Shaving - is foam necessary?

Recently I ran out of shaving foam - and there was some liquid soap available - and so I used that - and it seemed to work as well as shaving foam.

So are these special shaving foams and creams any advantage?

Reply to
Chris
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I have had to do this on occasions on business trips. It seems to be workable as long as one is careful, or there does seem to be a greater risk of nicking one's visage. Using a new blade seems to help with that.

One wonders, but it does seem that a little less care is needed than with the shampoo method

Reply to
Andy Hall

In message , Chris writes

Never used foam in 35 yrs, just ordinary soap lathered up,

Reply to
Keith

Einstein wasn't a fan of it I believe, and just used to rinse the blade regularly with water.

ISTR he wasn't a fan of socks either...

Reply to
Colin Wilson

I suppose really this all depends on how hard your bristles are ie if you can use just soap then you must have bum fluff. :-P

Reply to
George

AOL,

I'm into about 10 years of soap only.

Reply to
R D S

No.

I gave it up about 7 years ago. OK, it's not a *great* beard, but it beats the hell out of hacking lumps out of oneself.

Reply to
Huge

I'm not either, which must account for my great intellect, and modesty of course :-)

Reply to
Andy Hall

In message , Chris writes

Just an expensive lubricant ...

Reply to
geoff

I've used cold water on ocassions. Well, when you sleep in. make mad dash for office, and buy some of those wretched throwaway razors, and the hot water is not available, its the only way. Trouble is it seems much easier to nick yourself and you end up covered in bits of toilet paper.

Secret to good shave is wet the beard well and then keep it wet. The only advantage of the creams etc. appears to be their ability to keep the beard wet. Plain soap can dry very quickly.

Having said all that I use an electric razor.

So what is this macho thing about using a blade. You know, "Oh my beard is too tough for an electric shaver"

B****x. Its only hair, not wire. Are they trying to tell us that if they grew a beard it would be like Desperate Dans. Vertical to the skin.

REAL man hammer it back in and chew it off on the inside,

Paul Mc Cann

Reply to
TPMcCann

They are of considerable advantage to the manufacturers' bottom lines.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

Some people find soap dries their skin more than the foams. Not a problem if you moisturise afterwards though I suppose.

Reply to
John Rumm

Foam? What the bloody hell is shaving foam? Are you not supposed to buy expensive shaving gels these days with built in soothing aloe for sensitive skin?

Adam

Reply to
ARWadsworth

I don't use a blade to be "macho" - I don't grow vast amounts of facial hair, and often get away with shaving every 2-3 days.

I use a blade because it gives a far better result IME than a dry electric shave. Sure, you get the odd nick, but they're preferable to the razor burns I used to get off electric razors !

Reply to
Colin Wilson

Try "King of Shaves" oil. Expensive (by volume), but you really do only need a couple of drops. Good for travelling. Lesser copy brands haven't really managed it, IMHE.

OTOH, at home I only ever use water and warmth. I shave after a bath or shower and the good steaming beforehand is quite enough.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Only to the shareholders of the manufactures...

Plain cold water is not nice, you do need a lubricant of some sort. Unless I *really* had to have a shave I'd only wash with plain cold water to freshen up.

I use ordinary soap and have done for a very long time, I think it was before I went backpacking around China for 6 weeks in 1993. That trip and living in trenches for a week taught me that keeping ones feet warm and dry and at least an upper body wash of some sort on waking are what keeps one comfortable.

No the few times I've tried an electric shaver it has taken longer to do the job that a blade does better.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

I use hair conditioner, having no other use for it. What makes the most difference is time - wharever you use give it a few minutes to soak in so your beard's softer and it'll cut more easily. I slap it on as I get into the shower and shave as I finish.

Reply to
Skipweasel

I never nick myself wet shaving, and I agree - you get a far smoother shave with a proper blade. Anyway, I don't like all that noise!

Reply to
Skipweasel

Sound advice. You are just as likely to cut your skin to ribbons with soap as with any foam or gel.

It is going against the grain that makes it fierce: you can use your face/neck as a means toasting crumpets afterwards. I reckon 0.5kW of radiant heat can be obtained this way.

Reply to
whitely525

On occasions I've run out of 'proper' shaving soap and have just used ordinary soap applied frothily with the shaving brush - it seems virtually as effective as the real thing.

Reply to
Frank Erskine

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