I can only get BBS with 2 days growth

A poll was taken around here & most people reported that their shaves were better with 2 days growth than 1 (more hair length for the edge to grab onto or some such thing, was the working hypothesis). Well, in my case, the shaves are MUCH better with 2 days growth, or at least 1.5 days. So much so that I'm considering only shaving every other day. I just can't get it BBS if I shave every day. Anybody else have this problem & a possible solution to try? Maybe hair conditioner on my face? PS: My blade is sharp enough that arm hairs fall in half with no sensation of popping.

I have the same "problem". I think it's more a function of your skin being a bit rough the 1st 24 hours after a shave.

Even if you have the smooooothest shave ever, you are still abrading your epidermis as you run the razor over it. :chop:
That gets you a slight inflammatory response, which makes your capillaries a bit leaky, which slightly increases interstitial fluid levels, aka edema.
That gives your face-meats a bit more...hilly...topography to run a razor over. Hence the not-so-smooth shave.

Typically an irritation reaction like that, assuming it's only a single event of irritation, takes 12-48 hours to return to normal, depending on the severity of the reaction.

That being said, a little time investment and skin stretching can pretty much negate that. It just takes more effort.

Update: I tried 20 strokes on the linen + 50 on leather, as Glen does before every shave & has been urging me to try. It does seem to help. Not quite BBS but much better than without the linen.

Let me clarify: the linen is unnecessary & makes no difference if I have 2 days growth to work with, but if I have only 1 day growth, it seems to help. My theory is that it helps by smoothing the edge, but I'm just guessing.

I wonder if the linen would be able to burnish the harshness off a freshly honed edge. Puffah, whose advice has been excellent so far, says that linen is a restorer of the edge & you should not need to use pastes or linen on a freshly honed edge. Nonetheless I am going to try it. Many here have complained about the harshness of their edges right off the hone, and I have to touch my edges up frequently due to barbed wire beard.

I also have found that I get better shaves with a few days growth on my face. Not sure why.

For me, I get a closer shave and also less irritation if I let my beard get longer. Usually if I try to shave everyday I get irritation/slight blemishes on the bottom part of my neck. I don't think it's the fault of the razor because it used to happen a while back when I used a fresh cartridge razor. I've always tried to figure out a way around this (so I could shave everyday but haven't succeeded yet.

In my opinion shaving a few days growth off is much more enjoyable too. I can't say why but generally it is more comfortable and smoother. Maybe it is because there is much less chance of the razor managing to skip over any hairs that lie flat?

For myself a straight razor shave is almost too close. I've learned how to get very good results but I'm almost afraid to use a straight if I have to shave several days consecutively because I will get irritation and in-grown hairs.

I don't have the luxury of skipping a day.

My challenge is dialing back the closeness to be able to go several days in a row.

I agree with the irritation hypothesis. A wise man once said "A good shave lasts all day. A bad shave lasts all week."

Mild abrasion can take a day or two to heal. And if you have sensitive skin it can be an issue too, I think.

James.

Count me amongst the many. I sometimes wit a third day just to feel all the glorious pleasure a good straight shave delivers.

X

you have to let the razor rest one day affter shaving anyway, dont you? i read that somewhere in here that the razor has to be rested after one shave, atleast 24 hrs.

^
Alex - this is arguable, at least

I also enjoy my shaves much more when I have several days' worth of gowth.

On the other hand, if you are good with a straight you should be able to go several days in a row without irritation - but maybe not BBS every day, just *presentable*

Also, some people find it very easy to get BBS (skin, hair characteristics), while others find it much more challenging. I'd advise most to focus on comfort

Cheers
Ivo

Hi,

I found my shaves are best on the third day, if i leave it much longer the shave is not as comfatable for me. I'm going to try and knock it back to shaving every two days see how that goes. Although I have been shaving off of a norton 8000 edge! and stropping of course, I'm also the proud new owner of a Shapton 16000 now and some chromium oxide so I'm exited to see what edges I'll be getting from now on!

Cheers Mark

I believe it was Seraphim who made this observation in another post, but since I agree and have had the same experiences, I'll share what he said.

I find that I get better shaves when my skin is in better shape. This might require a days rest between shaves if I go ATG, or shaving two days in a row but only going WTG. It might mean using some extra balm/moisturizer at night/in the morning to keep my skin healthy.

I really don't think it has anything to do with beard length since the actual cutting edge of the razor is right at the base of the hairs, and the resistance the hairs give has to do with the end of the hair that is actually in your face (as opposed to the end that hangs free). At least, that's my take on the beard length part.

It is a rarity that I don't shave EVERY day. I don't think beard length has anything to do with getting a BBS. A sharp razor and proper technique. Period.

If you are getting razor burn and irritation everytime you shave-you are doing something wrong. And if your face is RAW,you should allow it to heal. And then rethink your shaving technique.

I don't find that the period of time between shaves has anything to do with the quality of the shaves I get - maybe they're all just that bad, haha!

Maybe like others have said it depends on one's skin sensitivity?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I don't find that the period of time between shaves has anything to do with the quality of the shaves I get - maybe they're all just that bad, haha!

Maybe like others have said it depends on one's skin sensitivity?

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Well, I am more prone to face irritation, and I'm not talking about shaving. My face and neck get red and itchy from seasonal allergies.

