Teaching a teenager to shave - any tips?

[pjp_t]

I bought my son a cheap electric some time ago to remove the peach fuzz that was starting to form. He only needed to use it once a week or so. He now has some acne on his cheeks and is needing to shave more often. Just turned 16 and suddenly looking like a man!
I want to start him on wet shaving as I am sure it will help with his skin and I would like to share this pastime with him.
So, any tips about shaving with acne, suggestions for a good first set up, anything to help teach an absent-minded teenager?
All advice gratefully received!

 

[Shutterbug57]

FB on 9. JK. Just about anything will mow down the zits. I would probably start him with a Tech and tell him to try to miss the zits.

 

[Mandina]

Or else another a mild razor like an EJ89L. Perhaps an inexpensive, super easy to care for (just rinse, give a couple of shakes), no break-in required, excellent all-around performing synthetic brush (like the Muhle HJM black fibre; $25 delivered at Connaught Shaving). A sampler of mild blades (ranging from, say, Derby, Red IP, Lord Industry blades [Lords, Sharks, etc.] and Dorco 301 to Crystals/Israel IPs). No fuss, excellent performing shave sticks (such as Palmolive, Wilkinson Sword, Arko [if you and he are okay with the scent], and La Toja), or else a cheap, easy to lather soap like VDH, or something nicer/not expensive that's easy to lather and mild in scent (such as Provence Sante green tea or various Haslinger soaps, which are also good on the skin). Pre- and post-shave could be whatever's recommended these days for teenage acne skin: you can look beyond the shaving aisle for such products.

At least a good face-washing and face lathering that take 3 minutes (or more). Then very short, no-pressure WTG-only strokes, and no fussing with BBS, etc. Great fun! Best of luck!

 

[gmgaj]

I started mine with a flair tip, but he prefers a Gem 1912 SE. Those SEs are an easy way to get them started.

 

[5savages]

I'm about to set my son up with a shaving kit. he's going along with the whole wet shaving thing (mainly because I told him if he went with cartridges he'd have to buy them himself) but he's pretty apathetic about it. He just wants to get it over with and doesn't want to cut himself with it.

With that though, I'm giving him a Slim, starting out at 3, with Personna Super blades, which I've found work best for me in that razor. After he's used those for several months I'll let him start experimenting with more.

For prep I've already got him washing his face with Cetaphil bar soap for his acne so he'll continue with that. Rather than mess with soaps, I'm going to have him pick from one of my several tubes of cream. No shaving bowl, he'll just squeeze a bit onto the brush (Vulfix 660S Medium) and go.

I'll have him go just 1 or 2 passes for now. No need for more with that peach fuzz. Post will be some of my homebrew aftershave lotion, scented with is favorite cologne, Nivea ASB and I'll let him smell my other AS's to see if he wants to try any of those.

That and a couple of towels and he'll be set.

 

[Ender78]

^Looks like you got everything well in hand.

 

[aihpcfl]

The fact that you are teaching him is 99% of the battle from his perspective, if he will listen. I remember I had to learn to take a shower first and to shave S-N on my neck all by accident after many unpleasant shaves. You can save him those hard lessons, if he wants to go DE.

As far as acne, I don't know. Somehow in my day I managed. I had it bad but I did see worse on a few others. I don't know that the hardware decisions will make a difference, but the software could, and it may be trial and error. Main thing is to reduce the breakouts, which goes without saying, so if it is bad you probably want professional advice.

 

[Mick]

Take your time and enjoy your shave.

Don't worry about getting everything.

A perfect and easy shave will come with time

 

[Eeyore]

My dad didn't teach me. But I saw him shaving so often that I picked up his habits. He wetshaved too.

It's great that you want to teach your son! Demonstrating how you shave is already half of the learning, I think.

 

[BlackBard]

I'm about to set my son up with a shaving kit. he's going along with the whole wet shaving thing (mainly because I told him if he went with cartridges he'd have to buy them himself) but he's pretty apathetic about it. He just wants to get it over with and doesn't want to cut himself with it.

