Just joined first shave today.

[onemanclapping]

Just thought I'd drop a line after lurking for a couple of weeks & soaking up as much information as possible before embarking on my first real attempt at a 'real' shave. At the ripe old age of 41 I had got completely sick of cartridge razors. The cartridge would only lat me about a week & I never got a smooth shave. Over the years I must have tried every brand of cartridge & every can of foam/gel but could not get an adequate shave. I even had a brief flirtation with an electric razor but never in my life have I experienced such burns & bumps. So after much internet research I took the plunge & ordered an EJ89L. I have spent the last week practicing lathering with a cheap bristle brush & some Col Conk Lime soap. Even with the cartridge I have noticed a big improvement by using this instead of canned foam & also using the multiple pass technique. Anyway, today my new razor arrived along with 3 different packs of blades which were thrown in for free by the vendor. I eagerly loaded in an Astra blade & lathered up. I am now the proud owner of the sorest, reddest face imaginable, but only one nick & extremely smooth. I beieve I have made the classic newbie error of too much pressure coupled with not enough lubrication. I'm sure I'm not the first & I'm pretty sure I won't be the last. Anyway I am determined to persevere but would welcome any tips regarding blades & soaps to match with my razor.

[ackvil]

Welcome to B&B.

Sorry to hear of your "red face." However, you put your finger on the problem: too much pressure and blade angle.

DE shaving is different from cartridge shaving in that you must be sure you are not putting any pressure on the blade. Let the weight of the razor do the work for you. I use two fingers and my thumb to hold the razor with another finger resting on the tip of the handle. This results in holding the razor very lightly with no pressure on the razor. You want to hold the razor as lightly as you can without it falling from your hand. This post may help you. Also, take a look at this wiki. It may help you, also.


And here is a good post that will help you on blade angle.

And now for some tips after you shave to alleviate any burn. Here is what I do when I complete my shave. I rinse my face with cool water to take off the lather. Next, I soak a wash cloth in cold water and put in on my face for about 30 seconds. Next I apply a splash of Thayers Rose Petal or Lavender WH. Thayers also makes an unscented WH. All are alcohol free and do not sting when going on but provide soothing relief. However, any WH will do the trick. I then use a skin moisturizer or ASB to provide relief. There are a number of good products out there such as Nivea, Neutrogena, T&H, GFT, and others. Another good one that is not meant only for shaving but does an excellent job is CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion. Also, at night I put on a moisturizer – usually CeraVe – and that hastens the healing process and prepares my face for the next day’s shave.

With time and practice it will only get better. Glad to have you join us.

[NickCutlip]

Welcome to the forum !!

[Oblique Human]

Welcome to B&B!

[demaro]

Welcome to B&B !!

[double.edge]

Welcome!

I had the same problem when I started, and you are right, it's all about the pressure! It's kind of difficult to get used to after using cartridges for so long, but don't apply ANY pressure...hold the razor btwn your thumb and index/middle finger, and place your pinky at the bottom of the razor for stability, and then just let the razor do all the work.

[blindmouse]

Welcome! I'm also a newbie fighting some redness. I've tried adding a bit more water to my lather with a bit of success, but still working to hammer it out. Good luck!

[Oscroft]

Hi, and welcome.

You might not think so, but only getting one nick on your first DE shave is actually a pretty good start!

And I'm quite sure you're right about what you did wrong - too much pressure. Just about everyone who moves from years of cartridge shaving does exactly the same thing.

You want no muscle pressure at all - just let gravity do it. Well, obviously gravity won't work if you shave across or upwards, but apply the same light pressure that gravity would when shaving downwards. Oh, and don't think of shaving across or against the grain until you've had more practice - just multiple passes with the grain to start.

Blade angle is important too, and different angles suit different people. The usual advice is to start with the blade at about 30 degrees to your face and vary it from there - personally I tend to prefer a slightly shallower angle with the DE89.

