New African American member seeking tips

**RoyalKooparillo** · 01-23-2009, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by Gruder

Welcome to B&B! I don't share your cultural heritage, but am not sure that I see how an adjustable would be better for bumps. I think that it's in some ways key to learn good technique without the added variable of blade gap choices. Once you have the technique down, my hunch is that the bumps will have resolved themselves. So my recommendation: go with that HD. Once RAD hits you can branch out to some of the turn-to-open (TTO) adjustable stuff.

+1. Excellent words of wisdom from the Gruder. Technique is going to be the key to getting rid of those bumps. I would highly recommend a Merkur HD. The fewer variables you have to work with at the beginning, the easier it will be to improve your technique.

And welcome to B&B!!!!

**Bulldawg** · 01-23-2009, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dawgneck

I'd also appreciate any suggestions and tips on razor and blade choices and shaving techniques especially useful to African Americans with razor bump problems.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Dawgneck, as an African American with razor bump problems I've had great success with the Merkur HD due in large part to this site and the Mantic videos. Prior to using the Merkur HD, I had horrible experiences with multiblade cartridges

Like most black guys, I resorted to shaving with an electric razor but razor bumps were still a problem

I've been using the Merkur HD for 1 month now and have been getting great shaves consistently after about a 1 week learning curve

All razor bumps have cleared up, no burn, no irritation. I've found that the specialty products marketed to African Americans (Bump Stop, Hi Time, Bump Patrol,....etc) such as masks, shave gel, bump treatment are unecessary when good form and technique are utilized. I've included some info below that has worked for me:

- control your variables. For example don't try new shaving cream and blade at the same time
- Merkur blades almost made me give up wetshaving. they would randomly go from decent shaves to causing irritation, ingrowns, burn...etc. My assumption was that the would make a good blade since they make a great razor....wrong! The day I switched to Derbys was the day I knew I was in business

- If you go with an HD, hold it at the tip so no pressure will be applied.
- I am still not brave enough to attempt an ATG pass
- respecting the learning curve (angles, lather hydration, variables) has helped a lot.

Good luck with everything!!!

**SilkySmooth** · 01-23-2009, 10:21 PM

Welcome aboard!

**btheath294** · 01-23-2009, 10:31 PM

Read, Research, and Learn here. I'm still new to this but with a blessed past of having a dad who taught me years ago,and the guys here, I caught on very quickly. Glad to have you.

**SRock** · 01-24-2009, 02:10 AM

Welcome to the B&B! I am not African American but for years I did have irritation along my neck, not quite razor bumps or Pseudofolliculitis Barbae, but very similar. Switching to the DE full time completely eliminated all of my irritation in just three days.

Best of luck to you, this is the right place to find all the information you need.

**Dawgneck** · 01-24-2009, 05:05 AM

OK, you guys know what you are talking about....

First, the eBay price for the used Fat Boy has reached $37 with 12 hours left to bid.... I know the price will exceed $45, and this is before shipping.

Second, the Merkur HD has received nothing but rave reviews and is highly recommended by everyone. I haven't read a single negative review yet on B&B....

I'm sold. I located a Merkur HD for $29.50 and will purchase it (and the starter set of blades a few of you suggested) in the morning (it is 4:47am right now).

I read the post on the bump fighter disposables but haven't ran across any lately. I will hunt a few down and use them as suggested....

Thanks for the single blade cartridge suggestion, but I have decided to go DE and skip all expensive cartridges.

Thanks to everyone for the welcomes, suggestions and tips.

I will post my results (and possibly a few before-and-after pics) in a new forum soon, and I will continue reading your suggestions here while I await my razor.

**cvac** · 01-24-2009, 05:29 AM

Dawg, the Bic sensitives are single blade disposables. They run about $3 for a pack of 10. I'm a dedicated DE user but these are good to have around.

**LastManStanding** · 01-24-2009, 06:08 AM

Dawg,
Welcome to B&B! I am an African American as well and when I started this DE shaving it was due to fighting ingrown hairs and other problems I was having with the multi-bladed cartridge messes as you well know. It sounds like you are on the right track as I currently own (and love) a merkur HD. Mantic's videos definitely help a lot with teaching proper technique and giving excellent tips for getting started.

My first few shaves I didn't concentrate too hard on the ingrown hairs too much as I knew with proper patience and care they would all but disappear. Focus instead on getting the hairs out over the course of a couple of shaves (my wife assisted with this). I'd suggest that you (gently) scrub your face to try and get some of the ingrown hairs at the surface out and start off slow, eventually all but the deepest will be free and you can carefully use tweezers (do not pluck the hair, just coax them out of the bump so they can be shaved) if those won't come out on their own. Also it is imperative that you shave a minimum of 2 passes in different directions (WTG and XTG suggested). This is because of the curly nature of our hair and if you shave in a single direction only you will leave a sharp barb that will curl under and into the skin. Shaving in two directions helps to prevent this greatly by cutting off that barb on the second pass.

