My advice to “Newbies”

There is a lot of great information on this site about shaving technique, honing, stropping with and without paste and choosing the right razor etc.

One thing I we don’t talk about a lot is the shaving environment. With an electric, multiple blade or DE razor you can get a “shave” (of sorts) almost in the dark, with a little mirror all steamed up.

I have recently renovated out second bathroom, which gave me a good excuse to turn it into a shaving den. So I got myself some really good lighting and a really good big anti mist mirror.

I made sure the sink was the right type so I could get nice and close to the mirror so I could really see what I was doing close up.

Doing this and using a decent pre-honed razor really improved my shaving no end and of course improved my shaving technique tremendously.

It is crucial to be able to see the entire edge of the blade as much as possible while the razor is open

Yeah I think the shaving environment is very important. One of the biggest problems with my bathroom is that it is too small. After I shower the mirrors get covered with steam. I usually open the door and let it dry out, but by that time my face is already dry. In addition, my bathroom gets very hot and if I immediately shave after coming out of the shower I sweat really badly and it's just uncomfortable. What I do now is open the door, dry the mirrors with a hair dryer, and use a hot towel on my face to re-soften/re-moisturize my face.

Good point! My shaving environment is somewhat cramped in terms of room to manipulate my elbows. I have firured out my technique given my environment but I think it may have taken me a bit longer than usual. However, never really thought about it until seeing your post.

A couple of things you can try:

Put candles under your mirror while you shower. Helps keep the mirror fog free. It'll take a few, however...
Use a product called "RainX Anti-Fog" Amazon.com: RainX BCAF21112 Anti-Fog 3.5oz.: Automotive
Place a small fan on your counter facing your mirror.
Hang a towel over your mirror while showering.
Shower with the door/window (or both...) open.

I just shower in the master bathroom and shave in the bathroom in the hall.... :)

Good Shaving