I am damaging my face

[nvictor]

Hello all,
I'm concerned about a problem: my shaving powder. This shaving powder.

Unfortunately, I'm not one of those blessed children whose father has taught them how to properly shave using the blade. Moreover, my skin is sensitive to blade: I got bumps whichever way I use the blade. So, the powder above attracted me a lot.

But the powder in question is a product one must use with care; you must time how much the product stays on your face, 7 minutes they say; you must remove with spatula, they said, but I don't even know what a face spatula is, you must not use twice during a 36 hours interval...

It took me some time, but I have found a way that works for me, trim my nails the day before the shaving, never let the mixture dry on my face, never use too cold or too hot water, remove with water and my fingers.

But still, the product burns my face from time to time; and this is what I worry about. My little science background reminds me that our cells reconstruct when they die, but eventually the process becomes slow at some point. So you understand my worry.

I'm afraid of the blade, but I don't want to have an aged face when I will be only 25 or 30.

What should I do in my case? Do you know something about this product?
Thanks.

[Bruce Achterberg]

Originally Posted by nvictor

I'm afraid of the blade, but I don't want to have an aged face when I will be only 25 or 30.

What should I do in my case?

Grow a beard?



The shaving products I use
________________________________


Seriously though, I use a blade (specifically, a Schick Quattro), and I still get the "bumps" you mention on my neck. I've no idea what those bumps are, but I know it's from some sort of irritation from the blade. I can shave the rest of my face fine, but my neck has too many contours, so whenever I shave, it tends to graze my skin (not excessively, but enough that it's unpleasant).

I find if I'm really careful and don't apply much pressure, I can shave my neck and not get the irritation, but I usually end up with a spotty, hack-job shave that isn't very close. The irritation usually heals in about a day or so (provided I use some sort of moisturising lotion), so I'm not too concerned.

For shaving foam, I use: NIVEA - Soothing Shaving Gel

I like the gel better then the foam, but they're very similar.

For an after-shave lotion I use: NIVEA - Extra Soothing Balm

I use the lotion to help out my skin, not to make myself smell pretty. I've tried the cooling balm lotion from Nivia, but it burns more then it refreshes, and also has the nasty-sounding "Alcohol Denat" (whatever that is) in it, so it's sitting on my shelf, unused. I give unused stuff like that to people who are going to use such products anyway, but I let them know such products probably aren't good for them so that they can make a conscious choice to carry on using them or not. I figure it's better then wasting it.

I haven't used too many brands, but Nivia seems to have fewer nasty-sounding ingredients, and I also find their products work well, so I continue to use them for now.

Better shaving options
________________________________


I was looking into better shaving options, and the Philips moisturizing shaving system caught my eye. A plus is that it uses Nivia shaving products, so it could work pretty well. Use the link for more info on it. I'm yet to buy it, though (I need to use my cash for other things right now), but once I do have some spare cash, I'll look into it a bit more, and if the reviews hold up, I'll purchase one and see if I like it.

From the reviews I've seen of shavers in general, like computer mouses, it's really about getting one that works best for you and your preferences. There is no "best" solution that works for everyone. When reading reviews bare in mind that most people bias their reviews with their personal preferences and don't mention a lot of detail.

Is what I used tested on animals? Is it even healthy?
________________________________


I don't know. I'm yet to consciously look into the grooming products I use, but I've slowly started to move in that direction.

Eg. I used to use an antiperspirant, but I stopped that because I read it contained aluminum or some other nasty stuff you don't want on your skin. Also, I read about how antiperspirants work (they literally block your sweat glands), and I decided blocking glands that are there to cool your body and excrete toxins couldn't be healthy (although don't quote my on this, I'm no expert... I'm just using my usual approach of "if it isn't natural, it probably isn't healthy and it's easier to use natural stuff").

Now I use a deodorant crystal instead of an antiperspirant or excessive amounts of deodorant, mainly because I don't like the idea of putting chemicals on my skin every day. You can read more about them here. The one I use is similar to the one on that page.

Long story short, body odor comes from bacteria that interacts with what you sweat out of your body, so blocking the sweat with antiperspirants isn't very logical. The crystal has natural materials that kill the bacteria, and I find it works very well (although it wears off after a while if you're sweating, and you'd need to wash and re-apply it to be odor-free). I still use some deodorant when I go out, but I use much less then I used to.

See the "Potassium Alum is not Aluminum" heading on this page for more info on why these deodorant crystals are supposedly safe.

FYI, I get my deodorant crystals at my local Coles supermarket in the, err, "grooming" section with all the toiletries (this is in Australia, by the way).

My next step is to move towards completely natural deoderants, and I also want to more consciously look into the shaving and after-shaving lotions I use.

