Sly Bald Guys Forum
Head Shaving, Grooming & Care => Head Shaving => Topic started by: Anil_Sharma on October 25, 2012, 10:45:48 AM
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Alright, as the title says I am an Indian, not a very proud one at though.
Being a bald guy in India has some major disadvantages, firstly there are quite literally NO products that are specifically tailored for bald heads. No special shaving creams, no oils, no special razors, moisturizers you name it. Thats pretty much the major problem I have.
I had a barber shave my head day before yesterday, he didn't even apply any shaving cream or hot towels. He just made my hair wet and done away with a straight blade razor, the result wasn't very smooth to say the least. The head was all greenish, I shaved it again today in the shower. Used Gilette shaving gel and razor(3 blade), moderately used blade. There was some minor razor burn just above the neck so thats ok. I also used a bit of baby oil for moisturizing.
I would be glad if any one could point out something I am overlooking, I also dunno how to get that shine or how many days it would take. That being said, I am ready to put in some efforts. One last thing I wanted to say, I have a wheatish complexion not too fair.
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Welcome! If you could post a picture, it may be easier to offer some suggestions...Good Luck!
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Use some witch hazel on that razor burn.
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Hi Anil: Welcome to the sly fraternity. I cannot recall the name but you are not the only SBG that is Indian. Immediately after your head shave: perform a cold water rinse, towel dry, perform an ice cube rub until it melts, towel dry, apply refrigerated witch hazel, let air dry. The cold water rinse, ice cub rub, and refrigerated with hazel should do the trick. Witch hazel can be found in your local store where they keep the rubbing alcohol. Any brand of witch hazel will do.
Keep us posted and hope this helps,
WARHAWK O0
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Anil, you are not the only Indian guy on Sly Bald Guys, however there may not be any Indian guys active on the forum right now. Here in America I see Indian guys with headshaves quite often.
I'll PM some of the Indian guys I know on here and try to get them to post. Find yourself a barber there and teach him how to properly shave your head. I know that seems like the opposite of how it should be, but it may be how you have to handle the situation.
Cheers,
Red
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Anil, For starters check this thread:
http://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/index.php?topic=17563.0
Red
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;) Don't go back to that barber , or whatever.
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@SimplyRed
I am not really concerned about the baldness affecting my social status or anything, if I feel anything I feel REALLY positive about being bald. It would be really helpful if any Indian resident could help me out me :) cause he would know the best products available in the Indian market :)
@tomgallagher and @warhawk
I am completely oblivious to witch hazel, however if its something aloe vera I have plantings in my yard.
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http://www.dickinsonbrands.com/firstaid.htm
This is the brand of witch hazel that I use. It doesn't matter which brand.
WARHAWK O0
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Welcome...Witch Hazel, is a plant which the lotion is made from...try going to a store that foreigners, tourists and ex-pats frequent. Or you can buy it on Amazon.
http://www.thayers.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3
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Mhmm, any alternatives for witch hazel? Its REALLY hard to get hold of one in the place where I live..
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No alternatives that I know because this is a natural product found in all drugstores around the world. Are you sure you haven't checked witch hazel in your local drug store or grocery store? It is usually found near the rubbing alcohol or around the band-aids section.
WARHAWK O0
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Generic witch hazel is just as good as any name brand witch hazel. You don't necessary need to get a name brand witch hazel.
WARHAWK O0
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It is almost 2 am here, so Imma try it the second thing tomorrow morning first being smoking lol. Anyway so warhawk, can you give me a direction towards having a smoother shave? Like which way to shave, against or with the grain. Which razors with options being Gilette 3 blade or 5 blade or a disposable razor which has two blade but is really better than my G 3 blade when I shave, not very close but doesn't give a razor burn and is really good at removing hair, does it faster.
