So I know the theory of shaving with the grain:
- Doesnt irritate the skin
- Proves you didn’t grow up fatherless/motherless
But… it doesn’t work, right? Against the grain is the only way to get a smooth shave… surely?
This is why I haven’t done it for decades now. Convincing men they’re supposed to go around with bare baby faces is an even bigger scam than De Beers flogging wedding bands that lose most of their value instantly.
When I’m using my safety razor I do 3 passes. With the grain first to remove most of it then across and finally against the grain to get that really smooth shave.
Same here. A lot of my beard does not grow all in one direction, so it can feel really unpleasant to go straight up against the grain. When I want to get it as cleaned up as possible, it’s one pass with the majority of the grain, then perpendicular, and then against to catch those last few stragglers. Pass one does the majority of the work, so the follow ups barely take any extra time since the razor doesn’t get all stuffed up.
This is the way I was taught.
If you use shaving cream/soap to moisturise the skin AND a good razor (i. e. not cheap disposable ones) shaving against the grain doesn’t irritate the skin.
I used to get irritation and infections often while using shaving cream. One day I ran out of shaving cream and just shaved with hot water alone. I shaved like that for about a week before I finally got to the store to buy more shaving cream.
I quickly realized that shaving cream is kind of pointless. I got a better shave with just hot water, and if I was gentle enough and used cold water to rinse afterwards, I never got irritation. Shaving cream was like a 25% chance I’d have mild irritation that day. So why am I spending all this money on shaving cream?!
And no, I didn’t have an allergy to shaving cream. It was minor skin irritation in certain spots, not swelling and itchiness everywhere the shaving cream touched me.
I exclusively shave with just hot water now. I haven’t bought shaving cream in over 2 decades and my face is still smooth and blemish-free.
I agree on the good razor, though. I’ve tried a variety from cheap ones, expensive ones, old-fashioned ones, straight-razors, and electric razors. In the 30 years I’ve been shaving, the best razor I’ve ever had was the Gillette Mach 3. I’ve been using it almost exclusively for ages now.
I’m actually worried what will happen if they ever stop making them. I have a box stockpiled with their razor heads just so I have a supply to last me a year or so. Although I’m retired now and shave less often, so it might last me about 5 years now.
You don’t need to worry. I think the patent expired on the Mach 3 a while back- there’s dirt cheap compatible handles and razors available here.
It really depends on your facial hair. Some people have fine, light hair that’s baby smooth with a quick shave with the grain; others need to practically sandpaper their face against the grain to get rid of stubble. I fall into that second category.
From personal experience, there’s nothing wrong with shaving against the grain… IF you are careful, gentle, use a very sharp blade and really hot water, and rinse with cold water when you’re done. As cold as your tap water will go.
Shaving doesn’t just cut hair; you are also picking up microscopic skin follicles as well. Usually not enough to tear or cut your skin, but the risk of doing so goes up when you’re shaving against the grain. If your blade isn’t sharp enough, it might pull on hairs a bit instead of cleanly cutting through them, and then you’re at risk of cutting into your skin too, instead of smoothly gliding over it.
Of course, your mileage may vary, so if you have curly facial hair, you might be at risk of ingrown hairs by shaving too close. There are skin treatments to help prevent that, but I’ve never used anything like that, so I can’t speak to it.
The hot water helps to soften your hair and make it easier to cut. Cold water closes your pores and helps to keep infections out. If you’re shaving against the grain, you’re likely to have more micro tears and cuts in your skin, where bacteria can nestle in and form zits or other skin infections. So wash your face with cold water afterward!
I personally shave with the grain on my face and against the grain on my neck. It’s almost impossible to shave with the grain on my neck because it grows upwards in the center and then arches outward like a rainbow on both sides on my neck. Any way I shave will be against the grain at some point on my neck, so I just do a good job shaving until I can’t feel any stubble anymore. The only time I get redness or irritation is if I did a rush job or didn’t rinse well enough with cold water.
This guy shaves
Agree with depends on the skin — I can shave atg on my face but not my neck, as neck gives ingrown hairs if I do. Trial and error is the only way really!
Great tips!
A moisturizing after-shave lotion can help if you get skin irritation shaving too close or get in-grown hair. If I’m being especially aggressive or using an aggressive blade, my skin is way more irritated if I skip the after-shave lotion.
The key is to look for moisturizing lotions instead of alcohol-based “aftershaves.” I have used and seen others recommend Proraso balm, as an example.
I apply it, leave it on for a few minutes, then wipe the excess off gently with a cloth.
Years ago I’ve seen a documentary about a semi-famous barbershop/beard grooming salon where they’ve asked the barber the same question. And the guy basically said: As hair grows in every direction, you - of course - have to shave in every direction as well to get a clean shave. And he emphasised that there’s nothing to all those stories of never going against the grain.
I find it easiest with a straight razor. I’ve never thought about directiion, as it just works. But I mostly shave with the grain. Only at the fold of my jaw/throat I go perpendicular to the grain. Basically any way I can hold the razor comfortably and reach everywhere.
To get a clean shave or a precision shave, I go against the grain. If I’m just trimming, I’ll go with the grain.
Disclaimer: I use clippers.
In my experience, shaving against the grain is almost guaranteed to cause ingrown hairs.
