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Do you use razor or electric?

Anyone have any secrets to getting very little skin irritation or none at all?

Or did you get that surgery to completely remove your hair!??!??!?

Gilette Mach 3 Turbo!

I only shave my upper lip and my upper cheeks though.. when I used to shave my whole face and my head I'd use a cheap electric then touch-up with a Gillette Mach 3. I don't use shave gel/cream either, just regular old bar-soap and warm water.. and I've got the nicest cheeks I've ever seen!

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I could probably do that if I shaved every day, but because of the small area I shave I usually let it go every other day, and god help me on long weekends! So by the time I shave the hair has too much "pull" for me not to use anything.

I've been thinking of being adventurous and trying that Schick Quatro.. but I probably won't do that until Gilette comes out with a 4-blade head that I can fit on my Mach3 body that I've had for years.

but surely not cheaper than running the soap under warm water and sliding it across your skin!

I've never thought of using lotion, I'll have to try that.

I have used a Mach 3 for 3 years, and it always would cut up my face for some reason. (Probably because I shave once every three days two {any more and my skin becomes too irritated}) I also have a pretty substantial beard, but I feel that I play better if I shave a little "nip" in my mustache, and a good half-inch off my bottom lip. Some people think it's weird, others think its a new fashion trend.
Most people I have talked to complain about playing right after they shave, but for me it feels real good. I still have a problem shaving my neck. No matter what I try I will still cut myself down there if I am not careful.

Btw. I switched to some cheep bic disposables designed for sensitive skin. Like $.25 a pop. Works great for me

Remington titanium electric razor.

Works great, back when I used stick I had problems with playing shortly after shaving, sometimes even that day.

I havent' had that problem with the electric, tho it doesnt' alway she as clean on the neck as a stick does..

Been using Mach 3's (Turbo or regular) since boot camp, and almost always against the grain. If I don't shave for more than a day, I'll go over my face once with the grain, and once more against it as usual. If I'm away from a sink, I'll do a pre-performance shave with a Panasonic linear-drive wet-dry razor.

Doing it at least once a day really helps avoid irritation for me. The tip from "Queer Eye...", recommending shaving after showering instead of before, is a pretty good one, too.

I've always had trouble with shaving. If I use just a blade I bleed horribly from a thousand gashes, but if I use just an electric I can shave for 10 minutes and still look like I need a shave. My current scheme is to shave in the shower with a waterproof norelco electric razor while hot water runs over my face. I have to clean the razor heads after every use or it ceases to cut anything. After that I get all the hairs the electric misses with a pink disposable razor. Has anyone else noticed that pink razors work much better than blue ones?

Playing with any sort of stubble is horribly uncomfortable, like playing on a mouthpiece made of sharp pins. On the other hand, playing with a freshly shaven face tends to rub my skin raw. If I could afford permanent hair removal, I would have it done.

-Eric

In the morning, I shave in the shower with a double-edged safety razor that's older than Wayne's Norelco (I bought it when I was in college--it;s an all-metal nickel-plated Schick). Gives a great smooth shave once the beard's been softened up by the hot water.

If I have to play in the evening and have 5 o'clock shadow, I'll touch up with a Braun electric.

A long time ago, for a few years, I shaved with a straight razor, complete with shaving mug, both of which had belonged to my grandfather. Gave a good clean shave, but if you let the razor get dull, you could turn your face into hamburger in nothing flat. It was just too much trouble.

why shave after your shower? I hadn't heard that..I've always shaved before..

I use a Mach 3, mainly because I don't like having to sharpen my cut-throat razor every time I shave.
What really does the trick, though, is using proper shaving soap and a brush. I shave every day, before showering, and have cheeks as soft as a baby's bum.
I feel the difference when travelling. Then I use shaving foam from a can and it results in a rougher shave with more skin irritation.

Jacob Morgan wrote:why shave after your shower? I hadn't heard that..I've always shaved before..

I think the idea is that the showering softens the skin & facial hair more so than just hot water & shaving cream on dry skin.

Either way, I haven't had much trouble shaving. I've got a bump of some sort that used to lose a layer every time, but it's subsided.

Boy! The answer just doesn't get any easier! I haven't had a haircut in 25 years and I use a Wahl trimmer with a 3/8" attachment for my beard. Once in a while (don't remember the last time), my wife shaves my neck. Hey! Why waste a bunch of money on something that's just going to grow back? I need money for more tubas!

Leland wrote:I think the idea is that the showering softens the skin & facial hair more so than just hot water & shaving cream on dry skin.
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Bingo! When you get one of those high-class barber straight-razor shaves, the barber first softens things up with a hot damp towel.

When I say "in the shower", I mean just that--I shave while showering, not after.

If you shave with a razor, give the shave-in-the-shower trick a try. You'll like it--and your wife won't give you static about leaving stubble in the sink.

I use a Gilette Mach 3 and shaving oil in the shower with a fog-free (sometimes) mirror. The shaving oil is from Total Solutions, Inc.

http://www.totalshavingsolution.nu/tsi/ ... or me! jlb

I currently use a 3 head Norelco. While I prefer a real razor, the convenience of a an electric rules out. 2 minutes for the electric, no water or shaving cream to mess with, and the heads only need changed once or twice a year instead of every 2-3 days.

It does take a while for the skin to get used to an electric though, but will probably cause less irritation after the adjustment. If irritation (razor burn/bumps) is still a problem, looke in to non cutting alternatives. Start with the less expensive options, and give each a few months before giving up.

I'll never shave wth an electric soon after washing my face. Removing the oils on the skin cause the razor to stick, pull, and irritate. If using a blade, the after/during a shower if better. Some of the electrics use a lotion that might hep reduce the pulling too, or a wet/dry version tha allow some lubrication of the skin.

-Thomas "glad I can get by without shaving daily" Dodd

Interesting topic...

If you can get one of those fog-free mirrors, try shaving IN the shower, towards the end of it. All the hot water and steam will "soften" up your facial hair and make the shaving easier.

I also just DONT like playing with a freshly-shaved upper lip. I try to schedule my pre-performance shave the night before, rather than the morning of. Luckily my facial hair grows slowly enough that I can get away with that...

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Dieseltuba wrote:Someone down the post talked about if hair on your face mattered. This is my experiance. I had a mustach for over 20 years and never though it mattered. Several months ago I was told by a pro that if I shave I very well could help my playing lower notes because they could hear air leaking when I played in the low range. He also said if he had more than a day or two of growth it hurt his playing. So I gave vanity a boot and shaved. Yes, it made a differance for me. I will be clean shaven from now on.

My experience is the same. After many years of sometimes bearded and sometimes clean shaven, I discovered that there was a noticable difference in my low register.

Not so apparent when doing a lot of quintet playing (and using F tuba), but when I used my larger CC's for orchestra and brass choir playing I (eventually) was able to "connect the dots" and deduce that the facial hair made a significant difference in my low range.

Without the hair, it extended the low range by a surprising large amount (like about a sixth lower), made it speak more consistently and reliable, more responsively, and with more control dynamically.

Thus, I guess I'll be clean shaven (or couple day's of growth) 'til the end of my playing days.

My "couple of bits" to toss into the forum, for what its worth.


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