General Shaving issues

[haibane]

So I'm waiting on my DE to show up that I just ordered tonight, but I have been wet shaving with a cartridge for several weeks now. I used to not shave daily and now its just too much fun not to. Anyhow, I have run into this issue where I have a mole on the side of my face right at the line that goes from face to neck. I've nicked this mole probably 5 times in the past couple of weeks, and I was wondering if anyone had any tips or if the DE would most likely just solve this once I got it and mastered my technique.

Thanks, James

 

[life2short1971]

Its easier to shave real close to it with a de. Just be patient on that area and go sloowww.

 

[haibane]

Ah alright. Its funny cause I never nicked it before wetshaving, but I also got really **** poor shaves before too

 

[mr. s]

I have a mole that I have carelessly nicked a few times, man those things can bleed..... Anyway, I tend to shave that spot more slowly. Not much more to say. I haven't cut it since.

 

[haibane]

So one other random question. I think I'm either not satisfied with my brush or my soap. I'm using VDH deluxe with the shea badger brush. Anyhow I do as perscribed in the recommended lather thread with mild modifications as it seems I get too much water. Anyhow for some reason I can't get my brush to really have that caked on lather look, and for that same reason I end up with a slightly translucent layer of lather on my face when I shave. Any tips? New Brush? New Soap? I'm thinking its the soap, but I didn't want to try williams as I figured it'd yield similar results

 

[mblakele]

It's possible to get a nice thick lather with VdH. Try loading the brush twice as long, and see what happens.

 

[haibane]

Ok I'll try that. My current process is put brush in cereal bowl with hot water. but a thin layer of water on vdh. shower. Get back out. Dump cup and vdh water. Squeeze brush and shake. Get a little bit of soap from the top of the vdh. Move to cereal bowl and generate lather until it can hold itself up.

 

[life2short1971]

Put a teaspoon of hot water on the puck go about your business your a few minutes and come back with your brush almost soaked with hot water and whip the dickens out of that puck for about 45 seconds snd see what that does and adjust from there. You don't need a puddle of water for the puck to sit in. Scrub your face a little with the brush too once its lathered.

 

[mblakele]

For what it's worth, I've never needed to put water on top of the VdH.

Try counting swirls as you load the brush, and stop every ten swirls to see if the brush is clumped with soap. If ten swirls isn't enough, try twenty. With hard tallow soaps I sometimes load for 30-50 swirls. I wouldn't expect to need that many with VdH - but I am not using a Shea brush. If the Shea brush doesn't have much backbone, it might take a little longer to get a well-loaded brush.

Also, try making some lathers without shaving. It's good practice.

 

[guitar2mw]

The trick that I've found for VDH is to let hot water run over the puck for a minute or two while you're prepping your face. When you're ready to lather, pour out the excess water in the mug (leave just a little at the bottom) and BARELY wet the tip of your brush (just swipe it under hot running water). Load the brush for about 30 to 45 seconds in the mug itself and you'll start seeing "real" lather. Then you can finish lathering using your preferred method (face, hand, or bowl). Too much water can create thin lather.

Also, I just want to clarify that I do not soak my brush before doing this. Make sure your brush is dry when you start.

 

[haibane]

The trick that I've found for VDH is to let hot water run over the puck for a minute or two while you're prepping your face. When you're ready to lather, pour out the excess water in the mug (leave just a little at the bottom) and BARELY wet the tip of your brush (just swipe it under hot running water). Load the brush for about 30 to 45 seconds in the mug itself and you'll start seeing "real" lather. Then you can finish lathering using your preferred method (face, hand, or bowl). Too much water can create thin lather.

Also, I just want to clarify that I do not soak my brush before doing this. Make sure your brush is dry when you start.

This appears to be the best approach. Interestingly though I expect my brush to be completely coated in lather and it just doesn't appear this is possible with this brush. Maybe it just won't hold tons and tons of lather in it. All I want to see is white when I'm done lathering. Asking too much?

 

[mr. s]

whip the dickens out of that puck

Yup, takes a while with any product, especially when you are just getting used to it. Better too long than not long enough. Experiment. Try different amounts of water, etc.
Good lather is UBBER important for a good shave.

 

[Go West Young Man]

This appears to be the best approach. Interestingly though I expect my brush to be completely coated in lather and it just doesn't appear this is possible with this brush. Maybe it just won't hold tons and tons of lather in it. All I want to see is white when I'm done lathering. Asking too much?

The brush won't be 'coated' or 'visibly white' when you're loading it up, you have to go more by feel - when it's ready to start lathering with, it just feels different as you swirl it on the puck. It's hard to describe, but once you get some experience with a soap/brush combo it becomes second nature.