Wetshaving for a few weeks but....

[unsavery]

Okay, I have been wet shaving for about 3 weeks now but I am still getting nichs and razor burn. I have done just the N-S for about a week. then I added ear to nose for a week and then nose to ear. But I still don't get a real comfortable shave. I know it may take a little more time to get everything together. I think that my angle still is not right. No matter at what angle I place the razor it will not glide on it's own as other state that it should. But like I said I'm not giving up. Even with the shaves I get now they are a lot better than with foam/gel and a new razor.

My set-up is:
Gilette adjustable set at 5-6 ( anything more and my face will burn off)
Proraso preshave and cream and brush
shaving bowl
Nivea aftershave for sensitive skin
stepic pencil for nicks ( hope I spelled that right)

Anything else that I need to do or get that may help?

Thanks,
Steven

[Scotto]

Hi Steven,

You should be able to get an irritation-free shave with that equipment. First, you may want to elaborate on your prep a bit. Make sure you shave after a shower and/or use hot towels to get your beard nice and soft. Then take your time whipping up a nice thick lather and work that into your beard well. To practice the angle, it is often helpful to try cutting some of the hair on your arm to get a sense of what will cut. What blades are you using, by the way? That is a significant variable.

You also might want to try another soap or cream beside the Proraso and see if that provides you some more lubrication.

Edit: also, I assume you are rinsing and re-lathering between passes.

[TomH]

Hi Steven,
at first Welcome...:smile: :smile:

Imo, the setting of your Adj. is a little bit to hard.
I'm using an Adj. too, but I've started with 2-3 to condition your skin. A DE works more "aggressive" as a system razor like a Mach3 or so.
The angle is important too, you have to experiment a little and find out what's the best for you.
Also, try to use your Adj. with no or only a little pressure, the weight of the razor must be enough...

Hope that helps a little and further on, Good Luck and don't give up...:thumbup:

Thomas

[TomH]

Hi Scotto, you were a bit faster than I...:redface: :redface:

Thomas

[unsavery]

Sorry about not mentioning my prep. I generally shave after a shower, but some times with just hot water on my face. I generally use the Nivea face soap gel to clean my face. After my shower I re-wet my face. My brush and bowl have been in the sink with hot water while I shower. After wetting my face I apply some of the proraso preshave. I drain the water out of the bowl and shake about 3-4 times the water out of the brush. Put about a 1/2 inch of proraso cream in my bowl and begin to work up my lather about 1 minute to get a good lather. Some times I re-wet my face again, then apply my lather. Shave N-S and re wet with warm water and relather. Shave ear to nose and rinse, rewet, relather. Shave nose to ear. Rinse with warm water, do a litlle touch up with lather and razor. Rinse with cold water and apply the nivea aftershave and some times if my face fills irratiated I will apply a little proraso before the nivea.

Steven

[unsavery]

Again sorry forgot my blades, I have a pack of Mekur and Israli blades. I like the Mekur better. I am thinking about trying some Derby blades.

Steven

[Steelforge]

Try not cleaning your face with anything other than hot water before you shave. This works for me, if I use soap or face wash it takes the oil from my skin and I don't get good razor glide - no matter how good the lather is. Just using hot water only on my face makes a huge difference (improvement) for me.

Iwan :smile:

[dustind]

Unsavery,
Are you shaving daily? I'm still waiting for my first DE to arrive in the mail this week but I've switched to using a brush a few weeks ago and already with that and my Mach3 I'm noticing that I have less morning whiskers. You might think that that would be great, but for my face I need a longer whisker to get a smooth shave without irritation. Not sure if this is similar to your problem.

[dustind]

Try not cleaning your face with anything other than hot water before you shave. This works for me, if I use soap or face wash it takes the oil from my skin and I don't get good razor glide - no matter how good the lather is. Just using hot water only on my face makes a huge difference (improvement) for me.

Iwan :smile:

Agree with this. Don't wash your face before shaving, you need to retain your natural oils on the skin. I know for me washing my face, evan with a moisturizing soap dries it out.

[thatbrian]

My 2 pennys:

1) Don't give up, it gets better, much better!

2) Keep asking questions and reading.

3) Set your adjustable to 1-3 while learning and if that works for you keep it there! I do and it works fine. When I have gone over 5 I regret it later.

4) Don't run the razor over your skin without lather. I had a bad habit of taking 2-3 stokes in the same spot. Take one stroke in each spot and when you are done with your entire face rinse with hot water and re-lather.

5) Instead of N-S or ear to nose try with the grain and then on a perpendicular angle to the grain. One of the biggest eyeopeners for me was the discovery of the crazy directions that my facial hair grew in! If you can don't shave for a couple of days and then really feel and look at what directions the hair grows in. If I had it to do over again I would only do a 2 pass with the grain for the first two weeks.

-Brian

Oh, ya... and I agree also, don't wash your face beforehand.