Foo - manual vs. electric shaving

Well Im tired of getting lots of cuts on the area above my top lip every morning with my manual razor, so what are your opinions on an electric razor for this?

Learn to shave...seriously...as a older dude with baby skin maybe someone needs to show you how to shave. Or better yet when do. For sensitive skin it is all about timing.

electric shaving just doesn't create that smooth feeling

Some of the greatest technological advancements in the last forty years have been in the improvement of razor blades.
Buy one of the high dollar multi blade kind and never look back.

Electric razors are a poor second to real razors.

Grow a 'stash.Problem cured. :D

I was a triple blade guy for a long damn time, and suffered for years from tore up skin and ingrown hairs. I finally bought an electric a couple of years ago. It doesn't shave as close, and that suits me just fine. I still suffer bad if I have to shave on consecutive days, but every couple of days I'm OK. I'm fourtunate to have that luxury, unlike when I was in the military.

Some of the greatest technological advancements in the last forty years have been in the improvement of razor blades.
Buy one of the high dollar multi blade kind and never look back.

So true. I decided to try an experiment and see if there really was any difference between the cheap razors and the more expensive ones. Let's just say I bled a lot. All in the name of science.

But I'm not sure the super-hyped 4 and 5 blade cartridges are any better than the nicer 3 blade disposables. I certainly don't believe it took Gillette 7 years to figure out how to make a razor with two extra blades, as they claim in their commercials...

On a slight tangent, does anyone here shave with a straight razor?

I shave with a Straight Razor. It requires care, and a lot of care of the blade as well (Sharpening and Stropping, and if you get the bevel wrong, you've just screwed up an expensive carbon steel straight razor ;) ). If you cut yourself with a safety razor, I really don't recommend you use a straight. ;)

I switched from an electric razor to a manual safety razor when I started shaving my legs and haven't looked back. It's oh so smooth compared to the results of an electric razor.

As an Asian, I don't have much to shave. Electric it is. It takes 5 seconds to shave my entire face with electric.

For legs, only razor.

Some of the greatest technological advancements in the last forty years have been in the improvement of razor blades.
Buy one of the high dollar multi blade kind and never look back.

I have one of those gilette fusion 5 blade ones, and a two blade one, The two blade seems to do a better job most of the time :s. And on a side note, I think the fusion just looks stupid, too many blades.

I certainly don't believe it took Gillette 7 years to figure out how to make a razor with two extra blades, as they claim in their commercials...

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33930

;)

I shave with a Straight Razor. It requires care, and a lot of care of the blade as well (Sharpening and Stropping, and if you get the bevel wrong, you've just screwed up an expensive carbon steel straight razor ;) ). If you cut yourself with a safety razor, I really don't recommend you use a straight. ;)

Is this a joke? You mean you shave? Where are we talking about exactly? :D

I shave both using a modern, multi-bladed razor and also an electric shaver. Regardless of method used, I look like this afterwards:
http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/3765/rakningqm8.jpg

Because of this, I don't shave all the way down that often, but instead just use a trimmer to take it down to about 0.5 mm. I look like I shaved the night before, and that's pretty good for me. My skin isn't damaged at all by the trimmer.

I use an electric, only for convenience. It does not shave nearly as close. If I'm going somewhere I want a better shave, I use my Gillette Fusion.

Shaving in the shower helps. Shave last, the warm water softens the hair and cuts easier resulting in less shaved skin. I like the 5 blade razors even though I thought it was all hype in the beginning. Gillette sent me a free 5 blade razor and it worked so well for me that I started buying the product. Use shaving cream it helps too.

Shave everyday or more for thick beards, every other day for thin beards. If you lett it grow a week and then shave your asking for trouble.

Shaving in the shower helps. Shave last, the warm water softens the hair and cuts easier resulting in less shaved skin. I like the 5 blade razors even though I thought it was all hype in the beginning. Gillette sent me a free 5 blade razor and it worked so well for me that I started buying the product. Use shaving cream it helps too.

