Getting back into wetshaving. Some old problems.

[blackplague1347]

I got lazy for a few months (or more...) and neglected my Black Tip SS. Eventually, I managed to snap out of it and get back into wet shaving.

Typically I lather my C.O. Bigelow (Proraso) cream in a bowl with a Tweezerman badger brush and then apply to a wet face. This gets the job done, typically.

I was looking at other Proraso products in hopes of reducing irritation and I heard great things about the pre/post shave cream. So I ordered some from West Coast Shaving. It got here yesterday (along with a few blades I haven't tried yet, but wanted to). Green lid, mostly white jar with some green stripes on it, and almost exclusively Italian text on it. It looks and smells pretty good, but I really don't know how to use it (I've never dabbled in pre-shave products before). The jar describes itself as simply a pre shave unlike the website which said pre/post. Some searching indicates that I can use it as both.

Anyway, one of the biggest problems for me is that my face gets dry. I can get through about half of my face comfortably, but by the time I get to the other side, it's less comfortable because beneath the lather on my face, it has dried out a bit.

I always start out WTG and then go XTG.

Does this mean I need to put more water on my face before I lather it? More water in the lather bowl itself? Both? Should I splash some on my face mid-shave?
And how do I use the pre-shave cream to better my experience and results?

Any guidance on this would be great. I'll build my routine from scratch if I have to. I just want to get it right

 

[blackplague1347]

bump

 

[BladeDE40]

Is it your skin that is drying out or the lather?

 

[duokun]

i usually soak my brush while i shower, then wash face/use hot towel, then i apply the pre shave (a little goes a long way generally.) to the beard area and leave it on while i lather up my cream in my bowl. then i lather up my face. then depending on how i feel i sometimes do the hot towel thing again and then re-lather my face.

i sometimes have trouble with my face/lather drying out if i take too long, especially when i am using a straight razor and taking my time. you might try only lathering half your face at a time. shave one side, then lather and shave the other. no shame there.

 

[Jakpro]

I recently read a thread here explaining how barbers used to do it and I have been following the process and it has worked very well for me. I wet my face and then lather up. With the lather on my face, I apply and hot moist towel and leave it on for a couple of minutes. I then wipe off the lather with the towel leaving my face moist. I then lather up again and shave. I lather up and shave for 3 passes. This method has really reduced irritation for me. Then, I apply my alum block and leave it on for a minute or two. I clean the alum off and apply after shave-I use Sea Breeze, which works for me.

The lathering up and soaking is supposed to raise dead skin, soften the whiskers, and open the pores. I believe it. Wiping it off removes the extraneous material raised with the lather so you get a clean surface.