Who hates shaving? (1 Viewer)

I'm bored, and someone posted a thread asking why his deodorant stopped working, so I guess I shouldn't be too ashamed to post this.

I hate shaving. I don't just dislike it, I HATE it. I'm cursed with a terrible combination of very thick, dark, coarse hair, and extremely sensitive skin. I really ought to shave every day but I only shave every other day otherwise my skin gets very irritated. It doesn't matter whether I use a razor or an electric shaver, the results are the same. If I want to get a close shave, I am going to end up with irritated skin. It's gotten to the point where I'm seriously considering electrolysis on my throat (the worst area).

How do you guys handle shaving? Do you have any suggestions for how to make shaving less of a pain (literally and figuratively)? I'm using warm water and shaving cream, so that's not the issue, and I use a very mild aftershave when I'm done, but my skin is always burning for a day or two until I shave again. I don't take an inordinate amount of strokes with a razor and I don't press too hard - is this just a skin conditioning issue? I'm 22 and I've been shaving for 6 or 7 years now, but nothing's changed. I'm open to any suggestions anybody has. Thanks.

Eric

Shave right after you shower when the stubble is still soft.

Someone once recommended using cold water in the sink basin to rinse your razor. The theory is that the cold water causes your skin to draw up tight. I've been doing this and like the results, but YMMV.

Use a good quality gel instead of shaving cream. I'm using one of those shaving cream heater things right now, but I think I might go back to the gel (the lather doesn't really get warm and, I think, defeats the cold water trick).

What kind of razor do you use?

-j

JayV:

I always shave right after I get out of the shower. I usually wash my face while I'm in there, too.

I've tried rinsing the razor with both hot and cold water, and it doesn't seem to make a difference either way. I've been rinsing with hot water lately but I'll try cold again.

I do use gel - some "Ultra Sensitive" stuff by Edge... I just used cream as a generic term so people wouldn't think I wasn't using anything.

I use a Schick Protector (a double-bladed razor with two thin wires across the blades), but I've also tried the Mach 3 and it doesn't seem to matter, both have the same effect. I've also tried the cheap, disposable single-blade razors but they cut my face to ribbons. Maybe my technique just sucks.

Hi Eric,

I, too, hate shaving. It's annoying and a hassle. I partially solved it by growing a moustache and goatee. Just that much less space on my face to deal with. Of course, I have to keep it trimmed, but that's a lot easier than trying to get a clean shave.

I've thought about growing an entire, full beard, but I think I would look like a clown...

*raises hand*

I hate it too. I should shave every day, maybe at least every other day, but I let it go 3-4 days before I shave. The longer I let it go, the less painful it is.

I use a Mach 3 razor. They're best when they're new and really sharp. (But you said that Mach 3 didn't make a difference for you.) I also use the Edge gel. But I shave in the shower. I have a shaving mirror that sticks to the wall with suction cups.

My technique is to first shave down a couple strokes just to get the bulk of the stubble. Then I take several strokes up, against the "grain" to really get in close. I work my face in sections and alternate sides to give each side a chance to "rest" until I go back and cut it some more.

Then I wash my face with a soap that doesn't dry your skin. I found that I usually don't have to use an after shave with this method. But if I do (still feeling the burn after getting out of the shower) then I use just a little bit of Afta, unscented. No alcohol and no irritating scents. Very nice and soothing.

I tried growing a beard before but didn't like the look or feel of it...too itchy. I shaved it down to a mustache and goatee but didn't like the look of that either. Plus, my wife didn't like kissing a hairy face. So now I just live with the stubbly 5-o'clock shadow look and shave twice a week.

I'll join the hate shaving club. I've had pretty good succes with the Mach 3, right after showering. My skin isn't left red and irritated, but I never feel like I get as close of a shave as I'd like. Erik, you might want to try an after shave lotion afterwards, I can't imagine not using one.

Chris

Bill:
Thanks for the suggestion - I do shave down on each side of the face first, then up. I only go up on my neck, otherwise I get extrememly irritated. What type of soap do you use that isn't as drying? I think that may be part of my problem. I've tried the Nivea for Men and Neutrogena Men's face washes and I think they both dry out my skin a bit too much.

Christopher:

I use a very mild aftershave when I'm done

Right now I'm using a sample I got of the Nivea for Men aftershave, mild, but I think it might have alcohol in it, which I don't really understand. Everything I've read warns against aftershave with alcohol.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

The only time I ever hated shaving was doing it everyday while in the Army. Otherwise, I'm not bothered by it.

