Wow!

[neilxvx]

Today I had an AMAZING shave! My best one yet by far. It's kind of funny actually, two days ago I had a HORRIBLE experience. I took a break from my hydrolast products and method shaving and used some Taylors Avocado. I also changed my prep and used some hair conditioner in the shower. I think my biggest mistake was that I didn't rinse off the conditioner once I got out of the shower and applied some later (kyles prep) without rinsing it off. My face was red, burned all day, and I had several red bumps between my cheeks and chin.

Anyway, another ironic event was that my cube BROKE before I started this shave. Charles sent me only a sample of the cube and it had been reduced to a thinness of probably two quarters on top of each other. Just before my shave I gripped it too tightly and it broke into three pieces. I had to hold it awkwardly to keep it together while building the mix. I had a few little weepers but they went away with cold water and my face really felt great overall with the mix. I went against the grain and did blade buffing without any cutting balm and did 5 passes total. My face was BBS and there was no irritation or hot feeling/discomfort after the shave.

What did I do differently? I think the biggest factor in this shave is that I waited an entire TWO days after the bad shave with Taylors Avoacdo. I had some pretty rough stubble but my face seems to react to shaving the best right before that time when your stubble goes from sand-paper scratchy to being slightly longer and more flexible.

Does anyone else find that waiting a while longer to shave helps? It's rather frustrating. I get significant stubble in a day (sometimes less) after shaving, but it seems like I have to wait at LEAST a day and a half for my face to not want to cry. Any comments?

Also, FOR THE FIRST TIME I shaved my adams apple didn't cut myself!

 

[BMWRider]

Keep it up, you are on the right track. If I have any "face issues," whether it be a break out or dry skin I tend to wait a day between shaves. Seems to do the trick.

 

[Brad]

I have seen that happen when I forgo shaving on Saturday morning shave and then do a Saturday night shave and Monday morning. I have never been sure if this is because of the longer hair or giving my face a break. I tend to think the latter, becasue after the first pass, all the stubble is pretty reduced so it doesn't make sense that it is the longer hair. I think the complete lack of irritation carried over to more final passes and abetter shave. In this case you did five, which I gather is not your normal. One other ting that I have found is that changin up the routine does seem to help. This may be a new type of blade or changing razors.

Brad

 

[Limey]

Neil - yep...I find that the longer I go between shaves the better shave I get. I haven't missed a shave in almost a year and a half so its hard to say about waiting two days.

 

[neilxvx]

I have seen that happen when I forgo shaving on Saturday morning shave and then do a Saturday night shave and Monday morning. I have never been sure if this is because of the longer hair or giving my face a break. I tend to think the latter, becasue after the first pass, all the stubble is pretty reduced so it doesn't make sense that it is the longer hair. I think the complete lack of irritation carried over to more final passes and abetter shave. In this case you did five, which I gather is not your normal. One other ting that I have found is that changin up the routine does seem to help. This may be a new type of blade or changing razors.

Brad

I always do four, ya know cutting forms 1, 2, and 3--with cutting form 1 done twice etc. I think only one time I didn't do a finishing pass of some sort. I usually either do a full 5th pass in multiple directions or I'll do some glossing with the cutting balm in a few areas as the last pass.

 

[Brad]

The only other thing I can think of is that the longer whisker holds water better and therefore cuts better. Not sure what the reason is, but I have noticed similar behavior.

Brad

 

[BigRay]

I've noticed the same thing as well- skipping a day seems to guarantee me an excellent shave the next day. I'm not sure of the reason, it just seems to me that my preshave prep is more effective when it has more of a whisker to work with...

-Ray

 

[DeadRinger]

hair conditioner, i believe, actually makes the hair stronger.

 

[thevelvet]

Im pretty sure it was the two days that gave your skin time to adjust. works for me.