My setup: Merkur 34c, Shark Super Chrome blades, Tweezerman Badger Brush, Taylor of Old Bond Street Mr. Taylor's Shaving Cream.
After completing one week of DE wetshaving my shaves have gotten markedly better, mostly thanks to the amazing information gleaned from this forum. At first I was doing a three pass; WTG, XTG, ATG and achieving a pretty decent shave.
The last two days I changed things up a bit to the following procedure:
1. Place brush and razor inside bowl, place bowl in sink, fill sink and bowl up with hot water. Jump into shower, do my thing, washing my face with CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser.
2. After shower, pull bowl from sink, scoop about a nickle sized blob of TOB into bowl, give brush a couple of flicks. Whip up lather (I've found starting on the dry side and adding a couple of drops of water to get to where I need to work best for me).
3. Spend a couple of minutes applying lather to my grill. I then put the brush back into the bowl and float the bowl in the sink full of hot water.
4. Grab the razor and do a N to S pass. Relather and do another N to S pass. Relather and do an E to W pass on one side and W to E on the other side; all the way down. I then do some touch up with some ATG "buffing" I saw demonstrated on a vid by mantic59 on some small problem areas; tip of my chin, corners of my mouth, along the jaw line, and neck area.
5. Do a rinse with water as warm as I can stand it followed by a cold water rinse.
6. Use some cotton squares to apply some WH. While it dries, clean everything up and put it away.
7. Splash on some AS and call it good.
This has resulted in a much better and closer shave for me than previous. I'm not sure if it's because of me just getting better with technique or if its as a result of the change in the direction of the passes.
Anyway, after a week I've noticed a HUGE reduction in ingrown hairs and bumps that I've always suffered from in the past. Before, my neck area was always sore throughout the day if I rubbed on it. Not so, now. There is not one bump anywhere. I've only had to use the styptic pencil twice on a small scar that can't seem to get out of the way.
Anyway, just a follow up and a huge shout out to the folks on the forum.
Regards
After completing one week of DE wetshaving my shaves have gotten markedly better, mostly thanks to the amazing information gleaned from this forum. At first I was doing a three pass; WTG, XTG, ATG and achieving a pretty decent shave.
The last two days I changed things up a bit to the following procedure:
1. Place brush and razor inside bowl, place bowl in sink, fill sink and bowl up with hot water. Jump into shower, do my thing, washing my face with CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser.
2. After shower, pull bowl from sink, scoop about a nickle sized blob of TOB into bowl, give brush a couple of flicks. Whip up lather (I've found starting on the dry side and adding a couple of drops of water to get to where I need to work best for me).
3. Spend a couple of minutes applying lather to my grill. I then put the brush back into the bowl and float the bowl in the sink full of hot water.
4. Grab the razor and do a N to S pass. Relather and do another N to S pass. Relather and do an E to W pass on one side and W to E on the other side; all the way down. I then do some touch up with some ATG "buffing" I saw demonstrated on a vid by mantic59 on some small problem areas; tip of my chin, corners of my mouth, along the jaw line, and neck area.
5. Do a rinse with water as warm as I can stand it followed by a cold water rinse.
6. Use some cotton squares to apply some WH. While it dries, clean everything up and put it away.
7. Splash on some AS and call it good.
This has resulted in a much better and closer shave for me than previous. I'm not sure if it's because of me just getting better with technique or if its as a result of the change in the direction of the passes.
Anyway, after a week I've noticed a HUGE reduction in ingrown hairs and bumps that I've always suffered from in the past. Before, my neck area was always sore throughout the day if I rubbed on it. Not so, now. There is not one bump anywhere. I've only had to use the styptic pencil twice on a small scar that can't seem to get out of the way.
Anyway, just a follow up and a huge shout out to the folks on the forum.
Regards