Eric,
You might want to try Dove soap. Like it says on the commercials, it has moisturizing cream right in it. Good stuff, I've used it for a few years now.

The best luck I've had is with a female razor, actually. It's called Silk Effects, made by Shick. Works great.

Kris:
Thanks for the tip. Is that Dove soap a bar?

Michael:
What's so special about it that works well?

Dove comes in a bar. I started using it a few months ago, and it leaves my skin so smooth.

~T

I have the irritation problem on my neck. I tried going from the SensorExcel razor to the Mach III and it got worse. I switched back to the SensorExcel.

One thing that helped me a lot is getting Neutrogena Shaving cream. It's more expensive but helped a lot. I still get a little irritated but it doesn't hurt like it used to. Also, if it does hurt, I use that Nivea after shave cream.

I'm with you, man. I tried growing a beard but the hair was incredibly annoying after about two weeks.

right here

i like the smoothness afterwards tho

I find it annoying, and fortunately, my facial hair doesn't grow that fast (and I'm 25), so I can get away with shaving every other day. Come to think of it, I haven't shaved since Sunday, but I'll need to tomorrow morning. My facial hair doesn't grow in well, so a beard isn't an option. Anyway, I love using my Mach 3 razor, and I use shaving gell, not creame. I also shave in the shower, but I have to shave upwards, because of the way the hair grows. No big deal. My dad actually uses womens shaving creame, and it works better for his skin (which is more sensitive than mine). I've also got one of those jobs where I rarely interact with customers, so looking scruffy is okay sometimes

I would recommend against Dove, which is not soap at all. It is actually detergent, which is why it has to have moisturizer so it doesn't make your skin fall off.


I hate shaving as well. I have really thick, tough hair as well and it is a real pain. I used the sensitive gel for quite a while, but found the moisturizing stuff for tough beards works much better. I always shave right after I get out of the shower and I also splash some extra warm water on my face before the gel. Just trying to get as much moisture in there as possible.

I have also found I either have to shave every day or only about every three days. If I haven't been shaving every day and start to, my skin gets irritated for a few days, but it passes.

As far as washing, the biggest improvement I have found, if you don't mind the risk of seeming too girly, is to wash your face only with Noxzema Plus, which you can get in a pump bottle, which is perfect for the shower. I never wash my face with any types of soap anymore and that has probably made the biggest difference. It is so mild, I have to wash twice to get clean, but the pain it saves shaving is worth it.

Yep. And
if your beard is as heavy as mine you get sick
of your significant other saying
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW all the time
when the smooching starts.

Hate shaving.
Had a mustache,
then a goatee,
then a full beard.
Shaved again.
Hated it again.

And i really hate my friends whose beards are so light
that they can use an electric razor.
Those don't even begin to cut it for me.
The Mach 3 doesn't either, or whatever Mach number
we're on now.
I still have to shave twice a day.
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

not fond of shaving either. one of the reasons I still have a goatee, which was supposed to be a fad thing a few years ago.

I find I have the most trouble on the neck (under-jaw) area, so I only go over once, and live with a less-than-stellar job. the rest of the face seems to stand up better to multiple passes, so as the others have said, with the grain to get rid of most of the stubble, and once against to get it close.

I also shave every other day only, since apart from the moustache/goatee area, the rest isn't quite as heavy and I can just about get away with it, but it does leave me a bit scruffy looking. by heavy, I mean it grows, but since the number of hairs there is less, it's not as dense.

part of the problem, I guess, is that for those of us with very dark hair (in my case, black, since I'm Chinese) but with relatively lighter skin colour, stubble shows up in a bad way. would Caucasians with fairer skin than me, but with lighter hair colour (especially blond or light brown), have as bad a shadow problem? whilst for our dark-skinned friends (e.g. African or Indian descent) their black hair doesn't show up quite as easily against their darker skin. so on this theory northern Indians, southern Europeans and some Orientals would have the most shadow problems.

(I hope no one interprets any of this as having racial overtones. I'm just making an observation based on my own experiences and what I've observed of others, and am interested to see if others agree and to hear their personal experiences.)

I think I need to go get a serious sun-tan...

On the topic of razors, I think I've used just about every one, except a straight razor (although I've been shaved with one at the barber's).

Right now my current favorite is the Schick Extreme 3. I like it tons better than the both Sensor flavors and the Mach 3.

Shaving is a minor annoyance. I shave every night right after I have a warm shower.

Scott