DE great, but one problem...

[bjerix]

I have been shaving with the DE for about a week. I have learned the angles as to not cut myself, and my skin feels SOOO smooth!

However, on my upper lip I ALWAYS cut myself

I shave after a shower with a shaving brush and proraso.

But on my upper lip it just seems that my mustache is like spines! Shaving downward with the grain doesn't get rid of anything. And shaving upward just tugs on the hairs and causes cuts! Across doesn't seem any better.

I end up with a great shave everywhere else, even the neck, but I always end up with a bloody upper lip.

I even try to streth my lip with my muscle, it doesn't seem to help, and pulling my upper lip down seems very awkward and dangerous.

Any tips??

Thanks,

bjerix

[rvbert0]

I had that same issue... I found that it really took me 3 passes to get that area really well. I did a N-S first, then a diagonal toward the ear 2nd, and then a diagonal toward my nose 3rd, and it seemed to cover it really well.

I'm curious as to whether you are using a FUTUR, b/c it took me a while to get the feel for it under my nose and under my lip. The bigger head on it makes things a little rougher.

[bjerix]

merkur hd

[bearbeard]

I stick my tongue up in front of my upper teeth as far a I can and basically pack it in behind my upper lip, then I push my lip down as far as I can. Hey It works for me.

[jduffy]

Interesting idea about putting your tongue behind your lip like that. Never thought of that. I tend stretch my upper lip down by contorting my face a bit. I haven't had a problem shaving on my upper lip but I'm curious to try your technique.

You learn something new everyday around here.

[TimmyBoston]

When I shave my upper lip, I make three passes. First down, or north to south, the second, I make south to north and I stretch the skin by wrapping my lip around my teeth (the same for under my bottom lip) and the third a slight diagonal, from ear to nose against the grain, same stretching, by curling my upper lip under my upper teeth. It works very well for me. I sometimes get razor burn, but it's always a smooths shave.
I, too, cut my upper lip sometimes, especially in the area, just to the right or left of my nostril. With some styptic it stops quickly. Also there a many capillaries in the moustache region, so a tiny nick will draw more blood in that area than others. PS I also shave with a Merkur HD.

[gc_30286]

i have never cut my upper lip but when i was new to De shaving i did have problems getting all the stubble. try this do two with the grain passes then put your left hand at the left corner of your mouth. push the skin up and to the left while curling your lip over your teeth. this should give you a flat surface to make an across the grain pass. do the same thing for the right side.

hope it helps

matthew

[Leisureguy]

My upper lip is also my tricky area: if I'm going to get a nick, it will be there, and usually on the upward (against-the-grain) pass. I stretch my lip down over my teeth, just using the lip muscles (though I'm definitely going to try that tongue-behind-the-lip thing), and then do one pass down, pushing my nose aside as needed. Then, after lathering for a second pass, a diagonal pass (again pushing the nose out of the way). Then relather for another diagonal pass, going the other way. By then, the stubble is well reduced, so the upward pass (after relathering) is smoother and easy.

The glycerine pre-shave thing also works for me, though apparently it doesn't do much for some.

[bjerix]

Thanks everyone for your help!

I was able to get a MUCH BETTER shave by sticking my finger in my cheek and stretching the skin by pulling to the side. Thanks so much!

-bjerix