shaving around the jawline

Hey guys,

I seem to get a pretty good shave over most of my face, but there is one spot that is always a little rough and this is my jawline. All the way around just under my jawbone (chin included) is always pretty rough, especially the 'ends' of my jaw (if you get me...).

Does anyone have any pointers for me?

Rob

Blacknoise said:

Hey guys,

I seem to get a pretty good shave over most of my face, but there is one spot that is always a little rough and this is my jawline. All the way around just under my jawbone (chin included) is always pretty rough, especially the 'ends' of my jaw (if you get me...).

Does anyone have any pointers for me?

Rob

Click to expand...

I've always found the jaw area a pretty tough place to get really close. What I've found that works for me is to use a very light blade buffing, and some J-hooking. Its important to make sure that you DO NOT use any pressure other than the weight of the razor. You might have to try different ways of doing this. By that I mean going WTG, ATG, shaving up and down, and cross ways etc. Just keep trying different things until you find what works for you. No pressure is the key to shaving in this area, along with the different ways of shaving. Don't worry because you'll find what works for you pretty quick. As long as the shave is presentable just let your technique develop.

I open my mouth which brings the "jawline" up and flattens it out. Interestingly, the grain on my jawline goes chin->neck unlike the cheeks or the neck, so I have to shave it separately

hope this helps, good luck!

What they said and practice!

I am relatively new too but I have found that opening the mouth to stretch the skin or pulling the skin up slightly over the jawbone so I have a flatter surface to shave gets the tricky spots on my lower jawline. Just what seems to work for me and my face, YMMV.

I have had to adjust my technique when shaving this area as well. Especially the chin area. I realized I had to take time to find what works for me and have a very light touch. I can be more aggressive on my cheeks and neck, but not my chin area. I've come to the conclusion that the goatee was "invented" because the chin area is tricky to shave.

Dean W said:

I have had to adjust my technique when shaving this area as well. Especially the chin area. I realized I had to take time to find what works for me and have a very light touch. I can be more aggressive on my cheeks and neck, but not my chin area. I've come to the conclusion that the goatee was "invented" because the chin area is tricky to shave.

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Thats funny - the one place I always manage to get a bbs with 0 irritation or nicks regardless of what I use or how many passes I do is the chin area.. I'm waiting for sideburns to come back into style ..

I didn't read all the posts so sorry if it's been suggested..

I had a problem with the cheek to under-jaw transition. Shaving along what is essentially the corner of the jaw bone was torturous. Once I started opening my mouth wide, there-by stretching the skin upwards, the problems disappeared. When I open my mouth the transition line that is right on the jaw bone gets stretched up and when relaxed it is actually under my jaw line. It makes a tough curved stretch into a easy to navigate straight and flat line..

i was going to leave but this one caught my eye. i have a goatee since the shave across my jawline is tough to go bbs. slow and easy i find works best for me though

I would gently pull up on the skin to raise the hair up and pull it taut. Place a couple fingers of your free hand just under your cheek bone and gently pull the skin upwards. This will allow you to shave the chin area a little closer at the skin the in are is more tight and the hairs are better positioned to be shaved. Like all things, however, don't over do it on the pulling. It's a moderate tightening you are looking for.

Blacknoise said:

Hey guys,

I seem to get a pretty good shave over most of my face, but there is one spot that is always a little rough and this is my jawline. All the way around just under my jawbone (chin included) is always pretty rough, especially the 'ends' of my jaw (if you get me...).

Does anyone have any pointers for me?

Rob

Click to expand...

That's like your favorite baseball team winning their division but can't make it to the World Series. That's my "downfall" as well, but one of these days I'm going to get it. I've been at this retro shaving hobby for about six months and although I've gotten better at it, I still haven't made it all the way yet!

Hang in there!

I find that if I stretch the skin, those little hairs get stubborn and lie flat against the skin.
OTOH, if I make a big Satchmo/bullfrog face the hairs end up at 90 degrees to the skin and are easier to pick off one by one.

Go West Young Man said:

I find that if I stretch the skin, those little hairs get stubborn and lie flat against the skin.
OTOH, if I make a big Satchmo/bullfrog face the hairs end up at 90 degrees to the skin and are easier to pick off one by one.

Click to expand...

Are you stretching with the grain or against the grain?

rtt said:

I open my mouth which brings the "jawline" up and flattens it out. Interestingly, the grain on my jawline goes chin->neck unlike the cheeks or the neck, so I have to shave it separately

hope this helps, good luck!

Click to expand...

+1 Open your mouth.

I think this question might help the OP but I want to know myself also.

What exactly is a jhook? Is there any other posts, etc., that have more info on this?

I see it mentioned a lot on here and I have a rough idea what it is but I'd like to know for sure if anyone can do that please.

Thank you.

Doug123 said:

I think this question might help the OP but I want to know myself also.

What exactly is a jhook? Is there any other posts, etc., that have more info on this?

I see it mentioned a lot on here and I have a rough idea what it is but I'd like to know for sure if anyone can do that please.

Thank you.

Click to expand...

Check out this mantic59 video for a demonstration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQco5PWc2JU

I push my chin down towards my neck and try to create a "double-chin" effect... this pushes more 'meat' onto the jaw line and also makes it more flat... works like a charm.

Thanks for all the pointers guys

My last few shaves have been progressively smoother and closer, and I'll give J-hooking a shot on my next one!

When I shave around my jaw I open my mouth and bring my lower lip back slightly into my mouth. This almost flattens the whole area and lets me do an xtg pass from the left and the right.

If I try to go straight up or down around this area with a DE I tend nick myself.

At my chin I move my chin as far up as I can while still being able to see myself in the mirror to flatten the area.

I always have to do touch ups on this area when I finish shaving because the direction the hair grows changes so much in a very small distance.

I usually tuck my chin down to "push out" the skin around the jawbone, but I'm going to try the various tips here.