Help me get quicker shaves without too much irritation / bumps

[rafikz]

Hi there, hey there, ho there

Super tough-bearded man seeking advice.

I'm a very slow shaver; I have to go brushless on weekdays because I don't want to be late for work, and there is no way I'm waking up earlier for a brush shave or to take my time

I have timed my latest brushless shaves, and I took me an average of 15-20 minutes per shave (WTG+ATG+touch ups) , including first lathering (Nivea gel) shave WTG, re-wet beard area, squeeze some gel from the can, 2nd lathering and ATG, then touch ups with a bit of leftover lather.

15-20 minutes is not acceptable for a brushless shave

What am I doing wrong?

1 .Should I keep some extra lather (from my first lathering), use 1 hand for shaving (in fact, I switch hands to hold the razor while shaving), then apply the extra lather for my 2nd pass (instead of squeezing gel from the can again and then build lather again) ? in fact, my brother uses this technique

2. Or, should I take a deep breath, and try to shave faster and see what happens? maybe it won't be that bad

3. Or, just do WTG+ATG without going for BBS (reason why I do touch-ups each morning), just to be clean and presentable for work ?

I like option 3, because I can aim BBS for my the weekends, but not necessarely for weekdays

Fact # 145 : my father has an insane tough beard, and he doesn't relather for the ATG pass !!! and he has no bumps or irritation

 

[Mr. Gillette]

Hi there, hey there, ho there

Super tough-bearded man seeking advice.

I'm a very slow shaver; I have to go brushless on weekdays because I don't want to be late for work, and there is no way I'm waking up earlier for a brush shave or to take my time

I have timed my latest brushless shaves, and I took me an average of 15-20 minutes per shave (WTG+ATG+touch ups) , including first lathering (Nivea gel) shave WTG, re-wet beard area, squeeze some gel from the can, 2nd lathering and ATG, then touch ups with a bit of leftover lather.

15-20 minutes is not acceptable for a brushless shave

What am I doing wrong?

1 .Should I keep some extra lather (from my first lathering), use 1 hand for shaving (in fact, I switch hands to hold the razor while shaving), then apply the extra lather for my 2nd pass (instead of squeezing gel from the can again and then build lather again) ? in fact, my brother uses this technique

2. Or, should I take a deep breath, and try to shave faster and see what happens? maybe it won't be that bad

3. Or, just do WTG+ATG without going for BBS (reason why I do touch-ups each morning), just to be clean and presentable for work ?

I like option 3, because I can aim BBS for my the weekends, but not necessarely for weekdays

Fact # 145 : my father has an insane tough beard, and he doesn't relather for the ATG pass !!! and he has no bumps or irritation

I get up early and plan on about 40 minutes...it's a pain sometimes, (getting up) but it's SO much more worth it when I feel my BBS face all day long!

What are you doing wrong? You're not getting up early enough!

 

[rafikz]

I get up early and plan on about 40 minutes...it's a pain sometimes, (getting up) but it's SO much more worth it when I feel my BBS face all day long!

What are you doing wrong? You're not getting up early enough!

There's no way I'm getting up earlier for a perfect shave

 

[Mr. Gillette]

There's no way I'm getting up earlier for a perfect shave

Then enjoy your scratchy face!

Sleep is good, I'll grant you that!

All kidding aside...your 20 minute brushless shave sounds about right. If you're doing any prep at all, and a couple of passes, this sounds like a good rate of speed.

 

[cr8n]

You have my total sympathy on the morning thing.

I'm 51. ALL my life I've hated getting out of bed. Praise God, wetshaving has saved me from this. ... But I am not a shaving fundamentalist...

A couple of ideas:

- Add an Across the Grain pass.

- Upgrade your products, esp the Nivea (yes, I know you love it. I can read. LOL). How about a very high end product like Zihr or Anthony Logistics? I have tried the former, not the latter. If it weren't for my badger hair fetish, I would openly admit that my Best Shave Ever was at the hands of the Zihr creme.

