Method technique without Hydrolast products

[LewCrew6]

I have used a brush and shave soap for some time but just started using a DE last week. I have been suffering from a severe case of razor bumps and irritation. I saw the video of Charles using his technique and thought it sounded interesting. Although I have not bought the Enchante products yet I tried the technique tonight.

I used a good homemade glycerine soap instead of the cube and used a thick cream instead of the past. Instead of the cutting balm I used a shave oil. I used all of the forms.

The results were the best shave I have ever had. My skin is very hydrated, not irritated, and smooth. Absolutely fantastic.

I did get a few nicks but I know they were razor angle issues.

Is it possible to improve this shave with the Hydrolast products or is it more the technique?

Thanks for helping a DE new guy.

 

[sanuginz]

Well I suppose if it works for you then great.
Do what you want but I know for one that I'll trust Charles to make the goods. Yeah he's got a bit of profit margin in there (after all he has to pay 2 rents - business and personal) but he really makes amazing product.
As for technique you really do need good technique - practice practice practice. Light pressure, multiple passes, Knowing your sensitive spots vs. where to really dig in, etc.

 

[gstrand]

I think it's brilliant that you have mixed the products you have to serve the same purpose as the Hydrolast products. Frankly, those purposes are part and partial to the method of Method, and if you get things working in a similar manner, it should and sounds like it does work.

The cool thing is that Method is so flexible, there's no reason your version shouldn't work!

That's actually encouraging to me and something I'll keep tucked in the memory for the inevitable time I run out of HL product...

 

[SpeedyB]

I saw the video of Charles using his technique and thought it sounded interesting. Although I have not bought the Enchante products yet I tried the technique tonight.

I've also been struggling with the tradeoff between closeness and comfort since I started wetshaving about 4 years ago. I recently found B&B and saw several mentions of Method Shaving (many posts were skeptical). Like you, I decided to watch Charles' "From Mix to Finish" video at Shaving 101 and was quite impressed. I didn't want to drop $25-$70 on the Hydrolast products, however, and used the Method technique tonight -- WOW.

I too achieved the closest, more comfortable shave to date. My razor of choice was my Merkur SlantHammer with a Red IP blade. Here's what I did:

1. Hot shower.
2. Create lather with VDH Deluxe & VDH Boar brush in my regular bowl.
3. Add an almond-sized dollop of Proraso to the brush.
4. Continue creating super-lather, adding more water than usual (the resulting lather was thinner than what's usually described as "optimal" yet had a slicker consistency).
5. My usual "Kyle" prep: quick lather and then a hot washcloth for at least one minute.
6. Rinse face and re-lather. I kept things extra-wet this time.
7. Apply lather with brush, then spread around face with hands.
8. Re-apply some more lather with brush, keeping things extra-hydrated.
9. First pass, using Form 1. Quick N-S strokes, more akin to blade-buffing than my usual technique.
10. "Spread" the lather to shave each part of the face 3+ times using quick N-S strokes.
11. Add water to face and re-lather with brush, again keeping everything very wet.
12. Second pass, using Form 2. Again, quick strokes, mostly N-S but also Ear-Chin.
13. "Spread" the lather again and hit each spot on the face 3+ times, using short fast strokes. I went back to the Form 1 N-S strokes for a few of these strokes.
14. Add water to face and re-lather with brush -- very wet.
15. Third pass, Form 3. Quick Jaw-Nose strokes on the face and slightly upwards strokes on the neck/chin, similar to what Charles describes as "rolling" strokes.
16. "Spread" lather as required and alternated between Form 3 and Form 2 strokes.
17. Grabbed some lather from the bowl with my hand and added a pea-sized amount of the Proraso cream. Applied a thin, slick coat to the face using my hand.
18. Finishing pass: mostly Form 3, some ATG, and under the nose. "Spread" the lather/cream as required.
19. Finished with a warm rinse, cold rinse, Thayer's Aloe Witch Hazel, and Bigelow ASB.

Wow, it sounds like a lot of steps when detailed like that, but it didn't take longer than my typical 4-pass shave using slower strokes (15-20 minutes). Very minimal irritation and the smoothest shave to date! I'll keep using this system and look for improvements -- including perhaps ordering some Hydrolast products next month if I feel the need.

Cheers,
Brennan

 

[sanuginz]

Leisureguy did a detailed test of different shave oils and natural oil combinations. He concluded unsurprisingly, that Hydrolast Cutting Balm is the best oil out there for shaving.

 

[Sode]

Leisureguy did a detailed test of different shave oils and natural oil combinations. He concluded unsurprisingly, that Hydrolast Cutting Balm is the best oil out there for shaving.

Do you have a link for that?

 

[mblakele]

Do you have a link for that?

I think it is http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/the-oil-pass/

 

[Sode]

I think it is http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/the-oil-pass/

Thanks!

Too bad the finishing balm isn't in there.

 

[Alacrity59]

Is it possible to improve this shave with the Hydrolast products or is it more the technique?

Thanks for helping a DE new guy.

Just a week in . . . yes your shaves will improve with the products or without.