* * *

This is an interesting topic, and I'd love to hear what other people use to (successfully) keep their facial hair under control.

[ChefSalad]

I solved taht problem of yours by growing a full beard. Electric razors (with good blades, this means that you will need to replace the blades every six months or so) are much less irritating. I also found that single blade razors (both the <a href="http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522941/190429.htm">traditional</a> and the cheap disposable) tend to give much less irritating shaves.

[mantic]

Originally Posted by nvictor

Hello all,
I'm concerned about a problem: my shaving powder. This shaving powder.

Unfortunately, I'm not one of those blessed children whose father has taught them how to properly shave using the blade. Moreover, my skin is sensitive to blade: I got bumps whichever way I use the blade. So, the powder above attracted me a lot.... What should I do in my case? Do you know something about this product? Thanks.

Oh my. I would not recommend that product for any significant length of time. The key is learning to shave properly, and although your father didn't teach you, there are some excellent resources, which I'll get to in a moment. First, decide what kind of shave you want to have. An electric will be quick but not particularly close. I used a Norelco-style rotary razor for 30+ years and while it wasn't particularly close (5 o' clock shadow at 1 ) it was fast and didn't irritate my skin too much. The key is a light touch and circular motions.

On the other hand a blade wetshave can give you a clean, close, comfortable shave, that's friendlier to your skin, at the cost of a little more time. The problem with "modern" wetshaving products is that they go so overboard with 27-bladed razors that vibrate like a marital aid and canned goo with a gazzilion chemicals, that a lot of people get terrible irritation.

The key to getting a close, comfortable shave is going "old school" by using a razor with as few blades as possible, traditional shaving lather, and using a shave brush. Unfortunately its harder to find these products today, but its a worth-while search. Van Der Hagen (AKA Surrey brand, same stuff) is widely available in the US at places like Walgreens/CVS/Rite Aid and inexpensive (look for the "Deluxe" or "Glycerin" varieties; avoid the "Select" version if possible). Williams shave mug soap is also widely available, though not as good. If you have a Crabtree & Evelyn nearby, their shaving cream and soap is excellent. "Natural" or "Organic" stores (or their sections in large supermarkets) will often have Kiss My Face Moisture Shave or Tom's of Maine shave cream, both very good.

The real key is the shaving brush. The brush mixes the soap or cream with water for a lather and both gently lifts the beard stubble and also gets rid of the debris around the stubble. Unfortunately here too there's not much that's both good and widely available. Drug stores often have small "natural bristle" (e.g. boar hair) brushes, but they're not very good and will only last a few months. Its enough to get started with but a badger hair brush will give an order of magnitude better lather.

As for a razor, the fewer blades the better. Anything beyond a Mach3 is over-kill. I use a single-bladed, adjustable safety razor (my blades cost me under $0.20 in bulk!).

When you're shaving this way, start out with a very wet (the hottest water you're comfortable with), clean face (I use the shaving soap as a facial soap, rinse, then lather up again with my hands as if I'm going to wash again). Then spin the brush onto the soap or cream for a few seconds and start applying to your face with a gently massaging motion (essentially lathering over lather). After a couple minutes you'll have a shiny, soft lather on your face, looking a little like pie mirangue. Now take the razor and shave *gently* in the direction your beard grows (the "grain"). Rinse, relather, and repeat. Rinse, relather and shave *across* the grain (90 degrees away from the direction the beard grows). Some people can then rinse, relather, and shave against the grain...but wait a couple weeks before you try that.

Rinse thoroughly then apply a bit of non-alcohol-based aftershave balm, massaging it into the face.

Some people (like me...who'da guessed ) really get into traditional shaving and it becomes an almost zen-like experience. There's an entire sub-culture at web forums like Shave My Face and Badger and Blade, blogs like Leisureguy and Kafeneo, and even a youtube channel. Check 'em out.

[Wildside]

Thanks for the tips Mantic! I always wanted to get a shaving brush, it just seems so...regal! lol. But I have never bothered to get one. I'm going to pick one up on my way home tonight, and give it a try tomorrow morning

Originally Posted by mantic

Oh my. I would not recommend that product for any significant length of time. The key is learning to shave properly, and although your father didn't teach you, there are some excellent resources, which I'll get to in a moment. First, decide what kind of shave you want to have. An electric will be quick but not particularly close. I used a Norelco-style rotary razor for 30+ years and while it wasn't particularly close (5 o' clock shadow at 1 ) it was fast and didn't irritate my skin too much. The key is a light touch and circular motions.