Not the whole picture, but maybe a piece of the puzzle for you,
Paul

 

[bb557]

I don't stress about the BBS thing during the week. Like you, I am not a morning person. If I am shaving in the morning, I just go for a presentable shave which takes about 10 minutes for me.

Another option might be to shave at night? If I go for BBS at night, it will last far enough into the next day for me. Could be that your beard grow faster than mine.

 

[rafikz]

Then enjoy your scratchy face!

Sleep is good, I'll grant you that!

All kidding aside...your 20 minute brushless shave sounds about right. If you're doing any prep at all, and a couple of passes, this sounds like a good rate of speed.

Thanks,

but I'm not sure about 20 min being a good rate; I know that many people get good brushless shaves in less than 10 minutes

You have my total sympathy on the morning thing.

I'm 51. ALL my life I've hated getting out of bed. Praise God, wetshaving has saved me from this. ... But I am not a shaving fundamentalist...

A couple of ideas:

- Add an Across the Grain pass.

- Upgrade your products, esp the Nivea (yes, I know you love it. I can read. LOL). How about a very high end product like Zihr or Anthony Logistics? I have tried the former, not the latter. If it weren't for my badger hair fetish, I would openly admit that my Best Shave Ever was at the hands of the Zihr creme.

Not the whole picture, but maybe a piece of the puzzle for you,
Paul

I prefer the Nivea to the Anthony.

The Zirh cream is good though

I do have the Edge brushless cream, which is a good product; but haven't used it or a long time, for some strange reason

I don't stress about the BBS thing during the week. Like you, I am not a morning person. If I am shaving in the morning, I just go for a presentable shave which takes about 10 minutes for me.

Another option might be to shave at night? If I go for BBS at night, it will last far enough into the next day for me. Could be that your beard grow faster than mine.

I do have a super fast growing beard, and it's dark (blamwe it on my mediterranean genes)

Can you please describe your 10 minute routine?

 

[Big_E]

I am not a morning person at all but I am a shaving zealot. I will march to hell and back for a good shave. To say you have my sympathy would be a lie and I'm not in the business. If you're taking 20 minutes to shave, you may as well include a good shaving brush into your routine and make it worthwhile. Otherwise, go with option number 3 and save the BBS for the weekend.
Ernest

PS: No hard feelings, I say this with all brotherly respect but I am a zealot when it comes to shaving.

 

[rafikz]

I am not a morning person at all but I am a shaving zealot. I will march to hell and back for a good shave. To say you have my sympathy would be a lie and I'm not in the business. If you're taking 20 minutes to shave, you may as well include a good shaving brush into your routine and make it worthwhile. Otherwise, go with option number 3 and save the BBS for the weekend.
Ernest

PS: No hard feelings, I say this with all brotherly respect but I am a zealot when it comes to shaving.

It's all good

 

[Must Dash]

Check out the local hospital or nursing home, and get inspired by whatever products and systems they have for bathing patients in bed. Then rig up the necessary paraphernalia so you can shave without having to get out of the sack. Best of both worlds. And if you happen to splash your sleeping partner, well that's their cue to get up and make you some coffee and toast.

Cheers

Jeremy

 

[Jarmo P]

I have a flu today (yesterday too), muscles hurt, pls don't talk me about bath or a wet shave, lol.

With shower and a lathering 3 pass shave it takes me normally 40 minutes. Not hurrying either shower or the shave.

 

[Rolo]

Hey rafikz,

I've read some of your posts before, and iirc you're one of the few here that uses a Mach 3 to shave on a regular basis. If that's the case you're right; 20 minutes is waaayyy too long, even if you're going brushless.

When I'm pressed for time I use a Schick Quattro and a brush. In fact, I've found out that when lathering directly on the face with a brush doesn't take longer than going brushless. it's pretty much about the same, and my whole routine takes about 10 minutes or less.

This is what I do:

- Splash my face and rub warm water on my beard for about 30 seconds to a minute. Sometimes a hold a moist hot towel for about a minute also.
(Although it would be faster to shave after showering to cut on prep time, I prefer to shave before, it's just a habit)

- While doing this, my brush is soaking in the sink. I squeeze some cream on the brush and start lathering on the face. KMF and Proraso seem to work best for face lathering, though the Body Shop works well too. The whole process takes about 30 to 45 seconds.

