help!please! wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 7:17 am
I need advice please! My face never looks clean....
Here's my face about 2 hours after shaving. It feels mostly smooth, but looks horrible, right?
You do seem to have a lot of redness and irritation. You say it feels smooth, too. One problem guys often have is wanting to get a baby bottom smooth shave. Pressing too hard on the razor to achieve this results in irritation. A close shave is great, but it is more important to get a comfortable shave than a close shave. Once you are getting comfortable, irritation- and redness-free shaves, then you can tweak your approach to improve closeness.
I am clueless - please let me know: is this just how it's going to look, or can i do better?
(ps - i use a pre-wash in hot shower, pre-shave oil, Art of Shaving cream with a badger brush, Gillette Fusion razor, first with and then (after more cream) against the grain, followed by AoS aftershave cream.
Art of Shaving products are excellent, if a bit pricey. It looks like you are good to go in the supplies department, so it might be good to work on technique. What I have seen on the forums almost always is this approach:
First pass with the grain
Second pass across the grain
Third pass against the grain (optional)
This sequence has worked well for me for over a decade. Not all men can do an against the grain pass without irritation and ingrown hairs, however. You might try omitting the pre-shave oil. When I used it, the shaves were less close than usual. You might find this instructional video helpful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKg5r_JkgQA
Mantic59 on YouTube also has some excellent how-to shaving videos.
Have you ever considered using a safety razor and double-edge blades? There is a bit of a learning curve, but it can be well worth the effort. It certainly was for me. If you do decide to go this route, I recommend reading
Dr. Shave's Book of Shaving. There is also a link there where you can download the entire guide as a PDF file. It provides detailed instructions on proper shaving technique, and is very useful. It also has information relevant to cartridge razors. For safety razors, it is important to use a very light touch, with almost no pressure, and hold the razor at the proper angle.
I am willing to do anything to get that really clean shaved look. but not sure if it's even possible for me?
thanks -
Perhaps the best approach would be to get the closest shave that is comfortable for you. That will take some time to perfect your shaving technique, but patience is a virtue. For me, it took about three months, but you might need more or less time. They key point is to take things slow and easy, and not try to rush the process.
Hope this helps!
