I was beginning to think I would never get my new shaving technique down quite right. Lately, though, things have been shaping up nicely in that regard. I’ve given up on the two pass method for the most part because it seems to be a little too rough on my tender neck. Now that I’m only doing one pass, I don’t seem to have nearly as much trouble with hacking my neck to pieces.
One advantage of using a real razor is that I don’t get nearly as many zits or ingrown hairs as I used to with other methods. This shaving method is gentle on the skin, and helps keep your pores nice and clean.
The main thing to watch for is the fact that you have to remember to let the razor do all the work. Don’t press down, but let the weight of the razor do all the pressing. When I forget this and start pressing down is when I have more problems with cutting myself. A gentle glide of the razor actually gives a closer shave with less irritation.
I’ve also changed the shaving cream I use. This was primarily a financial consideration, as I had no problems with the quality of the previous stuff. I now use Proraso, which is significantly cheaper. It has the added advantage of being available at places like Target, instead of specialty online retailers that charge obscene amounts for shipping and handling. They have a cream and a soap, and I decided to use the cream, and it works well enough that I haven’t bothered trying the soap. I think the cream was actually cheaper per ounce, although the soap might lather up better without using as much.
I’ve used a couple of different types of after shave, and I’m using the Sharps brand now, which is also available at Target. I started with a more expensive variety, but this seems to work just as well. Just make sure you get an after shave that is alcohol free to be more gentle on your face.
February 3, 2007