Shaving frequency and razor selection?

[carloverfast2]

G'day Gentlemen, I am having a dilemma regarding how often I need to shave in order to minimize redness and irritation and what razor blade combo will suit this. I have a selection of razors but keep rotating hoping to find one I can use regularly enough to look presentable on a consistent basis. I'm a black guy, with fairly lighter coloured skin tone so my beard area turns more red after shaving. It neutralizes if I grow a beard and than shave but I'm thinking of thinning my razor collection in order to simplify to a more regularly shaving schedule while minimizing the irritation.

Do you think I can shave every two or three days and my skin will at some point just get used to it? That there will be a breaking in process to get through first? I have several mild razors and a few slants. I'm thinking about getting a Rockwell to round things out and for the fact the heavier razor will not need any additional pressure from me. (I have RR BBS and SuperSlants L+, Henson Mild and Med, Feather A2, plus several others) My hairs are thick (I think so at least) and lay flat, hence the growing back into my face part. I think its the time in between shaves that induce my redness and irritation and I'm considering shaving much more often- if it may help.

My creams are a mix of Creamo and Traditional soaps. I use cold water and bowl lather and face apply to lessen too much rubbing against my beard area. I use a little vit-e oil mixed with Aloe as my aftershave. I sometime add in alum but that's hit or miss. I've read to leave it on too?

Any thoughts or suggestions on frequency to minimize bad outcomes, in between shave beard area care and razors you guys think will help will be appreciated. thanks in advance! C

 

[psfred]

Hard to give personal advice because I'm 98% Northern European, but my guess would be a mild razor and don't try to shave super close. That tightly coiled beard hair is very likely to grow into the skin, causing skin bumps that then get irritated when you shave again.

Shaving every other day might work too, if the stubble is acceptable.

I'll ask some of my black co-workers (although they all have beards now!) and see if they have any pointers

 

[Jay21]

Any razor that causes irritation isn’t a result of waiting to “toughen up your skin.” It’s from improper technique or lather, or simply a razor that doesn’t work for you. As many razors there are out there, there’s one that will shave you daily without irritation. Using the same razor over over in the hopes of your skin toughening up is a sunk cost fallacy.

 

[Ron R]

About the only thing I can suggest to prevent ingrown hairs and irritation is after shaving use a old worn out tooth brush and go over the beard area lightly when skin has dried to make sure they do not go inwards towards your flesh, you might have to do a few times a day. Make sure the shaved skin area has been dried I found the best time to glance a worn toothbrush or a dried shaving boar brush lightly over the shaved skin. Make sure to use a sharp blade mostly to reduce pulling of whiskers. You have some nice razors in your den already, I can suggest some others but the worn out tooth brush simple method could help you. I had a nasty ingrown hair and recorded some of the things I read and did to get it out and it could be helpful and maybe good for a laugh possibly.

Ingrown Hair, How I dealt with mine.

I have been shaving for sometime with Cartridges, DE & SE razors. I don't recall ever getting a ingrown and it is a irritating experience to say the least. I ordered a tweezer kit that has not shown up yet and I wanted this painful hair out because it makes my shaves not very enjoyable at all...

www.badgerandblade.com

Have some great shaves!

 

[DesertIguana]

Everyone's skin, beard, beard growth patterns, and beard thickness is not the same. Shaving devices (razors) is not the same for all people to get same or similar results.

I wear an 11.5 Medium Running Shoe, Brand "S" fit my foot best. Many brands that say they are the same size just doest fit my feet right.

I you looking for magic info on what Razor, Blade, Cream, and Brush will work best for you. People can only point you to what might work great for them.

 

[Calyshaver]

This is a project and I understand the challenges you are trying to overcome. Based on my experiences, you are going to need to experiment a lot but I am sure you will find the illusive formula for great shaves. Here are some things for you to ponder.

1. Shave with very light pressure to see how your skin fares and only go ONE pass. You may be rough shaving but again, this is for discovery purposes. Also, have you tried bullfrogging your cheeks, to tighten up the skin as you pass the razor across your face?

2. Shave on a 48-hour rotation. Your skin is an organ and needs time to recover and repair after being stressed. My thought is to wash the alum off after a few minutes. It performs its job quickly so no need to keep it on.

3. You never mentioned the blades you are using. I find sharp blades like a Gillette Nacet give me the best shaves. I attribute that to the difference between a sharp and dull knife cutting through your favorite dinner meat, fish, or tofu. Blades is a major factor here so again, some experimentation is necessary.