With that though, I'm giving him a Slim, starting out at 3, with Personna Super blades, which I've found work best for me in that razor. After he's used those for several months I'll let him start experimenting with more.

For prep I've already got him washing his face with Cetaphil bar soap for his acne so he'll continue with that. Rather than mess with soaps, I'm going to have him pick from one of my several tubes of cream. No shaving bowl, he'll just squeeze a bit onto the brush (Vulfix 660S Medium) and go.

I'll have him go just 1 or 2 passes for now. No need for more with that peach fuzz. Post will be some of my homebrew aftershave lotion, scented with is favorite cologne, Nivea ASB and I'll let him smell my other AS's to see if he wants to try any of those.

That and a couple of towels and he'll be set.

The first new razor I bought, as a youngster, was a FatBoy. (That was a looooong time ago.) Starting with a mild setting (maybe even lower than 3) is a good idea. He can adjust it to more blade exposure, if needed, as his technique improves.

 

[russhatch]

I had my teen start with a 40's SS and then ordered him a Merkur 1904. I actually shaved him the first time standing behind him so he could watch the angles, hear and feel the razor. I constamtly reminded him that 75% of a good shave was the prep - got him some poraso and a inexpensive boar brush - I had him shave 3 times with a blade and then switched blades - Lord knows why he decided he liked Derby's - he now has 200 and that should last him through high school (he is a freshman).
Next big thing was to have him slow down and breath, relax and enjoy the shave - works most of the time. He has only really cut himself once and turned out to be a good learning experience - so in short ... PREP and go slow.

 

[SteveWY]

I think Turtle and others nailed it. Good prep, take his time, no pressure, let the blade glide, lather between passes, enjoy the shave.

Many of us here that are a little gray and long in the tooth started with a safety razor and blade but for various reasons went the cartridge/disposable and canned foam route. You have a great opportunity to get him started with a better way. An added benefit to great shaves is that brush and quality soap/creams offer excellent skin care benefits over canned goo.

 

[5savages]

The first new razor I bought, as a youngster, was a FatBoy. (That was a looooong time ago.) Starting with a mild setting (maybe even lower than 3) is a good idea. He can adjust it to more blade exposure, if needed, as his technique improves.

You're absolutely right. Besides, he thought it was "cool" because he can dial in the settings. I should have mentioned that I let him pick out the razor from among my Super Speeds, Slims, and Techs. Anything to get him to buy in to it!

That's why I'm going to let him pick out the shave cream as well, based on what scent he likes best. I'll even let him pick from my favorites. If he doesn't pick the CO Bigelow, I'll have him try it anyway, in case he likes that menthol blast. I'll introduce him to soaps sometime down the road. I think it's best just to keep it as simple as possible to start out.

 

[NingYupOwaDat]

I wish somebody had taught me, my first shave was with a Mach 3 a boar brush and ordinary hand soap.

 

[intotheforge]

Start calling him shaggy when he looks it.

 

[rxonmymind]

Lots of good advice. I'd suggest to start with a Fatboy also as having the option to start at 1 which is insanely mild to 9 which is too aggressive for a newbie but hey you never know. Having an adjustable is great allowing you to dial in a shave that tailors to your needs or in this case your son. Good luck & enjoy the journey!

 

[blisbmb]

I still had some acne when I started wet shaving. If found that using a DE razor was less irritating than the multi bladed cartridges. It actually helped my acne. I recommend only shaving on weekends when you both have some time to take it slow.

 

[Kotton]

For a teenager, he's going to have acne, it's just the way it is. But kudos to getting him started with the wet shaving.

 

[Loganpass]

Wait! You have a TEACHABLE teenager? What did YOU do right??

 

[FoamFace]

Let me tell you learning to shave from my perspective (im younger than your son XD)

Get him something cool, like a tto. 3 pieces are boring and dont have much appeal to a teenage mind (unless you're me)

I have lots of acne. I cut it all the time. Get him some witch hazel.

Osage Rub. 'Nuff said (May be just me, but I love Osage rub, and i brought a small sample to school for my friends and they like it too.)