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It is almost 2 am here, so Imma try it the second thing tomorrow morning first being smoking lol. Anyway so warhawk, can you give me a direction towards having a smoother shave? Like which way to shave, against or with the grain. Which razors with options being Gilette 3 blade or 5 blade or a disposable razor which has two blade but is really better than my G 3 blade when I shave, not very close but doesn't give a razor burn and is really good at removing hair, does it faster.
Hi Anil: That is a very tough question. Which razor is best? When it comes to picking razors and items it is a YMMV (your mileage may vary) thing. Meaning what works for one may not work for the other.
When I first shaved my head... the Fusion was my absolute favorite razor. Now... I absolutely love safety razors. Since you are a new head shaver... you might want to try a Fusion or Mach3 at first and than "graduate" to a safety razor.
There is absolutely nothing closer and better than using a safety razor to shave IMHO. With that said... I am guessing the Gillette3 and Gillette5 is our (good ole USA) version of the Mach3 and Gillette Fusion. I say go for both and see what works for you.
One of the fun things about head shaving is trying different brands and types of razors. Keep us posted on your journey.
WARHAWK O0
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Sure will, what do you think of using baby oil before sleep as an overnight moisturizer?
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Sure will, what do you think of using baby oil before sleep as an overnight moisturizer?
I would not do it before you sleep. It will leave a mess on your pillows. Also... applying an after shave moisturizer after you shave or after you wash your face/dome is good enough. The baby oil tends to clog your pores.
WARHAWK O0
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Well that kinda blows lol, the oil was 10$ a bottle. Anyway, I got this safety razor which has a disposable blade(old school), you are talking about that kinda razor right? Kinda hard to control though, I will stick to Mach3(yeah thats the name, the brands are still the same its just that I forgot 'em). I will take a few pictures and post them here ASAP.
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Yep....here is a pic of some of my safety razors. From left to right is my Edwin Jagger 89L, Weber ARC, & Mekur 37C
(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F12%2F10%2F26%2Feve6ydy7.jpg&hash=ab2d0fdc2ac5613e8bf0fffa14952d711401ccde)
below is a pic of a DE (double edged) razor blade
(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F12%2F10%2F26%2Fsuhabyda.jpg&hash=093f742b46356bf0bfa729d261350cee04be343a)
This is what I shaved with yesterday.
(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.tapatalk.com%2Fd%2F12%2F10%2F26%2Fyju6e3u3.jpg&hash=4396ae30c0201b45b9887636ff23a6e382a6f0ca)
WARHAWK
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Welcome to the bald brotherhood Anil. Thera are some Indian brothers here but has been inactive lately. One suggestion I could offer aside from recommending the mach3 is to apply hair conditioner on your wet scalp before shaving. Stretch the part you want to pass the razor for you to get a closer and smoother shave. Feel the rough areas and run the razor against the grain but do not apply too much pressure. Finish off with an ice cube rub all over your freshly shaven scalp. Hope this helps. Post a pic when you can.
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@Kalbo
Thanks for welcoming me, much appreciated. I will follow your suggestion when I shave today :) Also, you mentioned just hair conditioner, does that mean that I am supposed to avoid shaving gel?
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@Warhammer
I do have one of those kind, but I am afraid my razor is plastic. I however have the same set of blades though; Gillete :)
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G'day Anil, welcome to the family. You just apply the conditioner to your head like you would do if you had hair, as a pre-shave thing, take my routine for example:
exfoliate with apricot face scrub(every other day, no more then 3 times a week), rinse, apply conditioner, let it sit for a couple of minutes, rinse, apply your gel/soap/cream of choice, shave, then cold water rinse, and finally apply either headlube or aloe moisturiser if I have a bit of irritaiton.
Initially you will probably want to shave with the grain because that will cause less irritation, but against the grain will give you the smoothest results.
Hope that helps you mate.
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Well, that is really simple :) However, I should rinse with warm or hot water right? For the pores to open up.
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You can make shaving as complex or simple as you wish. Some people prefer the results we pre-shave lotions and after-shave moisturisers and all sorts of stuff.
