Jeff,
Are you saying your skin has no give - how do you smile?
Regards
John
Are you saying your skin has no give - how do you smile?
Regards
John
Starting DE Shaving - problem
- Thread starter adamp1
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
Well this morning I thought I would try to add in a few more passes to me shave, normally I have been doing a N-S all over, then E-W on right cheek W-E on left cheek, then a S-N on cheeks only. This means only doing the 1 N-S pass on neck to try and stop irritation.
Yesterday I went to London and picked up some new stuff, pre-shave oil and an Alum block so this morning wanted to try them out.
What I did:
1. Shower
2. Apply pre-shave oil (noticed after applying this, my neck was already a bit red)
3. Lathered up using Eton College and a shaving brush.
4. Shaved in N-S direction (no real iteration a bit on the right side of my Adams apple)
5. Re-lathered
6. Shaved E-W, found a bit more redness on cheeks after, Re-lathered
7. Shaved W-E, found even more redness
8. One cheek still had long hairs on it so Re-lathered and did a S-N on it
Finished off looking like my face had been slapped, so applied the alum, that just stung like hell and seemed to go even redder.
So here I am looking like something with red face paint on, face is stinging and a bit depressed by it all.
Yesterday I went to London and picked up some new stuff, pre-shave oil and an Alum block so this morning wanted to try them out.
What I did:
1. Shower
2. Apply pre-shave oil (noticed after applying this, my neck was already a bit red)
3. Lathered up using Eton College and a shaving brush.
4. Shaved in N-S direction (no real iteration a bit on the right side of my Adams apple)
5. Re-lathered
6. Shaved E-W, found a bit more redness on cheeks after, Re-lathered
7. Shaved W-E, found even more redness
8. One cheek still had long hairs on it so Re-lathered and did a S-N on it
Finished off looking like my face had been slapped, so applied the alum, that just stung like hell and seemed to go even redder.
So here I am looking like something with red face paint on, face is stinging and a bit depressed by it all.
Adam,
So sorry to hear about your bad luck with these products. Believe me, all of us have been in your place at some point in time with one product or another (and any of you haven't been, you will be). The first product I ever had a reaction to was the Hydrolast Cutting Balm used in the Method Shaving system. I had the same freshly slapped look which was complemented by a hot, puffy feeling for most of the day. Don't let it get you down, this reaction has simply verified that you will now need to purchase several different kinds of A/S balm to fill this void in your shaving regime.
So sorry to hear about your bad luck with these products. Believe me, all of us have been in your place at some point in time with one product or another (and any of you haven't been, you will be). The first product I ever had a reaction to was the Hydrolast Cutting Balm used in the Method Shaving system. I had the same freshly slapped look which was complemented by a hot, puffy feeling for most of the day. Don't let it get you down, this reaction has simply verified that you will now need to purchase several different kinds of A/S balm to fill this void in your shaving regime.
Adam,
I know you're frustrated, but let's think about the progress you've made, too.
You figured out how to make a good lather, and have analyzed your products thoroughly, getting rid of the American Crew and subbing in the Taylor's.
You've upgraded all of your shaving components, and have a first class kit.
Now you've hit a bump in the road, that's all. Take a step back, give your face--and yourself--a break, and try it again, focusing on a very light touch with the razor. Start again with only 1 or 2 passes, and don't worry about getting a smooth shave--just try to reduce the stubble with each pass, and remember to keep the pressure as light as you can.
It also sounds like you are putting a lot of pressure on yourself to get the perfect shave. I'd suggest you take the next few days or so and simply concentrate on the "experience" of shaving--the feel of the fresh razor across your face, the smells of the various creams and balms, the connection to old fashioned men's grooming conjured up by the equipment and the luxury of taking time for yourself each day.
Hang in there, and let us know how you're doing!
I know you're frustrated, but let's think about the progress you've made, too.
You figured out how to make a good lather, and have analyzed your products thoroughly, getting rid of the American Crew and subbing in the Taylor's.
You've upgraded all of your shaving components, and have a first class kit.
Now you've hit a bump in the road, that's all. Take a step back, give your face--and yourself--a break, and try it again, focusing on a very light touch with the razor. Start again with only 1 or 2 passes, and don't worry about getting a smooth shave--just try to reduce the stubble with each pass, and remember to keep the pressure as light as you can.
It also sounds like you are putting a lot of pressure on yourself to get the perfect shave. I'd suggest you take the next few days or so and simply concentrate on the "experience" of shaving--the feel of the fresh razor across your face, the smells of the various creams and balms, the connection to old fashioned men's grooming conjured up by the equipment and the luxury of taking time for yourself each day.
Hang in there, and let us know how you're doing!
- Thread starter
- #25
- Thread starter
- #27
Adam,
I have also recently started shaving w/ a DE. I too have had a mess of trouble getting the hang of everything. And I'm still having trouble, last week I think I performed the equivalent of a skin graft / chemical peel on myself. I was also a bit discouraged... "I mean I bought all this wonderful gear and it's not working" is how I felt. I finally snapped out of it and realized this is just one of those things that you have to learn. Learning takes time and the more variables that are involved the more difficult the learning curve.
