I have tried many different things. The BEST seems to NOT shave for 2 days and then shave. You know I would ALMOST be willing to give my face a wax!!!

Thanks,

pokari

1 - I know what you mean.

2 - Go electric.

I've been using electric for 30 years. I've had to use a blade a few times and it's convinced me I'd never go back.

Are you using the same razor throughout or have you tried different brands? For instance, I find that Schicks tend to cut me whereas Gilettes never do. Also, never buy the store-brand razors; you get what you pay for.

I never liked electric; I used it for a while but never found the shave close, and I've had various shavers over the years.

Also, I shave in the shower; the hot water and steam helps.

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(BTW, it's spelled < y'all >.)

My three blade Gilette works great. However, I like electric but I got to many ingrown hairs and that's why I moved to blades years ago.

Bill

Another vote for electric. I've used a bunch of Braun models over the years, very happy with the results. Not cheap, but worth the investment, at least for me.

YMMV, every face differs. I shave with an eletric (Braun) during the week, and on the weekend I shave with a gillette 3 blade model. I haven't cut myself in months (last time was when i was a little careless and pulled the blade sideways instead of forward).

Are you having technique issues ?

I still remember the 'safety' razor I learned to shave with. The only thing 'safety' about it was that it would not take more than a 1/10 inch deep hunk of face with it.

Out of curiosity last year I bought a product called ShaveSecret (available at WalMart). It's a shaving oil you use instead of shaving cream. I expected it use it once and toss it as it reminded me of an infomercial product, but to my surprise it works very well. Much better than shaving lotion/cream in my case in prevent nicks and cuts.

I've tried electric, even used one for a year trying to get my face use to it, finally went back to a razor, Mach 3 works best for me.

Oh, and I too found it best if I shaved every 2nd or 3rd day instead of daily. So now that is exactly what I do.

I haven't shaved in 10 years, see no reason to start again.....

Blades give a much closer shave than electrics. I use the Gillette Excel which has two blades and the rubber pad that gribs the hairs. Have tried many others and always go back to the Gillette excel. The newer gillettes with 3 blades are more expensive and I didn't think it was any better than excel.

I just can't get into electrics. They do not get as close as I like. I use Excel, too.

Electrics get some of the weird curves better, though. But not the overall result.

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So nobody here uses an old-style safety razor?

I keep thinking about getting one from here - [www.classicshaving.com]

Z

Hey SteveJobs.... I'm intrigued with your signature logo. Are there still any Burger Chefs anywhere? or just a logo from nostagia?

I am with Zoid. Shicks cut the hll out of me and no problem with Gillette. However thanks to Newton I got a bunch of the Shick quatros and they are great. Too dmn expensive to buy refills though.

Avoid store brands and run from Bics. I do not like electrics because you do not get that nice fresh feeling you get from a blade.

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Da Good Life

For h linamen and other Burger Chef afficianados:

[www.freewebs.com]

[www.freewebs.com]

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Unpaid Social Liaison



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2006 11:05AM by mick e.

I've posted about this many times here...

The problem is that I have a fairly coarse, curly beard, and very, very sensitive skin. I used to shave with a simple, single-foil Braun and was pretty happy with that (and not getting too many cuts). The problem is that this Braun broke, and I ended up having to "upgrade" to one of the newer ones. The problem there is that they've been changing the foils over the years-- such that the newer ones apparently have smaller holes than the older ones-- I think they've been doing this so as to prevent you from getting cuts. (I also tried a Panasonic wet/dry at some point, and that was the absolute worst... tons of cuts, really chewed up my skin.) As a result of the foil issue, with the newer Brauns, I found that I was having to "push" the razor into my beard too much to get a decently close shave; and as a result of that, was getting a huge number of disgusting ingrown hairs and skin infections.

Finally, on the advice of my MD at the time, I decided to go back to shaving by blade. He strongly recommended that I do it during or shortly after showering, when the skin is swollen from the hot water. So that's what I've been doing-- shaving in the shower using a hot-water type mirror from the Sharper Image (on a good recommendation from someone at the old DM forums)... and I get a really close, clean shave with few if any nicks or cuts, unless I'm really overzealous with the razor. I'm using one of the new-fangled three- or four-blade razors (vastly prefer Schick to Gillette), and a two-bladed Schick for the areas that the other razor can't reach (under the nose, particularly).

Works pretty well... but as others here have said, there is no "one size fits all" as regards shaving.

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2006 11:06AM by PeterB.

as stated blades shave closer than electrics.

possible issues might be:

1. Don't rush shaving. Some people shave like it is a race. Take your time and be slow, especially around corners.

2. Pressure. You don't need to press the blade to you skin with a great deal of pressure. Again, a light touch is fine.

3. Shave with shorter strokes and rinse the blade more often. You might be cutting yourself because the blade is full of hair. So take shorter strokes and rinse after each stroke.

