
Shave.
Being as I was one of the few guys in school with a decent amount of facial hair, he figured that I was a pro at this and wanted me to impart my wisdom because he always seemed to be ripping his face apart when he attempted to shave. So I asked him what his procedure was and he told me that he basically just took a razor to his face. I found it interesting when he explained that he was raised by a single mother and no one ever showed him how to properly shave his beard. And I was struck by how many others like him there probably was – boys, raised by single women, who are either too proud or too embarrassed to ask their mothers how to begin being a man.
(Let me flash forward here for a second and say that The BF has got to be shaking his head at this. He thinks I shave too quickly and too dangerously. But I almost never knick or cut myself - its just years of practice and good technique.)
So that following Saturday afternoon, Chris – the stoner dude – called me in my dorm and asked me for a lesson. We were an odd pair as we ventured to the Piggly Wiggly (I went to a southern college) and bought a decent razor, shaving cream, exfoliant and after shave balm. Then we returned to his dorm and I walked him through the process:
- Always shower first. The steam from the shower helps to soften the beard area. I personally shave in the shower.
- Always exfoliate the area you are going to shave. It gets rid of dead skin cells and softens the face.
- Invest in a good razor (don’t use those disposable Bic things) and be sure to use a clean blade. The life of a razor blade is dependent on the thickness of your hair growth. Personally, I change blades about once every other week.
- Lather up the face and shave with the grain of your beard. Rinse the razor frequently with hot water.
- Rinse your face in cold water to close your pores.
- Apply a soothing gel or balm to the area to recondition the skin.
Later that evening at a house party, Chris approached me with a broad grin, a smooth face, and a beer. He thanked me for helping him out and not making such a big deal about it. He said he didn’t have a dad or a big brother to teach him how to do a lot of things. And he appreciated my help. Then he gave me the beer, put his arm around my shoulders and led me outside.
And that night, I got higher than the
Great story... I shave in the shower too, otherwise I never get a close shave and I cut the hell out of myself. I have a thich, heavy beard and HATE it.
ReplyDeleteSame here,
ReplyDeleteI've been shaving since sophmore year in high school. And I've only gotten hairier. I can't shave in the the shower though. I never could understand how to keep my fabulously straight angled sideburns in tact if I don't have a straight edged razor (not the mach3 - it's horrible) and a mirror.
don't listen to anything this man says. he shaves like he's in a race. against the grain. aggressively.
ReplyDeletemakes me cringe every time.
dop's got a lot of good advice... on other subjects.
I didn't say it was how I did it - I said it's how to do it the correct way.
ReplyDelete