Upper Lip Trouble

Hey Folks,

So the one area that's been pretty elusive for me is my upper lip. I've tried doing the coup d' maitre followed by an edge-to-middle pass (I'd say that's like a XTG/ATG pass for me), I've also just done a two-pass combo of middle-to-edge then edge-to-middle. Today I tried puffing out my lip with air instead of pulling my lip over my teeth - an absolute failure, complete with a 1/4" slice. My few attempts at the Fool's Pass didn't feel right from the start, and I didn't want to push through and wind up without a nose.

Anyway, it seems I just can't get much better than "invisible stubble": feels smooth going N-S and E-W/W-E, but feels pretty rough going S-N. I am feeling my upper lip while it's curled over my teeth. When I relax my lip or make half a kissy-face, it's BBS in every direction. :shrug: I don't know... Maybe I'm too hopeful?

I've watched videos and done this a bunch of times, but I'm hoping someone's got a tip that makes it easier to get this right. More/less stretching? Some tip on blade angle? Name of a good OCD therapist?

Personally, I don't go for more than BBS in every direction with a relaxed lip. The muscles are strong enough there to pull the skin very taught (over hard teeth, no less), and I think this really pushes the hair follicles up/out. You have to shave really close to get BBS with the skin stretched that hard, and it's not something I could do every day.

Well I have had the same problem and I admit that's the only part (upperlip) that I have figured out how to get BBS consistantly.
I start with diagonal down towards center, stretching with fingers towards eyes and pulling lip over teeth. I normally do 2 passes each side like that. Then a couple passes scooping under the nose. Again outside in 2 passes each side. Finally I do one diagonally towards the beak stretching same as first pass with short back and forth motion till I get to nostril. Then a vertical scoop underneath. That's the only way I've been able to get my mustache to be gone. My neck and chin on the other hand I haven't had to my OCD standards yet. I normally bleed or create sturdy razor burn before I give up.

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Originally Posted by wrench3047

Well I have had the same problem and I admit that's the only part (upperlip) that I have figured out how to get BBS consistantly.
I start with diagonal down towards center, stretching with fingers towards eyes and pulling lip over teeth. I normally do 2 passes each side like that. Then a couple passes scooping under the nose. Again outside in 2 passes each side. Finally I do one diagonally towards the beak stretching same as first pass with short back and forth motion till I get to nostril. Then a vertical scoop underneath. That's the only way I've been able to get my mustache to be gone. My neck and chin on the other hand I haven't had to my OCD standards yet. I normally bleed or create sturdy razor burn before I give up.

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Unless I counted wrong, that's 5 passes?! Sheesh! I'm hoping I can get this under control with 2 passes. I only do 2 passes on my whole face and neck, with a few touch ups to get BBS - I don't see why I shouldn't do the same on this area...

I understand your problems with the lip, it is an area that was bugging me more than my chin was (my thickest hair grows on my lip). The solution I found was when I read someone actually went South to North on the lip. This is accomplished by holding the razor blade in both hands (I think there is a comment in the SRP wiki about it). Anyway, getting close to a bbs shave using that one, otherwise I could not get it.

Try doing the middle-to-edge then edge-to-middle passes you mentioned before with the lip stretched about 50% of full-stretch. The point is to keep from shaving too close (and removing too much skin) on these passes, thereby enabling a third. On the third, try shaving straight down with the lip stretched tightly over the teeth and the mouth opened wide. This stretches the skin a ton and allows you to get a close shave without risking an ATG pass.

Fools pass can be done comfortably only with sharp enough razor.

ATG is what is needed to get this area BBS. It took a while for my skin to get use to it and I still get some tiny weepers that close up with rinse. One side cooperates nicely and the other gets some skilled ATG movements. I just suck in my top lip and get started.

ATG in this area is only done as my second pass as my first area pass is WTG and some XTG.

Pabster