I can also say that I personally suggest picking up a nice moisturizing after shave (I use nivea 90% of the time) and apply a face lotion to the area after that as well. I prefer a scentless moisturizer specifically for the face as it doesn't irritate the skin further and helps to soften the area up. This will help keep the skin supple and soft and allow it to heal better after and between shaves.

Again, welcome to B&B!

**ScottyD** · 01-24-2009, 06:42 AM

Greetings Mr. Dawg, Welcome to B&B. Nice to have you here, good luck on your new quest.

**riooso** · 01-24-2009, 07:38 AM

Welcome! I am probably older than you and till I started this wet shaving adventure I had poor skin for over 3 decades. I always thought all those blemishes were just oily skin and God knows what else. They turned out to be ingrown hairs, for the most part. I now have "normal" skin. You have made the right decision going to a DE and I think you will see some pretty dramatic differences in a month. Another added thing you get with using a DE or straight is that every time you shave you will be taking off all that dead skin and you will be amazed about how much you will feel "renewed" after a great shave!

Let us know how you are doing and how your 1st month goes.

Take Care,
R

**Dawgneck** · 01-26-2009, 01:05 AM

Is it possible to catch RAD even before your first DE shave?

I purchased the Merkur HD online yesterday, then after being contacted by a B&B member, I purchased a Gillette Slim Handle from him today.

I'm off to a very "RAD" start and I'm sure it will only get worse.

Once I get all the items I need to start, I'll post some before and after pics in a separate thread soon after.

I can't wait to get started.

Thanks for the tips on resolving the ingrown hairs, everyone.

Originally Posted by LastManStanding

Dawg,
...

My first few shaves I didn't concentrate too hard on the ingrown hairs too much as I knew with proper patience and care they would all but disappear. Focus instead on getting the hairs out over the course of a couple of shaves (my wife assisted with this). I'd suggest that you (gently) scrub your face to try and get some of the ingrown hairs at the surface out and start off slow, eventually all but the deepest will be free and you can carefully use tweezers (do not pluck the hair, just coax them out of the bump so they can be shaved) if those won't come out on their own. Also it is imperative that you shave a minimum of 2 passes in different directions (WTG and XTG suggested). This is because of the curly nature of our hair and if you shave in a single direction only you will leave a sharp barb that will curl under and into the skin. Shaving in two directions helps to prevent this greatly by cutting off that barb on the second pass.

I can also say that I personally suggest picking up a nice moisturizing after shave (I use nivea 90% of the time) and apply a face lotion to the area after that as well. I prefer a scentless moisturizer specifically for the face as it doesn't irritate the skin further and helps to soften the area up. This will help keep the skin supple and soft and allow it to heal better after and between shaves.

Again, welcome to B&B!

LastManStanding, do you suggest a brush or normal face towel to scrub my face? If a brush, what type/model do you suggest? Do you suggest staying with two passes? Lastly, are you shaving daily or every other day?

cvac, are the bic sensitives the same type of razor as the bump fighters?

Bulldawg, thanks for your tips. Have you used any other blade outside the Merkur and Derby?

**SRock** · 01-26-2009, 01:10 AM

It does sound like you are off to a "RAD" start, LOL.

I'd suggest you get a blad sampler pack. What works for one often doesn't for another. You will need to try different blades and different blades in different razors. Time will narrow down your selections. It doesn't take long to figure out what you really like. Your skin will tell you!

**pbroddi** · 01-26-2009, 01:57 AM

[QUOTE=Dawgneck;963283]Is it possible to catch RAD even before your first DE shave?

LastManStanding, do you suggest a brush or normal face towel to scrub my face? If a brush, what type/model do you suggest? Do you suggest staying with two passes? Lastly, are you shaving daily or every other day?

Hi Dawg.

"I'm off to a very "RAD" start and I'm sure it will only get worse."
Be assured....It will only get worse!!!

On the scrub issue, I would reccommend using a small inexpensive facial brush available from your drugstore combined with a natural, moisturizing soap. Scrub in small circles without pressing too hard, the night before a shave (if shaving every day) or in between shaves (if shaving every other day. This should remove layers of dead skin and help to lift out ingrowns gently. I use Liquid African Exfoliating Black Soap by a company called Shea Moisture. Without doubt, my favourite product, packed with Shea Butter and Jojoba Beads. Smells great too!! As others have said, use a good quality moisturizer on your shave area to keep the skin hydrated and supple.

I shave every day, because I find that after 2 days, my hairs start to curl back and irritate my skin, so it makes things easier. It really depends on how sensitive your skin is as to how often you shave. It's something I'm sure you'll work out.

All the best.

**LastManStanding** · 01-26-2009, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by pbroddi

On the scrub issue, I would reccommend using a small inexpensive facial brush available from your drugstore combined with a natural, moisturizing soap. Scrub in small circles without pressing too hard, the night before a shave (if shaving every day) or in between shaves (if shaving every other day. This should remove layers of dead skin and help to lift out ingrowns gently.

