My First Shave

[The Carpenter]

I had my first shave with the DE razor earlier this week and my second shave was today. My first shave was uncomfortable. I thought that the pure badger brush was a little uncomfortable and I have gotten so used to shaving with a cartridge that I found the DE to be very awkward. I also think that the lather wasn't good enough.

My second shave was smoother, but I didn't use a brush or tube cream. I used some cheap Edge shaving gel for sensitive skin. I could tell that the gel isn't as good as the tube cream when it comes to moisturizing and protecting.

Another problem lies in the fact that I shaved with and against the grain for the second shave. This caused some irritation and tugging on the hair. I also think that it shaved below skin level in some areas. Because of this, I will probably have ingrown hairs. I am African American and therefore have an increased risk of ingrown hairs. What should I do to prevent the hairs from becoming ingrown and infected?

 

[GDCarrington]

Welcome to the good ship B&B. Take a stroll on the promenade deck and enjoy the voyage.

Please read this thread:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=91337&highlight=bump+fighter

Always remember, relax but be vigilant when you shave!

 

[Luc]

Welcome to B&B!

You might need to add a XTG pass before ATG. At this stage, I would wait to do any ATG passes... Time to get used to it...

Your badger might need to be broken in. Like shoes, it will be better the more you use it.

Try to make a few bowls of lather before your next shave, that should help. Have a look at the tutorials if required: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Lathers

 

[BladeRunner001]

I had my first shave with the DE razor earlier this week and my second shave was today. My first shave was uncomfortable. I thought that the pure badger brush was a little uncomfortable and I have gotten so used to shaving with a cartridge that I found the DE to be very awkward. (1) I also think that the lather wasn't good enough.

My second shave was smoother, but I didn't use a brush or tube cream. I used some (2) cheap Edge shaving gel for sensitive skin. I could tell that the gel isn't as good as the tube cream when it comes to moisturizing and protecting.

Another problem lies in the fact that I shaved with and (3) against the grain for the second shave. This caused some irritation and tugging on the hair. I also think that it shaved below skin level in some areas. Because of this, I will probably have ingrown hairs. I am African American and therefore have an increased risk of ingrown hairs. What should I do to prevent the hairs from becoming ingrown and infected?

1) Lather is critical...learn how to make it and make it well....it needs to be thick and moist. Don;t settle for cheap creme/soaps as they will adversely affect your lather.

2) Get rid of this...not a good option. As much as it says "for sensitive skin", it has waaaaay too much "junk" in it. Nothing beats a good creme/soap

3) Too early for ATG, IMO...learn the angle/pressure using WTG and at most with XTG for the first few weeks, then venture into the realm of ATG

 

[The Carpenter]

Thanks for the responses. I actually did an XTG pass before I did an ATG pass and it wasn't so bad. However, some of my hairs actually grow against that direction and in those cases I am shaving against the grain. It was definitely better than a multi-blade razor because it didn't pull the hair but it still caused some ingrown hairs around my mustache area. I'm definitely going to hold out on the ATG passes until I get the hang of everything. I'm going to go back to the real shaving co. cream and badger brush for the next shave. On the good side, I didn't get any nicks.

 

[GaryG7]

I'm a white Jewish guy which means I too have curly hair. I used the Bump Fighter blades for years, but they always left me feeling like I need to shave again.

I use either a Gillette Fat Boy or a Slim Adjustable set to a less-aggressive setting on the dial (usually 4). Feather blades work great for me, but I admit they are relatively expensive at about 50¢ each.

It took a few months for me to get a good shave and rarely nick myself in the process. I prep my beard with a pre-shave oil. At first I used the one from The Art of Shaving but pouring from those bottles always put too much in my hand. I switched to the oil from Em's Place http://www.emsplace.com/shaving/wet_shaving.aspx which is cheaper but thinner so I do use a little more oil.

I whip the lather (Taylor of Old Bond Street) in a bowl before finishing the lathering process on my face. When I'm done shaving I rub a shave balm into the skin (The Art of Shaving). (All of the products I use are the Lavender scented varieties.)

The shaving takes a few tricks. Don't press against the skin. Let the weight of the razor do the work for you. The blade should be at about a 35 degree angle as you shave with the grain. After shaving my entire face, I check for any missed spots and apply more lather to them and to the side of my face. I then will shave across the grain, never against the grain. With curly hair it's important to cut the whisker no deeper than level with the skin.

Another thing I've noticed is that it's important to shave no less often then every other day. If the whiskers get too long, it's more likely the razor will grab them instead of cutting them. Also, you can experiment for yourself, but I change blades after six shaves. When I clean the blade with a cheap toothbrush after each shave, I flip the blade over.

Over time, it will get easier and you will notice a smoother shave.

 

[DavidReed]

Carpenter,

Your face will take some time to toughen up. When I first switched to a DE it took at least 6 - 8 weeks before I didn't have after shave sensitivity. It seems counter intuitive but even though the skin on my face is tougher and more resilient than ever it looks and feels better too.

Aside from that I'm a big fan of pre-shave steaming with a very hot towel. before I shave I apply pre-shave oil to my face (I've tried many different brands and have settled on my own mix of jojoba with essential lavender oil in it) then let the hot towel sit on my face for 2 - 3 minutes. How hot? I put the towel in the microwave for 2.5 minutes on high, hold in my fingers for a few second until my finger thermometers tell me it's okay then put it on my face. You'll have to figure out what kind of heat your face can tolerate so be careful with the heat at first so you don't burn yourself.

 

[The Carpenter]

My experience with the DE and brush is improving. The brush has really softened up and my technique with the DE has improved.

 

[Ignatius]

My experience with the DE and brush is improving. The brush has really softened up and my technique with the DE has improved.

Good to hear mate. It is a learning process, and one thing you can consider is to continue to use your old razor until you feel making lather with a brush is instinctive. One step at a time.

 

[The Carpenter]

Good to hear mate. It is a learning process, and one thing you can consider is to continue to use your old razor until you feel making lather with a brush is instinctive. One step at a time.

I'm actually starting to feel like making a really good lather is becoming instinctive for me. Maybe I'm a fast learner. I'm not sure how quickly I would learn how to make a good lather with a soap, though. I'm using a cream for lather.

 

[DavyRay]

I'm actually starting to feel like making a really good lather is becoming instinctive for me. Maybe I'm a fast learner. I'm not sure how quickly I would learn how to make a good lather with a soap, though. I'm using a cream for lather.

You will do fine with soap. You already understand that creams and soaps will require different technique, so you are ready to learn. There are some great tutorials around here on lather. It still takes the practice, though.

Also, Welcome to B&B.
I'm glad to hear that you are having improvement in your results.

 

[Luc]

My experience with the DE and brush is improving. The brush has really softened up and my technique with the DE has improved.

Excellent!!

 

[The Carpenter]

Mantic's videos definitely helped a lot.

 

[noahpictures]

mantic's videos definitely helped a lot.

+1

 

[BladeDE40]

Welcome...great advice has been given...it will all come with time.