Ok lets put this out there. I generally do a three pass shave, WTG, XTG and touch ups. I can't do ATG, it would kill me! The thing is, I always have a shadow!! My beard is coarse and black (well some grays getting in there real quick!). So even with a great shave, no stubble but a real noticeable shadow! Care to share, comment? Maybe this is a real common occurrence, but I'm not gonna start staring at people to find out, ha!
"5 o'clock" shadow
- Thread starter Reinier Ramirez
- Start date
As Walter Cronkite used to say "And that's the way is is." Sounds like you have a very manly beard that just can't be tamed for more than a few hours at a time.
None of us can outrun our genes.
None of us can outrun our genes.
This.
I don't get the shadow you're referring to until much later in the day - maybe around 1900 or 2000 that evening. I do a 3 pass shave: WTG, XTG, and ATG in that order and get a close shave daily. From my personal perspective, I don't find the shadow unseemly on a man's face whether it appears at 0700 or 1700. In fact, I think it can look quite masculine. If you're finding the shadow on your face immediately after shaving, as BSAGuy said, that's your genes expressing their masculine self. No shame in that, brother!
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks gents! No shame whatsoever, just sharing the subject with all of you. And yes, genetics make the shadow ever present!!!
This is common to gents with a heavy, dark beard and lighter contrasting skin tone. I work with a relatively young fellow (mid-20's) and his beard is so dark you can see the outline of it first thing in the morning even after he has shaved only an hour or so earlier. Not much you can do about that.
No shadow here, since mine's mostly gray now. 
Some beards are just like that. I can have a 3.5 pass BBS+ shave where you can't feel a hair on my face, but I still have a shadow. I call it the 9 AM shadow.
As men, God made us with facial hair. Thats the way it is. Dont fret over it. Some shave and have no hair visible, and some shave and still have a shadow.
Alright here is something interesting and you can google this to get more info. But would you describe it as kind of a blueish hue to your shadow after shaving?
If so this is very common in people who shave daily and men have been dealing with this FOR a long time. Myself it tends to happen more in the colder months. Thankfully there are products out there that you apply after you shave to help with this, you need a Talcum powder. My favorite is the Clubman Talc, I apply it after my aftershave has dried, just a very thin layer, and poof no more blue. You can find at Sally's Beauty shop for a very fair price... worth a shot!
If so this is very common in people who shave daily and men have been dealing with this FOR a long time. Myself it tends to happen more in the colder months. Thankfully there are products out there that you apply after you shave to help with this, you need a Talcum powder. My favorite is the Clubman Talc, I apply it after my aftershave has dried, just a very thin layer, and poof no more blue. You can find at Sally's Beauty shop for a very fair price... worth a shot!
- Thread starter
- #12
Exactly what my mom used to tell me since I was a kid, "you have a blue beard!". Thanks!
I can get BBS but still have a shadow, just the way it is for some of us.
We all get shadows. Mine comes at about the 36-40 hour mark.
Yours is permanent.
We all have our burdens.
Yours is permanent.
We all have our burdens.
I had two Italian friends at my last command that would get talked to on a daily basis about their "beards." Would always get a supervisor asking them why they decided not to shave this morning, or if they were aware that facial hair made the uniform look sloppy. They got real tired of having to explain that you could rub their baby butt smooth face but it would not make the shadow go away.
I've been struggling with this as well. It's actually the reason I started DE shaving.
Primarily this exists on my upper lip as my mustache is very dark. The problem is that the way my mustache grows in is not very full. As a result I have to spend a lot of time buffing and over shaving to get acceptable results. I have to shave ATG or it would never look clean. Even doing this, after a few hours the shadow shows through.
I don't know if it will work for me, but I'm going to look into the suggested talc powder.
Primarily this exists on my upper lip as my mustache is very dark. The problem is that the way my mustache grows in is not very full. As a result I have to spend a lot of time buffing and over shaving to get acceptable results. I have to shave ATG or it would never look clean. Even doing this, after a few hours the shadow shows through.
I don't know if it will work for me, but I'm going to look into the suggested talc powder.
Wish I had some sage advice! To me this situation is what it is. We are all a bit different.
Black hair, full coverage as well. I get a bbs shave and still have the underlying blue/black hue to my face. You're a manly man, embrace it.
- Thread starter
- #20
Bluebeards!
Similar threads
