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Other ways to soften grains? Especially around the mouth?

The toughest grains reside around the mouth: the mustache, the soul patch, the greater Fu Manchu area, and the chin.
Other than warm/hot water, using a good shaving brush, a good shaving soap, etc., what else can we try, especially for this area?

Will using an oil pre-shave but post-hydration help? The grains here are hard.
 
Shaving after a shower might help. Also might help if you saturate your face in hair conditioner first and let it work it's magic. Perhaps a more aggressive razor and sharper blades, plus proper beard mapping also if you haven't done so already.
 
I'm going to try using a good amount of soap on my beard and then hydrate it right afterwards. The theory behind using a face wash before shaving and hydrating your beard is that it will remove the oils and dead cells that prevent your grains from being fully hydrated. I guess I will report back in 4 days.
 
You can use conditioner to soften the hairs, shave after a shower when the hairs are full of water, or perhaps try one of those preshaves to see if it'll help you. I also recommend washing your whiskers with some kind of glycerin base for softening or a thorough exfoliation to keep the hair up and exposed enough for a close shave.
 
The toughest grains reside around the mouth: the mustache, the soul patch, the greater Fu Manchu area, and the chin.
Other than warm/hot water, using a good shaving brush, a good shaving soap, etc., what else can we try, especially for this area?

Will using an oil pre-shave but post-hydration help? The grains here are hard.

You covered the full range of options, Wolffer. There is only so much we all can do to overcome our genetics.
 
I suggest you work on a better prep (e.g., shower first, warm towel, perhaps a preshave product) and also consider mapping your beard. Good luck!
 
Is there any scientific evidence that the whiskers (or grains) around the mouth are tougher, or are the just more difficult to shave because of the "structure" underneath? Just curious.
 
Is there any scientific evidence that the whiskers (or grains) around the mouth are tougher, or are the just more difficult to shave because of the "structure" underneath? Just curious.
The beard area is known to be of tougher hair and I certainly have to work hard in that area. Even with stretching and making all kinds of faces it still needs some touch ups and buffing.
 
The beard area is known to be of tougher hair and I certainly have to work hard in that area. Even with stretching and making all kinds of faces it still needs some touch ups and buffing.
My neck does not have strong grains/whiskers. But, since my neck is sensitive, going against the grain with bad prep or technique will result in razor burn. So, luckily, I can get to BBS on my neck with just a WTG and XTG pass. Plus: My Merkur 37C Slant seems to yield great results in this area. Absolutely no micro-cuts whatsoever.
 
In time I have learned that I get the best shave after leaving my face wet for a fixed amount of time. If I leave my face wet for too long, my skin softens too much, and is more easily nicked. If I don't leave it wet long enough, the razor drags a little more, and the shave is less comfortable. I am also much more careful of my technique when shaving around the edges of my mouth, shaving sideways to the grain to get the worst off, then against the grain with little or no pressure, and letting the blade pull up and cut on it's own. I always hold the blade at an angle, so the blade costs better and pulls less. Even then there can be problems, as sample variation in the blades, and dulling makes each shave slightly different.
 
I like using a preshave gel with glycerin in it, or cornhusker's lotion if I need to soften my beard hairs. Glycerin attracts moisture, so it helps soften things up - especially if you don't take the time for a long hot shower.
 
Me either, but shaving with the grain is shaving with the direction your stubble grows. It's not a huge stretch.

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