Thread: HELP : Should I straight shave ? Or shouldn't I ...

I had acne well into my adult years, and it turns out that much of it was ingrown hairs and that has cleared up since I started shaving with a straight razor. The single-blade disposables should give similar results, since they can't cut off the barb below the skin level.

My skin is also sensitive and I have found that shaving with cold water is much much gentler than hot water. Because the cold gives goose bumps, it might help to stand up those stubborn hairs on your cheeks.

The mildest, most neutral soap or cream I have yet used is The Body Shop's Maca Root shave cream.

There has been a lot of discussion of cold-water shaves on SRP, lots of precedent. Run it as cold as it'll come from your pipes. Come summer, I'm going to keep my witchazel in the fridge, too. That'll feel gooood!

Good luck with it all. I hope you find a solution.

Hi guys,

To say the truth, I have a red bump which seem to appear from nowhere, no hair ingrown, nothing. Just a hair at the very base, looking more as a folliculitis than anything else !!

Talking about that, I made some research. And I red a lot of thing on folliculitis, especially :
This is a hair follicle inflammation due to various factors such as : shaving, intense perspiration, stretching clothes, fatigue ...

And I have noticed that sometimes, not to say every time, I have an intense sport session when I sweat a lot, my issues seem more important. This is the same when I'm tired after one or two nights at work ...

An update on what I am doing :
- Still waiting for the Feather to arrive
- Still waiting for my shaving soaps to arrive. I find the creams a bit too dry, and not gliding enough Maybe it's the key.

I think I have a skin VERY VERY sensitive to various infections/fatigue/diet and whatever or so. And I know that my skin will never be perfect, and clean shaved. At this point, I'm pretty sure, and desperate, about that affirmation ...

So, things remaining to test :
- soap instead of cream
- feather blades
- straight razor
- one blade razor ( Bic Metal ?? )
- electric shaver ( with no pleasure, and no close shaving )

BTW; when you say you cold shave, what is your exact procedure ???

I guess your lather is warm tough ...

I will give it a try. Maybe it is gentler for the skin, and minimizes the pimples issue !

You could try this...
http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...orst-ever.html

I've just read all the topic above : It 's definitely worth a try !!!

Questions :

- Do you think I could get better results and less irritation even with my shaving gel instead of shaving cream ???

After all, the shaving gel is ALWAYS cold in the can, whereas the lather is always warm, or hot. Which is the essential difference I never noticed : the temperature.

Maybe, this could explain why I 've always got a closer shave with a canned shaving gel ...

Whip your lather up with cold water and you'll have cold lather! One guy made lather with snow a few weeks ago. That's only a seasonal solution, though.

Good luck. I hope this approach helps you.

Hopin' too ...

Making some research about that, and finding some hints I'm letting you know :

1 / One guy said shavings creams and soaps gave him acne like pimples. So he shaved at the end of a hot shower, with nothing else that hot water running into his face.
I tried today on certain areas just to test it : On the left sideburn, under the lower lip, and a small bit of chin :
I can say there is no razor burn on these spots, but shaving with nothing isn't much enjoyable. You can feel the blade dragging on the skin. BUT, there is no shaving product, understand - no chemical - , and once out of the shower and skin is dry, there is no slippering sensation, or greasy skin, nothing but a smooth skin.
A whole shave is to test this way.

2 / I also found a guy who said that he shaved DRY for years. With a manual razor but no water. And this was the only way for him not to get razor bumps.

3 / For the cold shave, I found a LOT of testimonials, but I can't definitely say how it is because I have not tested it yet.

-> My next shave is tomorrow, and I do not know which way I should go ...
I feel inspired by the 1/ but I am a bit afraid ...

After I tried two of the 3 solutions above :

1 / Shaving with just hot water : no fire, and a smooth shave, but a lot of irritation the day after.

2 / Shaving cold : OMG. Never had a such razor burn, even on my first DE shave !
Some cuts and nicks under the nose and on the chin, and very bad shaved ...

3 / My next step is straight razor ... To be continued !
If I'm still alive for this !