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So this morning after I got out of the shower, I decided to try something a little different, before i whipped up my lather (Castle Forbes Lime Cream :) ) I re-wet my face and rubbed in some poraso cream and let it sit while I made lather and stropped my razor..
Not sure but I think my shave was a bit smoother, anyone else ever try anything like this?
I've used proraso lather for a preshave with a hot washcloth while really getting that final "whip" on my lather if that counts. Works well for me...
Don't you normally lather before stropping? Generally, I wet my face (after having a shower), apply Proraso pre-shave cream (every single time; I love the stuff), make my lather while the Proraso pre-shave sits on my face, lather straight over the pre-shave cream, and then strop (30/70). I find the lather sitting on my face while stropping allows it quite a good time to 'soak in'. I do need to ensure it's not too dry, but if it feels or looks too dry after stropping, I just add a few more drops of water to the lather (that's sitting in a bowl in the sink, with hot water in the sink) and re-lather.
Lately, when I do the second pass I make sure I re-wet my face, previously I wasn't doing this and questioned my own practice. I may even start to re-apply the pre-shave for the second pass...
Depending on my mood I may just lather before stropping or on occasion I have lathered, overlaid with a hot towel for several minutes, relathered and finally stropped with a full Saint Nick look about me. I have played with other methods and this seems to work great, especially after a shower.
Interesting, I have the Poraso cream in the tube (Menthol stuff I think?) So far I've been using it to sit and work it's way into the whiskers while I strop.... Was just wondering if anyone else did this...nice to see some do :)
Whiskers, like hair and nails on all mammals, is composed of keratin. A protein that softens in the presence of heat and humidity. Thus the effectiveness of a hot shower before shaving. But stearic acid can also dissolve keratin resulting in soft whiskers, more specifically the outer scales of the hair shaft prior to shaving. This is a common ingredient in several pre-shave products including the cheapest --- Barbasol! That's right --- Barbasol has one of the highest % of stearic acid with the "beard buster" bragging rights. I know, its cheap and available at Wal-Mart for 98 cents so it does not get much support from the vendors of more expensive solutions also containing stearic acid. Leave a light layer of Barbasol on your face for 10 minutes post-shower and you will be amazed. I don't shave with it but it is an amazing beard softener.
Almost considering picking up some Barbasol, specifically for that reason now Gammaray. For the longest time, I've realized that my whiskers must be made of small steel braided cable because normally after letting my beard grow for a few days, I'd take the razor to it, and even after stropping or a newly sharpened blade, it would still pull a bit. So anything to help soften the beard is worth a try. Anyone else have this issue?
Josh, I have a very tough beard also. I always shower before shaving for that reason. I don't recall the last time I shaved without a shower.
Right now, while in the shower I rub Stephan's shave cream into my whiskers a few times to help soften my whiskers.
Ive noticed that it helps quite a bit too, i dont think there's any luck for guys like us in the hopes of really softening our whiskers much, but every little bit helps. I guess letting the beard grow every once in a while may just not be worth it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mvcrash
I remember reading in an old (c.1895-1910) barbering manual that one should lather the face, let the lather sit for a few minutes, then wipe away the lather before applying the actual "for shaving" lather. The manual says that the hair is basically a hollow tube filled with oils which act to soften the hair structure. The first lather allows the soap to strip the oils from the hair, leaving the hair brittle and more easily cut when you shave on the next lather.
Christopher
I re-wet and reapply Proraso for each pass. I go through the stuff really fast that way, but I find it gives better results.Quote:
Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider
How much more does Barbasol have than other canned foams like gillette or noxema? I've tried those, and they worked okay, but I didn't try them for 10 full minutes, because, among other things, I start to get irritation before that. Still I may try it sometime. I'd love to see what it is like shaving with a soft beard.
If the ingredients read aqua (water) followed by stearic acid then the ratio is high and there are several inexpensive cans and creams that contain this mix. Enjoy.
I used in the past pre shave creme from proraso. i love the menthol thing wen you let it a while on your face.
