Where do you BBS aim?

[RouxBlade]

@rbscebu had an interesting post here about how long a BBS lasts.

He and others talked about where they try for BBS shaves. It didn't occur to me that after 100s of shaves if BBS was someone's goal they wouldn't attempt it wherever they shave.

Currently I'm attempting DFS everywhere, while secretly hoping for BBS. I'm achieving DFS on my cheeks and nearly always getting a SAS everywhere else. That's my current skill level without cutting my face up. This is after 30+ shaves.

So.. what do strive for around your face and regularly achieve?

Also, I think I'm not tagging people correctly. We shall see when I hit post...

 

[Tomo]

I always aim for a close, comfortable shave.

 

[silverlifter]

I strive primarily for comfort. I know I have the tools and the technique (at least with a DE) that will get me to DFS or better in two passes, some days with touchups.

If all goes well, some days it will just be BBS, but I don't reach for it. A comfortable DFS is just as good, in my book, especially as half a day later it will make no difference...

 

[CCS]

I strive primarily for comfort. I know I have the tools and the technique (at least with a DE) that will get me to DFS or better in two passes, some days with touchups.

If all goes well, some days it will just be BBS, but I don't reach for it. A comfortable DFS is just as good, in my book, especially as half a day later it will make no difference...

Comfort is for quitters!

Kidding, but I strive for a comfortable BBS every day and get there 9 times out of 10.

 

[Ron R]

I like a close shave as a daily shaver and it took time to mature my technique & pre- shave preparation to receive consistently close shaves with out irritation or weepers. Weepers are sometimes because of random over night skin blemishes and just small natural skin bumps that can be sliced with aggressive razors and sharp blades.
This is my sweet spot I usually get CCS,DFS,BBS range and I'm a happy camper and if I crank out a BBS shave I'll take it but that can come at a price of skin issues like weepers or over shaving areas with irritation.
Ideal shave for me is a 2 pass shave with pickups WTG 1st pass, ATG money pass and pickups 1/2 or 3rd pass as some call it.

Use a skin moisturizer balm to finish off your shave and that will usually get a person closer to a BBS 1hr later after skin is fully hydrated in the morning because it will slightly hydrate the skin surface and beard whiskers are deep rooted so it sort sinks the whiskers slightly (moisturizer balms help cheat a little to get a BBS shave IMO). CeraVe moisturizer lotion (Balm) with the Hyaluronic acid with the 3 Ceramides is a excellent product + scentless so it does not interfere with aftershave scents!
When I first started traditional wet shaving I was happy with shaves if I did not get irritation and weepers and reasonably close shaves!

 

[Dominic]

I go for a BBS on Sundays because I wear a tie and don't want any sandpaper feeling on my shirt collar. Even then it's primarily my neck I shave BBS. My face is usually very smooth without shaving ATG (after two passes, WTG & XTG), so I usually stop there.

 

[Attog]

As I usually shave at night I need to have as smooth face as possible in the morning. So DFS is minimum acceptable, better is BBS (cheeks, jawline, neck is ok to be DFS or semi BBS(BBS on some places).

 

[rbscebu]

With my initial SR shaving technique development, I use to aim for a BBS (no whiskers felt in any direction) result all over. Somewhere between my 100th and 200th daily SR shave I was achieving my aim. That was good except that with BBS all over, I would have nothing to shave 24 hours later.

I then worked on adjusting my SR shaving technique so that I could get consistent DFS+ results with three passes (WTG, XTG+CdM and another XTG in the opposite direction) and something to shave every day. For me DFS+ is whiskers felt only ATG in most areas with some minor areas being BBS. These minor BBS areas are generally my upper lip, chin and rear jaw-line.

It takes more self-discipline to not go for BBS when you know that you can do it without any trouble.

 

[ajkel64]

I never try for BBS. Just a good 3 pass shave suffices my daily requirements. Plus my hands are rough as, so I would have no idea if I had a BBS shave as I couldn’t tell by rubbing my hands over my face.

 

[Frinstance]

Instead of aiming for a certain result in selected areas, it's more a case of not expecting it in some areas. I'm at the age when the almost indestructible wire growing out of the Fu area needs quite a few attack runs with aging skin that needs to be stretched in three different directions. Good enough is good enough.

