How Often

Kluson said:
When I was working in the office , I was shaving every morning, Now with the lockdown the discipline has gone a little . This is my reason to try DE shaving. I want to get some discipline back into my life, get out of the sweat pants and have a shave regularly. There is the question. How often should I shave with the DE.? I have been using a TOBS cream and a brush with my Cartridge razors for many years. Should I shave every day, If I do shave every day should it be just one pass.? Frankly if I was in the office, I could perhaps easily get away with a shave say on Monday morning and the next one would be acceptable on say Tuesday night. I guess this would be around 36 hours. Now I am at home, I guess I could stretch it out to shave every other day.
I'm looking forward to starting my DE experience.
How often do you shave?
Click to expand...

How often ?

When you 'need' to shave - when you're new to DE shaving, your skin is going to react differently to how it does when using a cartridge razor.
Cartridges provide more protection from the cutting edge of the blade, and encourage you to apply more pressure without causing cuts and irritation.
Apply too much pressure with a DE and you're going to suffer the consequences.
Shaving too soon after inflicting cuts or irritation will only worsen the issue, and likely make you go back to using cartridge razors.
You'll know when your bristles are long enough or 'in need' of shaving (Your wife/partner will let you know if you've passed the usual with a remark such as, "ain't it time you shaved?"
Try to avoid chasing a close finish like you can with a cartridge - instead, get used to how the razor cuts (angle and pressure) - tecnique is everything in the early days.
With the grain (direction of growth) single pass shaves for a couple of weeks or so is where to start - you'll be shaving for the rest of your life, so there's plenty of time to practice, there's no need to chase a baby bottom smooth finish during the transition.

YouTube is your friend . . .
Search for Nick Shaves and Mantic59, their videos will help you a great deal at this stage.

One last thing, post shave . . .
Don't be tempted to over-do your aftershave routine.
One or the other is fine - balm or alcohol based splash - use both and you (could) irritate your shaven skin, which can make subsequent shaves uncomfortable, leading to more irritation/redness.
Very last point . . . . DO NOT USE ALUM !!! (Some use it to gauge if they've shaved too close) . . .you will know this already, so whats the point??
It doesn't do anything but sting your face and neck.
Only use alum to help stop cuts from bleeding.

Good luck
 
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Daily is my long-standing ritual, although I have to admit that, with being holed up, out of public view, for days on end, I have, on a few occasions, skipped a day, or even two, in order to test the efficacy of some of the razors which, when used by others (especially on YouTube) are claimed or shown to remove swathes of beard in a pass or two, as if by magic.

Conclusions so far; some do, others don't (not exactly unexpected).
 
I shave every day. I look pretty ragged otherwise, and I enjoy shaving. My skin doesn’t seem to mind, even though I have crap skin that is prone to every imaginable problem. I do find, however, that I need to vary the routine. For example, I find when I switch razor, e.g. from a mild DE razor like a Tech to a more aggressive one like the Schick injector, I get a benefit for a while but then my skin gets somehow tired and I then get a benefit from switching back. This variety in routine seems to really work for me. The mild razors, after a while, seem to be unable to remove the tougher areas of beard. But the more aggressive razors eventually irritate the skin. I can get good variety with a single razor if it’s adjustable but I like using different razor and blade combinations. I don’t think there is “the one” combination that works for me all the time. The good news is that this provides a justification for buying dozens of razors and even more different types of blade.

Another observation is how much difference the blades make. I can’t get on with mild blades like Derby or Feather Artist Club Softguard. When I started DE shaving I was nervous of the “very sharp” Feather DE blades but they’re far easier for me to shave with. I think the Astra blades are a great starter blade: but everyone differs. My point is by trying different things and seeing what worked I have eventually found a system that works for me.
 
Whenever life dictates. Usually once a day but happy to go a few days without and then really enjoy the self pampering.

Sometimes just for a nice 'freshen up'

No set rules but shaving is one of those events I really do take a pleasure from. I used to say I could happily shave and not have a bath or a shower. Can't say I smelt that sweet
 
I am happily retired but still shave every morning. It is a routine with me but since I started DE shaving just over a year ago I am now enjoying the experience. I can take my time start the day feeling really fresh and raring to go - well, for the last year that has meant raring to spend another day in lockdown apart from a once a day walk but hopefully we are now training for freedom (y).
 
Paul L said:
How often ?

When you 'need' to shave - when you're new to DE shaving, your skin is going to react differently to how it does when using a cartridge razor.
Cartridges provide more protection from the cutting edge of the blade, and encourage you to apply more pressure without causing cuts and irritation.
Apply too much pressure with a DE and you're going to suffer the consequences.
Shaving too soon after inflicting cuts or irritation will only worsen the issue, and likely make you go back to using cartridge razors.
You'll know when your bristles are long enough or 'in need' of shaving (Your wife/partner will let you know if you've passed the usual with a remark such as, "ain't it time you shaved?"
Try to avoid chasing a close finish like you can with a cartridge - instead, get used to how the razor cuts (angle and pressure) - tecnique is everything in the early days.
With the grain (direction of growth) single pass shaves for a couple of weeks or so is where to start - you'll be shaving for the rest of your life, so there's plenty of time to practice, there's no need to chase a baby bottom smooth finish during the transition.

YouTube is your friend . . .
Search for Nick Shaves and Mantic59, their videos will help you a great deal at this stage.

One last thing, post shave . . .
Don't be tempted to over-do your aftershave routine.
One or the other is fine - balm or alcohol based splash - use both and you (could) irritate your shaven skin, which can make subsequent shaves uncomfortable, leading to more irritation/redness.
Very last point . . . . DO NOT USE ALUM !!! (Some use it to gauge if they've shaved too close) . . .you will know this already, so whats the point??
It doesn't do anything but sting your face and neck.
Only use alum to help stop cuts from bleeding.

Good luck
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Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement
 
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