4. You mentioned you have tried slants.These razors have a more gentle slicing action versus a non-slant's chopping action that pulls on the hair follicle, which is a source of irritation. Its the theory of the French Guillotine, a more humane way to cut the whisker. How did the slant work for you? Maybe try a more mild closed comb slant like a Fatip. I don't want to incur more expenses for you but at $30 it is low risk and has good resale value.

5. Effective pre-shave preparation is important. I find my shaves after a shower are better. The theory being the whiskers are hydrated and heated up so possibly softer to cut. Make sure you wash your face before a shave to remove dirt and other pollutants.

6. You mentioned you bowl lather to avoid facial irritation. But have you tried face lathering as that might lift up the whiskers some so they are easier for the blade to grab. I would spend a few minutes just gently massaging the face with a nice soft brush, splaying it gently on your chin and rolling all over your cheeks.

Okay, that is all I can think of now and the SNF game is on so keep us updated on your progress

Cheers!

 

[carloverfast2]

Thanks for the replies! I will try out the one pass shave and doing that every other day. I think I do 2 or three passes as I don't pick up enough hair in that first pass, but I'll give it a shot. To answer Calyshaver's questions, I have been using Astra Green blades but have ordered a box of Persona with comfort coating supposedly (?)

Ron, I appreciate you providing your link. I will read it tomorrow.

Greatly appreciate this community and the thoughtful advice through the years. Happy Holidays at the end of '23 and all the best in 2024!!

 

[Guido75]

Hi C!

Great question of course. I am a daily shaver myself with relatively tough whiskers and at times a sensitive skin.

Cold shaving. Check.
Bowl lathering. Check.
Nice razors. Check.

How about your prep? Do you use face wash and or preshave before you start? I definitely have a different shave without my preshave routine. Especially my preshave cream (Proraso Green at the moment, but I got Mastro Miche to try it when Proraso is done).

I have been using Astra Green blades but have ordered a box of Persona with comfort coating supposedly

The other thing is the blade. This is of course YMMV territory as is everything shaving, but for me these blades are harder on my skin. I prefer sharper blades that cut/slice rather than pull/cut. I would recommend getting a blade sampler to try sharper blades.

And contrary advice (and partially enabling - sorry) perhaps but you may very well benefit from a more aggressive/effective razor. Maybe part of the irritation is due to overshaving or over buffing from the mildness of your blade and razor combination. I don’t know your budget but the R41 is relatively cheap. Rocca is more expensive but an equally excellent shaver. A Karve could also be very helpful.

Brushes can also make a difference. Synthetics are usually softer while still very capable latherers. Such as the RR 400.

Cheers,

Guido

 

[BigJ]

Great advice above!

I am a daily shaver, so my kit must ‘adapt’ to my routine. For me, the answer is to combine a ‘mild/moderate’ razor with blades on the sharper end or the spectrum. That’s what works best for me.

YMMV for sure!

 

[Jay21]

Here's something I wrote the other day that may help you a little. There be something in there worth trying. And you'll see that I also don't recommend the Henson razors. That is a recipe for irritation for me.

Jay's Easy Cartridge to DE Guide for Noobs

For many people, the transition from cartridges to DE wet shaving is easy. However, for others, like me, it was required a steeper learning curve. I decided to share the method that worked very well for me. I understand that this is very much a YMMV lifestyle. What worked for me may not work for...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[House Boy]

I'm prone to get ingrown hairs, I use a Feather ASD2 daily which has the weight not to apply pressure also I do not stretch my skin tight. Since going with a DE razor ( 2 years), using a brush and good cream I no longer experience the ingrown hairs or irritation. The only problem I have now is keeping my cat from sticking her nose in my shave bowl.

 

[Quaznoid]

A single pass WTG shave should provide a socially acceptable shave, and be easier on the skin. Back in the day, men shaved WTG, single pass. I shaved that way for decades, until I found B&B.

 

[Galibier_Numero_Un]

Some great advice here. One thing I'd add is at a meta level - focus on arriving at a method that allows you to shave daily.

My reasoning is that you don't want to give your beard a chance to curl under.

I realize this is an open ended statement, as the combination of razors, blades and prep can be daunting. It seems as if you've been at this game long enough to have a baseline starting point, however.

For my skin, daily shaving means a medium mild razor with moderately sharp blades I too, have had luck with Personnas. For others, it's the opposite extreme - a more aggressive razor.

