After a few mediocre shaves since I last reported, I now have two notable shaves to report.

Shave #9

C.O. Bigelow shave cream
Van Der Hagen brush

This was an utter failure. I took a bath before this shave so I didn't have as hot of water on my face for as long as I would have with a shower. With my dominate hand on the first pass, I came down on the wrong angle and opened a 1/2 inch cut that left a 1/4 inch flap of skin attached a little above my jawline on my cheek. I had blood pooling up between the flap and my lower layers of skin and had a nice stream of blood making it's way down my face. I finished the first pass quickly just so that I didn't have half my face semi-shaved and the other half scruffy and then cleaned up. Didn't bleed for too long but I was too ashamed to take pictures.

Shave #10 - redemption

C.O. Bigelow shave cream
Van Der Hagen brush
AOS Post-shave lotion

I let my face recover for two days and the scab finally washed away today. Small flap of skin was left but I figured it wouldn't be bad.

I took a hot shower and then make up my lather. The first pass went really well and I was able to use both hands for their respective cheeks and neck areas. The wound from above gave a couple drops of blood but then healed on it's own and didn't even make the lather pink when I prepped for the second pass. I used my dominate hand for the entire second pass but I took it slow and was able to get a really good shave on everything except my right (dominate side) neck.

When I finished, I realized that, other than the few drops of blood mentioned before, I wasn't bleeding at all. No nicks trying to navigate the end of my jawline. No drops of blood forming where I put too much pressure just below my mouth. This is my best shave to date.

For next time: 1) remember to take it slow; 2) try my left hand on the second pass for that side of my face; 3) work on the right side of the neck on the second pass to get that as good as I got the rest of my face this time.