Author Topic: Your Shave Routine  (Read 362916 times)

Offline Stevo

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #195 on: November 12, 2007, 05:41:58 PM »
I have a poor man's routine, since I really am a poor man.  I time my shaves to coincide with the nights when I actually am able to go out somewhere, or about every 3-4 days.  I shave in the shower, which is a bit akward because I'm a big man in a small shower, but I think it's better than the sink.  I use edge Gel and a HeadBlade Classic with a cheap blade, using the same blade for face and head.  I cut up behind my ears and near my neck before rotating the blade from Face to Head mode, then go front to back.  I'm still working on my right hand coordination (I'm a lefty) but I'm getting better.  I go back over whatever spots I can tell I've missed, then give myself a good rinsing.  I get out of the shower, dry off, and feel around for any spots that seem to always pop up after drying off, which I take care of with my Norelco.  I trim up the goatee with my old Wahl Groomsman if it's long, and lately I've been using a little bit of the lotion that I bought to counteract my dry elbows.  That's about it.

I shave my face with my HB too.

I actually need to amend my routine, I've gone back to using a seperate razor for my face, the HB just wasn't doing the job good enough.  Also I've gone back to using Sensor Excel blades instead of the cheap three-blades, but I did make the mistake of going with cheap shaving gel, it just doesn't feel right.

Offline Marz

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #196 on: November 12, 2007, 05:56:33 PM »
Ok I have been sly for 3 days now! Booyah!

Here is my routine based on all the great help on this board.

1. Before bed Hot shower soaking head for about 5 minutes while cleaning the rest of the body.

2. Use St Ives scrub on the head and face.

3. Use KOS Alpha gel or HeadSlick applied with a shave brush

4. Let mixture sit on head for a minute.

5. Shave with the grain for first pass with Mach III.

6. Get out of the shower and stick head back in and rinse with ice cold water for about a minute.(this is really brutal)

7. Run a ice cube over the dome and pat dry.

8. Use Witch Hazel all over head and neck.

9. Rub cold Aloe from the fridge on melon.

10. Apply headlube glossy and hit the bed.

11. In the morning touch up with electric( no time to re shave) and use more headlube and SPF 15.

So far this is working pretty good. I do have some bumps on the sides of my head. Im sure its because of I just started using a razor and not clipper.

Is there anything else I could be doing?

Sounds like a pretty good routine.

I usually have more irritation if I exfoliate too often (St. Ives scrub) I usually do this once or twice a week.

Personally my routine is much simpler but I have been shaving my head for a long time so its pretty used to it.

I am sure the bumps will go away in time.  Keep up the good work and stay sly!
“If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.”

Offline Alexander215

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #197 on: November 12, 2007, 08:26:23 PM »
Ok I have been sly for 3 days now! Booyah!

Here is my routine based on all the great help on this board.

1. Before bed Hot shower soaking head for about 5 minutes while cleaning the rest of the body.

2. Use St Ives scrub on the head and face.

3. Use KOS Alpha gel or HeadSlick applied with a shave brush

4. Let mixture sit on head for a minute.

5. Shave with the grain for first pass with Mach III.

6. Get out of the shower and stick head back in and rinse with ice cold water for about a minute.(this is really brutal)

7. Run a ice cube over the dome and pat dry.

8. Use Witch Hazel all over head and neck.

9. Rub cold Aloe from the fridge on melon.

10. Apply headlube glossy and hit the bed.

11. In the morning touch up with electric( no time to re shave) and use more headlube and SPF 15.

So far this is working pretty good. I do have some bumps on the sides of my head. Im sure its because of I just started using a razor and not clipper.

Is there anything else I could be doing?

Sounds like a pretty good routine.

I usually have more irritation if I exfoliate too often (St. Ives scrub) I usually do this once or twice a week.

Personally my routine is much simpler but I have been shaving my head for a long time so its pretty used to it.

I am sure the bumps will go away in time.  Keep up the good work and stay sly!

St Ives is gross bro, just look at the ingredients. Get yourself a loofa [theyre cheap] and thats all you need to ex foliate!

Offline Rob

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #198 on: November 13, 2007, 07:44:56 AM »
its just a matter of time before those razor bumps go.  I always find the best things is: keep your head wet, always use warm water before you shave, and don't press down too hard.  It's a temptation at first to press down in the belief that you'll shave closer, but all you'll end up doing is nicking the melon.  Keep it sly, bro. 8)

Offline D.A.L.U.I.

