Soap/Prep Question: Beard Softening vs. Skin Survival

[DarwinianJ]

I have a bit of a dilemma: if I face lather then leave soap/lather on my face for about 5 minutes or so (re-wetting every now and then), then the beard just slides off with almost no resistance to the blade . . . this is great for shaving purposes, but my skin doesn't really like to be exposed to whatever base is used in the soap for that long, since afterward it seems to leave the skin a bit dry and makes it feel tight. I usually solve this with witch hazel and moisturizer . . and then the feeling goes away after a while.

The elusive holy grail would be to soften the beard as effectively, but somehow protect the skin better. Most soaps seem to have similar ingredients, or at least the ones I have tried seem to have similar effects.

So the question is, what changes to the routine might be most advisable to protect the skin from the drying effect of slathering it with an alkaline soap for long enough to soften a pretty tough beard:
- less soap-on-skin prep time? perhaps there is a more efficient approach? is 5 minutes too long?
- less prep time but with a hot towel added?
- perhaps adding a pre-shave oil before the soap stage to buffer the skin? But would this also buffer the beard?
- some magic soap for sensitive skin?
- bowl lather instead of face lather to preserve whatever buffer layer the skin has a bit more?
- are some bases better than others?
- any other ideas?

Since so many seem to have the sensitive skin / tough beard combo, maybe someone has solved this issue already? Any and all suggestions welcome!

 

[SiBurning]

You could try other soaps.

I'd say, do more prep with hot towels or something and don't let the lather sit as long. Leave the heaviest parts for last, so the lather stays on longer there. Often, the hard to cut parts aren't in the same place as the sensitive skin. Or learn to shave faster.

I also find it helps to rinse the face between each pass getting off just about all the soap before relathering.

 

[mblakele]

Yes, try a soap with lanolin or shea or other skin goodies. I like MWF, IK, PSGT, and Dittmar for this. It may also help to simply add more water to your lather.

Parenthetically I think the dry feeling comes from degreasing the skin, not from the pH of the soap. Leftover lye in the soap would probably give you more of a burning, stinging sensation.

 

[Seraphim]

Proraso Pre-shave.



Enjoy.

 

[Topgumby]

I find that two minutes is enough for me.

You might try a different soap...what are you using?

 

[Buster Casey]

You could try using cold water, so you don't dry your skin out with the hot water.

 

[sychodelix]

2-3 minutes should be fine. Lather tends to dry out pretty quickly after that and it may actually be trying to suck the moisture out of your face.

 

[Niles]

As others have said, I wouldn't let the lather sit on the face that long.

 

[DarwinianJ]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. After a little trial and error I found a much better way of doing things. this is the best prep I have found so far:

1) hot towel for 1-2 min
2) Proraso Pre w/ hot towel for 2 min (re-wet / re-heat towel a few times to keep it from cooling/drying out)
3) complete rinse of all residue
4) apply a little pure glycerin
5) splash on a little water and then apply few drops coconut oil
6) face lather gently
7) shave
8) repeat 4-7 as necessary for desired closeness

Although this has more steps than before, it doesn't take much more time really and it resulted in ZERO irritation or skin tightness/dryness - which was the goal. Skin feels good and beard is so soft its like it isn't even there, can't even hear the blade cutting (the Proraso worked much better combined w/ the towel to do this than it did on its own). I wasn't very scientific about changing one variable at a time, but I will try to tighten up the process to streamline and eliminate any extra steps . . .

 

[Bk124tt]

I purchased a bottle of AOS preshave oil and I HATE the stuff! It feels like I'm rubbing 30 weight oil on my face. As soon as I meet all of the BST forum requirements I will be listing my AOS sandalwood preshave oil as a wtt/wts.
Regarding preshave rubbing moisturizing creams into my face after the hot shower works the best!!

 

[Augustiner]

This type of regimen is what I was going to recommend to maximize both softening and protection. I also have found that alkaline soap sitting on my skin for more than a few minutes really irritates my skin.

Softening part:

In the shower I wash my face with MR. GLO to clean off the whiskers and skin then rinse the soap off right away. I then apply Proraso pre-shave and let it sit as I finish the shower. The steam from the shower works with the Proraso. Like you, I have also found that the Proraso Pre works better when it is steamed. Also, the Proraso doesn't irritate my face if I let it sit for a few minutes.

Protection part:

I shave with cold water. I shave with an open comb razor because I have found that the open combs leave more lather on the skin for the blade to go through. This has the effect of giving me less irritation. Also, I have found that an oil base under the lather adds that extra protection to cut irritation. Glycerin and coconut oil does the same.
There's a little residual Proraso left on after the shower but I don't rinse it off. Apply Shave Secret shaving oil. Face lather up with cold water right over the top. I perform a 4 pass shave but don't reapply the oil before each pass, I just lather up.

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. After a little trial and error I found a much better way of doing things. this is the best prep I have found so far:

1) hot towel for 1-2 min
2) Proraso Pre w/ hot towel for 2 min (re-wet / re-heat towel a few times to keep it from cooling/drying out)
3) complete rinse of all residue
4) apply a little pure glycerin
5) splash on a little water and then apply few drops coconut oil
6) face lather gently
7) shave
8) repeat 4-7 as necessary for desired closeness

Although this has more steps than before, it doesn't take much more time really and it resulted in ZERO irritation or skin tightness/dryness - which was the goal. Skin feels good and beard is so soft its like it isn't even there, can't even hear the blade cutting (the Proraso worked much better combined w/ the towel to do this than it did on its own). I wasn't very scientific about changing one variable at a time, but I will try to tighten up the process to streamline and eliminate any extra steps . . .

 

[Rufust445]

Yes, try a soap with lanolin or shea or other skin goodies. I like MWF, IK, PSGT, and Dittmar for this. It may also help to simply add more water to your lather.

Parenthetically I think the dry feeling comes from degreasing the skin, not from the pH of the soap. Leftover lye in the soap would probably give you more of a burning, stinging sensation.

I've had more irritation face lathering with a Wilkinson Sword stick than with Irisch Moos, the other stick I use. The Wilkinson has more of the goodies like lanolin and glycerin in it than the Irisch Moos. My own theory is that when the soap is applied to the wet face it is in very high concentration, and the soap closest to the skin is the last to get mixed in with the lather, if at all. Hardly mixed soap is sometimes visible on the underside of the blade after the first few strokes.

I compensate for this by loading the brush with water and hardly giving it a shake. This results in light suds getting flung about at first, but eventually a nice lather is mixed. I've also changed my ASB to Nivea Sensitive, which seems to help.

I face lather most often at the health club after a 28-30 minute pre-soak in the swimming pool during a workout. This for me has been a better prep than leaving the lather on to soak longer, especially with a face-lathered soap stick.

 

[SplitHair]

Proraso Pre-shave.



Enjoy.

Yep that. Put proraso pre on yr face just after you step out of the shower. Prep hair etc. for three mins, lather, and then shave and see the soft hairs fall.