I wet my head with warm water. I then apply shaving gel. I tend to go for sensitive skin type. I use an Azor razor but the Mach 3 should do you fine.
Go with the grain to get the bulk of stubble off and rinse the razor frequently. Go against the grain to get a closer shave. Keep the number of strokes with the razor down to avoid rash.
I normally shower after and just use regular shower gel.
This works for me. You'll probably need to experiment to find what works for you.
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exfoliate with apricot face scrub(every other day, no more then 3 times a week), rinse, apply conditioner, let it sit for a couple of minutes, rinse, apply your gel/soap/cream of choice, shave, then cold water rinse, and finally apply either headlube or aloe moisturiser if I have a bit of irritaiton.
Well, I haven't had success with the conditioner method. I tried the exact same way, but my stubble is a bit too stubborn. I bought a 5 blade razor now, I will try the same method again tomorrow when I shower. Moreover, I don't have any issues of irritation inspite of repeated ATG strokes. However, the dome is still pretty rough, no matter how many strokes I make the hair is still there on the razor. I let the conditioner set in for about 4 minutes and a further 4 minutes for the shave gel to settle.
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So guys, umm sorry for the bad picture quality. I look ridiculously dark, anyway here it goes nothing
(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi50.tinypic.com%2F289iknt.jpg&hash=6a3f042574ca8a290f5dd7016966b85cffdda1ec)
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Anil, the picture looks good! When you rinse, it is better to use an ice cube or cold water. They're good for preventing bumps especially on darker colored men like us...
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Well that kinda blows lol, the oil was 10$ a bottle. Anyway, I got this safety razor which has a disposable blade(old school), you are talking about that kinda razor right? Kinda hard to control though, I will stick to Mach3(yeah thats the name, the brands are still the same its just that I forgot 'em). I will take a few pictures and post them here ASAP.
Baby oil as far as I am concerned works great, depending where you live and what you get it is Improvise, Addapt , and Overcome.
You are looking very good ! O0
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Anil, the picture looks good! When you rinse, it is better to use an ice cube or cold water. They're good for preventing bumps especially on darker colored men like us...
Will do that when I shower in a while.
You are looking very good ! O0
Thanks a ton, means a lot to me :)
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Welcome, I use HeadBlade products such as HeadSlick (shave cream) HeadBlade Sport (to shave the dome baby butt smooth) and then I jump in shower and use HeadShed (exfoliator), I then use Cetaphil (face/neck wash) before doing a cold rinse for 30 seconds. When i am done i use ClearHead (which in my opinion is the best stuff on the market, it will clear up all them nasty blemishes/ spots, within 48 hours) I find this better than witch hazel.
Above is everything i use daily and my head is now in perfect condition with zero irritation, just a BBS head. Obviously i don't think you will be able to get this stuff from your local shop, so you would have to order off there website, although shipping can be expensive. All the stuff lasts a very long time though, so it maybe worth it in the long run.
Anyway, it is just a thought. Good Luck.
Edit: ClearHead is an Aftershave based product, so it will sting a little, depending on the severity of your razor burn.
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Anil, the picture looks good! When you rinse, it is better to use an ice cube or cold water. They're good for preventing bumps especially on darker colored men like us...
I did that today and man.... it feels VERY good :D btw, as an update I bought a new 4 blade razor instead of the 2 I had(yeah 2, I thought it was 3 when I bought it but it is a 2 blade lol). The effect is considerably DRAMATIC, the dome is slick! REAL smooth, wow I am jealous of myself hahaha. Now, its time to experiment with moisturizers I guess. I have aloe vera plants in my yard, Imma apply it now.
Welcome, I use HeadBlade products such as HeadSlick (shave cream) HeadBlade Sport (to shave the dome baby butt smooth) and then I jump in shower and use HeadShed (exfoliator), I then use Cetaphil (face/neck wash) before doing a cold rinse for 30 seconds. When i am done i use ClearHead (which in my opinion is the best stuff on the market, it will clear up all them nasty blemishes/ spots, within 48 hours) I find this better than witch hazel.
