Thread: Str8 Shaving Toughens Your Face?

Actually, I don't think so.

This gets bandied about fairly often from what I can see, but I am dubious.

I am pretty familiar with the process of forming calluses, being a guitar player and a sailor. You have to use your skin hard or damage it repeatedly for it to toughen up.

And every callus I have seen FEELS different from normal skin.

Here is why I think this is a myth:

1. I learned to shave various parts of my face at different times, but the only irritation I had was when I was first learning to shave my cheeks.

- I shaved my sideburns and cheeks for a month before venturing off into other territory. I remember the very first time I shaved my chin and under my neck. There was ZERO irritation because I used a sharp razor and had good technique.

- It was a bit after that I learned how to shave my mustachios. Put the razor under my nostril, and twist and scrape. Nice smooth upper lip. No irritation the very first time I did it.

If it is really necessary to "toughen up" your face and get it used to shaving str8, then I should have had several days of irritation and discomfort every time I tried to shave a new place on my face. But, on the contrary, this did not happen.

2. Recently I shaved one side of my face with my old Mach III Turbo. Then I splashed on the aftershave I always use after shaving str8. WOW did that smart!!!! But only on the side shaved with the Mach III Turbo (which I had used previous to str8 shaving for 7 years).

I believe my face ACTUALLY RECOVERED from being shaved with the Mach III when I started using the Str8.

3. My face feels nicer, smoother, and softer since I started shaving str8. It does not feel at all leathery.



Now, perhaps I am wrong, I frequently am, but this whole "toughening" concept has a VERY WRONG ring to it and doesn't square with my experience at all.

This has been the first that I have ever heard it mentioned that a straight razor toughens your face!
Did you hear it on this site?
Could it be that they only meant that your face has to get used to a straight and had nothing to do with actual toughening or callouses?

If anything, I'd say my face is softer - but that could be all the nice stuff I put on it since using straights.

I agree your skin needs time to get used to a straight shave after using disposables or whatever. I guess this could be referred to as "toughening up"

James.

My wife noticed that my face feels different now that I shave with a straight. But that could be all the new products I'm using, the new techniques while straight shaving (stretching). I wouldn't say that my skin is tougher, may be even softer now.

Thats a good question. I'm not sure the face toughens up because we are exfoliating as such. My understanding of the callouses I have was from getting blisters on my blisters, then they burst and form again. Apart from our (my) first few shaves I don't think that happens to our face, I could however be mistaken.

I have found however since straight shaving, the growth of my beard has slowed down quite a bit. Perhaps from my skin toughening up

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

I have found however since straight shaving, the growth of my beard has slowed down quite a bit. Perhaps from my skin toughening up

It just feels that way because you now WANT it to grow faster.