Also, I agree with trying face lathering. Get those little guys to stand at attention before mowing them down.

... Thom

 

[gurdygurds]

A single pass WTG shave should provide a socially acceptable shave, and be easier on the skin. Back in the day, men shaved WTG, single pass. I shaved that way for decades, until I found B&B.

I find that a single pass WTG is great for me. Only reason I've played around with even a 2nd pass is because I'm actually ENJOYING the process of shaving now and don't want it to be over so quick!

 

[Lane101]

@carloverfast2 you are on the right track of experimenting to see what works best for you. A one-pass DFS has already been covered extensively above. Other options to consider is to generate the slickest possible shaving lather and to determine if a milder razor can provide a reasonable shave for your beard type. The King C. Gillette razor is considered by most to be extremely mild yet its blade geometry can allow for BBS shaves. I've achieved good results with mine.

Bottom line you are likely looking at a combo of the slickest lather and mildest razor that can deliver a reasonable one pass WTG shave. Good luck in your search.

 

[JaxRadiant]

G'day Gentlemen, I am having a dilemma regarding how often I need to shave in order to minimize redness and irritation and what razor blade combo will suit this. I have a selection of razors but keep rotating hoping to find one I can use regularly enough to look presentable on a consistent basis. I'm a black guy, with fairly lighter coloured skin tone so my beard area turns more red after shaving. It neutralizes if I grow a beard and than shave but I'm thinking of thinning my razor collection in order to simplify to a more regularly shaving schedule while minimizing the irritation.

Do you think I can shave every two or three days and my skin will at some point just get used to it? That there will be a breaking in process to get through first? I have several mild razors and a few slants. I'm thinking about getting a Rockwell to round things out and for the fact the heavier razor will not need any additional pressure from me. (I have RR BBS and SuperSlants L+, Henson Mild and Med, Feather A2, plus several others) My hairs are thick (I think so at least) and lay flat, hence the growing back into my face part. I think its the time in between shaves that induce my redness and irritation and I'm considering shaving much more often- if it may help.

My creams are a mix of Creamo and Traditional soaps. I use cold water and bowl lather and face apply to lessen too much rubbing against my beard area. I use a little vit-e oil mixed with Aloe as my aftershave. I sometime add in alum but that's hit or miss. I've read to leave it on too?

Any thoughts or suggestions on frequency to minimize bad outcomes, in between shave beard area care and razors you guys think will help will be appreciated. thanks in advance! C

Try shaving every other day with the slant razor but in a way that you minimize the number of passes. That superslant should be efficient enough to get a good shave with two passes. Since your beard grows flat try to lather ATG in an effort to make the hairs stand, and last some post shave; I have had very good results with Stirling's post shave balm. Lately I have been using the razorock post shave wax instead and it gives a great face feel although I believe the Stirling one is superior on calming down any irritation.

Best of luck.

 

[PersistentlyBlunt]

There is lots of good advice on here and I can only speak from what has worked for me.

My only question is are you sure it is the shaving that is causing the irritation? For me, one reason I shave daily is that if I have significant stubble my face gets irritated more by the stubble (1 - 2 full days growth). After this if I am growing a beard it tends to be long enough not to irritate. So I shave daily to stop the irritation and because I also enjoy the process, found B&B etc....

From your description of shaving every 3 days, that would be causing me maximum irritation from the stubble on days 2 and 3.

Good luck, and try everything until you find what works for you.

 

[carloverfast2]

Thank you very much for these added suggestions! I don't know about shaving everyday though I understand what you, PB, mean about irritation. Its hard to determine if every day, or every other day would be ideal. I've settled on every other day or more because I don't think my hair grows evenly or fast enough for everyday- but I haven't tried it to be certain. I also think as my shaving technique becomes more "refined" my beard area is more influenced by how my hair grows out than how I shave it? I know I need to heal my skin from past mistakes and that can take some time. I'm really trying to improve my skills, my equipment, my results and how I feel about myself when I look in the mirror. The hyper-pigmentation and redness is what I need reduced/removed and as poor shaving made it I'm working towards better shaving to "cure" it. Thanks Guys!! Hope all your '24s are starting smoothly and that continues.

 

[Phil Harmonica]

Before you go blaming your hardware and your technique for the redness and irritation, have you considered it may be an allergic reaction to one of the products you use? Animal hair shaving brush? Ingredients in your soap? Alum?

I only mention this because one of my friends has to use a synthetic brush and fragrance free soap.