Daily DE routines

nialldinho

Hi guys

I made the switch to DE shaving about a month ago after reading through this forum and then ordering from shaving.ie (great service, thanks Chris!).

I know there is already the huge safety razors thread but I thought it might be a good idea to start a new thread where people could share their daily shaving routines. It would be good for us newbies to see what the more experienced shavers are doing without having to trawl through the other massive thread!

Here is mine anyway (any tips welcomed!):

• Shower/hot face towel for a few minutes
• Lather TOBS Avocado cream in a bowl using a TOBS badger brush
• Apply lather
• Shave with the grain using a Merkur Progress Long Handle
• Warm rinse
• Apply more lather
• Shave with the grain again
• Warm rinse
• Squeeze lather from brush
• Shave any bits I missed
• Warm rinse
• Cold rinse
• Apply alum block with cold water and leave for a minute
• Cold rinse
• Styptic if necessary
• Apply Proraso Sensitive Pre-shave cream

I'm still working my way through the blade sample pack so haven't settled on one yet although I did like the Derby.

I tried using the Proraso Pre-shave cream before applying lather but I didn't notice much difference and I think it clogged the blade.

I haven't fully mastered shaving this way yet so I still get some irritation around my neck (where the grain goes all crazy!) but I am really enjoying the whole routine!

source

What i do is,

-Fill the sink with hot water
-Leave bowl and brush soak and heat in water while i shower
-Dry off after shower (leaving face wet)
-put some proraso in the bowl and mix a good lather with brush
-apply generously to face
-1st pass WTG (re-lather)
-2nd pass XTG (re-lather)
-3rd pass XTG (opposite direction to first XTG pass) (re-lather)
-4th pass ATG
-lather up again and leave on face while cleaning up (helps moisturise face)
-clean my gear
-rinse face with cold water
-Alum block (if required)
-moisturise (no fragrance)
-Aftershave (currently using floid)

then i'm set for the day with a fantastic shave.

Cabaal

Here;s mine anyway,

- Shower
- Leave Razor & Blade (w/Derby Blade) in hot water
- Wet face
- Lather Mitchells Wool Fat Shaving Soap
- First pass straight down on face and neck
- Re-lather with Mitchells Wool Fat Shaving Soap
- Second pass again straight down on face and neck
- Wash off face and neck with warm water
- Wash shaved area with as cold a water as I have
- Apply Thayers, After Shave Witch Hazel and allow to almost dry
- Apply Proraso Liquid Cream Aftershave Balm
- Finish off with Floid Aftershave The Genuine Italian Lotion

The above takes approx 10min, I rarely cut myself these days so don't use my alum bloc much

Thats it, I used to shave straight down for first pass and then from the side or other angle on the second pass but I've found staying the same for both passes works best for me.

After almost a year of trying different soaps and creams and balms and ways of shaving this is the best I;ve found so far by far

Star Lord

Mine:

• Full sink with hot water, and leave brush soaking in it for a while
• Wet face thoroughly with hot water
• Shake excess water from brush
• Swirl the brush round in tub of TOBS Lemon & Lime/Avocado untill nicely loaded
• Wet hand and build up lather by inverting brush and swirling round my hand
• Apply lather generously to my face
• Shave first pass straight down with Merkur 34c HD and blade of choice
• Rinse face to re-wet it and check progress
• Re-apply lather (wetting brush a little if necessary)
• Shave across my face, from side towards centre on either side
• Rinse face to re-wet it and check progress
• Re-apply lather (wetting brush a little if necessary)
• Shave against the grain
• Rinse face to re-wet it and check progress
• Squeeze remaining lather from brush and apply anywhere that may need a touch up (generally under jawline on either side, and on chin)
• Shave those areas against the grain
• Empty sink, rinse brush clean in cold water, shake excess water out, hang brush on stand
• Rinse face off with cool water
• Pat dry with towel rather than rubbing

Amalgam

• Shower
• Fill half a sink with hot water
• Steep brush
• Shake out excess water from brush
• Small nut of shaving cream placed in brush
• Brush applied to chin and lather worked up
• Lather out from chin to cheeks and neck
• Start shaving out at the sideburns
• Cheeks and neck, moustache area
• 2x Pass of the above
• Clean up of moustache area and chin
• Cold rinse
• Aftershave with no pat off
• Brush rinsed, sink given quick once over with nail brush (remove stubble and goop)

I tend not to refill or empty sink during shave. Time is between 10 and 15 minutes. I find I still mess about with cleaning the shaving brush for the next day. Razor head gets a quick rub across a flat towel.

CrowdedHouse

How about a 'Shave of the Day' like B&B ?

This morning:

Gillette Super Speed Red Tip

Gillette 7 O'Clock Black (1 new today)

B&B Essential Brush

Tabac Soap

Tabac After Shave Balm

DFS in 2.5 passes

Fingers Mcginty

I near always get the little red dots around the lower neck area no matter what I do. Would the aluma block sort that out?

padi89

Fingers Mcginty wrote: »

I near always get the little red dots around the lower neck area no matter what I do. Would the aluma block sort that out?

I was in the same boat, at first i had no issues, then about 4 weeks into DE shaving it started. For the next 4-6 weeks i kept getting irritation on my lower neck, its a very sensitive area but yes ugly little red spots. My problem was i just wasn't watching my technique as well as from the start.I remember when i first started i took my time and was so careful with blade angle and pressure so i went back to this. The lightest of strokes, keeping a correct angle, two passes max in this area and I now have no issues. I have to give this area full attention or else red spots are guaranteed.
It helps too to keep the skin in the area tight, so a stretch looking up or use your hand to even the skin.

Fingers Mcginty

Cheers Pad...when you're doing the neck are you shaving up or down?

source

Fingers Mcginty wrote: »

Cheers Pad...when you're doing the neck are you shaving up or down?

look at the growth pattern of your hair on your neck, and shave with the grain, for example, for me my hair grows down for half my neck and then up on the base of my neck.

so i shave down for part of my neck and up for the other part. The key is finding the grain.

padi89

Fingers Mcginty wrote: »

Cheers Pad...when you're doing the neck are you shaving up or down?

Both, first pass is normally up then second down. It doesn't really matter just make sure you concentrate on technique, light touch. I also noticed that i was moving my wrist on this area thus changing angle, so now i keep it locked. Even shaving with the grain never mattered on this area because its so sensitive but no harm to try yourself.

Michael G

padi89 wrote: »

I also noticed that i was moving my wrist on this area thus changing angle, so now i keep it locked.

That's a good tip. It's something that hadn't occurred to me.