If you have a thick beard, use a trimmer to trim it first. It will be easier to shave if it is shorter.


Like anything in life practice makes perfect.. . .but occasionally you will still get cut.

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2006 11:18AM by NewtonMP2100.

Quote
NewtonMP2100
as stated blades shave closer than electrics.

possible issues might be:

1. Don't rush shaving. Some people shave like it is a race. Take your time and be slow, especially around corners.

2. Pressure. You don't need to press the blade to you skin with a great deal of pressure. Again, a light touch is fine.

3. Shave with shorter strokes and rinse the blade more often. You might be cutting yourself because the blade is full of hair. So take shorter strokes and rinse after each stroke.


Like anything in life practice makes perfect.. . .but occasionally you will still get cut.

How often do you shave your face Newton?
Or are you talking about a different location?

BGnR

The three blade models make it fairly difficult to cut yourself. You must be terribly clutsy.

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Many say electric is the way to go... BUT it seems as though when I use one I can feel the HAIRS being PLUCKED out of my face ONE BY ONE, VERY UNCOMORTABLE!!!!

Yes, I have tried i think every razor out there (non-electric). Shaving in the shower is a little better but I always end up missing a spot and I don't realize it until the next day.

pokari

Also, the rule is to shower first. . .to let the steam soften the beard then shave afterwards. Get one of the fogless shaving mirror and use a bright light source.

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

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h linamen
Hey SteveJobs.... I'm intrigued with your signature logo. Are there still any Burger Chefs anywhere? or just a logo from nostagia?

Nope. They were bought out by Hardee's / converted or shut down.

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I few years back I recall seeing an ad for laser treatment for men's beards. It was like $300 at the time and was supposed to last up to 3 months.

If I was rolling in extra cash, I'd definitely look into it now. I hate shaving but I hate gobs of facial hair even more.

C'mon... someone go do it and tell me that you don't come back looking like you have a perpetual sunburn. Now I'm even more curious how much they are charging these days for it. Thanks a lot. ;)

As the "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" show used to say, most men do not know how to shave properly. Fathers used to teach their sons, but that hasn't happened in decades. My Uncle Alfonso taught me how to shave with a straight razor when I was eleven.

Here is a good start.:
[www.msnbc.msn.com]

BGnR

pokari, you cannot miss a spot with a good mirror. Here's the type I essentially have:

[www.sharperimage.com]

... at the time I bought mine, they offered a white plastic version, essentially an economy version, for about $50. The best $50 I've spent in awhile. (If anyone with male SO's is reading this... this makes a great gift for that special guy in your life!) You might also be able to find a good knockoff of this design for $50 or less. (The "fogless" ones that do not use hot water do not actually work, in my experience.)

The way I have mine arranged is such that there is plastic hose running from the showerhead to the other side of the shower (e.g., the far side, away from the showerhead), so that I can turn around in the shower to use it. (The way they have it set up in the photo in the above link, it makes it hard to use because it's so close to the showerhead that you're liable to wash away the shaving cream on your face from the shower spray.) I actually have a fairly complex arrangement there-- can regulate how much water I have going to it, etc. It wastes a bit of water, but not too much.

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)

Jeez, I'm not terribly coordinated and I can count on one hand the number of times I've cut myself in 30+ years of shaving. I've been using cheapo disposables lately because I've been known to go a few days between shaves and it wears down the electric too quickly when the beard gets longer.

Evidently, according to what I'm reading here I do everything wrong. I rarely take my time, shave anytime of day or night, before or after or no where near the time I shower. I've used old blades when I forget to buy new ones. I've used the electric when I'd forgotten to recharge it.

Granted, I'm fair skinned (formerly blond, now white/grey), but I've had full beards several times over the years and I look just as grubby as most after a couple days not shaving. I don't envy you who have to shave twice a day.

Anyway, in answer to the original question, just don't overthink it. It's not rocket science.

Gillette two blade.
Gillette disposable.
Either will get me every time with a new blade.

I'll soak it, then let it sit over-nite before using it.

So, essentially, I get best results from a slightly dull blade.

Gillette kept sending me free handles and I get the blades for free from someone who works there.

Only tried an electric once. Think hamburg. No thanks.

Having a face that gets ingrown hairs as well (sucks plucking them out...), I vote for the new Braun electric razors.

[www.braun.com]

For me, it shaves *almost* as close as a razor, but I don't cut myself. Highly recommend it. Much better than the 7000 series braun put out (pricey upgrading, but well worth it).

I recently went back to blades after using an electric for many years. I shave my face with a Gilette Mach 3 turbo in the shower. Nice close shave, and have only cut myself once in about 6 months. I use a HeadBlade to shave my head... I forget what blade it uses, but I buy the cheapo generic replacement for it. Have only cut my head twice in just over a year.

