Thread: Vigorous face washing.

I was in my early twenties the first time I sat down and got a barber shop shave. Forty years ago so the barber who was an old fellow at the time had shaved a few in his day. I remember the hot towel and how nice it felt but the thing that I will never forget is when he washed my face. I can't recall whether it was before or after the hot towel but it was rough.

I mean he got down on those whiskers and rubbed the heck out of them hard. I had always soaped and washed my face sort of gently. This fellow was my regular barber for years and later I asked him why he had rubbed my whiskers so hard. He told me that it helped to soften them up and that it was necessary to prepare them for a smooth and close shave.

Regardless of what tool I've used to shave since I apply the same technique to washing my face before a shave and I wash and rinse twice before lathering. I am recounting this to let anyone who might be interested try it if you don't do it this way already. Works well for me and it might for you too.