Ask Aaron Q/A: Beard shaping - Mach 3 Razor vs Double Edge Safety Razor
Aaron is asked a question about the best ways to shape a beard using a double edge safety razor
Saby Sambhi, from the UK, asks:
“Hey Aaron, I have recently graduated to a DE safety razor from a Gillette Mach 3. I have a Merkur 34c razor, Edwin Jagger super badger hair brush and Taylor of Old Bond street almond shaving cream.
So far the shaves have been amazingly close but I am having issues with shaping my beard. The razor works great shaving large areas such as my neck but I can’t see where I am shaving for the intricate areas due to the thickness of the cream and this is leading to shaping mistakes.
Can you please advise the best way to address this? Previously with my Mach3 I was able to to cover the areas requiring detail with a thin layer of soap allowing me to see where I am going and due to the relatively benign nature of the blades this provided adequate protection and lubrication but I feel a DE razor will be too aggressive for this approach?
Any help is greatly appreciated! Many thanks, Saby.”
A double edge razor is a great tool for shaping a beard
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Saby,
Actually the same approach you used with the Mach 3 you can apply with the Merkur. What I recommend (and I do myself) is to take your finger and gently wipe away the majority of the lather, leaving behind a thin layer. The thin layer will give you the protection and glide you are looking for and still give you good visibility! Another thought would be to use a shavette such as a Dovo or Bluebeard’s “cut-throat” to do the fine work. Both methods work equally well and should give you the results you are looking for!
Smooth Shaving!
Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q/A: How to prevent razor bumps for men who are African-Caribbean
Aaron is asked a question from an African-Caribbean man on the best ways to combat razor bumps
Osa Omo, from the UK, asks:
“As an African-Caribbean man who suffers from painful razor bumps caused by ingrowing hairs how often should I shave? Every day, every other day, once a week or perhaps once a month?”
Razor bumps are very painful
AARON SAYS
“Mr Omo,
I would have you shave as often you feel that your beard needs it. There is not hard and fast rule saying you have to shave every day or every other day. It is up to your face and your judgement on how it feels and when you should shave. I will say that for Afro-Caribbean men especially it helps to shave with a double edge or single edge razor. Shaving at the surface of the skin, as opposed to pulling the hair and releasing it under the skin as cartridge razors do, goes a very long way in preventing ingrown hair. So in final answer it is not how often that matters most, but what tools you use that will help you the most.
Smooth Shaving!
Aaron”
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How to shave properly with a double edge safety razor - Simple shaving techniques & tips
Shaving with a double edge safety razor should be an enjoyable experience
So often the questions that come to us here at The Shaving Shack are from gents, and sometimes ladies, new to the wet shaving experience. They ask for information regarding a more luxurious way to take care of themselves, information on how to start wet shaving, however most often the questions revolve around improving their current shaving regimen. Bits and pieces of information have been shared in our Question and Answer section but we thought a more comprehensive review of technique was in order.
Grain direction
First we address the topic of shaving “with the grain”. Shaving “with the grain” means following the direction of hair growth with your razor. For instance, if the hair on your upper lip grows straight down towards your mouth you would shave towards your mouth from your nose to shave with the grain. The importance of following the direction of hair growth lies in the ease of cutting the hair. It causes less distress to the hair, hair follicle, and skin underneath while also offering the path of least resistance. Following this technique if your skin in prone to breaking out with spots or ingrown hairs is especially helpful.
Passes
Discussion of grain direction leads us into the next technique of reducing the beard by separate “passes”. Often you will see these passes referred to as “with the grain, across the grain, and against the grain.” Following the order of passes serves to reduce the hair in steps to get as close to the surface of the skin as possible. Going with the grain we discussed above. Shaving at a 90 degree angle, or perpendicular to the direction of growth will follow a path across the grain. Shaving in the reverse direction of growth goes against the grain. Often you see debate as to whether this last step is necessary, however most folks will find that shaving against the grain will top off their shave with the smoothest finish. If you find that your skin is sensitive, or you are new to wet shaving, leaving off this last pass until you are comfortable with the technique and blade angle is advisable.