I bet I have a stronger histamine reaction (released by pressure on mast cells), and that's why I have to wait for best shave results.

I believe I have found a partial solution.

(1) Use linen + leather before every shave, a more burnished edge is less irritating.

(2) On days when I don't plan to go out in the evening, do WTG/XTG. Save the WTG/ATG shaves for nights out. That also cuts down on irritation.

The result with 1 day growth is not quite BBS ATG, but close. Until Joke's post, I never thought to focus on the irritation aspect. So that was pretty useful. Thanks, Joke!

Another new discovery. I stopped doing daily ATG passes to give my face a break, & I discovered that the ATG pass is the most destructive to the edge, and the most sensitive to edge degradation. An edge that seems good WTG and XTG can leave my face red, like I've just been pimp-slapped, when I go ATG. If I didn't go ATG, I could probably get away with much less frequent touch-ups. But on nights when I plan to go out, I like having a BBS shave which only ATG can provide.

I have no idea why this happens... I too find that my monday shave, if I skip sunday, is closer than, for instance, the wednesday shave (I use several razors...). But I also think that prep is important and goes a long way helping us achieve a good shave. And let's face it, folks: is BBS really THAT important? A non BBS shave will always look good on my book!

Wouldn't normal shave prep (lots of heat, moisture, etc) produce an effect similar to the edema resulting from mild irritation ( as described by Joke above)?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fpessanha

And let's face it, folks: is BBS really THAT important?

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Depends what for. It looks perfectly presentable for the office, but feels like 180 grit sandpaper if you rub it the wrong way. Some women might object to being kissed by that. Like making out with a goddamn shark :D

I think it's a combination of rested skin and perception, and they're related for me.

Even without visible or felt irritation, the skin on my face knows that I shaved. There's a certain level of exfoliation, which is why it's good for the skin if done correctly and not overdone. And similar to exercise, I have more bounce if I'm coming off a day's rest, or if I didn't overdo it the day before. Rested skin is more forgiving, it has more of a buffer of built-up oils and dead skin cells.

There's such a contrast in that first pass between just-shaved skin and two to three days growth, it seems closer than it really is. This perception that I've just kicked off an above-average shave, along with the rested skin, nudges me to shave more aggressively than I otherwise might in the remaining passes - and get by with it too.

Myself, I try for BBS daily. I take longer than the average bear when I get there, and avoid any irritation.

I find that I get my best shaves when I allow two days of growth. Being a GA and teaching classes, I have to be cleanly shaven Mon-Fri. To reduce irritation I generally do one WTG pass Mon-Fri, allow my beard to grow on the weekends, and do a WTG, XTG, ATG shave on Monday to get a BBS. I have found that this method works best for me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Quick

Wouldn't normal shave prep (lots of heat, moisture, etc) produce an effect similar to the edema resulting from mild irritation ( as described by Joke above)?

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Initially, I would say no:

If your shave prep causes skin irritation (which it shouldn't), a histamine reaction takes time to develop, and your face capillaries take time to leak fluid into the interstitial space in yer face. By the time you prep and shave, it's just getting into gear, so I think you are shaving before it fully develops.

Vasodilation from increased temperature acts a little differently than an immune system reaction from tissue damage (which DOES happen after shaving, no matter how good you are).

Temperature caused vasodilation reactions return to normal in a short amount of time, assuming the heat is removed and so does your skin homeostasis. Like within an hour or 2 at most, I think.

An immune reaction can take at least 24-48 hours to clear. Longer if you smoke.

That being said, I still think it's relatively easy to overcome with good technique, a good razor, and appropriate shave prep. ;)

I also get better shaves if I wait a day, but any more days than that and it's all the same.

I would like to add, I can not shave ATG even with the first shave with a razor from SRD that i bought a couple of weeks ago, my skin is just too sensitive. Having said that a shave WTG and XTG gets close enough for me.

my 2 cents: longer whiskers hold more water, are weaker, and therefore get sliced off more readily.

Cheers!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lt.Arclight

It is a rarity that I don't shave EVERY day. I don't think beard length has anything to do with getting a BBS. A sharp razor and proper technique. Period.

If you are getting razor burn and irritation everytime you shave-you are doing something wrong. And if your face is RAW,you should allow it to heal. And then rethink your shaving technique.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I don't find that the period of time between shaves has anything to do with the quality of the shaves I get - maybe they're all just that bad, haha!

Maybe like others have said it depends on one's skin sensitivity?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by cubed1

my 2 cents: longer whiskers hold more water, are weaker, and therefore get sliced off more readily.

Cheers!

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I think that to some degree it is each individuals differences in skin sensitivity, however i do think that sharpness of the blade and pre-shave prep have plenty to do with it. Also it makes perfect sense that longer whiskers will hold more lather/water/lubrication on the surface of the skin. I personally don't require a daily shave. I can usually get by with an every other day shave unless there is some sort of extra special army goodness going on, then i will easily shave days in a row. Usually without irritation.

All in all I believe Mileage May Vary.

Slow and gentle does the trick. A sharp blade will tend too exfoliate to the extent that it irritates if too much pressure is used. Your blade knows how to cut whiskers just fine, let it do so without making it shave. The harder you try to get a BBS shave the more irritatation you will get.

Think of your boss trying to micromanage everything you do at work or screaming to pick up the pace. You know how to do the job if they just let you be you could could be much more efficient.

Let the blade do the work for you.