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.