I'm new to DE shaving since Christmas (got a Merkur 39C long-handled slant) and have been experimenting with different techniques, different brands of blades, soaps & creams and preshave routines. I got near nick-free during the first week and accomplished it on my 8th shave, having found the best grip/angle/pressure, but my primary ongoing issue over my first 3 weeks has been getting a close shave below my jawline, from ear to ear and right the way down my throat... especially without drawing blood or causing irritation. In many cases hair remained even after 4 passes (WTG, XTG, XTGR, ATG), or 5 (blade-buffing touchups in all directions), and attempts to get it all were causing painless red blotches on my skin. HOWEVER... I'm happy to say that in recent days I seem to have overcome both issues.
Yesterday for instance, I got an irritation-free BBS shave in all directions, even on my neck and throat, using a Crystal blade that I'd retrieved from my blade bin, originally discarded a few days earlier after using it for 6x face shaves + 1x head shaves - AND this was the very blade that I'd noted on its first (and subsequent uses), "Didn't shave that close (again), especially on neck".
My solution was the introduction to my shave routine of a super-slick homemade preshave gel, made from xanthan gum + water.
Cost? Mere pennies per week.
In the photo below, the little tub on the left contains the gel, made from about 1/4 tsp (perhaps less) to about 1oz of hot water. The amount you can see on the tip of my finger is enough for 1 day's shave but this stuff is so cheap you can add as much as you like and not worry about it. Just apply a dab to your wet face, then work it around using your fingers, rinse hands, lather up. Skin still as some slickness after 3 passes. Reapply a smaller dab on a wet face for no-soap touchups, if required.
I've read elsewhere (see backstory, below) that it is best to avoid making large quantities of this stuff as its shelf-life can be limited to as few as 3 or 4 days without the addition of preservatives (liquid glycerin, salt, Grapefruit seed extract (GSE) or methylparaben are popular, apparently). But if I find my first batch goes "bad" (black spots, its said to look for) after a few days, it'll hardly a problem to mix up an even smaller batch, or to try adding a preservative.
I read that mixing the xg with liquid glycerin (prior to introducing water) helps greatly in avoiding its tendency to clump, but I don't have any and didn't find it was an issue when I mixed my first batch.
I was amazed that both a B&B forum search AND a Google search found Z-E-R-O results for xanthan + shaving or xanthan + preshave that were in the context hoped for -- all results (and there were many) were for commercial or artisanal shaving products or recipes that included xanthan as just one out of many ingredients (example).
Is there a reason NOBODY is using this stuff?
If there is tell me quick before I do something bad to myself.!!
By the way, xanthan gum (in powder form) is available at health food stores in bulk (I think I paid C$31/kg, and got 100g which is far far more than I soon discovered I really needed - and the found-everywhere Bob's Red Mill brand 1/2-lb bags (~$15) certainly are, unless you're a chef).
Backstory:
Due to the skin irritation I'd been experiencing, I'd been considering purchasing a preshave oil... until I saw the price: $20-$30 for a 100mL bottle. I had some Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap (liquid) and that seemed quite slick, so I'd tried that.. it was okay but not great. I had an old bar of pure glycerin soap - also quite slick, but so-so on protection, apparently. I even tried combining them, with the same outcome. I read (on here) that some people use cooking oils (such as grapeseed) but a bottle of that at my supermarket was $14 and far larger than I'd need. Then last week I was watching a food-science program on television and there was an interesting segment on xanthan gum and its use as an emulsifier and thickener. Looking on Wikipedia [link], I noticed, "In cosmetics, xanthan gum is used to prepare water gels, usually in conjunction with bentonite clays [...] It has some skin hydrating properties." Sounded interesting. Googling it, I then found it xanthan is a popular ingredient in homemade personal lubricants, as it is super slick and super cheap, and only requires tiny amounts to make a nice quantity of "lube". I figure if it didn't work out as a preshave gel, then its more popular alternative usage might come in handy. (pun intended!)
Yesterday for instance, I got an irritation-free BBS shave in all directions, even on my neck and throat, using a Crystal blade that I'd retrieved from my blade bin, originally discarded a few days earlier after using it for 6x face shaves + 1x head shaves - AND this was the very blade that I'd noted on its first (and subsequent uses), "Didn't shave that close (again), especially on neck".
My solution was the introduction to my shave routine of a super-slick homemade preshave gel, made from xanthan gum + water.
Cost? Mere pennies per week.
In the photo below, the little tub on the left contains the gel, made from about 1/4 tsp (perhaps less) to about 1oz of hot water. The amount you can see on the tip of my finger is enough for 1 day's shave but this stuff is so cheap you can add as much as you like and not worry about it. Just apply a dab to your wet face, then work it around using your fingers, rinse hands, lather up. Skin still as some slickness after 3 passes. Reapply a smaller dab on a wet face for no-soap touchups, if required.
I've read elsewhere (see backstory, below) that it is best to avoid making large quantities of this stuff as its shelf-life can be limited to as few as 3 or 4 days without the addition of preservatives (liquid glycerin, salt, Grapefruit seed extract (GSE) or methylparaben are popular, apparently). But if I find my first batch goes "bad" (black spots, its said to look for) after a few days, it'll hardly a problem to mix up an even smaller batch, or to try adding a preservative.
I read that mixing the xg with liquid glycerin (prior to introducing water) helps greatly in avoiding its tendency to clump, but I don't have any and didn't find it was an issue when I mixed my first batch.
I was amazed that both a B&B forum search AND a Google search found Z-E-R-O results for xanthan + shaving or xanthan + preshave that were in the context hoped for -- all results (and there were many) were for commercial or artisanal shaving products or recipes that included xanthan as just one out of many ingredients (example).
Is there a reason NOBODY is using this stuff?
If there is tell me quick before I do something bad to myself.!!
By the way, xanthan gum (in powder form) is available at health food stores in bulk (I think I paid C$31/kg, and got 100g which is far far more than I soon discovered I really needed - and the found-everywhere Bob's Red Mill brand 1/2-lb bags (~$15) certainly are, unless you're a chef).
Backstory:
Due to the skin irritation I'd been experiencing, I'd been considering purchasing a preshave oil... until I saw the price: $20-$30 for a 100mL bottle. I had some Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap (liquid) and that seemed quite slick, so I'd tried that.. it was okay but not great. I had an old bar of pure glycerin soap - also quite slick, but so-so on protection, apparently. I even tried combining them, with the same outcome. I read (on here) that some people use cooking oils (such as grapeseed) but a bottle of that at my supermarket was $14 and far larger than I'd need. Then last week I was watching a food-science program on television and there was an interesting segment on xanthan gum and its use as an emulsifier and thickener. Looking on Wikipedia [link], I noticed, "In cosmetics, xanthan gum is used to prepare water gels, usually in conjunction with bentonite clays [...] It has some skin hydrating properties." Sounded interesting. Googling it, I then found it xanthan is a popular ingredient in homemade personal lubricants, as it is super slick and super cheap, and only requires tiny amounts to make a nice quantity of "lube". I figure if it didn't work out as a preshave gel, then its more popular alternative usage might come in handy. (pun intended!)
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