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buyandhold2018
Back when I was a cartridge shaver, my biggest issue was my mid-to-lower neck. The design of the modern-day cartridges seemed to cause a lot of red bumps, some irritation and a few ingrown hairs. I think the design of the cartridge is actually flawed when shaving with more than one pass. On the second pass, I believe the cartridge head actually assists in pushing the hair into the follicle.
Anyway, my transition to the safety razor definitely improved the situation. First and foremost, I finally took notice of the grain growth and started to actually shave WTG on the first pass (reduction pass). The design of these razors also helped because their was more cutting and less pushing of the hairs.
Up until a few months ago, I was still suffering some mild irritation on my lower neck. The big problem is the grain growth in this area isn't uniform in direction and the skin is very sensitive; lop off a few hairs on the first pass, going XTG or ATG and it's a recipe for at least some irritation. Nothing bothers me more than redness on the neck after a shave, it's really my pet peeve of shaving.
Luckily for me, I have found a solution that really works. Since I see many people posting about the same problem, I figured I would share the solution in the hopes it could maybe help a few of you. Obviously, not all neck issues are created equal but this might at least be a start.
This summer, while traveling around Italy looking for great shaving products, I stumbled upon a pre-shave product called Prep. Prep is very similar to Proraso pre/post which many here use and enjoy. I was familiar with the Proraso pre/post, but I was told that many people in Italy actually use it as a shave cream, not just a pre/post. It has a very thick consistency and is very protective. When using it as a pre-shave treatment, many people apply it to a wet face in order to dilute it slightly and allow it to absorb easier into the skin. I asked around and a lot of people seemed to be using it as a stand alone shave cream. I never thought to do this, mainly because the jar I had in Canada was rather small and wouldn't last very long, and it wasn't an inexpensive product. The difference is, in Italy, the Proraso comes in 500ml jars for around 10 euros, making the product very affordable.
Anyway, when I got back from Italy I experimented with using pre/post as a shave cream and the results were particularly impressive on the neck area. Then I had an idea... why not use Prep on my neck, right after getting out of the shower, then lather up and shave the rest of my face as usual. Recently, this is what I've been doing and now my neck is perfect! I apply a thick coat of Prep to my lower neck area and shave gently with the grain. The middle of my neck grows down and the sides grow mostly outward. I believe the great results are a combination of the protective properties of the pre/post combined with taking careful attention to the hair grain growth.
If you have trouble with your neck area, I urge you to experiment with my solution. These Italian pre/post products are really protective and do a fantastic job.
Anyway, my transition to the safety razor definitely improved the situation. First and foremost, I finally took notice of the grain growth and started to actually shave WTG on the first pass (reduction pass). The design of these razors also helped because their was more cutting and less pushing of the hairs.
Up until a few months ago, I was still suffering some mild irritation on my lower neck. The big problem is the grain growth in this area isn't uniform in direction and the skin is very sensitive; lop off a few hairs on the first pass, going XTG or ATG and it's a recipe for at least some irritation. Nothing bothers me more than redness on the neck after a shave, it's really my pet peeve of shaving.
Luckily for me, I have found a solution that really works. Since I see many people posting about the same problem, I figured I would share the solution in the hopes it could maybe help a few of you. Obviously, not all neck issues are created equal but this might at least be a start.
This summer, while traveling around Italy looking for great shaving products, I stumbled upon a pre-shave product called Prep. Prep is very similar to Proraso pre/post which many here use and enjoy. I was familiar with the Proraso pre/post, but I was told that many people in Italy actually use it as a shave cream, not just a pre/post. It has a very thick consistency and is very protective. When using it as a pre-shave treatment, many people apply it to a wet face in order to dilute it slightly and allow it to absorb easier into the skin. I asked around and a lot of people seemed to be using it as a stand alone shave cream. I never thought to do this, mainly because the jar I had in Canada was rather small and wouldn't last very long, and it wasn't an inexpensive product. The difference is, in Italy, the Proraso comes in 500ml jars for around 10 euros, making the product very affordable.
Anyway, when I got back from Italy I experimented with using pre/post as a shave cream and the results were particularly impressive on the neck area. Then I had an idea... why not use Prep on my neck, right after getting out of the shower, then lather up and shave the rest of my face as usual. Recently, this is what I've been doing and now my neck is perfect! I apply a thick coat of Prep to my lower neck area and shave gently with the grain. The middle of my neck grows down and the sides grow mostly outward. I believe the great results are a combination of the protective properties of the pre/post combined with taking careful attention to the hair grain growth.
If you have trouble with your neck area, I urge you to experiment with my solution. These Italian pre/post products are really protective and do a fantastic job.