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #199 on: November 13, 2007, 02:04:21 PM »
I'm still "working on my routine" but I ran across the following on the internet on a "face shaving techniques" that confirmed my one month Sly observation that I get a much closer long lasting smooth head shave after working out than I do hopping out of bed, into the shower and shaving.  I didn't think I was crazy.  The skin cleaning information confirms what many have reported here and I have experienced too, although I use a loofa sponge pad to exfoliate daily with my shower soap rather than a prepared scrub with the little beads or sand bits.

The information is:

Before you Shave: Waking up the skin
When you first wake up in the morning, your skin tends to be puffy and swollen. If you shave in the mornings, wait until at least 20 minutes after you have woken up before you begin your shave to let the puffiness go down. When your skin has reached its normal tautness, the hairs will be closer to the surface and easier to shave.

Pre-Shave Cleansing
Some skin care experts recommend cleansing your face with a facial soap before shaving to help remove dead skin and excess dirt and oil, thus freeing up any ingrown hairs and preventing the clogging of your razor. If you do cleanse your face before shaving, don't just wash with ordinary soap, as it will dry your skin. Use warm water and a facial soap or cleansing scrub designed for men's skin.


Offline Iceman

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #200 on: December 05, 2007, 02:48:59 AM »
Still learning the wonderful world of shaving, but so far I have had considerable success with Gillette Fusion.  However, i find the blades dulling pretty quickly after only two shaves.  I've been really tempted to try the "headblade" though.  It seems to be pretty effective from what I have read on this site.     

Offline D.A.L.U.I.

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #201 on: December 07, 2007, 01:28:32 PM »
Well today is three months from beginning my journey to Sly by going to the Buzz and 8 weeks from Sly itself.  I feel that I now have tried enough different methods, tools, gels and balms to set down my shaving routine. 

Tools-Fusion Power, I’ve tried Atra power, and Headblade dual blade, but nothing works for me like Fusion Power, and a Loofa sponge pad.

Gel/Foam: I’ve tried two or three gels, Shaving Secret oil, and Headslick, and finally settled on Headslick, preceeded by Shaving Secret, preceeded by Cuticura Soap & water.

Balms: 10% Benzoyl Peroxide after a hot then cold rinse, then Nivea Shaving Balm, and finally topped off w/ Nivea Skin Moisturizer w/ SPF factor. 

Method:  After gym--I need an hour or more for the skin to thin out in the morning--shower.  While showering I use bath soap & the loofa to defoliate scalp and beard making sure to “go against the grain.”  Then after the final rinse, ring out the wash cloth and soak in straight hot water, ring out put it on my head and very briefly let the straight hot water hit the cloth.

After drying off, I remove the wash cloth and first soap up w/ Cuticura Soap, an antibacterial soap that is otherwise mild and made for skin problems.  I then put 4-5 drops of Shaving Secret on my head and massage it in until it takes the “foam lather” out of the Cuticura soaping.  Finally I apply about ½ teaspoon of Headslick and work up a lather adding hot water by wetting my hand until I have a pretty good lather on my head and beard. 

One thing eight weeks has taught me is the layout of my hair, grain, problem areas, etc.  I think that everyone who decides to  try this out needs to accept that it will be a learning process, and a big part of that is learning your head, the direction of the grain of the hair and where, for whatever reason, there are problems achieving a perfect smooth result.  I'm still learning but I'm pretty close to understanding my scalp--I almost said head, but that would have been setting myself up for a lot of potential puns from you guys.

First I take the powered up Fusion to my face, then starting w/ the “runway” where the hair is most sparce, I go from my forehead to the nape of my neck, cleaning the blade after each pass, and overlapping each lap.  Then I shave against the grain from the nape of the neck forward, again w/ rinses between each pass.  Now all that is left is the sides, first I shave forward and backward around the ears, directing the blade as a radius of the ear canal.  Then using the trim blade on the Fusion I clean up in front and above the ears.  Next I work on the spot of hair that remains in the hole in back, and since it grows in all directions, it requires several passes.  After that I clean up the sides, in two directions.  Then rinse w/ clean water and check for stray areas, and clean them up, wash yet again w/ Cuticura and rinse, first hot then cold, and towel dry.  Apply the Benzoyl Peroxide to prevent red spots and bumps, and when that’s dry I finish off w/ the Shaving Balm.  SMOOTH AS A BABY”S BUTT every time.  After breakfast, I clean up any small errors w/ Shaving Secret and top the work off w/ the Moisturizer, and I’m good to go.  It’s at least 8 to 10 hours before even the feel of 000 sandpaper.