For the rest of my face two almost absent-minded passes get me glassy smooth. When I've tried something new on the stones, have a new razor, or am not sure about an edge I have a little rule left over from my early days to stop at WTG. If it's a bad shave that feeling is a motivator. If a good one, then I know I'm on the right track.

 

[lasta]

I like a close shave as a daily shaver and it took time to mature my technique & pre- shave preparation to receive consistently close shaves with out irritation or weepers. Weepers are sometimes because of random over night skin blemishes and just small natural skin bumps that can be sliced with aggressive razors and sharp blades.
This is my sweet spot I usually get CCS,DFS,BBS range and I'm a happy camper and if I crank out a BBS shave I'll take it but that can come at a price of skin issues like weepers or over shaving areas with irritation.
Ideal shave for me is a 2 pass shave with pickups WTG 1st pass, ATG money pass and pickups 1/2 or 3rd pass as some call it.

Use a skin moisturizer balm to finish off your shave and that will usually get a person closer to a BBS 1hr later after skin is fully hydrated in the morning because it will slightly hydrate the skin surface and beard whiskers are deep rooted so it sort sinks the whiskers slightly (moisturizer balms help cheat a little to get a BBS shave IMO). CeraVe moisturizer lotion (Balm) with the Hyaluronic acid with the 3 Ceramides is a excellent product + scentless so it does not interfere with aftershave scents!
When I first started traditional wet shaving I was happy with shaves if I did not get irritation and weepers and reasonably close shaves!

Hi Ron,

Your profile says 63, with that regimen, you must look 20!

I'm a Hai Karate, Mandom, straight up Vodka kinda guy...and the face shows!

 

[dotKomo]

I can generally get a REAL close to BBS when I shave with a few days growth. When I shave daily, I can get BBS on my cheeks and chin, but DFS on my neck, and am satisfied with that. To try and get BBS daily is a recipe for irritation for me.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I shave every other day, and in the evenings so I am not rushed. I always aim for a BBS shave that is completely smooth in all directions and will remain so for at least 8-10 hours, preferably 12+hrs. It is equally important that I do not cause irritation by overshaving, so if I am failing to get a BBS shave then I stop and accept what I have rather than overdoing it - but I will consider it a poor shave and resolve to do better next time.

I get the shave I want most of the time, but not every time. Sometimes my skin is not in a condition suitable for a great shave, or sometimes I just don’t do a great job. Some razors will do it for me every time, though, and I treasure those.

 

[Dominic]

WTG, XTG+CdM and another XTG

I’ve never seen CdM. What’s that stand for?

 

[Barrington Stanley]

I will spend half an hour with hot water prep, oil and lately as much as I like a warm bowl of creme....... King of Shaves or King C Gillette clear gels?!!
Re applying constantly gives the best shaves ever, no feed back on an alum block, balm.
However, I could only do that a minimum of 48h per super close shave, 36 hour....same again, no hassle and I have sensitive skin.

 

[rbscebu]

I’ve never seen CdM. What’s that stand for?

CdM = Coups de Maître = Master Strokes (a.k.a. Fool's Pass)

 

[CCS]

CdM = Coups de Maître = Master Strokes (a.k.a. Fool's Pass)

Huh, never heard that acronym or its meaning. But that's what I do at the end of every shave to get every last bit of stubble I can. What makes me a "fool" is that I somehow believe that I finally got it all and will be done with shaving. Then it starts all over the next day...

 

[Dominic]

CdM = Coups de Maître = Master Strokes (a.k.a. Fool's Pass)

Gettin’ all French on us.

 

[rbscebu]

Gettin’ all French on us.

Not my strongest language but Latin (Dominus Ictibus Debilitarentur) tends to be above many people's comprehension.

 

[StratMan]

I go for BBS on each and every shave. Have actually gone into some shaves to purposefully not attempt it (even when the skin is a bit raw) but always cave and end up with at least one ATG pass

I get the BBS nearly every shave (9 out of 10 for sure) and when I dont its DFS+ but I dont always come out well from it..