I used a Norelco electric, which was ok but not great. If I forgot to shave one day, it hurt to use it on the second day.

Wow. I can't remember the last time I cut myself shaving.

I shave in the shower, with a Atra Plus. I have a heavy metal handle for it, which I think helps. Edge shaving gel. I shave my neck up toward my chinline and my face down toward it. Gently under the nose. Rinse under the shower and go.

That's my face, though. I'm still working out the best procedures to follow for other areas.

Quote
rz
I use a HeadBlade to shave my head... I forget what blade it uses, but I buy the cheapo generic replacement for it.

I think it is one of the Atra blades. . .

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I reject your reality and substitute my own!

grow a beard?

mick e does the same procedure as Mr Downtown, although he washes his face with Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap first before busting out the Edge Gel. mick e is a hairy Italian, and his beard has fouled many of those chintzy "hi-tech" shavers.

The shower steam really serves to soften the beard. Get a fog-proof mirror and an adjustable showerhead stream that channels the water strong enough to clean the shaver when you run it underneath.

You will like this method.

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Unpaid Social Liaison

Shaving and beer topics always get the most action on this board!

1. Shave in the shower.

2. Have a cold beer afterwards.

I always shave after I shower the stubble seems softer. I shave every other day. I
use a 2 blade Gillette Sensor and have done so for 6 years or so. I use Barbarsol cream with Aloe. I have no control
with the extreme pivoting 3 and 4 blade jobs. I get very few cuts. For some reason
I get a lot of ingrown hairs with an electric shaver.

[www.barbasol.com]

Tips for a Barbasol ® Close Shave

Please consider the following tips from Barbasol when teaching someone to shave for the first time:

* Wash your face with warm water. This swells the hair shaft allowing the blade to cut the hair, not your skin.
* Practice on a balloon. The round nature of a balloon lends itself to the rounded curves of the human face. This also gives beginners a good gauge on how hard to press before a cut will occur.
* To check for rough areas you may have missed or didn't get close enough, wet your free hand and slide the wet fingers or palm of your hand in an upward motion across the face and neck. If you feel a rough area, place extra shave cream onto that area and gently glide your razor across that area again.
* Work Barbasol Shaving Cream or Gel into your skin with a circular motion to spread it evenly and thoroughly over your face.
* Use a mirror only if you want to – sometimes the mirror isn’t as helpful as trusting your own judgment.
* Be gentle. Power strokes are for starting lawn mowers, not for your face. Excessively pressing the razor to the skin guarantees chronic, multiple wounds.
* Shaving isn't supposed to be a 2 minute event; not if you want it done right. Take your time.
* A good order for shaving would be: sideburn, upper cheek on one side, jawbone, neck area, other sideburn and upper cheek, lower jaw and chin and lastly the upper lip.
* Shave with the grain. Shaving against the grain can cause redness, rashes, razor burn and ingrown hairs, which are all painful.
* Pulling the skin taut with your free hand and shave over this tight area. This makes the whiskers pull away from your skin, making it easier for the razor to grasp them.

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Grateful11

I must just be lucky.
I've tried all sorts of fancy-schmancy multi-bladed razors, and all of them clogged with my beard hair between the blades in short order. I have gotten the best results with plain old single-bladed Bic disposable razors. They're easy to rinse the hair out of, and one will last me for months. I avoid the "Sensitive Skin" Bic disposables like the plague though, as they don't seem as sharp and tend to irritate my skin.
I've tried a couple of electric razors as well, and I found them to be a cruel joke. Inevitably one of two things happens: Either my beard hair clogs them up completely and they cease to function, or they begin ripping the hairs out of my face by the roots like an Epilady on steroids.
I normally shave right after getting out of the shower while the bathroom is still steamy, but I have also shaved at other times of the day without incident.
I should probably mention that I always have a moustache, and usually a goatee or chinstrap beard as well, so upper-lip-related shaving issues are completely unknown to me.

Shave in the shower.

There are some tricks to getting a good shave in the shower.

Shave after washing and shampooing so the hair has plenty of time to soften.

And use a foaming gel -- they provide better lift and lubrication than a cream.

I keep a shaving mirror stuck to the shower wall with suction cups (check out Bed Bath & Beyond or Linens & Things for a nice selection) and yank it off the wall to get a close look while I shave. Many of them have a little holder to hang a razer.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2006 10:06PM by MacMagus.

I use a Norelco electric. I get my best, closest and least irritating shaves if I shave immediately after showering and applying a pre-electric shave lotion. The hot shower and soap soften the whiskers and the pre-electric lotion provides the lubricant so the shaver glides easily. The Kroger brand pre-electric shaving lotion has less perfume and ample lubricant and I prefer it to the national brand Lectric Shave.

All good suggestions in this thread... bookmark it for future reference!

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Freya says, 'Hello from NOLA, baby!' (Laissez bon temps rouler!)