Shave everyday or more for thick beards, every other day for thin beards. If you lett it grow a week and then shave your asking for trouble.
That sounds like the Fusion. I got it the same way...just came free in the mail one day. It's a good razor.

Some good points.

I have VERY SENSITIVE skin for shaving too. The tips I've learned over the years (some may or may not be needed).
1) I don't shave "in" the shower, but I do wet my face with hot water to soften the skin first.
2) I put a little soap on my face to slick it up before the shaving cream.
3) I use the sensitive skin shaving cream
4) I shave down (with hair direction), not up (against hair direction).

I shave in the shower, after everything else is take care of. I use a "sensitive skin" shaving cream. But shaving with the hairs is impossible. Nothing happens. I'm not kidding - I could go over the same area fifty times, and it'd still be there. Only going against the "grain" gets the job done for me.

Warm your shaving cream in the shower, or if you'd rather do the sink, let the shaving cream sit in a sinkful of hot water while you shower.

Is this a joke? You mean you shave? Where are we talking about exactly? :D

I shave both using a modern, multi-bladed razor and also an electric shaver. Regardless of method used, I look like this afterwards:
http://www.marlerblog.com/ground-beef_350.jpg

Because of this, I don't shave all the way down that often, but instead just use a trimmer to take it down to about 0.5 mm. I look like I shaved the night before, and that's pretty good for me. My skin isn't damaged at all by the trimmer.

thanks man. just what i was hoping to see in this thread.

I use Fusion on the legs, it ended nicks 100%

a 3 blade on the face. hot sponge face soak first, gel second, ice cold razor for shaving

rinsing the blade in the coldest water you have makes for the sharpest shave possible

I shave with a Straight Razor. It requires care, and a lot of care of the blade as well (Sharpening and Stropping, and if you get the bevel wrong, you've just screwed up an expensive carbon steel straight razor ;) ). If you cut yourself with a safety razor, I really don't recommend you use a straight. ;)

you missed a few spots... ;)

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o260/TomStormcrowe/Cardinal%20Greenway%20and%20other%20rides/Aerobars017.jpg

I use Fusion on the legs, it ended nicks 100%

a 3 blade on the face. hot sponge face soak first, gel second, ice cold razor for shaving

rinsing the blade in the coldest water you have makes for the sharpest shave possible

Cold water? I thought it was supposed to be as hot as possible. What's the reasoning behind a cold razor?

Cold water? I thought it was supposed to be as hot as possible. What's the reasoning behind a cold razor?

hot for the face, cold for the rinsing of the razor.

hot for the face, cold for the rinsing of the razor.

Sure, I understand that... but I had always thought it was hot for face and razor. Why do you want a cold razor?

Sure, I understand that... but I had always thought it was hot for face and razor. Why do you want a cold razor?

so the hair won't clog the razor.

I'll take a nice hot face cloth or hand towel and wrap my face first, especially around my neck. Sensitive skin cream and a Gillette Sensor. Shaving down a bit at a time. (will have to try the cold for rinsing) Cold water on face afterwards, and a aftershave gel I got for christmas. I can't shave everyday or my skin will look like the above no matter what I do. I tried electrics but ... well, they sucked.

Admittedly I don't have really coarse hair, but I don't have issues rinsing off a razor with hot water.

Aside from seeing if your skin is allergic to a certian chemical in the products you are using, I suggest the following:

1. Use a sharp razor...dull razors irritate more.

http://www.leesrazors.com/oldsite/images1/merkur/23c.jpg

These take the double edged razors:

http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11747159/Derby_Extra_Razor_Blade.jpg


2. Wash face with clean with a proper facail soap and warm water to clean off chemicals, oils, dirt from the last 'cross ride, etc.

3. Apply shaving oil to bearded areas. This will help the razor glide over your skin and reduce irritation.

http://www.shavingstuff.com/images/p10872005_ph_hero.jpg

Rub well into beard and stroke your hands in the opposite direction of your hair growth so as to have the facial hair 'stand up' as much as possible. Pay attention to the direction or 'grain' of how your beard grows and where.

