My face dries too quickly when shaving

[gordie1971]

Wonder if you guys could help me here. I've just finished my second shave with my safety razor. Both occasions I have found that my skin dries really quickly after I have put my shaving cream on. This means that the razor isn't gliding over my face very easily. Just thinking that I may need to purchase some preshave oil. Here's what I've been doing/using:

Wash face with warm water
Apply the Shaving Cream
Shave 1st pass
Wash face with warm water
Apply the Shaving Cream
Shave 2nd Pass

I am using Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood shaving cream and the brush i'm using is The Body Shop Synthetic Bristle brush.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Gordon

[duokun]

you can try a pre shave oil or something but it might be your lather. you say your face is drying out, but do you mean that the lather is drying out? i know i have had shaves where i didnt succede in building a decent lather and my shaving cream dried out on my face much quicker than i was used to and this resulted in poor shaves.

im no expert, im a newbie myself. just offering notes based on what i have observed myself.

[gordie1971]

Just reading the tutorials again. It looks like I may not be adding enough water to my shaving soap when making a lather. I was just wetting my brush, squeezing the water out, dipping it in the cream and lathering in a bowl.

[ackvil]

Although I use pre-shave oil, it won't keep your face wet. If your face is drying out either your lather is too dry or your face was not wet enough when you put the lather on - or both.

[bladebuff]

Pretty normal occurrence for a new wet shaver with some easy solutions. First make sure your lather is well made, add enough water and soap or cream so it is rich and dense which will make it last, practice is the way to figure it out. Secondly if it is taking you a bit longer to get through your shave and your lather drys out a bit simply pick up the brush and give your lather a little refresh, a dip of water with the brush will go a long way.

Practice and a little experimenting with your lather making would be a good start.

[Chevyguy]

Add more water. I find that when I use my TOBS creams they due tend to dry out quickly so I just wet the tips of my brush and freshen up the lather. Definately helps to keep things slick.

Clayton

[alex2363]

i just add few drops of water to the brush, works for me.

[tnt5588]

I experienced the same thing with my TOBS Lemon Lime cream. I'm still a newbie and that was my first cream so there was a lot of bad lather. Some days my lather was so dry, it would start to flake off of my face and it was like my bathroom was a snow globe and I would have to reapply before continuing. I started adding more water and finally got good slick lather.

[gordie1971]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to have another go shaving tonight, this time add a few drops of water at a time to my shaving bowl when i'm lathering. I'm also going to shave after I shower too to see if that helps, but i'm pretty convinced that the dry lather was the problem.

[gordie1971]

On a side note, I have noticed that a few of you use a scuttle for shaving so you can have some hot water to keep the lather warm. What is the signifigance of this?

[Go West Young Man]

On a side note, I have noticed that a few of you use a scuttle for shaving so you can have some hot water to keep the lather warm. What is the signifigance of this?

Some guys just like having warm lather on their face - especially in the winter in colder climates.
No special reason other than that it feel good.

[Darnell]

Yea, I'm in concert with the folks who mentioned you need to refresh that bursh a little with a little more water.

I've had that "snow globe" experience like tnt5588. And I found, that the initial creation of lather is good and so when I start my shave all is well. But after the first pass, I have to sprinkle just a little water from my hand into the shave mug and mix a little again to refresh things, then apply the 2nd coat of lather and do the 2nd pass. By the time I'm working under the chin on the 2nd pass, I might even brush a little more lather on just to keep things moist under there. And before the 3rd pass, again refresh things with a little water and mix it up all good and lathery again. Then just before working under the chin during the 3rd pass, I slap some more lather under there with the brush again, just to make sure it's good and moist. This helps make every stroke on every pass as good as the first stroke on the first pass.

Also, instead of pouring water on the brush before making the lather, try letting it soak in your shave bowl with warm water for about a minute first. Then pour out the water and shake the excess off the brush just a little and then make your lather. (When using an Italian shave soap, you'd want to do this a little differently and follow Marco's guide.)

Here's a couple videos that helped me also:

[mpmartinez99]

Some guys just like having warm lather on their face - especially in the winter in colder climates.
No special reason other than that it feel good.

+1. It makes the experience a little more pleasant I find. Nothing more or functionally significant I believe, but it's a nice addition to the shaving den.

[gordie1971]

Thanks for sharing the videos Darnell, I can see that's where I'm going wrong. I wasn't adding any water at all after I initially soaked my brush, and I wasn't spending enought time lathering in my bowl either. Looking forward to my shave tonight :)

Gordon

[bobusa]

Sandalwood has drying properties. Try some other cream

[duokun]

Gordon, let us know how your next shave goes. Also, remember, even the more expensive creams/soaps are cheap enough that you can easily afford to make some practice lathers and just send them down the drain w/o worrying too much. that's what i am planning on doing on my off days just so i can work on my lather more. i only shave every other day or so. Good Luck!

[gordie1971]

Well I tried it again last night, and what a difference. I just followed the same procedures as the videos by adding a tiny amount of water until I was happy with the lather. I also spent quite a bit more time applying the lather to my face. My only error last night was that after 3 shaves, I thought I had cracked it and got carried away - got quite a few nicks on my upper lip. But I got a great shave apart from that and am now totally converted. Thank you guys.

[aceinyerface]

Wonder if you guys could help me here. I've just finished my second shave with my safety razor. Both occasions I have found that my skin dries really quickly after I have put my shaving cream on. This means that the razor isn't gliding over my face very easily. Just thinking that I may need to purchase some preshave oil. Here's what I've been doing/using:

Wash face with warm water
Apply the Shaving Cream
Shave 1st pass
Wash face with warm water
Apply the Shaving Cream
Shave 2nd Pass

I am using Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood shaving cream and the brush i'm using is The Body Shop Synthetic Bristle brush.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Gordon

Sounds like your beard isn't hydrated properly and it is sucking the water out of the lather.

Try what works for me. Shower, being sure to shampoo and condition your beard when you do your hair.

Should be hydrated well by the time that is done.

[duokun]

Glad that you had a much better shave. You gotta watch out for that! I have the same problem after a good shave I sometimes get a little cocky on the next. I'll go a little faster, or try to get spots I missed before regathering. Gotta keep on yourself to go slow and maintain good techniques.

Its amazing though when you find out just how important the lather is, isn't it?

[gordie1971]

Well I took my time last night and was very careful not to be too cocky and what a fantastic shave I got - one of the best i've ever had. Its amazing just how much enjoyment i'm getting out of using my DE Razor, I used to hate shaving, but i'm loving it now. I'm never going back to the dreaded Gillette fusion razor and chemical filled shaving gel.