards, it would not matter. No aggressive passes enter this shave. It is about the Zen. About the experience. I actively feel the brush, the soap, the water. Purposefully hear the dance between the blade and my whiskers. Consciously take in the scent with every intake of breath.

Today I took out an Obsessive Soap Perfectionist soap in Peppermint & Rosemary scent. OSP always seems to deliver "the Zen" in spades on these occasions. The scents are raw, pure and honest. The lather is just glorious as it crowns the magnificent Manchurian bristles of my brush. The slickness gives confidence as the peppermint pleasantly cools.

After the shave, I gently squeeze the remaining lather from my trusty brush and gently rub the creamy lather over my face. This soap just makes the skin feel amazing afterwards I will not let any of it go to waste. A soothing warm splash, followed by a brisk cold one and I feel as if reborn. As if it washes all the stress and worries of the day away.


Am I the only one that has such 2nd shaves? What is your reason? For me, it is often when work gets crazy-busy and this takes me back to "me"... well, that and the fact I just love shaving so much, there aren't enough shaves in a day What routine do you enjoy with what products?

 

[MTG Jr]

Only if I want my face and neck to feel irritated from overshaving.

 

[Legacoid]

Yep that's my usual practice, and has been for 20 years or so. For most of that time it was about restoring that clean-shaven feel, but since I switched from cartridge systems to a safety razor I am enjoying the process as much as the result. It leaves me feeling clean, not just physically but mentally too.

Unlike the morning shave it's really just a single pass top-up; very simple and much quicker, but enjoyable nonetheless.

 

[niels]

Only if I want my face and neck to feel irritated from overshaving.

That is definitively a risk. Your post did get me thinking... would it be worth shaving less aggressive in the morning so I can enjoy more of these. It might actually, even though I enjoy a BBS. That got me thinking further: This might actually work to improve technique. As an experiment, try a 1 month zero-tolerance on irritation shave regiment... I'd probably have to skip ATG as it has some risk of at least a little irritation. It would force one to try and get more out of the XTG passes with only technique to do it. The results could be surprising

It leaves me feeling clean, not just physically but mentally too.

Absolutely agree!

 

[santamariasteve]

Usually yes, when I have an important evening engagement.

 

[Ruva]

I don't shave twice in one day but I do shave in the evening. I used to shave in the morning but felt rushed. An evening shave is more enjoyable and a great way to unwind before bed.

 

[ajkel64]

Not for me but if it works for you then that is fine. What ever your face can stand.

 

[naughtilus]

I've been contemplating this for a while. Instead of going hard for a single shave as close as possible, risking irritation and ingrown hairs, perhaps do two lighter shaves, morning and early evening after a shower so every shave is 8h apart.

 

[les24preludes]

I'm going the other way - only shave every 2 days, but use very efficient razors.

 

[BigJ]

Once shave per day works for me (generally first thing in the AM)!! ​

 

[MTG Jr]

The scents are raw, pure and honest. The lather is just glorious as it crowns the magnificent Manchurian bristles of my brush. The slickness gives confidence as the peppermint pleasantly cools.

Have you ever written for Penthouse Letters, by chance?

 

[RTM]

Am I the only one that has such 2nd shaves? What is your reason? For me, it is often when work gets crazy-busy and this takes me back to "me"... well, that and the fact I just love shaving so much, there aren't enough shaves in a day What routine do you enjoy with what products?

I am an evening shaver on most days. Your second shave is what my first one is. Mornings are way too loud with kids, cornflakes, who kicked who and where is my ipad. I gave up on mornings. Afternoon, or evening shaves are completely different. I am paying attention to every detail, I have time to add some nice extra like hot towel pre and/or post, and then chill twenty minutes on a balcony having coffee.

 

[Christoph]

Once in a great while I will shave again at night. Its quick, often just one pass. And yes, its easy.

 

[kingfisher]

I'm going the other way - only shave every 2 days, but use very efficient razors.

Me, too, and I've gone with the most efficient razor I can think of, the Feather SS shavette.

 

[DEPenguin]

I do but one (morning) shave a day. But I take the time to do exactly what you do during that shave--I take the time to drink in the sensations and smells, I listen to the sound of the blade cleaning away stubble. I probably take an absurdly long amount of time to lather for each pass but I enjoy the process and result when done. I have slowed down my strokes on purpose as i found going too fast resulted in a less satisfactory result.

I really like starting the day with that clean, fresh feeling. I think if I shaved, even one pass at night, my shave in the morning wouldn't be as close, and I do love me a close shave in the a.m.

 

[niels]

I've been contemplating this for a while. Instead of going hard for a single shave as close as possible, risking irritation and ingrown hairs, perhaps do two lighter shaves, morning and early evening after a shower so every shave is 8h apart.

I still find I need to work on consistently irritation-free shaves, but there really is an appeal to this, isn't there? I shaved again tonight after shaving lighter this morning, but notice I'm not there yet to be fully irritation free. Sensation is again lovely though! Would be a nice part of my technique to work on though, so I think I will do the zero-tolerance-no-irritation for the rest of this month.

Have you ever written for Penthouse Letters, by chance?

I am an evening shaver on most days. Your second shave is what my first one is. Mornings are way too loud with kids, cornflakes, who kicked who and where is my ipad. I gave up on mornings. Afternoon, or evening shaves are completely different. I am paying attention to every detail, I have time to add some nice extra like hot towel pre and/or post, and then chill twenty minutes on a balcony having coffee.

You're absolutely right: Evening shaves are indeed very different. I take extra time in the morning so I don't need to rush, but still they can't top the evening shaves when it comes to "Zen" and relaxation.

I do but one (morning) shave a day. But I take the time to do exactly what you do during that shave--I take the time to drink in the sensations and smells, I listen to the sound of the blade cleaning away stubble. I probably take an absurdly long amount of time to lather for each pass but I enjoy the process and result when done. I have slowed down my strokes on purpose as i found going too fast resulted in a less satisfactory result.

I really like starting the day with that clean, fresh feeling. I think if I shaved, even one pass at night, my shave in the morning wouldn't be as close, and I do love me a close shave in the a.m.

I do the same: I don't want to be in a hurry for this part of the morning. I still find it harder to fully relax like I do in the evening though. I might do the 2 light shaves a day for a while during the week and go for a single-shave BBS in the weekends when I can start the mornings as leisurely as I please.