Thread: Does anyone not shave against the grain?

If I don't do a series of WTG, XTG, and ATG passes, I might as well not shave at all. I have very dark hair of varying colors (black, dark brown and deep red) and my skin is approximately the color of a window. Yeah, I'm so white I'm almost translucent. So if I don't go all-out to get a smooth shave, I'll look like I hardly did anything at all, and it'll still feel like sandpaper. For me it's the ATG, with some blade buffing, that really smooths things out.

In my experience, it's critical when shaving ATG to use the shortest, lightest strokes you can manage. If you think you're stroking lightly, stop and think again, because there's a good chance you could go lighter still. No matter what kind of razor you use, the blade should barely touch the skin. If it's good and sharp, that should be all the contact you need.