4. Using a soap dish and shaving soap, work a nice froth with a shaving brush (soak for 5 min in warm water) until the bubbles become very tiny, alsmot like whipped cream. Apply in light circular movements and do not press brush into skin too much.

http://www.cottonblossomcrafts.com/delong_brushes.jpg

http://www.theartofshaving.com/taos6/images6/products/310/45000.jpg


5. Take your razor, wet it with warm water. Begin by starting your side burn. Rinse the razor after EVERY stroke along your face. Shave in long, steady strokes and go WITH the grain of your beard growth. Use one pass to shave one area, don't keep going back to do the same area over and over again...that creates irritation.

6. Once done, apply a small amount of soap to your face again, and go against the grain to smooth down if needed.

7. The final step is to apply something over your face to help the skin heal, since it was just mocroscopically scraped with a piece of metal:

http://www.beautyhabit.com/media/art.of.shaving.after.shave.balm.lanvender.100ml.2.jpg

Hope that helps. Worked out for me: no more itchy skin, redness, etc.

Admittedly I don't have really coarse hair, but I don't have issues rinsing off a razor with hot water.

Yeah, I'd never had a problem before either. But Botto has me intrigued. Tomorrow, cold water... for SCIENCE!

how long does it take you to shave using this method?

Yeah, I'd never had a problem before either. But Botto has me intrigued. Tomorrow, cold water... for SCIENCE!

get some of this. everything else is cr@p in comparison.

http://www.strawberrynet.com/images/products/04450428601.jpg

(in-depth instructions)

That just made me want to shave really badly :D. I need to find a place here where I can get decent shaving products.

Edit: Dang... I know there's a Kiehl's in Hong Kong, but not sure about Shanghai... I'll look. Thanks for the tip, botto

Edit 2: Nope, nowhere to buy it here. Ah well, Gillette has been working fine for me.

how long does it take you to shave using this method?

No more than 10 minutes now, but I shave every other day or soemtimes every 2 days.
I do it in the shower for the convenience of the warm water.

Takes me about 15 minutes to shave with razor in the shower. 10 minutes using the electric (not in the shower! :D ). 3-4 minutes to trim it down to almost nothing using my trimmer.

Takes me about 15 minutes to shave with razor in the shower. 10 minutes using the electric (not in the shower! :D ). 3-4 minutes to trim it down to almost nothing using my trimmer.

i suggest you take some more time, or at least refrain from using the broken clam shell that you apparently used for the previously posted pic.

An electric shave is never as close as a wet shave but they have come on a long way in recent years.
I use a philishave coolskin and get quite good results

It is a masculine characteristic to have hair on the face and to go bald on the head.

It is a feminine characteristic to have no beard and to have a full head of hair.

Why do so many men put so much time, effort, money, and pain into trying to be like women?

It is a masculine characteristic to have hair on the face and to go bald on the head.

It is a feminine characteristic to have no beard and to have a full head of hair.

Why do so many men put so much time, effort, money, and pain into trying to be like women?

Because my wife likes it ;)

Actually if I had my way I would have 5oclock shadow constantly...I hate beard and I dislike clean shaven. Butmy work would likely hand me a shaver if I walked in with 5 oclock shadow. Its against corporate policy.

It is a masculine characteristic to have hair on the face and to go bald on the head.

It is a feminine characteristic to have no beard and to have a full head of hair.

Why do so many men put so much time, effort, money, and pain into trying to be like women?

does it hurt when your knuckles scrape the ground, or have you developed calluses?

To the OP -- you gotta learn to shave or recognize that the blades need to be changed once in awhile. There is no need for a fancy razor so long as what you use is sharp. I just use cheapie twin blade disposables.

I prefer twin blades to three or more because they're easier to use in tight spaces and over bumpy spots and frankly do about the same job as the triple and quadruple bladed ones. Also, they're cheaper.

i suggest you take some more time, or at least refrain from using the broken clam shell that you apparently used for the previously posted pic.