- 1st pass with the Quattro is WTG (some areas I go XTG). Long strokes, not short like a DE. But the pressure is light, like using a DE. (This stage is where you save the most time, takes me abut 45 seconds, a minute max).

- Rinse face with warm water. Re-lather the face, since the brush is already loaded, it only takes a few seconds.

- 2nd pass XTG. This takes longer than the first pass because you'll be using short strokes almost as you would with a DE.

- Rinse and lather again... then touch-up.

Warm water rinse, cold water rise, ASB and I'm done.

This works well for me even though I have a thick Mediterranean beard. Ever seen Adrian Grenier from Entourage? That's pretty much what I look like, including the 5 o'clock shadow even with a BBS shave.

I've tried going brushless, (Zirh gel and cream, Edge, Lab Series, TJ's, even KMF) but it's just not as good as with a brush. It's not worth the few seconds that I might save.

Maybe some of that might work for you, good luck cutting down on your time.

Edit: Didn't know this post was going to be so long, sorry about that.

 

[Mr. Gillette]

I am not a morning person at all but I am a shaving zealot. I will march to hell and back for a good shave. To say you have my sympathy would be a lie and I'm not in the business. If you're taking 20 minutes to shave, you may as well include a good shaving brush into your routine and make it worthwhile. Otherwise, go with option number 3 and save the BBS for the weekend.
Ernest

PS: No hard feelings, I say this with all brotherly respect but I am a zealot when it comes to shaving.

Tell it, Big E! Testify!!! YESSSS!!! AMEN! Today (in honor of these posts) I woke up 10 minutes early (5:10), took 50 minutes and my face was so smooth and shiny when I left the house at 6:30 (after a 3 minute shower!), that people driving past me were blinded by the reflection of the rising sun glaring from my perfectly shaven cheeks!

 

[solloron]

If your worried about time in the morning...why dont you just shave at night?? Thats what i do and i like it much better than getting up early

 

[rafikz]

Hey rafikz,

I've read some of your posts before, and iirc you're one of the few here that uses a Mach 3 to shave on a regular basis. If that's the case you're right; 20 minutes is waaayyy too long, even if you're going brushless.

When I'm pressed for time I use a Schick Quattro and a brush. In fact, I've found out that when lathering directly on the face with a brush doesn't take longer than going brushless. it's pretty much about the same, and my whole routine takes about 10 minutes or less.

This is what I do:

- Splash my face and rub warm water on my beard for about 30 seconds to a minute. Sometimes a hold a moist hot towel for about a minute also.
(Although it would be faster to shave after showering to cut on prep time, I prefer to shave before, it's just a habit)

- While doing this, my brush is soaking in the sink. I squeeze some cream on the brush and start lathering on the face. KMF and Proraso seem to work best for face lathering, though the Body Shop works well too. The whole process takes about 30 to 45 seconds.

- 1st pass with the Quattro is WTG (some areas I go XTG). Long strokes, not short like a DE. But the pressure is light, like using a DE. (This stage is where you save the most time, takes me abut 45 seconds, a minute max).

- Rinse face with warm water. Re-lather the face, since the brush is already loaded, it only takes a few seconds.

- 2nd pass XTG. This takes longer than the first pass because you'll be using short strokes almost as you would with a DE.

- Rinse and lather again... then touch-up.

Warm water rinse, cold water rise, ASB and I'm done.

This works well for me even though I have a thick Mediterranean beard. Ever seen Adrian Grenier from Entourage? That's pretty much what I look like, including the 5 o'clock shadow even with a BBS shave.

I've tried going brushless, (Zirh gel and cream, Edge, Lab Series, TJ's, even KMF) but it's just not as good as with a brush. It's not worth the few seconds that I might save.

Maybe some of that might work for you, good luck cutting down on your time.

Edit: Didn't know this post was going to be so long, sorry about that.

