How do You Define "BBS?"

Hey, All,

I keep hearing that BBS is the ultimate goal. I finally may have reached it IF my definition of BBS is consistent with at least most of you.
Here's the deal:
After shaving, if I stroke my face with my hand WITH the grain, it is absolutely smooth as glass all over--everywhere. (No detection whatsoever that whiskers were ever there.)
If I stroke my face with my hand ACROSS THE GRAIN, it is absolutely smooth as glass all over.
(These "tests" are the same whether my face is wet or completely dry.)
When I stroke my face against the grain, I detect the presence of whiskers, albeit like super duper fine sand paper.
My thought is that if stroking my face against the grain were to be smooth as glass with no detection whatsoever of whiskers, I must have used high power Nair or some acid compound and melted those suckers well below skin surface.
So...my brothers in blades...have I accomplished BBS???

I can make it so I don't even feel the whiskers against the grain with a DE, but with a straight that state has eluded me.

I believe BBS is to the point you cannot even feel whiskers against the grain. If not, I'm there with ya buddy!

No whiskers even rubbing ATG. What a feeling. Just ask my wife. :D

X

yup mee too. No whiskers when rubbing any way. But It took me a while and I kept on finding new definitions of BBS.

BBS means you don't feel any stubble regardless of the direction you rub your face. However, I don't refer to that as a perfect shave. Acquiring a BBS shave means you are getting down to the "nitty gritty". To me, a perfect shave means that it is one I am satisfied with and one that looks good. Striving for a BBS shave on a daily basis, IMO, means you are doing damage to your face.

RT

Last night was as close as I ever got to BBS and it didn't feel exsesive at all. Great shave :D Got that tricky spot for me figured out and all seems well. See what happens next time :p

For your skin health you should be satisfied where you are now.

OK. So let me get this straight.

In part, I guess I'm asking you guys for help in rationalizing not always achieving a BBS shave.

So, it seems there is consensus that a BBS is feeling no whiskers rubbing any direction on the face. Everything, every way, is smooth as glass.

However, according to a couple of the responses so far, this is different from achieving a "perfect shave". (Thanks RT!)

A "perfect shave" can therefore be a shave in which we 1) enjoy the process; 2) are satisified with the results (in other words, maybe not fitting our definition of BBS, but the shave is close and smooth); and 3) the result looks good.

So, I think my new strategy will be to achieve a "perfect shave" as defined above and not worry about achieving BBS. If BBS is the result, so be it, but perhaps it shouldn't be the yardstick for success.

Is this a cop out? Am I selling my soul to the shave-devil with such a compromise?

Carry on,
Ron

Of course you're not selling your soul! You've gained access to a higher-state of being. You're doing better than the drones with cartridge razors - much better!
The occasional extra mile for a BBS shave is worth it if you just feel like having an extra-special day or if it's a special event, but day-to-day you're probably doing more harm to your skin than it's worth.
The woes of male euphoria! :(

There are good reasons why it says in every barbers manual published not to go against the grain. A BBS shave one day might be fun but I think getting used to a perfect shave is more important. I once saw a BBS addict with an ingrown hair that grew to the size of a golf ball; horrific! He had to have surgury to get that hair cut out of his face.

You should focus on getting a BBS shave and still using the proper stroke direction, that is the essence of perfection of this art.

Actually any hack with a cartridge can get BBS with an against the grain pass.

What does BBS stand for...when I was starting we called it faceturbation cause the skin was so soft in all directions you couldnt stop stroking it lol.

BBS as far as I know has always meant "babys butt (or bum) smooth", B.B.S.

This is a phrase that I can recall from my college days when whiskers were being nuked wholesale (along with skin) by a whole host of crappy cartridge bladed razors.

"That shave was GREAT, my face is as smooth as a babys bum!" (BBS) for example.

On reflection, some 20 years later I can look upon that saying and safely say that shaves back then were not as BBS as shaving with a straight razor!

Already been said - just count me :)

BBS - can't feel anything in any direction (I myself settle for less than that almost all of the time)

Perfect shave - for me it must not only feel good, it must still be reasonably close :) but without any cuts and irritation

I also do not think that BBS is good for all people, all of the time - but I guess some people can get away with a BBS every day.

Cheers
Ivo

I rub my fingers against the grain in the various zones of hair growth and settle for minimal to no stubble feeling when I press.
I don't shave against the grain much any more, I take each section wtg than a couple cross-grain angles. As long as I get that smooth feeling on a plain touch, I'm ok.
Don't wanna pull the hairs up and have them retract under too much skin.

OK.
Thanks.
I feel better.:)

a BBS for me is no stubble in any direction, this usualy takes me 3 passes;
If I'm in a hurry in the morning I only do 2 passes as it looks and stills feels better than using a disposable razor.

But if I have the time to do a 3 pass and I'm going to be doing anything special like going out or meeting a Lady I will do.

I can tell if I got a BBS shave the prior day, when I go to shave. If it is hard to find a lot of stubble to shave off, the prior days shave was BBS..:tu

I have only gone BBS a couple of times, and it was the most frustrating thing EVER waiting for the hairs to grow back enough to shave again. :rant:

I am acheiving a way closer shave then I have ever done with mush 3 using only a single wtg pass with a straight - the problem is that it raises the bar so much higher then the mush 3 that you feel you should go BBS just because you can.

Si

I agree that BBS is not feeling any stubble in any direction. However, I used to be one of these guys who NEEDED a BBS shave every time I shaved and since I now shave daily, I find that doing this every day starts to irritate my skin by the 6th or 7th shave. I find I can go very close with just 2 passes, wtg and xtg, which is enough for me on most days.

So, I'm taking to doing a non BBS shave one day and a BBS shave the next (unless I have a special event that I want the extra closeness). My skin feels a little healthier doing this (no, I have no double-blind, reproducible scientific study - just a gut instinct).

I do just about the same as Steve! BBS one day 1-2 passes the next. i dont really get razor burn but my skin just needs the break.

BBS for me is no stuble in any direction, I shoot for this everytime I shave. Sometimes I ca get so smooth that you don't even see my shadow line. I never really have a skin irritation problem because if I truely get a BBS shave I don't have to shave until about 2.5 days later, which give my skin plenty of time to heal. If its a weekend I don't shave until Monday morning, since switching to a str8 I never shave the next day.

Find a baby. Get permission from its parent (once you've convinced them you're not a pervert). Feel the skin on it's bottom. BBS.

:roflmao

Excellent advice about getting permission. Otherwise, brace yourself for the lawsuit...

Josh

I have only achieved BBS with my Gem 1912 single edge. I have enjoyed 75% BBS with only a couple of str8 shaves (not 100% of facial area!!).

BBS is just that smooth as a baby's butt. No stubble in any direction. Since I have been using a straight (just over a year) I do not have to shave every day. I usually only have to shave two/three times in a full week. I have not yet achieved BBS with just a straight; I have to finish with a DE to get that last little bit. There are some angles I cannot achieve with the straight. :rant: (stupid sideways neck hair) I pretty much have my technique set, so I do not experiment with new angles often. If a certain grip/angle does not feel comfortable/safe it is not worth the risk in my opinion. I would rather just use a DE for those spots so I do not cut my head off. :tu

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 1adam12

I would rather just use a DE for those spots so I do not cut my head off. :tu

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Leaving your head attached is generally a good thing.

/there can be only ONE!