Almost all shavers use some sort of aftershave regime and products. For me it's a warm rinse to wash the remaining lather off, then a cold rinse that makes my skin feel tighter and cooler. And then I usually use an alcohol-based aftershave splash. Alcohol can sting, though, and it can sting a lot if you've used too much pressure and taken too many skin cells off - and for that reason, high alcohol aftershaves are generally not recommended for beginners.

So for someone just starting out with DE shaving, I'd suggest something inexpensive like a bottle of witch hazel (the plain drugstore stuff is fine), and something like Nivea Sensitive balm. The balm is especially good for soothing any lingering irritation.

It sounds like you've been doing a lot of lathering practice, which is definitely good. A lot of people don't rate the Col Conk soaps highly, but I've got the lime and the amber and I think they're pretty decent - they're not up with the best, but I can get a good lather and a very good shave with them.

So, practice, really, and think about a suitable aftershave treatment.

Oh, and did anyone mention not using too much pressure?

[Triad]

Welcome to B&B

It just gets better and better and better!!! I watched a lot of Mantic 59 and Geofatboys how to videos on youtube

[onemanclapping]

Thank you all for the encouragement. I will be putting the good advice into practice.

[dpmtherrien]

Hello and welcome to the group. Don't worry about any minor problems right now. They'll work themselves out as you progress and your technique improves, which will happen quickly.

[jazzguy]

Welcome! I think that's a great razor to start with and do try the different blades that came with it.

[xfumbler]

YYMV, but as for the blade you're using as a relative Newbie I do find the Astra SP to be both a forgiving and yet sharp blade. So I wouldn't change your blade at this moment, just work on technique. To get the correct angle one thing that kinda helped me at the beginning is to place the razor head horizontal to your face first, and then roll it down to where you feel it touching the hairs. This gave me a good sense of the correct angle.

[Sledgehammer39]

Welcome Aboard!

[shep12]

Welcome and hang in there! You'll get the pressure thing down with a little practice. It took me a little time..... wouldn't have thought it was such a change from using cartridges, but it is.

[Whilliam]

Welcome, learn and enjoy!

Pressure is a key aspect of a good shave . . . and one that I often forget. Shave lightly and let the blade do the work.

[Useless shaver]

Welcome to B&B.

Sorry to hear of your "red face." However, you put your finger on the problem: too much pressure and blade angle.

DE shaving is different from cartridge shaving in that you must be sure you are not putting any pressure on the blade. Let the weight of the razor do the work for you. I use two fingers and my thumb to hold the razor with another finger resting on the tip of the handle. This results in holding the razor very lightly with no pressure on the razor. You want to hold the razor as lightly as you can without it falling from your hand. This post may help you. Also, take a look at this wiki. It may help you, also.


And here is a good post that will help you on blade angle.

Excellent advice. Patience and practice: it took me months, yes months, to really get the thing. And you're not as useless (see my nickname) as I am!!!!

I love my EJ DE89L, awesome tool. May I suggest a blade sample pack? So you can find which blade fits you best. This is a YMMV (your mileage may vary) issue: i. e. many guys here like Astra, they were horrible por me (tugging, irritation...).

Welcome aboard and enjoy! Let's know how you're doing!

[onemanclapping]

Well I tried again today (had to leave it a day due to the burn) & had big problems. Lathered up same as last time, but with no pressure just could not get the blade to move down my face. It was sticking & jumping massively. Changed the blade for a new one ( still an Astra SP) & had a little more success but still the razor would not glide & was sticking particularly on the thick beard around my chin. Don't want to use any pressure but the blades definitely moved better when I did last time. Any ideas would be gratefully received. On the plus side I got far less irritation ( although still some) but I have had closer shaves with an electric! Is it worth trying a different blade? I have some Derbys & some Bluebirds in the sample pack but don't want to keep changing for the sake of it if there's something else I should be doing.

[Rattbones]

Wow, I said the same thing a few weeks ago! Welcome to the board!!!

[mdunn]

Welcome aboard, mate.

I don't suppose you watched the footy last night? :p