I do think that figuring out the direction your beard grows on all areas of your face and then going with the grain. . . across the grain . . . against the grain is actually better than method shaving . . . which is to say that I think the method shaving forms are based on the average face and beard growth direction but if we know our own faces we can do better.

 

[Zombasaur]

Going against the grain is actually a rather large no-no in Method Shaving. The forms are set up to let you completely forget about your facial hair growth direction. MS doesn't follow the traditional rules.

 

[LewCrew6]

Shaved again last night using the Method techniques. Keeps getting better.

Starting to figure out the blade angles better as well as the pressure required in different places.

Did the buffing technique this time. J-hooking and the roundover technique still scare me. I have not gone to Feather yet. Still using Merkur blades for another few weeks until I get better.

No nicks and scrapes this time. BBS!

Used Bigelow cream this time. Wife loves the smell! That is a definite bonus.

May have to get the starter kit from Enchante just to compare next month. (I hit my "buying limit" this month. But wife is seeing a big difference in my face is starting to give a little more leeway since my face looks better than the Fusion shaves of old.)

Thanks for all of the advice. I am hooked on the DE!

Does this works for heads as well?

 

[sanuginz]

The forms are only rough guidelines. I go Against the Grain every shave with method shaving. In fact that's what I like most about it. How smooth it is to shave Against the Grain in particular on the mustache area. Try it for yourself and see.

 

[MoJoe]

I have used a brush and shave soap for some time but just started using a DE last week. I have been suffering from a severe case of razor bumps and irritation. I saw the video of Charles using his technique and thought it sounded interesting. Although I have not bought the Enchante products yet I tried the technique tonight.

I used a good homemade glycerine soap instead of the cube and used a thick cream instead of the past. Instead of the cutting balm I used a shave oil. I used all of the forms.

The results were the best shave I have ever had. My skin is very hydrated, not irritated, and smooth. Absolutely fantastic.

I did get a few nicks but I know they were razor angle issues.

Is it possible to improve this shave with the Hydrolast products or is it more the technique?

Thanks for helping a DE new guy.

I don't think it's necessary to use his products but the concept is to use products that are naturally derived and simple. You may or may not follow that point of view but it may make sense to understand where Charles is coming from on the subject before you stray from his recommendations. Ultimately, YMMV so I'm cool with whatever works for you.

 

[tsmba]

I found that taking the time to adjust to the form reduction improved my shaves whether I'm doing a MS or not. I do go "off form" as part of my final cleanup.

 

[gstrand]

For me, that's part of the key to MS. Don't try to whack it all off, reduce it in a repeatable, standard way, then go work the trouble spots where the weeds are high.

I think a lot of the resistance to MS can be traced to the original prescriptive way Charles had defined the forms. The method seems to have evolved quite a bit based on the content of the shaving101 vid.

On the use of non Hydrolast stuff, this morning I didn't have a usual primer/cube (it was in the upstairs bathroom...) So I grabbed a puck of Conk's Bay Rum and went to town with my shaving cloth on it. Didn't add the usual cutting balm to the mix, I figured the puck had more moisture-factor than the usual primer.

I got some lather up on the old face, and added a pea of paste to each side of my face, proceeded as normal... and it worked just fine. I wasn't out for a full blown baby face, but am quite satisfied with the shave I got. Surprisingly so.

 

[SpeedyB]

I've also had 2 more great shaves using MS technique (cutting forms, keeping everything extra-hydrated (wet), and "stretching" the lather)! I've used my VDH Deluxe and Proraso, plus some Crew shave oil, with great results so far.

Cheers,
Brennan

 

[Gafer]

Ok, Mars posted this where he mentions that he often just uses primer and cutting balm:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1761967&postcount=7

No paste? Hmm, that seems to be the most expensive part of the mix. So, if all you use is primer and cutting balm aren't you essentially just using a vegetable soap and oil? Aside from the fact that cutting balm is a "proprietary blend" it would seem one could concoct your own cutting balm and be free from Hydrolast altogether because the "primer" (soap) can be had from lots of sources.

 

[tsmba]

The forms attracted me simply because I found the whole notion of "face-mapping" to be not helpful. My beard seems to grow every which way, so trying to go straight ATG, WTG, XTG would be tough. I also have seen several barber-instructional guides that all say to NEVER shave ATG. So, I've simply adapted to the forms for 90% of my shave, then pretty much go free-form for cleanup.

I think the key is to build a routine that works for the individual. Getting accustomed to the forms frees me to concentrate on blade control. I find it all pretty simple and intuitive....but describing it sounds complicated.

 

[gstrand]

I think the key is to build a routine that works for the individual. Getting accustomed to the forms frees me to concentrate on blade control. I find it all pretty simple and intuitive....but describing it sounds complicated.

Totally agree.

 

[Deltaboy]

I have watched Charles and Manic's on You-Tube. I then started trying various methods as discussed. Keys for me so far

Hot shower prep
Shave Secret
Red Personna Blades
developing the right angle and touch.
A Grocery Store branded Anti rash and bump cream.

Every face is differant and there is a good amount of trail and error involved.
Shave , record and adust till you get it right. If you have questions get on here and ask.

In defferance to Charles you might need his products or you might not. You will have to discover that for yourself.