A safety razor will give you a much close shave than a multi bladed cartridge razor
Blade angle
Speaking of blade angle, what is a good angle to hold one’s razor? The first caveat being if you are using a disposable cartridge razor, the angle of the blades is pre-set and you need not worry about it. However to those shaving with double edge razors such as The Bluebeards Revenge Scimitar, Merkur 37c, or other fine razors this matters a great deal. Too shallow an angle and you are not taking off as much beard as you can, too much and you end up scraping skin instead of cutting hair! Neither outcome is advisable! If measured out properly the angle comes out to somewhere close to 30 degrees. However different razors can have differently shaped heads and this angle can differ. The best way we have found is to hold the razor with the handle sticking out perpendicular to your face, and as you slide the razor gently down your face I sharpen the angle so the blade edge nears the hair. When you feel the blade edge begin to catch and cut the hair you have found the correct angle.
Pressure
Hand in hand with this is pressure. No one likes pressure at work, home, and especially when a razor sharp blade is against your face. Unless perhaps you’re 007! Using as little pressure as possible no matter your choice in the style of razor is best practice. Because of the hinge on most cartridge razors more pressure will be needed than for a double edge razor, however a light hand will still go a long ways. “What kind of pressure is too much or too little?” We hear you ask? Allow the razor to just set on your face with its natural weight and letting gravity draw it in the direction of your pass is the easiest gauge.
These basic techniques will help set your shaving for smooth success!
Another small piece of technical advice that will help you on your journey is to keep you arm straight, locking your wrist, and use the movement of your whole arm to control the razor. This will help you control angle, pressure, and prevent painful gouges. (Ouch!) These basic techniques will help set your shaving for smooth success! And smooth is what we are after, right? Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more in depth looks at wet shaving technique in articles to come.
Time to shave guys: Clean-shaven men now more attractive to women as “Peak Beard” is reached
Thinking of going au naturel and cultivating a facial forest? Hold it right there. You might be more attractive to the opposite sex than you think – and relaxing your grooming routine could have a detrimental effect on your pulling power.
According to new research, the more men who grow beards, the less attractive facial hair becomes to women, proving that it doesn’t always pay to follow the pack.
After being shown a succession of pictures of bearded blokes, women consistently rated clean-shaven men more attractive, researchers at the University of New South Wales found.
Clean shaven men have found to have better job prospects and have more sex
The study of 1,453 women involved them being shown images of 36 men’s faces, with the first 24 being exclusively bearded. The final twelve included a mix of differing facial hair styles – some of them clean-shaven.
Women consistently rated the smooth-faced men higher on a scale of attractiveness than those with beards of moustaches – showing that daring to be different and standing out from the crowd sends popularity soaring.
Individuality often translates as confidence, which could explain the spike in desirability for the well-groomed .
While we at The Shaving Shack are all for the clean-shaven look, there’s no denying that stars such as Ryan Gosling, Justin Timberlake and Liam Hemsworth have sparked a flurry of facial-haired imitators in recent years, leaving only a select crowd, including a newly clean-shaven Brad Pitt, to fly the fresh-faced flag.
With a daily razor date conveying an air of self respect, men who do so have also been shown to enjoy greater career satisfaction than their bearded counterparts, with better promotions and bigger salaries coming as part and parcel. A study conducted by Behavioural Ecology proved that better-groomed men enjoyed greater overall success at work, and with just 8 out of the 86 men on the Forbes 100 Richest People in the World list sporting a beard, it’s all the evidence we need!
With facial hair having gone so “mainstream”, it appears that we may now well have reached “Peak beard” – and the best time yet for men on the lookout for ladies, luck and a lavish lifestyle to give up the ghost and shave it all off.
Other studies showing why it’s better to be clean shaven
Clean-shaven men have better job prospects, study shows
Well-groomed men get more bedroom action, study finds
Ask Aaron Q/A: Cold Weather Shaving & Moisturising The Skin
Aaron is asked a question about skin irritation (after shaving) during the cold weather & what can be done to alleviate the problem
Jorge Flores, from Mexico, asks:
“Dear Aaron. I’m from Chiapas, Mexico, and frequently have to travel around my country, but the weather in the cities can be very different. It’s either very, very, very hot or very, very, very cold, so my question is this: When I have to shave in the cold weather my skin becomes very irritated and I don’t know if there is a product on the market that exists to help overcome this problem. I appreciate your answer.”
The Bluebeards Revenge post balm will help to nourish the skin after shaving
AARON SAYS
“Senor Flores,
The irritation you are experiencing is probably due to dryness from shaving and the cold, dry air. The product I would suggest to help is an aftershave balm such as the Blubeards Revenge balm or one of many others, and if you still continue to experience discomfort, a moisturizer such as the Men-U moisturizer.