Specialy the second pass was exiting, hot lather on a prepeard face(hot and cold)... love it.
I used proraso, but I hated the big price tag that goes with it. I tried regular Noxzema yesterday. It is supposed to have menthol in it. Well, it is not as strong as proraso, butit left my skin softer and I got a closer shave for less money... But, I do miss the burnof proraso..
A question for all the proraso users, with such a strong smell what do you guys use for your lather? Something neutral or something scented? If scented doesnt it overwhelmed by the proraso?
Are you asking if we add scent to the lather? I personally don't. If you are asking if I wear cologne after shaving, then yes. After my final pass, I wipe my face with a wet washcloth (cold), rub alum block, and blot dry on my bath towel. I apply aftershave after I have air dried for a couple minutes & cologne. I've only noticed a bit of scent, however light, if I just wipe my face with my bath towel and apply aftershave...still, the aftershave pretty much overwhelms the Proraso (green) scent. It's REALLY not that strong...you should smell Martin de Cadre!
Hey shooterQuote:
Originally Posted by shooter74743
What I was alluding to is this. I have been contemplating using Proraso as a pre shave prep (or something like that). However my lather is the TOBS sandalwood soap and/or cream which I love. The lather and glide I am really happy with. I am also a huge fan of the scent of the sandalwood. I find the scent very pleasent and that it lingers post shave. (I only use an odourless balm afterwards). So I guess the question is wouldnt the proraso dominate the scent of the sandalwood? Beard prep may be better with it sure but is there a clash of scents??
Cheers Gents
Well just as an update, I've switched to using AOS Lavender as a pre-shave but may try some good ol Barbasol (JUST as a pre-shave, not as an actual lather) I liked the Poraso, but I have weird skin and after a few days of doing this and even shaving with Poraso a few times, I was itching like mad on my neck, guess something in Poraso just doesn't agree with me :(
Don't know, just try it and see. You can't go wrong with either soap on their own, I personally love to try out new soaps. At the worst you could find some sandwood scented aftershave...Quote:
Originally Posted by mav13
No, the Proraso pre-shave doesn't overwhelm either the lather or AS. Even the Proraso liquid cream AS doesn't overwhelm a AS, Like Pinaud Clubman when I use them together. Then again, I guess nothing would overwhelm Clubman!Quote:
Originally Posted by mav13
The only shaving cream I've used that's ever lingered all day (with another AS over the top) is Musgo Real, I find I can smell that even into the afternoon, even with a AS on as well...
I learned that technique on a different forum, It was an old Italian barber trick: Make sure the face is moist, lather, let sit for 5 minutes, relather if needed, shave, and apply lather as a post shave. Follow with rinse of cold water. The pre-shave softens the hair, and the post shaves reinfuses moisture in the skin, while the cold rinse gets everything out (cold rinses better than hot), and closes pores. I even had nicks that stopped just with cold water.Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgyver74
I use this everyday! It works better if your soap is an emollient, and really fat...:o
I actually find myself liking MWF more and more for my soap, for some reason I just cannot get a good lather that is creamy and offers good cushion/glide out of a cream.
I will likely be switching to all soaps in the near future.... but using the cream as a pre-shave,
So my current routine with the cream as prep is:
1) Fill scuttle with HOT tap water and soak brush
2) Take shower, first thing, wash face with Noxzema, rinse and rub in Pantene Conditioner into whiskers, let it sit whilst I take rest of shower
3) After getting out of shower, rub in cream and let it stay wet while I make lather
4) Rinse cream, apply first layer of lather, 1 hot towel for 20 - 30 seconds
5) Lather and shave 3 passes
6) One more layer of lather and hot towel
7) Alum
8) cold water rinse
9) Witch Hazel (Thayers aloe)
10) After shave (Usually Clubman Vanilla)
11) ASB
Seems to work for me lately, doesn't irritate my skin like Poraso did..... but I still want to try barbasol for preshave to see if the Stearic acid makes a difference