Thread: A good pre shave preparation is a must!

I'd like to share my thoughts after one year of shaving with the straight.
When straight razor has become an everyday life routine like having coffee, I got lazy on doing all the steps in a shave. This happened the most when I have to go out in a hurry, I always skip the preparation like hot towel and even hot shower as they cost time and I thought a sharp razor can pass though anything.
Apparently, I was wrong. One day when I was doing my simplified routine, ( tap water to moist face, strop, lather and shave!) I gave myself several cuts and a bad shave worse then doing the job with my Braun. I first suspected it was my razor, I horn it the next shave and the result still not good, I began to realize how tough the mens' beard can be.
After the punishments, I'd only shave after shower and that really makes huge difference. The essential thing is hot water. I lather the cream with water at around 50c, that really give a smooth ride! A good facial cleansing scrub during shower on the beard help even more for a super close, super clean shave, but it should be a good scrub since I find bargain one like Biore and Gatsby don't work on me, Kiehl's is my favorite. A good shave prep gives you perfect shave even without a freshly horn razor, it saves yours razors life also.
I wonder how good does the pre shave cream work? Since I am in Hong Kong and it's hard to get products for straight razor shaving here.

My rule is:

. . . If I'm in a rush, I don't use a straight razor.

DE razors aren't as much fun as straights, but (IMHO) they're much more tolerant of "inadequate preparation". A shower, and good lathering, will get you by.

Charles

You are right good pre shave make shave much easier. I'm always use my straights, and even if I'm rush I have no prep and just use foam from the can and shave with straight - off course I have more irritation and less clean shave - but it's experience and I think after a while I will have better shaves

If I don't have time for a shower my rule is one pass WTG and leave it at that.

Exactly, if I don't have the time to shave properly, I don't bother shaving. What's the point?

I find that good prep helps with straight or DE. However, when I need to shave but don't have the time for the care the straight requires for me, I use the DE. I'm less likely to cut myself. The shave isn't as great as I can get with the DE but it gets the job done.

Larry

l wouldn't dream of shaving without a prep of some sort, even if it's just letting soap sit on my face for a couple of minutes, I have a really tough beard. When I used carts I always shaved either in the shower or in the bath. Doing it after wasn't enough for me. I'd do the same with my straight but don't want to use it naked for fear of dropping it in a bad place.

No matter what has been said here before about the time that's required for a straight razor shave.... If I were not retired I would not be able to complete all the pre, shave, post that is required to have a morning shave. It does take time.
That's why The Bic was invented. Shave safely while your showering using hair shampoo to shave with. Truly a 5min SSS.

I'm not retired, I just get less sleep... It's funny how 6 hours of sleep used to feel really terrible, and I started getting 7 and was pretty good, but now I am back to about 6 a night and absolutely can't wait to get up for my shave... Sure I still hit the snooze three or four times, but what can I say, it's an hour earlier and I gotta get my shave on!!! I end up being more refreshed and ready for the day with the morning shave ritual.

If I don't have enough time in the morning, I simply skip shaving that day. Can not imagine skipping any of the routine steps and rush through the shave. Face prep is one of the crucial factors.

I wonder how good does the pre shave cream work? Since I am in Hong Kong and it's hard to get products for straight razor shaving here.

Try Proraso Pre/Post Shave - inexpensive, works wonders for many of us. I am from Bosnia and things are pretty similar regarding getting the products for straight razor shaving. But hey, there is Internet...Anything can be delivered right to you door...