Above is everything i use daily and my head is now in perfect condition with zero irritation, just a BBS head. Obviously i don't think you will be able to get this stuff from your local shop, so you would have to order off there website, although shipping can be expensive. All the stuff lasts a very long time though, so it maybe worth it in the long run.
Anyway, it is just a thought. Good Luck.
Edit: ClearHead is an Aftershave based product, so it will sting a little, depending on the severity of your razor burn.
Well, right now I am quite content with the local products. I will use these for a while before I feel the necessity for a change. Thanks for the info though, appreciated. Off note: Your dome is PRETTY good looking :D
EDIT: I took a part of Aloe Vera plant, ripped it open with a knife and rubbed it all over the dome, the cooling effect is remarkably good, I guess I found a working shaving routine now. Time to plant more plants :D
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Anil, great picture. The smile says it all. Welcome to the Sly world.
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Anil, great picture. The smile says it all. Welcome to the Sly world.
Coming from a guy of your experience makes it special :) I am really hyped up to see how the college welcomes me when I go there for my final semester, soon :D
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welcome is this familiar to you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0pho4TxE0k
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Oh yeah, its a religious thingy. They shed their hair for their gods.
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Glad to hear you are getting that slick shave you were chasing! I was about to suggest maybe changing your gel, because I've noticed that since going from headslick to king of shaves alpha gel I'm having to make 2 passes on the back of my head to get that BBS finish everyone is after. You are already learning the fun of experimenting with shaving products until you find that perfect shave. Keep up the good work O0
Oh and by the way, you really rock the sly look man!
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Glad to hear you are getting that slick shave you were chasing! I was about to suggest maybe changing your gel, because I've noticed that since going from headslick to king of shaves alpha gel I'm having to make 2 passes on the back of my head to get that BBS finish everyone is after. You are already learning the fun of experimenting with shaving products until you find that perfect shave. Keep up the good work O0
Oh and by the way, you really rock the sly look man!
Thanks mate, appreciated. Also, I will try more shaving gels in the coming days AND possibly a new blade as well.
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Great photo Anil, and a late welcome to the forum.
Glad it's working out the shaving process.
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Looking really good Anil, shaved smooth looks great on you. It seems you have found the shaving routine that works well with you. Keep it up.
On a side note, aloe vera is a good a moisturizer but it also promotes faster hair growth. Guess you will have to shave more often then....hehehe.
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On a side note, aloe vera is a good a moisturizer but it also promotes faster hair growth.
Well you learn something new every day!
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hiii Anil, u are not the only indiam there lots of them over here, most of them are inactive me too one of them, Good to see one more indian brother.
Let me the first indian to welcome you,"WELCOME TO SBG",This is one community that gave me all the strength to shave my head n all the knowledge about shaving head .
SBG brothers also needed some help i can see wrinkles on my scalp a lot of them to be exact .Is there any way i can get rid of them,will aging creams help in any way?? pls reply
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hiii Anil, u are not the only indiam there lots of them over here, most of them are inactive me too one of them, Good to see one more indian brother.
Let me the first indian to welcome you,"WELCOME TO SBG",This is one community that gave me all the strength to shave my head n all the knowledge about shaving head .
SBG brothers also needed some help i can see wrinkles on my scalp a lot of them to be exact .Is there any way i can get rid of them,will aging creams help in any way?? pls reply
Oh hi dude, as the title says ' probably ' :P and yeah, I've been told that there are a few inactive Indians around here. I myself was inactive for a while, exams really screw your personal life don't they. Anyway, as an update I wanted to post a few pictures, I am in my pajamas don't mind anyway here they are(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/231012_4821842194020_2112658133_n.jpg)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/550279_4821841634006_624036911_n.jpg)
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Looking great Anil! O0
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Its almost been a month now, all I got are good responses apart from those REALLY naive 1700's Indians who refuse to grow out of it. Most importantly, I feel confident as sh*t!
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Looking great dude