So, my understanding is that a BBS is one where your face feels completely smooth with no hint of whiskers after you shave. I was just wondering how ofter the members get this kind of result.
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So, my understanding is that a BBS is one where your face feels completely smooth with no hint of whiskers after you shave. I was just wondering how ofter the members get this kind of result.
I can only REALLY get a truly BBS shave if certain conditions are met. I need to have more than 24 hours growth since a BBS shave. Really, 48 hours is best if the previous shave was BBS.
Next, I need a full hot HOT shower, as well as hot towel or hot water soaks.
The razor needs to be super sharp. Easily passing HHT, and stropped at least once mid shave, if not between each pass (I strop on my forearm 10 trips if I am going for BBS). I have lather on my face while stropping, then hot water rinse it off, and relather.
WTG, XTG, ATG, with the relather between each, keeping the face hot and wet.
THen I need to touch up any areas that aren't REALLY BBS.
WIth all of this, I can get BBS. BUT---I am still a newbie, with a coarse beard.
I can not get it every day, as I don't have the time to let the beard grow enough, and I must be clean shaven for work. A simpler three pass or an easy 2 pass shave will get me close, much closer than a cartidge shave, about on par with a good DE shave, every day for work.
Damn, did I really just write all that? My answer was much shorter in my head!
Edit: I voted once a week, as I only really have the time to let the hair grow and spend 45 mintues on a shave once a week. If I only shaved every other day, I could do it every shave.
I go for bbs on my cheeks, but if i attempt it anywhere else i get ingrown hairs. One of the reasons i love the straight is because i don't have to go bbs. I can take them close & then stop!
I selected "rarely". There are a few patches on my face where the whiskers grow in such a way that if I were to anger those areas even with a straight, I get ingrown hairs. One patch is at the bottom border of whisker growth on my neck. It's been so touchy and troublesome all my life that I've thought about getting that small patch zapped out of my neck or something.
The initial fascination with using straights to shave exclusively as a beginner has since passed for me. It's still enjoyable and it's my sole method of shaving. On all other parts of my face I can get BBS without irritation. Again, I answered rarely because I don't fixate on needing BBS skin to continually caress and marvel after like I did at the beginning. Visibly smooth, visibly smoother than I can achieve with any other shaving method is good enough for me most often.
Chris L
I said every shave. After 28 years, I've finally figured out how to do it right.
I didn't vote but I rarely get BBS on my neck. I have just a few razor where I'm able to get it. On the rest of my face its always BBS.
I strive for BBS every shave. but, now that I am a newbie with the straight I'm not so fussy..
funny thing, with DE's must have BBS, with the old cartridges/fusions must have BBS.. even when I first started with the Str8 I finished with the DE to get BBS...
now months later my technique is better with the str8 and I no longer finish with the DE and only have BBS on some parts of my face...cheeks, neck. just the chin and upper lip remain with a DFS but not BBS..
However I've learned to accept it... for now.. see what more times brings... :)
Why not make it every shave. One of the things I like is having the tools to be able to get so close.
X
do you need to planets to be aligned as well?Quote:
Originally Posted by smokelaw1
i thought my face was fickle. i don't feel bad saying 2-3 shaves after reading that. i'm pretty decent at it, if i forget (alot) to go xtg, i'm screwed.
I said rarely because i don't usually try. There are several reasons. One is because a single pass(not all strokes in one direction though) with dedicated touch up is almost as good. To get a good cleaning stroke on my problemos my hand blocks my eye and i have just recently figured how to do it.
When I say rarely I mean never;) as some of those problem areas are not bristles they more like gristles which i cant cut smooth no matter what I have tried
I voted not yet but close. I have been shaving with a str8 about 2 mos now and get BBS everywhere but a small patch under my right jawline. It vexes me but I know I'll learn the technique for it sooner or later. Every day I get closer.
I chose "rarely" . I've been shaving exclusely with my straights for almost 2 years , and I prefer "very close" over BBS .
Interesting poll results. I was at B&B today and someone asked if a BBS was in fact possible? They were referring to using a DE. Of course I had to reply that based on this poll the answer would be YES. Of course I had to add that some don't strive for a BBS and some achieve only once in a while.
Thanks to all that responded.
Mark
I voted rarely simply because I dont want to go all out everytime, special occassions and sometimes just because I can.
I too don't go for BBS every time I shave. I usually do a pass down and a pass up. For me, this is sufficiently close, so I don't bother trying to go against the grain everywhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by nun2sharp
I voted "every shave", but I do have one important requirement:
That the shave be totally irritation free. Not only do I go for the BBS, but When I apply an alcohol based A/S, I want no burn. That's how I judge the quality of my shaves.
That's what I get 99.99 % of the time! :tu
Steve
In golf, professionals talk about a "pre-shot routine". Once you get that down, you're supposed to be more sure in, and more comfortable with, your execution.
Well, my pre-shave routine is not perfect yet, and I get very different results depending on the cream I use. I always shave after a shower, but I haven't perfected the ritual yet, so I have to touch-up using a Mach 3 (arrrgh!), especially under the chin. However, I just stumbled upon a new technique for shaving that trouble area with my straight, so we'll see if it works out after a few shaves. Also, my Proraso seems to be slicker, more lubricating, and more capable of producing a lasting lather when compared to my TOBS Avacado, which was a gift from a dear friend. Lastly, the TOBS seems to dry out faster than the Proraso, and thus dry out my skin faster.
All in all, I get BBS twice as often with the Proraso as I do with the TOBS.
I said every time. On reading other people's comments I should have said rarely. I have two spots under my jawline the size of a quarters that are good but not BBS. I just don't want to do the contortions to shave those areas properly.
I voted rarely.
90% of my face ends up completely smooth with every shave.
Then I have a few spots that I call "my usual suspects". How smooth I manage to get those when probed against the direction of the whisker growth, defines how pleased I am with my shave.
The spots are located on the hollow parts of my neck and on the end of the jaw bone (close to the ears).
Bart.
I missed the poll but I get BBS nearly every time IF my face is totally OIL/SCUZZ-FREE! After a good washing (usually after a shower) a good wet&deep complete lather is the ticket. A great SEMOQUE Badger brush from blaireau really helps make that happen. It now all about lather. My blades have evolved to their best potential. That took some time but is worth the effort. It works for me well. Robert