SMF

Hi, new here, and new to DE wet shaving. let me first say I wish I would have started DE shaving years ago! Also, I have been lurking on here for a couple weeks and have learned alot from you guy's! For my question. I usally only shave once a week. Since starting DE shaving my skin irritation and ingrown hair is almost gone! question is, is only shaving once a week benificial? I know you can shave every day also, but is it good to give you face a rest? or should you shave every other day, or every three days? Does it depend on your paricular beard? I guess what I am asking is what is optimal for face health?
Thanks

Hey Dbo, welcome aboard. I don't believe there is any shaving regimen that could be called 'the best'.

We have members who shave twice daily, once daily, once every 2-3 days, once a week and so forth. We have members who wear beards and shave only their neck but do that regularly.

We have members who use only traditional alcohol based aftershaves and those who react to alcohol, scents (all types) or both.

In short, what works for one may not work for the other so you are free to experiment with them all.

+1 With the addition that with practice you can develop good technique to shave as often as you like... typically. There are always exceptions and no matter how good someone's technique their skin cannot handle too many shaves close together. Welcome and let us know how it goes.

What I want to know is since you've been blade shaving and know how enjoyable it is, why aren't you asking how you can get the whiskers to grow faster!? I know when I started I thought that many times.

Maybe a rest is in order if you use a super aggressive razor. Maybe.

+1 What Squire wrote.

Welcome.

I think it really depends on a lot of factors, including your skin, beard, the weather, the soap, the razor you're using, etc.

I find my skin is best if I shave every two days or so. If I shave more often, it gets a little dry and irritated; if I shave less often, I tend to have more problems with acne, etc. Also, my beard grows slow enough that I don't really have a big need to shave more often than that.

It does depend on the season, though--I think I shave more often in the warmer months.

Wetshaving with a DE really does wonders for my skin. I probably could shave every day without too many problems, but do better if I wait a little while.

My guess is it's very different for every person.

Welcome DBo!

My, aren't we a tolerant group! So diverse and so accepting!

I agree, this choice is very personal, and nobody's business but one's own.

I'm self-employed, so I can get away with not shaving. I tend to like to shave every-other-day with an aggressive razor and a very sharp blade.

If I have to shave "every day" because of meetings, court appearances, weddings, funerals and the like - where I cannot appear too scruffy - I will default to a mild razor like a Gillette Super Speed, an EJ etc.

Welcome, DBo73!

I would agree with the othes that the frequency of your shave would depend on your skin, your beard, your work and social requirements, and what you want to do.

I wear a beard, I shave only my neck, and the skin on my neck is very sensitive. I shave three nights a week (Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday), and my best shave is on Sunday after a break of two days. Fortunately, I don't have to wear a tie to work, or I would have to do a simpler shave on a daily basis to keep from tearing up the collars.

Men with very dense beards appear to be the ones who most often say skipping a day doesn't work for them.

- Murray

Welcome to SMF!
Basically, I have to shave everyday, I have a fairly thick beard. If I go a day without shaving I look like a wineo.

Regards,
David

im with daswerbadger's post.

i also find daily shaving makes is easier to shave, less growth the easier it is to shave.

marc

+1 to what everyone has said. In other words, ymmv - and you do what you feel works best for you. Some weeks I shave daily, some weeks I go every 2 or 3 days. There is no fine science to it.

desertbadger wrote:Welcome to SMF!
Basically, I have to shave everyday, I have a fairly thick beard. If I go a day without shaving I look like a wineo.

Regards,
David

I resent that remark! I am a wineo AND I shave every day!

So there!

i have to work in a pretty formal office environment. i shave every weekday, but never at the weekends, unless i'm heading out at the weekend and the occasion demands that i should be clean shaven.

i think not shaving a couple of days every week or so to let your skin rest and recover is beneficial.

paddy wrote:I think not shaving a couple of days every week or so to let your skin rest and recover is beneficial.

Yes, I agree. If I miss/skip a day once in a while, no one's the wiser. Then the 2 day shave is always a good one.

Quite a few things mentioned above cover my reason for daily to every other day shaves. I'm self-employed so I really don't want to go more than a day between shaves. Also being married, I prefer not to scratch my wife up with my stubble so I like to be as smooth as possible for as long as possible.

And to the wino comments above I had to share this...

Once I saw this wino who was eating grapes, and I said, "Dude, you have to wait". - Mitch Hedberg

I prefer shaving every other day because of sensitive skin. My facial hair is a mix of light brown and blond, so we're not talking Fred Flintstone.... I doubt anyone's the wiser.

Ive gone a week without shaving a few times. For some reason one week is an easier shave than 4 days is...have no idea why. Every 2 days works for me, but if theres a chance for kisses I will shave every day

clive

Shave for kisses, that's sound thinking.

when I first de'd 4 years ago..now using straights..I used to shave 1x a week..then went to every 3 days..much better

I shave when I want to. I work out of my home and will usually on shave on consecutive days when I am meeting with a client or in a situation where I need to have a clean shaven face. That means that I will sometimes shave a couple days in a row and at other times maybe not for 2 to 3 days.

It's a kind of self-regulating activity. Nobody's going to notice, or if they do, they just say oh, you're growing a beard! The only time I've ever been shouted at for anything shave-related was as a new inductee into the US Army, when the sergeant didn't like me having whiskers. But then, we got shouted at for everything.