Thread: What's Your Shave Routine

Razor stropped before the shave, 20 linen 100 leather.

Face splash with cold water...lately I've been applying Proraso Pre-Shave, seems to hydrate my beard much better and provide a closer, more comfortable shave.

Run hot water and soak brush, some hot water on the puck. Load the brush, lather, 3 passes, WTG, XTG and ATG. Rinse with cold water, Thayer's Witch Hazel with Aloe.

Clean brush and hang to dry, dry razor and let air dry.

60 laps linen 40 laps leather and store in a SRD razor sock.

Apply AS if I'm heading out....

Wash my face with Sterling bath soap.
Lather with Sterling shave soap.
Strop 50X on leather.
Shave WTG, XTG, ATG (lather between each)
Lather again, clean brush, soap and bowl.
Rinse face and rub down with Alum bar.
Strop 25X on leather.
Apply AS.

Brush in a small bowl of water
-Jump in the shower, wash face with whatever high quality face wash the mrs has stocked
-Fill sink,
-build lather while sink fills
-WTG
-Splash
-ATG
-Splash
-Witch Hazel
-after shave balm
-Cetaphil moisturizing SPF 50

I vary my routine a lot, but I have two go to routines:

Post- Shower;

Shower, wash face in shower, exit, keep face wet, apply lather to face, scrub in with fingers, go and get my razor and set everything up, wipe off lather with wet towel (maybe hold it on face for awhile), apply lather...shave.

No Shower;

Apply wet towel to face (either hot or cold water), re-wet towel as it seems to cool off or heat up (as the case may be), hold on face for 2-3 minutes, lather...shave.

Sometimes I throw in some luxuries, but this is the core of what I do.

To paraphrase the Beatles:
Wake up, fall out of bed
Drag a straight across my face

Run cold water and soak brush in the mug. Pour out the water, leaving 1/4" in the bottom of the mug. Load the brush with Monsavon and lather in the mug until it's half full. Apply lather and shave. 3 passes followed by a splash of aftershave.