First week shaving

Well, a whole week has passed and I've been shaving with a shavette every day.

Here's my process:

1) I boil some water in a bowl, and wait for a little bit until it cools down a little. Then I leave my brush in there while I take a shower.
2) I wash my face with soap and shampoo in the shower, and leave a layer of hair conditioner after jumping out of the shower.
3) Put a hot towel in my face for 3 minutes.
4) Wash completelely the hair conditioner from my face with hot water
5) Throw away the hot water from the bowl, add some Clinique shaving gel, a few drops of glycerin, a few drops of almonds oil. Remove the excess of water from the brush and start loading it up with L'Occitane shaving soap.
6) Start swirling the brush in the bowl and add water if needed until the lather has a whiping cream consistency.
7) Apply the lather to my face and start with a WTG pass. Wash my face with hot water, re-lather, and then a XTG pass. Wash the face and re-lather. If I'm using a new blade, do a very gentle ATG pass in the cheaks only.
8) Wash my face with cold water and use an alum to close the pores (and any nick). Apply some Nivea aftershave balm, and I'm done.

I've been managing to get really, really close shaves in my cheaks and jaw line. Very comfortable. I hadn't been able to shave every single day for a whole week with a Mach3 in my life without getting all kinds of ingrown hairs, irritation and PAIN.

I need some advice. The neck is really difficult for me and I guess it will take some time to learn how to properly shave it. My beard grows across my neck in a parallel line with the jaw, always from my left side to the right. It is relatively simple to do a XTG (I just shave from north to south or south to north). However it hurts because I it is very difficult to get a proper WTG first.

I guess it is only matter of time, patience and practice, but any advice on the kind of grip, blade motion during the stroke etc. to get a WTG in that region with the beard growing completely parallel to the jaw line would be greatly appreciated!! :)

Thank you all

It really sounds to me like you're off to a great start! The neck is a bit of a problem to me also, but I've found a way to get around it. The hair grows almost horizontal (sound familiar?) to the sides of my adams apple. Stretching is the key for me, and I just pull the skin to the sides when I shave my neck. When the skin is moved over to the more round part of my neck to the side, it's easier to shave side-to-side, so a WTG pass as much as possible. Being very gentle is also important.

There have been a couple of recent threads dealing with much the same issues: http://straightrazorpalace.com/newbi...my-throat.html and http://straightrazorpalace.com/newbi...blem-neck.html

Other than that, you sound like you don't need help at all. :) If you ever do decide to use a non-disposable straight, you have all the steps except you'd just need to throw in stropping before you shave.

Thanks Dave, I totally skipped those threads :o

There are certainly some very interesting posts and advices in there and I can't wait to try 'em all! stretching the skin....experimenting with just part of the blade in different angles...from diferent directions.....short strokes....VERY gentle strokes.....a lot of fun coming up!

I feel like I've had a lot of lonely fun in the bathroom lately :D......OMG....did I just say that?? :eek:

I have a very similar issue with that area as well.

One of the things that has helped me, and may help you, to get a closer shave is using a scything motion: http://straightrazorpalace.com/srpwiki/index.php/Advanced_shaving_techniques_for_the_straight_razor

The technique looks intimidating, but it is really not so bad. Good luck!

My neck hair grows exactly like that.

I just do one pass straight down, and one sort of diagonally up and to the left. Needless to say the right side of my neck gets BBS easily because of the growth direction. The left side is trickier, I try to use the heel a lot more there. I've just accepted that my neck wont be as nice as my cheeks but it's still plenty smooth.

I'm sure with different way of holding the blade and different stretches it can be done. I've just been content with how well it comes out now and haven't really tried too hard on different approaches.

Ahhh, how easy life would be is all my facial/neck hair grew straight down.

JCitron

what kind of angle do you use in your up and to the left passes?

Thanks:)