Thought on Stretching and Contorting the Face

I read in all the wiki's about stretching the face, and contorting the face from time to time. Faire enough.

I've found on my face one place where I have to do things differently, namely, my chin. If I try to use "contortion" to shave my chin, it turns into a minefield of creases, dimples, and waves. So I've done the opposite. While stretching, I actually try to relax my chin totally and it evens out better, making it easier to shave.

Faces are really, really weird things. I never actually thought of having muscles in my face, but I have found how facial contortion sometimes makes a bulge appear where it didn't show up before!

Who knew?

Hey man, if it works for you:shrug:.
No two faces are gonna be the same.
Shaving I've found is a very intuitive and ideosyncratic ritual.
Nuf said.

I also have a spot that is something of an anomyly -- he lower right of my neck. I've stretched it to shave it and it's been nice and smooth unti I stop stretching. When relaxed, boy can I feel the stuble. Stretch again and feel and it's smooth once more. I've started shaving it while it's relaxed and I'm able to get a BBS shave in that area. Go figure.

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Originally Posted by LawsonStone

I read in all the wiki's about stretching the face, and contorting the face from time to time. Faire enough.

I've found on my face one place where I have to do things differently, namely, my chin. If I try to use "contortion" to shave my chin, it turns into a minefield of creases, dimples, and waves. So I've done the opposite. While stretching, I actually try to relax my chin totally and it evens out better, making it easier to shave.

Faces are really, really weird things. I never actually thought of having muscles in my face, but I have found how facial contortion sometimes makes a bulge appear where it didn't show up before!

Who knew?

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Hey, you've given me an idea here.

If the face is full of muscles then you can exercise them. Like lifting weights and by treating each group of muscles differently you can custom alter your face for a perfect shave. Do away with that flabby face and have a rock hard one the envy of Mr America.:)

Interesting, Lawson-Sometime this summer, when I began to "get it" (finally) with the str8, a big part of my breakthrough was learning to stretch each area the right way. In fact, I just got through with a nice, relaxing Saturday evening shave (after a great evening canoe fishing trip with the wife and youngest son!) with my Fili DT 12, my fave Godrej Menthol Mist cream, and even had a Highland Gaelic Ale on the sink.:beer2:Point is, I learned some more stretching moves just now: mainly just turning away at an extreme angle and pulling down on the skin around collarbone while shaving those pesky neck hollows. Throw in some facial contortions. Result: BBBS-BEYOND Baby's Butt Smooth!

Full disclosure, though-I've grown my old goatee back, and so now have the best of both worlds: some facial hair cause I like it, and I don't have to shave the pesky lip and chin. Maybe next summer!:) Aaron

Different strokes for different folks! I never could stretch my face with my hands and have it work right so I have learned to do my whole shave with facial contortions, or lack thereof as you just pointed out.

I find that my facial contortions are rather limited, but like you, I relax my chin to get the best results. Almost all my facial hair grows from left to right, except in the chin area of course.

That's interesting technique, Lawson. I generally stretch the skin around my chin in smaller, tighter patches (if that makes any sense), which seems to work well for me. But if your technique is working well for you, I say go for it.

I've been trying different ways to stretch my skin, but as my girlfriend pointed out one day, my skin is far stretchier than usual.
After reading this thread I'm going to try a few different (and more relaxed) ways of shaving and hopefully I'll get a better result. i constantly have a problem with my chin, and hopefully relaxing it will yield better results.

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Originally Posted by nubskillz

I've been trying different ways to stretch my skin, but as my girlfriend pointed out one day, my skin is far stretchier than usual.
After reading this thread I'm going to try a few different (and more relaxed) ways of shaving and hopefully I'll get a better result. i constantly have a problem with my chin, and hopefully relaxing it will yield better results.

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My facial skin stretches pretty far also, I think it is age and some weight loss. I just give a good pull and shave away.

Maybe I need a face lift.

Hmmm ,different strokes for different folks...Wonder if that saying came about from Straight shaving originally...anyway,I hear ya on the stretching thing.I probably get about 98% BBS usually.Some days are better than others though and it really is wierd how the face reacts to different stretchings. :)

Same for me, Lawson. I stretch & the chin looks like a cratered minefield from the muscle tension. Some sections I cannot go South to North as all, and it wouldn't help, as the grain goes diagonally (slanted). If I relax the chin & attempt a stretch from other parts of the face like the mouth or neck, I get a surface that remains smooth for shaving, and some surface tension for a good mow.

Hhmm....Interesting. I think I'm similar then! I've found that the one place I don't like the stretch the skin is just under my lips. I find that if I stretch there too much I get a lot of dimples in my skin, which if shaved over causes a bit of irritation. So I don't think you're alone!

A barber told me once that the chin is normally the toughest area to work with a straight. For me it's the very tip of my chin that seems to defy almost everything. Solved that finally by relaxing those muscles and pulling the skin at my the jawline on both sides of my chin at once - as far back as possible. Then a single swipe sideways takes are of that patch.

But like so many have said, we all have different face shapes so my technique may be a unique solution for me only.

I'll admit it, I make a big goofey smile to smooth out my chin to shave...I know I can't be the only one to make themself look silly in front of the mirror.

Nope, your the only one.
Just Kidding, I 'd never do a tutorial, I look like a right idiot with my grimacing, but do get fantastic shaves