How much did you change your routine?

...when you first started shaving with a straight razor?

While going through my pre-shave ritual today (shower, wash face, lather, etc.) I realized that I'd gone from someone who shaved once a month or less, and thought of it as a chore, to someone who shaved almost daily, and thought of it as an enjoyable start to my day. A bit of private time to just relax and take care of myself.

I'd gone from someone who never even bothered much with any sort of face-scrub... or even thought about taking care of my face, to someone who makes sure to take the extra bit of time to use a scrub.

Somehow, shaving was way more of a hassle to me when I did it once a month, in 10 minutes, then now, when I do it daily, and take half an hour or more for the whole process.

Even stranger, since I now had a routine, of which the sole focus was taking proper care of myself in one aspect... it became childs play to extend that to also work some daily exercise into my schedule. And then after that, the obvious next step is eating better. All things that seemed like "too much of a hassle" before!

I'm sure this isn't typical of course, but for me, it seems this one thing was enough to tip the scales, as it were.

So how about the rest of you? Did your daily routine change a little? Not at all?

Im in tha same exact boat, Im lucky if I shaved 3 times a month and dont even know if I ever washed my face except for maybe when I took a shower, to now shaving every other day, and being concerned about my skin. Now I look for soaps that have moisturiser in them and after shaves that have no alchol, I never used to care about this stuff. I must say and even my girlfriend agrees that my skin has never looked so good untill I started straight shaving.

I have always used face washes and scrubs but now i do it with more purpose...to lift the hairs and get them ready for shaving...i used to shave once a week max now at least 3 times. I love shaving now ... it takes longer but i love it. Now my shower routine is so different. I always make sure the face was or oil cleanse is the second thing done after shampoo so it can sit on my face a while to prep my skin. Exercise and eating healthy was always there but I do care a little more how my skin and face look now when I never did before. There is nothing better than a nice sharp blade against my skin. Its a little bad ass a little old school and a lot better shave than my old 3 4 or 5 blade.

I didn't really change anything. Shaving has just become an extension of my showers, and I usually shower when I have some free time anyway (I like long showers).

Only change is that now i look forward to shaving and plan it so I don't rush.

Well, I never neglected my facial care and always liked the fresh feel of a shave. But to tweek my routine as I've done latley was a slow process. I started straight razor shaving at night so I had ample time to do it and do it right. I didn't want to rush it in the mornings and leave for work bleeding. As I get more skill the nicks are way down and I have picked up the speed, but who would want to rush such a pleasurable thing in life as a straight shave? These days I get into the shower after I soak my brush and scuttle in hot water. making my lather instead of pouring it out of a can. Some Strauss Jr. Chopin, or the almighty Beethoven welcome me into the day ahead as I strive for that BBS shave. I get into the shower earlier and leave the shave den later but the time I take out for my self is so much more than words can describe. I admit I will put off a shave for an extra day or three just so that when I finally do pick up my cut throat britva, the sensation is all that more sweeter.

I changed a lot. I used to shave once every 10 days, sometimes longer, and I would wake up 15 minutes before I had to be out the door in the mornings. Now I'm up 45 minutes earlier in the mornings and I only (VERY reluctantly) miss shaves when I'm letting my face heal.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyCakeDC

Well, I never neglected my facial care and always liked the fresh feel of a shave. But to tweek my routine as I've done latley was a slow process. I started straight razor shaving at night so I had ample time to do it and do it right. I didn't want to rush it in the mornings and leave for work bleeding. As I get more skill the nicks are way down and I have picked up the speed, but who would want to rush such a pleasurable thing in life as a straight shave? These days I get into the shower after I soak my brush and scuttle in hot water. making my lather instead of pouring it out of a can. Some Strauss Jr. Chopin, or the almighty Beethoven welcome me into the day ahead as I strive for that BBS shave. I get into the shower earlier and leave the shave den later but the time I take out for my self is so much more than words can describe. I admit I will put off a shave for an extra day or three just so that when I finally do pick up my cut throat britva, the sensation is all that more sweeter.

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Ooooh, there's something I hadn't thought of! A little bit of classical music on while shaving... will have to try that tomorrow!

I used to hate shaving, and honestly only did it because of demands from swmbo, she's happy, I'm happy. She was skeptical about the straight, but since my shaves are smoother, she's all over it. however, now that we are on opposite sides of the world, I kinda want to go back the the bachelor beard, but shaving is fun now! Plus I've learned new things about how to sharpen my other shiny sharp things, which is good. I still shave pretty much every day, which has been the same for the past few years. hurray for no more mock-3s and schtick 4s

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Originally Posted by arariel

I'm sure this isn't typical of course, but for me, it seems this one thing was enough to tip the scales, as it were.

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It may not be "typical" but I don't think it's all that rare either. I think it's pretty common to start doing one thing to make your life better, and have it quickly spread throughout your life.

I started baking my own bread back in march. It's really not a big thing if you own a kitchen aide stand mixer. It takes me less time than a trip to the store for sure, because I do other things while the dough is rising, like clean the rest of my apartment. Now I hardly ever eat out. I cook more, my girlfriend cooks more, and we've both lost a little weight recently. All good things.


As far as changes from shaving, I think the only real change for me is that I do it more often, and take more care to keep my bear trimmed. I used to only shave with my mach3 as often as I needed to for work, and I'd only trim my beard when my girlfriend started to complain about mustache hair going up her nose when we kissed.

Now I trim my beard about once a week, and shave just about every day.

My routine went from taking about 2 minutes to do something entirely mundane and uninteresting to spending about 3 times as much time and about 20 times as much care to do a better job of it

Mine changed a fair bit initially. I slowed down a lot and tried to figure out what I was doing, particularly on the head but the face also. I would say that lasted for a year to 18 months maybe, give or take.

After that I think I got about back to where I started in terms of time with blade on skin. But in terms of routine, things are vastly different for me. Stropping for a start - never did that with a mach 3! :D

James.