Thread: clear

Is there a clear soap or creme so i can see what i am doing when i shave? Just trying to be safe.

Not that I know of. You can't get much safer than just watching your blade angle and be sure to move the blade vertically & not horizontally. You should be fine

It's the air bubbles that make problems.

Take a clear liquid soap -- dishwashing liquid, for example -- and try to build up some lather with it. I bet you end up with a mess of white bubbles, just like lather from white soap, and can't see anything through them.

There are "shaving oils" and "shaving gels" that lubricate, but don't lather. With those, you can see what you're doing.

Charles

walls,

You can use a water based 'personal lubricant' (I use KY) as a shave medium !!

It hydrates the whiskers and provide the correct amount of slip for the shave.

When I use 'personal lubricant' like this, I apply a small amount of Musgo Real Glyce Lemon soap to my face, then the 'lubricant'. Let sit for a couple of miunutes then shave.

Bizarre, but it seems to work well !!

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

there are plenty of clear gels that work without a brush.. however.. even though they work fine.. they are completely not necessary.. with proper blade angle and pressure (none).. you will be fine.

I find the lather helps me keep track of where I have been and where I have yet to shave on each pass. If there is an "obstacle" you need to avoid such as a mole or a nick from yesterdays shave, you can just take a finger and remove the lather from that spot. That works for me.

Trade Joe's sells some shave cream, it is almost clear and provides some lubrication... I have not tired it with a straight yet.

Originally Posted by walls

Is there a clear soap or creme so i can see what i am doing when i shave? Just trying to be safe.

Clear like water is clear. No... but you can
use water so yes.

Having said no, my barber years ago had a trick.
He would lather up our sides (we were kids) and the
back of our neck.

He would let the lather soak while he stropped
the razor.

Then he would wipe a bit of lather off leaving
a clear view of the line he wanted to shave to.
the two seconds between the wipe and the shave
did not leave enough time for anything to dry out.

Once you have a clear area you then progress
knowing that you can place the razor exactly on
the skin and shave into and under the lather.


So if you have a lump, bump, mole or something that
might hide in the lather use the thumb of your off hand
and wipe it clear a second before shaving near it.
Integrate the wipe into a light and gentle stretch
and life is good. Small patch at a time.


Lather does a couple of things.

• cleans the skin
• marks progress
• lubricates
• moistens and softens

Wiping the lather two seconds early does
not hurt the shave as best I can tell.

Walls, you concern is well-founded. I have a mole about an inch from the right corner of my mouth and the first time I shaved with a straight, I just about lopped that sucker plumb off! I was a lot more careful with future shaves, and I still catch that baby with just a glance once in a blue moon. Take it easy and slow. It will become second nature.

There are a few products out there that allow you to see what you are doing. One is "Lucky Tiger". It's a brushless shave cream and really good moisturizer. I use it as a pre-shave, but not as a rule for shaving because it simply doesn't provide enough cushion compared to soap or cream lather.

I use a shaving oil called Shave Secret, which is perfectly clear, provides substantial lubrication, and has been better for my skin than any of the creams/gels I've used in the past.

I DO NOT know if it would work well for Straights...I will find out before too long, but I mention it A) because it IS clear, and B) because someone here might know of it/have used it and know how it performed for them. One additional plus; you can find this stuff anywhere.