samirg wrote: ↑Thu Aug 13, 2020 5:22 pm... I am making a ton of mistakes ...
Says who?
Meaning, what evidence is there of that?
samirg wrote:With the few shaves I've had and going 3 passes (WTG, XTG, ATG) I've been getting closer shaves, but estimate it may only last me a day and a half at most.
GEM invented the advertising term "5 o'clock shadow", meaning that if you shaved in the morning but ended up with visible stubble by 5 o'clock (or the end of the work day), then you were doing it wrong, or needed to buy more of their products.
Obviously, someone like a bank manager may have less tolerance for stubble than, say, a cattle rancher, but a daily shave became the default.
If you're getting a day and a half, then I guess you're doing okay.
Don't forget, you can feel stubble long before it becomes visible, especially if you have blonde hair.
My main point is that your shave results are probably better than what you imagine.
samirg wrote:...I guess the question is, how long should you be waiting before you try again? I've been waiting 3-4 days between shaves, can/should I take shorter time to shave. ...
I dunno. I shave every day, for the fun of it. Then again, I'm 67 years old and retired, so maybe my skin has figured out how to defend itself by now.
I think that most forum members would agree that the first shave following several days of
no shaving is somehow more satisfying than daily shaving, if only because of the contrast in how it feels before and after.
My son often goes weeks between shaves, so when I converted him to DE razors I bought him an open-comb three-piece. You could have a ZZ Top beard, and shave it with an open-comb razor without having to pre-cut with scissors or clippers.
samirg wrote:This forum and youtube have been great particularly everyone sharing their routines.
Note that everybody has their own habits and reasons for how they proceed, but it's nice to at least be exposed to them. You can try them or not.
I, for instance, never use "pre-shave oil". I can't help but suspect that pre-shave products are a bit of a consumerism scam, but some folks seem to like them. However, I do always start with a hot shower, which may not always be practical if you are in a rush.
samirg wrote:The few places I'm still struggling on are basically the angles, the chin and the jawline.
I still get occasional nicks between my chin and bottom lip, more than any other place. It usually involves brand-new blades and carelessness in handling the razor.
Another difficult spot for me is a "\ /" shaped region on either side of my Adam's apple. I keep going over it many times because my fingers keep detecting what feels like stubble. I have to force myself to remember that after I'm done and my skin settles down, it will feel perfectly smooth. I call that phenomenon "Ghost Stubble" because of how it magically fades away within 10-20 minutes.
samirg wrote: I also need to work on my lathering skills.
As long as you have even just a thin film of lather, it should be all you need. You don't need to look like Santa Claus.
Or the Cella guy.
Also, a few shaving creams are designed to be used without a brush. or they work best if rubbed on your face and you build up the lather with the brush on your face, instead of in a mug/bowl/scuttle. Read the instructions on the package, try it, then do whatever you want.
For example, this is from somebody's review of "Anthony Shave Cream":
Some Guy wrote:... I received a sample of this shave cream ... could be a long time ago. I finally opened it up and tried to use it with a brush in a bowl. Disappointing. Reading the instructions suggest applying to the wet face with ones fingers. I had enough to do this. I shaved and ..... Wow! It was like there was no blade in the razor. So so smooth, such a close shave. ...
I had a sample of that stuff, and yes, it was amazingly slick, even when applied thinly. I also recall that it smelled strongly of peppermint. Not menthol, but peppermint like a candy cane.
At any rate, what are you using (razor, blade brand, brush, soap/cream, post-shave products, other gear), and what is your routine?