I have been wet shaving for about two years and have generally settled on some techniques and some routines that work for me. I never developed Brush Acquisition Disorder because I began using the Edwin Jagger Best Badger Brush from the beginning and never felt the need to acquire another one. However, I definitely was afflicted with Razor Acquisition Disorder and, after initially purchasing the Merckur HD, I then purchased the following other racers: Futur, Progress, Slant, Fat Boy, Slim, Rocket, Superspeed and, most recently, the EJ 89L. Basically, I have been using the 89L for the last two or three months and have been happiest with this razor. It is not necessarily the closest razor that I have ever shaped with, but it is a good balance between closeness and smoothness and I don't tend to suffer many nicks. Starting on relatively soon in the process, I was using Feather blades and the only other two blades that I am interested in trying, right now, are the Iridium and 7 O'clock.
In any case, getting onto the routine that I use pretty much each and every morning. I dip my best badger brush into hot water in a mug while I'm taking a shower. I try not to get the handle to brush too wet because it becomes more slippery when I am trying to use it after I get out of the shower. Once I get out of the shower, I dry off my face, shake out my badger brush and then place the brush perpendicular to the stream of the faucet while I run hot water over the tips of the brush. (Basically, I like to face lather and the brush needs to have some water in it, but not too much, in order to get a good lather.) Once the tips of the brush have received enough water, I then distribute some of my shaving cream (Musgo Real) on the top of my brush and begin to face lather. I generally go in circles for about two minutes and finish off with the painting technique. Basically, I started out by creating lather in a mug and decided that it would be more effective to lather directly onto my face. I shave before I work in the morning and so time is somewhat of the essence for me. Once I have applied enough lather, I rinse my fingers and water and clear out some of the lather from the area near my sideburns, around my nostrils and around my mouth so that I can see better when I am shaving and, in the case of my nose, I will be able to push it back easier.
Once I begin shaving, I use relatively short strokes and tend to go over the same areas a number of times in a row, without re-lathering. I understand the theory that you're supposed to re-lather before going over the same area twice, but I seem to have less irritation doing it the way that I do. In any case, the goal for me is to get a pretty good shave after only one pass. This is definitely not a baby's butt smooth shave because I cannot go against the grain and have never been able to shave against the grain. As a result, for me, the ideal is a pretty good shave, going with the grain. Getting back to my shaving routine, as I was saying, I use relatively short strokes and go with the grain. I do the cheeks first, then my neck and then the area around my mouth. Generally, the most troublesome area for me is my chin and, for that, I re-lather only the chin area and go over it twice.
After I'm done, I usually rinse off with warm water and then use a Nivea lotion as a post shape moisturizer. I'm pretty much good to go after that. I tend to use the Feather blades for about seven days and change blades on Thursdays. This is because I sometimes go out on Fridays and Saturday nights and, if the blade is too sharp, I want to have any nicks or cuts take place on Thursdays instead of Fridays. (Brilliant, I know...) anyway, this is my general shave routine and I've been very happy with it over the last couple of years. My razor acquisition disorder has pretty much been cured, however, I always seem to have my eye on the Muhle Stylo which shares the same head as the 89.
I'm hoping that this thread might provide some ideas to beginners and, if not, provide an alternative opinion as to how to get a relatively good shave for the day before work.
(Dictated Using Dragon NaturallySpeaking)
In any case, getting onto the routine that I use pretty much each and every morning. I dip my best badger brush into hot water in a mug while I'm taking a shower. I try not to get the handle to brush too wet because it becomes more slippery when I am trying to use it after I get out of the shower. Once I get out of the shower, I dry off my face, shake out my badger brush and then place the brush perpendicular to the stream of the faucet while I run hot water over the tips of the brush. (Basically, I like to face lather and the brush needs to have some water in it, but not too much, in order to get a good lather.) Once the tips of the brush have received enough water, I then distribute some of my shaving cream (Musgo Real) on the top of my brush and begin to face lather. I generally go in circles for about two minutes and finish off with the painting technique. Basically, I started out by creating lather in a mug and decided that it would be more effective to lather directly onto my face. I shave before I work in the morning and so time is somewhat of the essence for me. Once I have applied enough lather, I rinse my fingers and water and clear out some of the lather from the area near my sideburns, around my nostrils and around my mouth so that I can see better when I am shaving and, in the case of my nose, I will be able to push it back easier.
Once I begin shaving, I use relatively short strokes and tend to go over the same areas a number of times in a row, without re-lathering. I understand the theory that you're supposed to re-lather before going over the same area twice, but I seem to have less irritation doing it the way that I do. In any case, the goal for me is to get a pretty good shave after only one pass. This is definitely not a baby's butt smooth shave because I cannot go against the grain and have never been able to shave against the grain. As a result, for me, the ideal is a pretty good shave, going with the grain. Getting back to my shaving routine, as I was saying, I use relatively short strokes and go with the grain. I do the cheeks first, then my neck and then the area around my mouth. Generally, the most troublesome area for me is my chin and, for that, I re-lather only the chin area and go over it twice.
After I'm done, I usually rinse off with warm water and then use a Nivea lotion as a post shape moisturizer. I'm pretty much good to go after that. I tend to use the Feather blades for about seven days and change blades on Thursdays. This is because I sometimes go out on Fridays and Saturday nights and, if the blade is too sharp, I want to have any nicks or cuts take place on Thursdays instead of Fridays. (Brilliant, I know...) anyway, this is my general shave routine and I've been very happy with it over the last couple of years. My razor acquisition disorder has pretty much been cured, however, I always seem to have my eye on the Muhle Stylo which shares the same head as the 89.
I'm hoping that this thread might provide some ideas to beginners and, if not, provide an alternative opinion as to how to get a relatively good shave for the day before work.
(Dictated Using Dragon NaturallySpeaking)
