retrolental_morose 3 points 1y ago
absolutely a wet shave is much, much easier on your face, not to mention your more delicate bits! A good electric shaver is waterproof. I have an old back injury, so I shave in the shower whilst amping up the water temperature to soothe my back. shaving foam helps lifts the hairs without hurting you. u/Emmenias is quite right about not shaving in circles. A thin shaving brush can help determine where you want to shave too; you can almost use it to map out a path on your face. my only issue with my face being all lathered up is not taking off too much hair in a single pass; that's why going along the grain - shaving with the direction your hair naturally lies will naturally pull the longer hairs off first.
Hair removal cream can be really difficult to apply accurately without site, so how neat you're after being will determine how much practice you get I suppose. I've had best results with my beard trimmer for the front to be honest, and a gloved-up finger for the other wise.
Emmenias 1 points 1y ago
Well yes, that's what wet shaving means. But I am by no means saying you should shave over just water. Wet shaving requires some kind of lather (preferably from a shaving soap or cream, but canned foam will do in a pinch), or at least shaving oil.
Face wash is meant for washing your face. If that's what you'd be using it for, go ahead. It is not an adequate substitute for a dedicated shaving product. It will offer neither protection, nor slickness.
A face lotion can do the trick I suppose, but it sounds like it isn't for you. Look into an actual post-shave balm, Generally, the rule of thumb is that you can use a post-shave balm as a face moisturiser, but can't really use a face moisturiser as a post-shave balm, unless your skin is particularly resilient and doesn't need much to stay happy.
I said I use a safety razor, also called a double-edge razor (or shortened to DE). According to wikipedia, the first pattent for them was released in 1880, although they were around even before that. So not as old as the good ol' straight razor, but pretty old! They were created because a straight/cutthroat razor was difficult to use for many people without them nicking themselves, and enjoyed great success up antil Gillette switched to advertising the bullshit that is multi-bladed cartridges.
Most safety razors are made from three pieces: the top cap on which you place a thin double-edge blade, the top with the safety bars that you put over it to create the head, and the handle that you screw that head onto. Generally, all these pieces are made out of metal; for cheaper models, this is a zinc metal alloy shined up with crome, which can last for decades if taken care of but is possible to damage if dropped, and the more expensive are made from stainless steel, or in some cases aluminium or titanium.
I can only speak about safety razors in comparison to cartridges, because that's what I've used. But I can say that since switching, I've gotten much less razor burn; turns out more blades just irritate the skin more, rather than helping somehow. Safety razors also basically can't clog, where as carts do that immediately. They're cheaper, with one cartridge costing three euros or more where as you can buy double-edge blades in bulk, with each costing only about 20 cents. And they're better for the environment, since the blades are metal and can be recycled, and they generally come in cardboard boxes, wrapped in paper.
They are manual razors, obviously. They require some time to master, patience and care. If you want to just kind of wave a razor over your face and be done, they'll punish you, as you have to shave gently. But I've actually found it really relaxing to slow down and actually enjoy the shave, rather than treating it as a chore to get over with. Relaxing with a hot towel over your face, mixing up a lather that's just perfect -- not too thick and not too runny --, the feeling of the soft brush tips on your face, the delicious smell of artison soaps, the sound of a razor cutting off the stubble bit by bit, the feel of a perfectly smooth and non-irritated skin, the feel of applying the (also wonderfully smelling) balm; all amazing things!