Shaving Tips
Shaving is important, but it can be a hated, time-consuming, often painful event. So I recently queried the readers of The Don Juan Newsletter for Shaving Tips that they have discovered which they feel might be of some benefit to their fellow Don Juans. This is what they had to say.
I have 5 o'clock shadow by noon so maybe I can be of some help.
Shave in the shower and use one of those mirrors that stick to the wall with the suction cups so you don't shave off all your moles. The hot steam will make it easier to cut off your fur.
Don't use cheap razor blades. Invest in a decent razor and change the blade every so often.
If for a special occasion you want a particularly close shave, use one of those exfoliate scrubs before you shave. It's a gel with scrubby sandy stuff in it that scrubs off dead skin and whatnot. You can use it a few times a week probably, but not every day. This is good for a date (if you think you might get the makeouts), or for getting married, etc. For any situation where you don't want your chick feeling like you're rubbing sandpaper on her face, legs, etc.
One more approach if you want a particularly close shave for a special occasion. Don't shave for a few days, for me it comes to about 4 or 5. When you shave your hair will be a bit softer and you will get a closer shave. (I don't know if this works for everybody, but it works for me.)
I have very fair & sensitive skin which burns & scars easily. I get sunburned walking into a well-lit room.
For several years, I've shaved in the shower. Prior to that, I used Kiehl's shave cream (from its tub) at the sink. Kiehl's is very smooth, but just took too long in the morning.
Now, I use Dr. Bronner's Liquid Peppermint Castile Soap which I lather up, after reducing the shower flow just to save the water. I use a new blade every fourth day or so. On weekends, I don't shave, or sometimes I can skip a day if I'm not going out on a date. All these techniques reduce the impact on sensitive skin.
I will admit that I hate to shave, because some mornings I roll out of bed and barely make it out of the shower, which means that I don't always have the time to stop and shave. When I do have the time to shave (in the shower or out) the best razor that I have ever come across is the Gillette Mach 3 razor, which you can use on a dry face or a wet face, and never have to worry about cutting yourself. It gives you a very close shave, especially if you go against the hair growth and you never will have to shave again when you come home from work.
The best razor I've found out there is the Gillete Mach 3. I've been through just about every brand and got razor bumps and burn from them all. The Mach 3 gives you a nice tight shave with no bumps or burns!
You wanted to hear about shaving... well not much can be said on the subject, but for me personally I can sum up my shaving situation as this...
I have to shave every day, and I often get one of those 5 o'clock shadows..
So for me I use just a regular electric shaver.. a Phillips which is quite standard.. with three little circular razors. The main reason I use em is the speed and effectiveness of em....
The other type of electrics are the long circular end type ones, usually Brawn. They're great if you have to shave at the part between your chin and your neck.
Now for special occasions I will get out the Bic razors. They are great for a super smooth shave, but I only bother for special occasions... but nevertheless they're great.
Now my girlfriend doesn't mind the "5 o'clock shadow" from the electric so I use it every day for a quick and effective shave. But for the special times use the best razor/gel you can get.. just make sure you don't nick yourself.
I have found the following to work well for me personally when shaving:
1) Shave fairly OFTEN. If you wait to shave only once or twice a week, your "beard" or hair will get thicker in the meantime, causing much more irritation, bumps, nics, and sores as the outcome. As a good rule of thumb, "shave early and often." I'm not talking every day here, of course, 'cause that can be just as bad as not shaving enough. Once every two to three days, or whenever it looks like you need it without already having grown a south american jungle. use your own discretion.
2) WET or at least moisten your face before applying shave cream. I have found that this does wonders for a smooth, clean shave as opposed to using just straight cream or gel on a dry face.
3) Do not shave AGAINST the grain. Se WITH the grain, or in the direction the hair is already growing. This may seem slightly counterintuitive, but trust me, it helps enormously in cutting down on nics, bumps, scratches and the like.
4) Do not shave too CLOSE. This is another good way to increase your chances of getting nics or cuts. Besides the point, it is utterly pointless practice to do. Your hair is always going to grow back anyway. Give yourself a break, and do not concern yourself with "scraping the meat off the bone." That extra little micrometer left behind will most likely not be felt by your girlfriend, much less seen. And as I already mentioned, it's going to be right back where it was in roughly three or four days anyway, so why put yourself through the regular torture. The simple answer is resist the urge and don't do it.
5) I have no comments to add on shave cream or gel. I normally use gel and haven't yet taken the "Pepsi challenge" of shave creams to really find out which one is better. I have found the gel to be more "controllable," less wasteful, and less messy than cream. So if not for any other reason than these, I would probably do away with the cream.
6) Finally, remember that with all things in life, the key to having something "looking good" is to maintain it with moderate but regular care. "Scraping the bone" every two to three weeks because you are just too lazy to do otherwise is silly, so try to avoid it. I have trouble myself, and often fall out of cycle, say, during the summer. But I guess as long as you are not doing any really heavy dating and don't find the periodic "warzone" on your face, then for heaven's sake, don't worry too awful much about not "living up to your expectations." God knows there are much worse aspects of life to fall short in the shaving! Try to look good, but also try to give yourself a break. ;)
Inside the shower is best because the hair follicles are the softest. Before shaving rinse with hot water to have the follicles stick out the most. Then shave in the direction the hair grows out of the skin. In other words don't go against the grain. Then afterwards rinse with cold water to close up all the pores and what-not.
I use a Schick tracer....sensitive blades with aloe strips. Start shaving down (the razor travels towards the ground) then rinse it off...then go up on the same area again. This gives you an extra close shave, doesn't hurt, and won't grow back as quickly since it's a closer shave. Rinse the stubble off the razor after every stroke or else it gets clogged and you can't get a close shave. Something else to try, hold the razor so the handle is parallel to the ground, and shave across your face in addition to the up and down. The more angles you cover, the closer the shave. The closer the shave, the less often you have to bother shaving.
The Mach 3 razor is awesome. It's the best shave that I've ever gotten. Another shave that was good was when I shaved with my balisong (butterfly) knife when it was new. I saw it on tv I think. It's dangerous I suppose but not too shabby.
