Thread: Best Shave Preperation ?

One vote for mixing cream in a soap bowl, the best of both worlds combined!

I tried a shavette once.......never again! Butchered the hell out of my face. I guess they take some care in using one. I beleive I'll stick to the traditional str8.

Regardless of the razor, I learned a very efficientt method on a different site. It was from italy, barbers used to it like this:
MAke sure face is hydrated first, right after your shower is best.
Get your lather ready, preferably with hot water.
Lather your face. Leave the lather on for a few minutes. Do everything else you do in the morning: deodorant, brush hair, etc.
Then massage your face.
relather, if needed, or wash the initial lather with warm water then relather.
Shave using however many passes you are comfortable with.
After the last pass, relather for post.
Enjoy the closest shave ever. It made a huge difference for me.

I shave right out of the shower, the beard is saturated, lather up, strop and shave.

Originally Posted by frenchnico

Regardless of the razor, I learned a very efficientt method on a different site. It was from italy, barbers used to it like this:
MAke sure face is hydrated first, right after your shower is best.
Get your lather ready, preferably with hot water.
Lather your face. Leave the lather on for a few minutes. Do everything else you do in the morning: deodorant, brush hair, etc.
Then massage your face.
relather, if needed, or wash the initial lather with warm water then relather.
Shave using however many passes you are comfortable with.
After the last pass, relather for post.
Enjoy the closest shave ever. It made a huge difference for me.

I like the face massaging idea, and the deodorant might give me ten seconds more of lather-sitting-time, but brushing hair for me is redundant...

Originally Posted by DoughBoy68

I tried a shavette once.......never again! Butchered the hell out of my face. I guess they take some care in using one. I beleive I'll stick to the traditional str8.

I almost gave up SR shaving when I was using a shavette, but all that changed when my wife bought me my first straight razor.

Sticks are OK. I only occassionally use them at home, but for travelling, they are perfecto. I use an almond Valobra soap/creme at home and a Valobra menthol stick on the road. The both are excellent.

On work days, I wash my face with Musgo Real Glyce Lime Soap, then put on some LaToja shave stick, add a dollop of Irisch Moos cream to my brush and face lather for about a minute - that really works the lather into the whiskers and softens them up nicely.

On weekends, when I have more time, I wash my face as usual, then I like to mix Irisch Moos and Musgo Real cream in my mug, put a layer on my face, then apply a hot, moist towel for about a minute, wipe it off, and apply the lather for the shave.

The Italian barber method sounds appealing - think I'll give it a try this week-end...

Still new, but I've found a system that works well. I have sensitive skin so a good beard prep is essential. My system:

Hot shower
Hot towel on face x1 minute (make hot w/ hot tap water & wring out)
Castle Forbes pre shave (just a bit)
Pre-soaked badger brush to apply soap or cream x2 minutes
Shave w/ sharp, stropped razor: 3 passes, rinse w/ warm water between passes & reapply soap/cream w/ warm brush. I use a DirtyBird warming mug w/ insert.
Final rinse w/ cold water
Splash alcohol-free witch hazel (lavender)
Aftershave balm- AOS lavender or TOBS sensitive skin

A bit of work but makes for a great shave!

I find that shaving after a hot shower, using glycerian soap works great. What ever you do don't shave in the shower you don't want the razor falling out of your hands.