On the other hand a blade wetshave can give you a clean, close, comfortable shave, that's friendlier to your skin, at the cost of a little more time. The problem with "modern" wetshaving products is that they go so overboard with 27-bladed razors that vibrate like a marital aid and canned goo with a gazzilion chemicals, that a lot of people get terrible irritation.

The key to getting a close, comfortable shave is going "old school" by using a razor with as few blades as possible, traditional shaving lather, and using a shave brush. Unfortunately its harder to find these products today, but its a worth-while search. Van Der Hagen (AKA Surrey brand, same stuff) is widely available in the US at places like Walgreens/CVS/Rite Aid and inexpensive (look for the "Deluxe" or "Glycerin" varieties; avoid the "Select" version if possible). Williams shave mug soap is also widely available, though not as good. If you have a Crabtree & Evelyn nearby, their shaving cream and soap is excellent. "Natural" or "Organic" stores (or their sections in large supermarkets) will often have Kiss My Face Moisture Shave or Tom's of Maine shave cream, both very good.

The real key is the shaving brush. The brush mixes the soap or cream with water for a lather and both gently lifts the beard stubble and also gets rid of the debris around the stubble. Unfortunately here too there's not much that's both good and widely available. Drug stores often have small "natural bristle" (e.g. boar hair) brushes, but they're not very good and will only last a few months. Its enough to get started with but a badger hair brush will give an order of magnitude better lather.

As for a razor, the fewer blades the better. Anything beyond a Mach3 is over-kill. I use a single-bladed, adjustable safety razor (my blades cost me under $0.20 in bulk!).

When you're shaving this way, start out with a very wet (the hottest water you're comfortable with), clean face (I use the shaving soap as a facial soap, rinse, then lather up again with my hands as if I'm going to wash again). Then spin the brush onto the soap or cream for a few seconds and start applying to your face with a gently massaging motion (essentially lathering over lather). After a couple minutes you'll have a shiny, soft lather on your face, looking a little like pie mirangue. Now take the razor and shave *gently* in the direction your beard grows (the "grain"). Rinse, relather, and repeat. Rinse, relather and shave *across* the grain (90 degrees away from the direction the beard grows). Some people can then rinse, relather, and shave against the grain...but wait a couple weeks before you try that.

Rinse thoroughly then apply a bit of non-alcohol-based aftershave balm, massaging it into the face.

Some people (like me...who'da guessed ) really get into traditional shaving and it becomes an almost zen-like experience. There's an entire sub-culture at web forums like Shave My Face and Badger and Blade, blogs like Leisureguy and Kafeneo, and even a youtube channel. Check 'em out.

[technologyslice]

I have the same problem. My skin gets irritated very easily. I just shave once a month.

[freshwala]

i get the same problem, plus im just plain rubbish at shaving, now i just trim, it looks the same to people n in the mirror too, obviusly it doesnt feel as smooth when i touch it but i dont really mind enough to keep cutting my face up n stuff.
peace

[beautyscientist]

Can I just wholeheartedly agree with Mantic. I would not touch that product either. I am a cosmetic scientist with a special interest in the skin and I am sure that that powder will be harmful in the long run. I am slightly surprised you aren't finding it harmful in the short run.

I personally use soap for shaving - though I think the shaving foams and oils are probably better both in terms of performance and how they leave your face.

[RT Wolf]

What kind of razor you use. How long your beard is when you are shaving? How thick your beard hairs?

If you're getting bumps, then you've probably got sensitive skin that gets irritated, possibly by having the hair pulled around too often. As another poster suggested, try to go for as few blades as possible, and possibly a doube edge razor.

i have the worst combination: Thick hair with sensitive skin and the hair on the right side under my jaw line are all screwy and point every which way. I used a cartridge razor and had a big problem with ingrown hairs. electric doesn't cut close enough. However, with my hair, it seems I can't get away with having too long a beard to cut and I have to pre-shave with an electric. With the cartridge razors, my thick hair gets really stuck in between the blades.

I went out and got myself Prosoro (or somin) shaving cream from italy and a boar-bristle shaving brush. I, ike another poster, shave very infrequently, so I don't want to splurge on something I may not use. That's why I decided against getting a new doubled edged razor, and I'm just going to try adding these two things to my shaving regimen and see if I enjoy the process more. Maybe if the process gets more enjoyable, I'll shave more often.

Not having a father around to teach you is no excuse, I'm learning and my dad didn't teach me.

[Believer]

I use clippers to keep my facial hair very short.

[moltar]

Dude, just get an electric shaver. All my problems went away. Btw the problems could be not from blade, but from shaving cream, or even tap water. Electric is much easier too. No mess I've been on electric for 6 years and never go back. Whatever, maybe not as clean, but 95% there... Just make sure to get a good one, like Philips.