So, after about a year of wet shaving, I have come to some conclusions about the dogmas you will read about on B&B every day (warning: controversial content ahead
).
Dogma 1. Proper prep is very important.
My take: Not to the extent that is touted here. I would argue that proper lather is more important than proper prep, and that a great lather will hide a variety of prepping sins. I suppose if your lather is sub-par, prep becomes increasingly important.
Dogma 2. Canned goo is crap, and cannot compare in any way with proper creams/soaps.
My take: Most canned goo is reasonably sufficient. A properly prepared lather from even the humblest products is superior, but a poorly prepared lather from even the most expensive product on the planet is likely to be inferior to the lowly Barbasol. Proper lather preparation is a skill with a steep learning curve, but the rewards are worth the effort. I think the learning curve for proper lather is actually steeper than the learning curve for using a DE.
Dogma 3. Two blades create twice as much irritation as one blade, three blades creates three-halves that of two blades, etc.
My take: Poppycock. This concept has no scientific support whatsoever. A properly handled two-bladed cartridge razor is no more irritating than a single blade.
Dogma 4. Use no pressure.
My take: Truth. Regardless of what weapon you choose, using a light touch is of paramount importance.
Dogma 5. Watch your angles.
My take: Truth. This is one of the most important things you need to learn in order to cut down on irritation.
Dogma 6. A single blade creates fewer ingrowns than a multiblade cartridge.
My take: Poppycock. I actually got more ingrown hairs with a DE than I ever got with a cartridge blade.
Dogma 7. Map your beard growth, and make sure your first pass is with the grain. This can be tricky, especially on the neck where growth patterns can be unusual.
My take: Truth. My whole life I have had one area on the left side of my neck that always had a little bit of irritation. I finally learned that the growth forms almost an circle there, and after much practice can go with the grain on pass one. The irritation has disappeared completely.
Dogma 8. Prep with hot water, rinse with hot water, then cold water.
My take: Poppycock. Extremes of water temperature are not the answer. Prepping with warm water and rinsing with warm, then cool water is superior in my experience. Irritation is increased by overly hot water in the preparation stages.
Dogma 9. Using a brush is superior, because the brush lifts the hairs in preparation for cutting, and gently exfoliates the skin.
My take: Mostly poppycock. I enjoy using a brush, but I think the utility is mostly in creating a proper lather. I think the shave is just as good if you apply the lather with your fingers, and don't believe that the brush enhances the shave by "lifting" the hairs. Too much brush work on a hot face, especially if the bristles are not soft, can actually increase irritation and make the resulting shave worse.
That's all for now. Feel free to shoot me down, or to add your own.
). Dogma 1. Proper prep is very important.
My take: Not to the extent that is touted here. I would argue that proper lather is more important than proper prep, and that a great lather will hide a variety of prepping sins. I suppose if your lather is sub-par, prep becomes increasingly important.
Dogma 2. Canned goo is crap, and cannot compare in any way with proper creams/soaps.
My take: Most canned goo is reasonably sufficient. A properly prepared lather from even the humblest products is superior, but a poorly prepared lather from even the most expensive product on the planet is likely to be inferior to the lowly Barbasol. Proper lather preparation is a skill with a steep learning curve, but the rewards are worth the effort. I think the learning curve for proper lather is actually steeper than the learning curve for using a DE.
Dogma 3. Two blades create twice as much irritation as one blade, three blades creates three-halves that of two blades, etc.
My take: Poppycock. This concept has no scientific support whatsoever. A properly handled two-bladed cartridge razor is no more irritating than a single blade.
Dogma 4. Use no pressure.
My take: Truth. Regardless of what weapon you choose, using a light touch is of paramount importance.
Dogma 5. Watch your angles.
My take: Truth. This is one of the most important things you need to learn in order to cut down on irritation.
Dogma 6. A single blade creates fewer ingrowns than a multiblade cartridge.
My take: Poppycock. I actually got more ingrown hairs with a DE than I ever got with a cartridge blade.
Dogma 7. Map your beard growth, and make sure your first pass is with the grain. This can be tricky, especially on the neck where growth patterns can be unusual.
My take: Truth. My whole life I have had one area on the left side of my neck that always had a little bit of irritation. I finally learned that the growth forms almost an circle there, and after much practice can go with the grain on pass one. The irritation has disappeared completely.
Dogma 8. Prep with hot water, rinse with hot water, then cold water.
My take: Poppycock. Extremes of water temperature are not the answer. Prepping with warm water and rinsing with warm, then cool water is superior in my experience. Irritation is increased by overly hot water in the preparation stages.
Dogma 9. Using a brush is superior, because the brush lifts the hairs in preparation for cutting, and gently exfoliates the skin.
My take: Mostly poppycock. I enjoy using a brush, but I think the utility is mostly in creating a proper lather. I think the shave is just as good if you apply the lather with your fingers, and don't believe that the brush enhances the shave by "lifting" the hairs. Too much brush work on a hot face, especially if the bristles are not soft, can actually increase irritation and make the resulting shave worse.
That's all for now. Feel free to shoot me down, or to add your own.
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you can start a war here. Thanks for sharing your findings.