So to make a blanket statement. I think that for some folks learning to shave with a DE comes in little baby breakthroughs day by day.
The best part is that there are plenty of people here willing to help you succeed with a DE in your hand.
Here's what I've learned over the last week that has helped me make some small breakthoughs myself.
1. It is difficult to attain a perfect shave in the very beginning.
2. Practice making lather.
3. NO Pressure, Best tip I've gotten on learning this concept was to start holding the handle very close to the end.
4. Shave skin that has lather on it. Then move on and quit going over bits that don't.
5. If things get real raw and irritated. Put the razor down and let your face recover for a day or too.
Warmest regards,
Tito
I have also recently started shaving w/ a DE. I too have had a mess of trouble getting the hang of everything. And I'm still having trouble, last week I think I performed the equivalent of a skin graft / chemical peel on myself. I was also a bit discouraged... "I mean I bought all this wonderful gear and it's not working" is how I felt. I finally snapped out of it and realized this is just one of those things that you have to learn. Learning takes time and the more variables that are involved the more difficult the learning curve.
So to make a blanket statement. I think that for some folks learning to shave with a DE comes in little baby breakthroughs day by day.
The best part is that there are plenty of people here willing to help you succeed with a DE in your hand.
Here's what I've learned over the last week that has helped me make some small breakthoughs myself.
1. It is difficult to attain a perfect shave in the very beginning.
2. Practice making lather.
3. NO Pressure, Best tip I've gotten on learning this concept was to start holding the handle very close to the end.
4. Shave skin that has lather on it. Then move on and quit going over bits that don't.
5. If things get real raw and irritated. Put the razor down and let your face recover for a day or too.
Warmest regards,
Tito
Well said, Tito.
Ditto--the voice of experience speaks volumes.
- Thread starter
- #31
Adam,
Glad to hear things went a bit better for you. Zero redness and irritation sounds like your making a break through.
Tito
Glad to hear things went a bit better for you. Zero redness and irritation sounds like your making a break through.
Tito
Baby steps, baby steps!
- Thread starter
- #34
Argggg, last few days I have been shaving like I normaly have, but there are a few areas where even with 1 pass and the lightest touch, it goes red and bleeds. It dosn't matter what I do. Areas are right of my adams apple, and on jaw lines.
After a shave if I look at the red areas, there are little sbits of skin sticking up, (very small towers) and a few little bumps.
Going into hospital soon for 3 days so will not shave then, and see what happens when i get back.
The other issue I have, is on parts of of my face on first pass, it seems to get rid of 0 hair length.
After a shave if I look at the red areas, there are little sbits of skin sticking up, (very small towers) and a few little bumps.
Going into hospital soon for 3 days so will not shave then, and see what happens when i get back.
The other issue I have, is on parts of of my face on first pass, it seems to get rid of 0 hair length.
adam,
this last post of yours sounds like you have the blade angle wrong. If you go too steep with the blade angle, you'll start taking off layers of skin..If you go too shallow, you'll be scraping your face, not cutting the hair. Since you are using the light touch, you have that aspect down. Experiment with a teeny tiny bit of pressure on your upstrokes AFTER you get the blade angle correct.
Try to keep the angle of the handle parallel with the floor. That gives almost the perfect angle on the face. Make certain that you are allowing the blade to do the work at the proper angle.
Don't give up, technique takes time. It is well worth it & we all went through this.
this last post of yours sounds like you have the blade angle wrong. If you go too steep with the blade angle, you'll start taking off layers of skin..If you go too shallow, you'll be scraping your face, not cutting the hair. Since you are using the light touch, you have that aspect down. Experiment with a teeny tiny bit of pressure on your upstrokes AFTER you get the blade angle correct.
Try to keep the angle of the handle parallel with the floor. That gives almost the perfect angle on the face. Make certain that you are allowing the blade to do the work at the proper angle.
Don't give up, technique takes time. It is well worth it & we all went through this.
Justo said:
??? I'm sorry, that doesn't make any sense. I don't have any experience with the Wilkinson razor the OP is using, but unless it's strikingly different from the Merkur HD, he'll need to have an angle where the blade guard is *almost* touching the skin to get a good blade angle...
mnealtx said:
|-
/-He may have been holding the razor similar to the way one would hold an M3.
If you have the handle horizontal to the floor, then the top of the razor head is against the cheek.
You have to have SOME sort of angle there - my (very) limited experience has been that a razor angle where the guard bar is almost (or very lightly) touching the skin has just the right angle to cut without scraping the skin.
You have to have SOME sort of angle there - my (very) limited experience has been that a razor angle where the guard bar is almost (or very lightly) touching the skin has just the right angle to cut without scraping the skin.