Actually, taking more time will only result in more skin irritation. And I used a brand new (first use) razor "cartridge" when I shaved prior to when that picture was taken. One of those fancy new five-bladed things, by the way. Gillette Sensor Fusion Power:
http://longorshortcapital.com/wp-content/fusion.jpg

I use the two blade razors, and shave about 2-3 times a week. I do keep an electric on hand to shave in between 'manual' shaves in case I have a meeting to go to or something, but besides that, electric's are barely adequate.

Its getting harder and harder to find the two blade razors (which I prefer to the 3 blade), I now get them online for a lot cheaper.

I use the two blade razors, and shave about 2-3 times a week. I do keep an electric on hand to shave in between 'manual' shaves in case I have a meeting to go to or something, but besides that, electric's are barely adequate.

Its getting harder and harder to find the two blade razors (which I prefer to the 3 blade), I now get them online for a lot cheaper.
Holy crap -- I can't miss a day, and I have to hit the razor twice if I want to look good at night. You can still get the twins at discount places. A good electric can do a decent job, but nothing beats blades.

These triple, quad, and quint razors are ridiculous. I think the only reason they exist at all is so the manufacturers can patent the heads to avoid competition -- I think they are actually harder to shave with.

I switched about a year ago from a Braun electric to shaving with a Gillette twin-blade in the shower. Later I upgraded to the Shick Quattro in the shower. I only shave every other day, because of skin sensitivity issues. I had been using Nivea For Men Sensitive Skin shaving gel, but recently switched to Ambrosia shaving lotion from Lush (http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/47?expand=formen).

I shave with the hair first, then follow up against the grain. I also only change blades when I get a nick. A cartridge usually lasts me a couple of months.

The first time I used a Mach 3 was in boot camp, and I recently bumped up to the Fusion after trying one of my dad's last Thanksgiving. Man, that's nice.

I disagree. I used to shave with a two-bladed (Sensor Excel?) back in the day, but that was much worse. I would bleed from half a dozen spots for half an hour after every shave. Now, I very rarely bleed, so something is definitely better with the new ones. Whether that has to do with more blades or some other design change, I don't know.

Luckily, it doesn't grow back that fast, so I look clean shaven for almost two days after a razor shave. And I don't look too bad until 4-5 days after the shave.

I know what you mean. Don't listen to the snarks. I know how to shave, but my skin has gotten more sensitive as I get older. It hurts and cuts the more you shave, especially if you have to do it every day.

Here's the system that really worked for me when I had to shave daily. I first shaved with a wet electric, the kind you can use in the shower, with electric shave lube. That was comfortable but not close enough. Then I shaved with cream and a regular razor - going up my face, against the grain. I got a close shave without the cuts and burns, mostly. Be sure to prep your face right - wash first, and rinse with hot water. Rub in the cream and let it soak for a minute.It's important to use the best, sharpest blades you can get. Those ridiculous 3 and 4 blade razors actually work, and stay sharp longer. I always laughed at them as a stupid gimmick, but they work. I remember when the twin blade came out, Saturday Night Live had a fake commercial about a 3-blade razor that ended with "because you'll beleive anything." Now they have 3 and even 4 blade razors. But one of them sent me a free sample, and I tried it, and it works.

Because of this, I don't shave all the way down that often, but instead just use a trimmer to take it down to about 0.5 mm. I look like I shaved the night before, and that's pretty good for me. My skin isn't damaged at all by the trimmer.

+1..Besides the "its been two days since I shaved" look, is the in look.


Shaving sucks Period.

+1..Besides the its been two days since I shaved look is the in look.


Shaving sucks Period.

not if it's your legs.

not if it's your legs.

Thats just sexy?

I remember when the twin blade came out, Saturday Night Live had a fake commercial about a 3-blade razor that ended with "because you'll beleive anything." Now they have 3 and even 4 blade razors. But one of them sent me a free sample, and I tried it, and it works.
Actually, the fusion has 5. People have been shaving themselves a very long time and I find it curious that it's not until recently that so many blades have appeared.

Many years ago, seems to me that Mad Magazine did a spoof on a razor that had 76 blades. Little did I realize how visionary that publication was....
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.03/images/PL_72_shave_2.jpg