Nothing I do gets a clean shave

[joeschmoe]

I have been losing my mind recently and don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I have never been able to get a clean shave in the ~2 years I’ve been shaving. I started with a cartridge razor, and wasn’t getting a clean shave. I read that safety razors give a cleaner shave, so I got a nice henson razor and after getting used to using it I still cannot get a clean shave.

No matter what I do there is always visible stubble. I have tried doing multiple passes, a second pass against the grain, lathering super hard. No dice. Even if I feel my skin and it feels completely smooth no matter which direction I rub in I can still feel stubble.

I always shave immediately after showering and use the blue edge sensitive skin shave gel. The blades are the ones that came with the razor. My facial hair is thick but not dense. Please advise.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Which Henson do you have? They go from very mild to quite efficient.

How often do you shave so how long is the stubble?

Have you mapped your beard so that you understand your growth pattern?

Swap the gel for a decent cream or soap and a very basic synthetic brush.

Try another blade brand just to be sure it’s not them. What is available to you?

 

[Dave himself]

All of the above and welcome to B&B.

 

[JCinPA]

When did you get the Henson? I ask because you said you are using the blades that came with it and that’s only 5 blades, unless you bought more, so I’m thinking you may have purchased it recently.

If you got the ++ (see stamped inside the top and bottom caps) unless you need an aggressive razor, it should be giving you close shaves, however it takes a while to figure out how best to use it. I’ve been at this 13 years, and it was an odd razor to me for a week or two, but eventually it gave me terrifically close and comfortable shaves.

I have no idea what the blades are like, there is not a lot about them on B&B, but they are not highly praised. If you are new to DE razor shaving (you don’t say how long you’ve been using the Henson), I normally don’t recommend blade samplers, but that may be the way you should go.

Unless you’ve shaved with it for at least a month, I would not change razors. But you might find a sampler that includes some of the more popular blades on this forum as there are very experienced shavers here. Nobody will be able to suggest what will work for you, the YMMV factor is very wide and blades present almost the widest range of preference.

I would lock down on the Henson razor for a couple months, by that time if it’s not working for you, start trying others. People here will start to convince you to change razors immediately, and you’ll have suggestions for about a dozen “you MUST get.” Don’t do it. The Henson should work, and after two months you can always try something else.

But I’d get a blade sampler that contains some of the most popular blades on this forum that are known to be sharp. The Henson is forgiving and you can use sharp in it whereas the sharpest blades might give you issues in another razor. I’d use at least three blades, for two or three shaves. In other words stick with a blade for a week before jumping around. Often blades grow on you.

I’d start with blades like Nacet, Gillette blacks or yellows (or greens, those are popular), Gillette Silver Blue, Personna, Permasharps, BICs, even Feathers, the Henson tames those very well.

If after two months you are not getting the shaves you should be, start getting advice on a more aggressive razor. But give the Henson some time. And if you get another razor, stick with it for a month before passing judgment on it. The process of finding your best shave is a process of locking things down, not changing everything every shave. A razor for a month or two, blades, but for a solid week of shaving with each. This process should sort you out soon.

Do you get much irritation? What is your lather? You might want to lock that down while you experiment with blades. You’ll know the lather is the same so you’ll have more confidence in your evaluation of the blades. I suggest a nice synthetic brush, an Proraso Red preshave cream and Proraso red cream. It’s super easy to lather, the preshave cream may not prove to be needed in the long run, but that’s the lather setup I’d recommend for your blade discovery phase.

Good luck!

 

[JCinPA]

Oh, yes, I forgot. Welcome to B&B. @Multum in parvo nailed it in post 2. Hang in there, you’ll get there! We all did, eventually.


P.S. If you want to use a different cream, go right ahead, but I’d recommend the Proraso preshave cream still. Your best bet is to shower, then immediately shave. By the time the preshave cream is gone, you’ll likely have sorted your shave out and you won’t need it any longer. Creams are easier to get a good lather from than soaps in the beginning, I think, and just about anything from Taylor of Old Bond Street should work well. Once you sort the shave out, you’ll start collecting ridiculous amounts of soaps and creams but lock that down for the blade testing phase, too.

 

[StewB]

Even if I feel my skin and it feels completely smooth no matter which direction I rub in I can still feel stubble.

First: Welcome to the forum.

Second: I'm confused by your sentence, quoted above. You can feel stubble, or you cannot feel stubble?

I think you should start by getting an acceptable looking shave. Getting a very close shave where you can't feel any stubble is something quite different and much trickier to achieve, IMO.