This is excellent advice! I use either my facial brush or a soft towel and lightly scrub. I shave every other day because I found my skin too sensitive for everyday but I scrub and moisturize daily to stay ahead of any issues.

The key is to understand what is physically happening to your face that causes the irritation. When I was in the military I constantly had a shaving waiver due to not being properly versed in how to shave for me. Cartridges ate my face and electrics didn't get remotely close and cost a small fortune for me at the time. I saw an old photo of my grandfather looking very pristine and debonair during the Korean war and realized that African-American males were shaving irritation free back then, we just got away from it during the "microwave" age when people expected everything pre-packaged and fast. I talked with him and he was using DE's so I decided that I would convert for a bevy of reasons and haven't looked back since.

Additionally, I highly suggest looking closely at the direction of hair growth across your face. Once you have mapped your own face (its unique to everyone) you can focus on not causing irritation by going ATG.

A good blade is worth it's weight in gold as well. I personally use feathers exclusively as I find them consistently great blades. However, every manufacturer has a blade here and there that just isn't right for whatever reason. I used to try and get a good shave from these blades anyway but now I just throw them away. I've had blades that were good for 5 shaves and some that were replaced on the first shave. I just replace them when they don't feel right as I dont want to take a chance on irritating my face.

Trust the information you find here at B&B and don't give up during the learning period (great form takes a little time to develop) . Once you get it down you will enjoy luxurious, cost effective shaves.

**jonnyjon84** · 01-26-2009, 09:28 AM

Hello and Welcome Dawgneck!

I was in your same situation since I started shaving as a teen. I have literally tried everything to get rid of my razor bump / ingrown hair problems. I used a product called Tend Skin religiously for years and it worked pretty well at preventing bumps and ingrown hairs. The problem was it excessively dried out my skin, it stunk, made my skin look not-so-great, and it was expensive. I tried Bump Fighter razors, which worked OK, but didn't shave as close as I wanted and also didn't entirely prevent razor bumps. And of course, I've tried just about every Foil/Rotary electric shaver/trimmer known to man. None worked well for me.

I started using Extra Virgin Olive Oil to shave my face with a few weeks ago, and it has been the only thing that completely eliminated the problem for me. I could even shave with a Mach3 and Olive Oil if I wanted, but the DE offers a much better overall shave and makes my skin look and feel much better (especially the day after the shave). I also now only use Cetaphil to wash my face afterwards and apply a light moisturizer. (I think the key may be to keep the skin hydrated and soft so the hairs don't get trapped under the skin.)

I'll leave it to the seasoned pros to offer you tips on gear, technique, etc. but definitely try shaving with Olive Oil (just rinse with hot water first, apply and reapply a hot towel for a few minutes to soften the stubble a bit, apply a generous amount of oil, and shave).

Cheers,
Jon

**Broogiedad** · 01-26-2009, 10:06 AM

I think you will love the HD. I have one and use it for the majority of my shaves. As everyone has suggested, pay attention to proper pre-shave prep and no pressure, Let the razor do the work. Also, the blade sampler pack is the way to go. That way, you will find what works best for you (plus it's fun trying out different blades). Good luck and good shaving.

**Amyn** · 01-26-2009, 02:04 PM

Welcome to B&B and RAD and all other types of AD that tag along with it. ADs occur early and often.

I am not African American but The DE should help with the irritation, for me though I had to move to str8s to completely eliminate any irritation and bumps on my lower neck.

Enjoy the ride...

**Bulldawg** · 01-26-2009, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Dawgneck

Bulldawg, thanks for your tips. Have you used any other blade outside the Merkur and Derby?

I tried one shave with the Israelli Red Pack but cut that short when I felt pulling/tugging. I may try those again because I violated my own rule and tried a new cream at the same time. I don't think the cream (C&E Nomad) liked the heat from my Dirty Bird Scuttle.

I'm using the Gillette 7 o' clock (yellow pack) now and am having pretty good success. Right now they're running neck and neck with the Derbys.

The dreaded Feathers arrived in the mail today

so I'll try those next.

Also ordered the Merkur 39c (barber slant pole) this weekend. We'll see how that goes

**Crag** · 01-26-2009, 06:10 PM

Hello and WELCOME!

Here is a thread that I started over 2 years ago dealing with your same issues. Hope you find it helpful!

**Wilpar76** · 01-27-2009, 06:59 PM

I too am African American. I made the switch to DE for the same reasons you state. I have been DE shaving for almost 6 months now and as many others have stated, I don't know why I didn't start sooner.

Even though I am a newbie, I do caution you again diving in with a high end instrument. You should start with the HD just to get your technique down. You should notice a decent change after your first week of DE shaving. If possible, start when you don't have any bumps, or if the bumps are at a minimum. You may find that you will not need Tend Skin after a while. A good after shave balm and good face soap helped me. I still get bumps here and there but nothing like before. The shift to DE shaving changed my quality of living.

Again, welcome from one AA newbie to another.