Thread: Using cream to prep your whiskers...

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.

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

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.

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