Both shaving and dry air can rob the skin from moisture and you want to add and keep moisture in be using a balm and/or a moisturizer to combat the discomfort. Let me know if you continue to have trouble but using these products should alleviate the problem!
Happy Shaving!
Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q/A: Top shaving tips for an irritation free shave
Jose a Diaz Ocasio, from Puerto Rico, asks:
“I want to get a clean close shave every time I shave. So I was wondering if you can provide me with some useful shaving tips for a clean close shave?”
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Ocasio,
I’ve written several articles on this subject, but will try to condense them into a concise answer for you. First make sure you start with a clean well hydrated face. Then shave with a good sharp blade using a good hydrating cream, and I recommend applying a layer of shaving oil first before applying the shaving cream. Once you begin shaving shave first with the direction of growth, then across, then against to get a very close shave. Use some stretching techniques to help get the skin surface as flat as possible. There is a lot more detail and technique that could be gone into, but using these tips should help improve your smooth shaves a lot!
Happy Shaving!
Aaron”
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US man shaves beard after waiting 10 years for Osama bin Laden’s capture or death
An American high school teacher, who grew his beard for nearly ten years, has finally shaved it off following the death of Osama bin Laden.
Gary Weddle, 50, made a vow on 11 September 2001 to stay unshaven until Osama, the Al Qaeda leader, was captured or killed.
He grew the beard to remind his pupils of America’s most deadly terror attack.
Weddle, of East Wenatchee, Washington, was working in the garden on Sunday when a work colleague phoned to tell him that bin Laden, dubbed the “world’s most wanted terrorist”, had been killed by American soldiers in Pakistan.
On hearing the news, Weddle reached for his razor and scissors, with the momentous occasion witnessed by his delighted and relieved wife and close friends.
“I spent my first five minutes crying and then I couldn’t get it off fast enough,” Gary told The Daily Astorian newspaper.
The infamous al-Qaeda terrorist attack occurred on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington on September 11, 2001, killing around 3,000 people.
I wonder what razor he used?
Ask Aaron Q&A: I keep cutting myself, am I using the right double edge razor blade?
“I bought a Parker 82R Super HeavyWeight Butterfly Open Safety Razor along with Feather Hi-Stainless Double Edged Razor Blades and to be completely honest have stopped using it after about 6 or more shaves due to the amount of cuts under neck and at corner of mouth. Am I using the correct blade? Why is this happening (I was so disappointed I now use a 150.00 Braun series 9 electric but would love to have carried on using a proper razor, and have always been a wet shaver since 16 so 24 yrs now,” asks Paul Ewing, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Ewing,
Thanks for your question! If you are relatively new to wet shaving I suspect the Feather blades are the culprit. The Parker is a good razor, but the Feathers are extremely sharp and have the reputation of being called “ninjas” on wetshaving forums because of their sharpness. They are great blades but can very unforgiving especially to the beginner. I suggest finding some other blades such as Derbys, Gillettes, or Israelis to use for now. Once you have more experience under your belt revisit the Feathers, they might become your favorite blade!
Smooth Shaving!
Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: Should you ever have a days rest from shaving to give the skin time to recover?
“Should you ever have a days rest from shaving to give the skin time to recover, from being over shaved?” asks David Parker, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Parker, Thank you for your question! In short, yes! If your skin is burned and irritated from an overly aggressive or bad shave experience I certainly recommend giving it time to rest, regenerate and heal. I don’t think it’s necessary to rest the skin if you are not experiencing problems, but certainly do give it some time to rest if you are experiencing discomfort.
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q&A: Any tips you could give about shaving the neck and lower neck area?
“Aaron, Any tips you could give be about shaving the neck and lower neck area? Even after plenty of wetting and preparation, I still get cut. I use Proraso pre and Proraso shaving cream. I use feather blades,a Merkur 38C Barberpole and a Simpsons Chubby shaving brush,” asks David Robin, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Robin, The next toughest area for men to shave after the mustache area is the lower neck and Adam’s Apple area. Since you have good products and a good preparation routine (because good prep is KEY!) try a couple of the following things. Pay special attention to your blade angle, try locking you wrist and moving you arm from the elbow or shoulder. If you aren’t sure of the direction of hair growth, let the hair down in this area grow out for a couple of days. (Over the weekend is great if you don’t work weekends.) Hair growth patterns can change drastically in a short area and going against the grain at the wrong time can cause cuts and skipping. Also try stretching the skin to shift the skin into a flatter surface area.
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger? CLICK HERE TO ASK AARON YOUR QUESTION
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