Thanks

I admit, 15-20 minutes is way too long with a cartridge razor ; I use short strokes on my 1st pass, this might be the culprit

I thought about face lathering in order to go faster, but using this method on a daily basis can irritate my skn

The Bodyshop is amazing for face lathering.

Ad I do have KMF and Proraso Red

If your worried about time in the morning...why dont you just shave at night?? Thats what i do and i like it much better than getting up early

My beard grows too fast

 

[bb557]

Can you please describe your 10 minute routine?

Sure,

Before hopping in shower, I fill sink with hot water and toss my brush in.

Pre shave prep consists of a hot shower with Proraso Pre post on my beard and lots of really hot water in shower.

Once out of shower, I refill sink with hot H20 while drying off.

Splash hot water on face, dip brush in tub of shaving cream du jour and face lather. I then give my face a good rub down for 30 seconds or so, re lather and do WTG pass. On this pass, I do what is called the Gillette slide. It seems to cut a little better.

Second pass, lather and do XTG. Brush is already loaded with creamy goodness, so it is very fast.

Third pass is is just more of a quick touch up of rough areas than a full blown third pass.

Hit the face with cold water, slap on alum block, witch hazel and whatever ASB/AS I am in love with that week.

This gives me a very respectable shave and, from exiting the shower, I can be done in 10 minutes.


More and more though, I am getting into the whole shaving at night thing. It's quiet, relaxing and I can really take my time and enjoy the process, which is kind of the point of all of this.

 

[anitract]

What if you skip the alum block, witch hazel and AS; instead just using one moisturizing aftershave balm? That might shave a little time off.

And what about taking a faster shower, or just cutting it down by a couple minutes? That time could then be spent on your shave.

 

[michaelskar]

Why not get a different job that expects you in a half hour later?

Seriously, though...speed of a shave is surely a very idiosyncratic thing...I would just settle for less than BBS and do one less pass...

But then I am not a BBS junkie...

 

[Lynchmeister]

Why not get a different job that expects you in a half hour later?

Seriously, though...speed of a shave is surely a very idiosyncratic thing...I would just settle for less than BBS and do one less pass...

But then I am not a BBS junkie...

Agreed. If time and appearance are the important factors and you're not willing to make the time to do the whole deal, then skip a pass, look (not feel) smooth and be out the door...and don't hit the snooze button more than 3 times.

 

[rafikz]

Sure,

Before hopping in shower, I fill sink with hot water and toss my brush in.

Pre shave prep consists of a hot shower with Proraso Pre post on my beard and lots of really hot water in shower.

Once out of shower, I refill sink with hot H20 while drying off.

Splash hot water on face, dip brush in tub of shaving cream du jour and face lather. I then give my face a good rub down for 30 seconds or so, re lather and do WTG pass. On this pass, I do what is called the Gillette slide. It seems to cut a little better.

Second pass, lather and do XTG. Brush is already loaded with creamy goodness, so it is very fast.

Third pass is is just more of a quick touch up of rough areas than a full blown third pass.

Hit the face with cold water, slap on alum block, witch hazel and whatever ASB/AS I am in love with that week.

This gives me a very respectable shave and, from exiting the shower, I can be done in 10 minutes.


More and more though, I am getting into the whole shaving at night thing. It's quiet, relaxing and I can really take my time and enjoy the process, which is kind of the point of all of this.

Thanks a lot

What if you skip the alum block, witch hazel and AS; instead just using one moisturizing aftershave balm? That might shave a little time off.

And what about taking a faster shower, or just cutting it down by a couple minutes? That time could then be spent on your shave.

I just use a Balm

Why not get a different job that expects you in a half hour later?

Seriously, though...speed of a shave is surely a very idiosyncratic thing...I would just settle for less than BBS and do one less pass...

But then I am not a BBS junkie...

Agreed. If time and appearance are the important factors and you're not willing to make the time to do the whole deal, then skip a pass, look (not feel) smooth and be out the door...and don't hit the snooze button more than 3 times.

Well, with 1 pass, it looks like I haven't shaved at all.

But I do like the snooze button