Thread: What works for a new guy

This is what has been working really well for me:

1. Filling up the sink with some hot water and letting the soap dish warm up.
2. Washing my face in the shower with hot water and some kind of exfoliating facial scrub with those bead things in them. Theres a ton of those things on the market, and many are cheap.
3. Getting my brush nice and wet with that sink water, shaking off the excess water and then building lather in a circular motion on the now warmed up soap.

That sounds like a very good routine. You must be getting a nice shave following that prep.

very close to my routine. differences are that i also soak my brush in hot water while showering and i don't use anything kind of exfoliating wash because my skin sometimes feels that its a little too harsh. good routine though i think!

I've been minimizing prep lately without any deterioration in shave quality. I never shower before a shave, just wet the brush under the faucet, sometimes don't even wet my face, and lather up. I'm not saying anyone should do this, but when there are time constraints, it hasn't been a problem for me.

Originally Posted by idkid

very close to my routine. differences are that i also soak my brush in hot water while showering and i don't use anything kind of exfoliating wash because my skin sometimes feels that its a little too harsh. good routine though i think!

That's a good point actually, my skin is kinda sensitive, but i've been using micro bead type stuff before shaving. if it exfoliates and then the razor is scraping off dead skin too, maybe it's just a little too harsh on the skin if i'm doing 3 passes? will maybe try a foaming wash before instead

I've only been at this for a month, and am really open to all of the prep ideas. Right now, the whole process of prep and shaving takes me about 45 Minutes, which I have time for in the evening. I'd like to get to a point where I can figure out exactly what I need to do and use the straight in the morning. I am really close to the point of not even needing to look at a safety razor. The only area that gives me trouble is that one strip that is basically your sideburn but closest to the ear.

If you're getting a good comfortable shave I wouldn't mess with your routine. Sure there is more you can do. You can use hot towels and preshave preps but for most guys it's really amazing how little you really have to do to get the job well done. Some guys with difficult skin have to do additional things and many like to do more just because they like to.

Originally Posted by ace

I've been minimizing prep lately without any deterioration in shave quality. I never shower before a shave, just wet the brush under the faucet, sometimes don't even wet my face, and lather up. I'm not saying anyone should do this, but when there are time constraints, it hasn't been a problem for me.

Wow. Usually I don't do it if I'm hurried, but the one time I did I still didn't skip on a quick hot rinse of my face and a pre-shave oil. I managed to give myself a little cut, but I don't think I can blame that on the prep, heh. Maybe next time I won't worry so much, though the oil goes on quick enough...
(Normal prep for me is like idkid's; only sometimes use the oil.)

I think for me it's not a daily activity anyway, it's something i do when i have time and want to relax, or before i go out. the quality of shave is generally good enough that i don't have to shave for another couple of days anyway

Don't get me wrong. I've got nothing against extended pre-shave preparation. On a weekend morning I may do it myself. It's just that even when I've done the hot towels and triple lathering, shave oils, and all of that there has been zero difference in the quality of the shaves. I enjoyed doing all of that, but in the mornings I just don't have the time for it and still want to shave with a straight. So I've backed off on prep, being careful to note any decline in shave quality. I haven't seen any yet. Now I can get through a three pass shave in less than six minutes. I just lather up and start hacking away.