As usual this is too long, but my sincere thanks to all the other posts on this subject for the ideas that ultimately gave me this way to a great shave and perfectly Sly for HOURS.

Offline dynrat

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #202 on: December 29, 2007, 09:18:13 PM »
Mine is nowhere near as refined as some here.

I shave mine in the shower to avoid the inevitable nagging from the wife about the mess if I shave at the sink. 

1. Wash the dome with Dove bar soap.
2. Use HeadSlick shave lotion and lather up well.
3. Use HeadBlade and shave front to back (with the grain).
4. Use HeadBlade and shave from the edge of the hair on all sides up toward the crown (against the grain).
5. Rinse well to make sure all of the stubble and lotion are off the scalp.
6. Let the scalp air dry after the shower.

Offline Timmay

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #203 on: December 29, 2007, 09:44:39 PM »
dynrat....your routine is similar to mine...but here is what you need to add....just two simple little steps.  rinse with cold water or do the ice cube treatment after you shave and rinse..once head is dry...rub in some natural aloe vera gel .....just give head a nice glo and keeps it smooth for your long day at work.

Offline dynrat

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #204 on: January 02, 2008, 09:38:19 AM »
I give that a shot Timm thanks!

Offline Stu

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #205 on: January 02, 2008, 12:56:50 PM »
Hey, dynrat, get out of my bathroom!  You sound like you've been watching me and copying my routine, even down to the Dove soap.   ;D  Just kidding man; welcome to SBG.  Kick back and stay awhile.

Mine is nowhere near as refined as some here.

I shave mine in the shower to avoid the inevitable nagging from the wife about the mess if I shave at the sink. 

1. Wash the dome with Dove bar soap.
2. Use HeadSlick shave lotion and lather up well.
3. Use HeadBlade and shave front to back (with the grain).
4. Use HeadBlade and shave from the edge of the hair on all sides up toward the crown (against the grain).
5. Rinse well to make sure all of the stubble and lotion are off the scalp.
6. Let the scalp air dry after the shower.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2008, 01:04:21 PM by Stew »
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Offline 440satellite

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #206 on: January 02, 2008, 07:55:05 PM »
I may catch a rash of crap for this since I complained about the routines while fence sitting but what the heck.  And yes, it did only add between 5-8 minutes to the morning like you all said.  Cutting your own hair since 14 helps you know your head and it's grain perfectly though.

- feed the dog, do all that good morning stuff prior to hitting the shower to let the puff outta the dome
- shampoo
- lather with conditioner and let it soak while I take care of everything else
- rinse with hot water
- slime up with Headslick
- all against the grain twice with the HB sport and triple blade
- rinse
- rinse with ice cold water (have spring fed well water so it's plenty cold)
- coat with my patented 50/50 vitamin E sensitive skin lotion and pure aloe gel
- done

Some how you guys sucked me in and I'm starting to sound just like the rest of you.  :D

Couple mornings ago I dubbed the ice cold rinse my "daily affirmation" to being sly since it really sucks.  But the positive comments have been worth it, especially the ones I've gotten from the ladies.  O0

Offline PigPen

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #207 on: January 04, 2008, 07:19:11 AM »
Congrats 440!!! Glad to hear it!!!

This is another one for the fence sitters to read.
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Offline Bald_Okie

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #208 on: January 04, 2008, 02:47:36 PM »
I go to the gym in the morning mainly because I like the long hot shower. So after my workout  !i#t I:

-  rub head to toe with a moisturizer and sit in the steam room for 10 minutes
- scrub my face and scalp with an exfoliate
- shave with a bic razor and gillette gel
- take my shower
- moisturize again

rickybobby

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Re: Your Shave Routine
« Reply #209 on: January 17, 2008, 10:13:20 PM »
1st off i shave head in shower.....i stand under the hot water for a while to loosen up the hair and git it soft. then i wash with whatever shampoo i got. then i use shave secret shave oil(wal mart $3.50) about 5 drops. then i shave against the grain with headblade w/sensor blades. After using the "feel" method to make sure there's no rough spots on my head i do a quick rinse. apply a few more drops of shave oil do a once over w/ HB then done...now the fun part . I turn the water to ice cold and dunk my dome under the cold water. Its refreshing and makes yer head feel extra smoooth!...for after shave i use gillette after shave series gel(bright blue stuff)

 



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