 

[Alex Jr]

Even if I feel my skin and it feels completely smooth no matter which direction I rub in I can still feel stubble.

You mean you can still see stubble?

If that’s the case there’s nothing you can do. I have dark stubble and it’s always visible, no matter how close the shave is. Like a Don Draper shadow.

It’s like that for some of us. Don’t hate it, enjoy it. It’s a man’s face after all, not a baby.

 

[StewB]

You mean you can still see stubble?

Yep, that was my other thought. If you can't feel the stubble but you can still see it, then that's as far as a shave can take you.

 

[JCinPA]

Alex Jr is spot on. My son-in-law is Indian. He looks like Fred Flintstone getting off work the moment after he finishes a good shave. It is what it is!

 

[DesertIguana]

I have been losing my mind recently and don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I have never been able to get a clean shave in the ~2 years I’ve been shaving. I started with a cartridge razor, and wasn’t getting a clean shave. I read that safety razors give a cleaner shave, so I got a nice henson razor and after getting used to using it I still cannot get a clean shave.

No matter what I do there is always visible stubble. I have tried doing multiple passes, a second pass against the grain, lathering super hard. No dice. Even if I feel my skin and it feels completely smooth no matter which direction I rub in I can still feel stubble.

I always shave immediately after showering and use the blue edge sensitive skin shave gel. The blades are the ones that came with the razor. My facial hair is thick but not dense. Please advise.

What is it you are seeking when you say CLEAN SHAVE? Fact to be like a New Born's Behind & Skin?

Went to H/S with kid I will call CC, his face alway looking like 18 Hours Post Shave Growth, you could see black like dumping ground Peppe on sheet of White Paper, guy never look clean shaven.

Genetic problem, Black BEARD.

 

[Frito Ray]

…Even if I feel my skin and it feels completely smooth no matter which direction I rub in I can still feel stubble…

Please explain this. To me it reads as two contradictory statements.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Welcome to the conversation, Joe.

I'm not sure I understand exactly what you're asking, and hope you'll clarify it. Plenty of help is available here. All of us understand how difficult it can be to get a good shave. Most of us also know the satisfaction of mastering shaves given our individual circumstances and needs.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[BigJ]

Great advice above!

My suggestion is that you reevaluate each aspect of your routine. Start by reading through the WiKi, then watch a few videos. Change one aspect at a time beginning with your prep. Once you optimize that, move on to your lather, etc.

Stick with this and you will get better results!!

 

[joeschmoe]

Yep, that was my other thought. If you can't feel the stubble but you can still see it, then that's as far as a shave can take you.

It’s cannot feel but can see. Is there seriously nothing that can be done? I hate it so much, I feel like it makes me look sloppy.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Welcome to the B&B community..... Lots of good advice but I do agree.... If you'll clarify a bit more, you'll find lots of sound advice here.. I sure did.

 

[Phoenixkh]

It’s cannot feel but can see. Is there seriously nothing that can be done? I hate it so much, I feel like it makes me look sloppy.

Thanks for clarifying.... I posted just before you did..... As others have said... if you can't feel any stubble/whiskers but you can still see them....You are shaving as close as your face will allow....

One thing that might help that in a limited way is to use a good post shave balm, preferably with Hyaluronic acid in it... or buy some Hyaluronic acid separately.... I use both a Hyaluronic acid serum and Neutrogena Hydro Boost.... it expands your skin for a while and that might "hide" the whiskers by hmmmm hydrating the skin enough so they aren't as visible.

 

[Multum in parvo]

It’s cannot feel but can see. Is there seriously nothing that can be done? I hate it so much, I feel like it makes me look sloppy.

I’m sorry to say but you can’t shave underneath your skin. I would still try a proper shaving cream/soap to see if you like the results better.

 

[Frito Ray]

It’s cannot feel but can see. Is there seriously nothing that can be done? I hate it so much, I feel like it makes me look sloppy.

So dark whiskers and a pale complection.

In a few decades the whiskers will turn white by themselves but in the meantime only thing to do is makeup, getting a tan, electrolysis or better yet just embrace your masculinity.

 

[Cal]

It’s cannot feel but can see. Is there seriously nothing that can be done? I hate it so much, I feel like it makes me look sloppy.

I'm another "lucky one." My whiskers grow (nearly) parallel to my skin.

Most of my shaves are BBS, but you wouldn't know it by looking at me. But then, I'm a man so it doesn't bother me.

 

[NickCutlip]

Welcome to the forum !!