Overrated! or Things that never worked for you that others deem necessary.

I'm not going to say overrated, but this notion that you absolutely MUST do a WTG pass before going against the grain never worked for me.  I've got sparse, coarse hair and never got any benefit from it, I just do 2x ATG passes, with the second being more of a touch-up.

Three passes for me is WTG WTG ATG.

Justin

Alum

That's it

I'm not going to say overrated, but this notion that you absolutely MUST do a WTG pass before going against the grain never worked for me. I've got sparse, coarse hair and never got any benefit from it, I just do 2x ATG passes, with the second being more of a touch-up.

I only shave WTG on the top of my head. Its pointless in the sides and back. There, I go XTG, GTX, ATG. The 2 cross-grain passes do a much better job of reducing the stubble on the sides and back of my head. Going WTG there does nothing for reduction, and results in more touchups, and higher potebtial for irritation. And I figured that out by accident! I forgot where I was and skipped wtg by mistake, and had a better shave, so the next day I did it on purpose...

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Second, I am sorry if you are one of these people but I don't understand it when people love Unscented or very plain soaps such as MWF when you don't have sensitivities, this is because, for me scent is a huge thing, surely scent and enjoyment is part of the shaving expierence?!

I don't discriminate any quality soap- do love the cool scents but also like that straight "soapy" smell of MWF or SdM from time to time.

Second, I don't get face lathering. Why would anyone want to miss out on building a perfect warm lather in a scuttle, and the joy of painting that lather on your face for as long as you like? And being able to rework the lather, with heat, every pass?

Everyone's different.

Again, no judgment.

I love the feel of that brush on my face; sometimes soft sometimes backbone- that warm water and lather build, face to brush, is where it's at for me personally; I'm not going to let that bowl or scuttle get the satisfaction

Alum. Allergic to that devil stone.

DE blades. Those flexible ribbons of steel are even more evil than alum.

Balms. Oily skin. 'Nuff said.

There's probably more but my brain is tired.

Hilarious! Much like soaps, I have rarely met a razor I didn't find something to like about. DE, SE. I need a straight!

I'm not going to say overrated, but this notion that you absolutely MUST do a WTG pass before going against the grain never worked for me.  I've got sparse, coarse hair and never got any benefit from it, I just do 2x ATG passes, with the second being more of a touch-up.

I wish I could do that honestly but my beard is too ornery. I have tried in the past to jump right in to ATG but it is a disaster. If I cut back on passes, it has to be WTG, XTG otherwise I may as well pluck my beard with tweezers.

Personally, I have never used pre-shave products. Don't doubt that they are great for some but personally just a scalding shower and a face lather does the trick.

Chris, I must iterate how much I am enjoying this thread.  It has certainly been one of the more fascinating of late.  Some products or techniques I knew were up to the individual (put me in the no alum as a post shave ritual camp, please ) but there are others that I thought would be universal to everyone and they simply are not.  This has definitely been a great learning experience.

Alum. Allergic to that devil stone.

DE blades. Those flexible ribbons of steel are even more evil than alum.

Flexible ribbons and the devil stone. Either two of the best shave epithets, or the title of a pulp novel I now really, really want to read.

Chris, I must iterate how much I am enjoying this thread.  It has certainly been one of the more fascinating of late.  Some products or techniques I knew were up to the individual (put me in the no alum as a post shave ritual camp, please ) but there are others that I thought would be universal to everyone and they simply are not.  This has definitely been a great learning experience.

That is what I was hoping for...

There are things that have never made a lot of sense to me, but I've always been "afraid" to speak up about it, due to how highly regarded they are, such as a "pre-shave routine", or the use of Alum. It's nice to see that really...none of us are alone. Opinions run the gamut!

I do want to thank everyone for playing along. This has been very eye-opening and enjoyable!

One of the main reasons I started this thread was due to watching so many YouTube videos lately, and seeing these guys go through their shave routines, and then applying alum to their face, the vast majority say something like, "I'm not really sure what the alum is doing or supposed to do, but it's good for your skin", and that just made me go, "Wait...what??"

So I wanted to see how many other people just stopped doing the things they were "supposed to do", and started doing their own thing with equal, or sometimes even better, results...

High end brushes for me.

What is a high end brush?

Can let you get away with such a simple statement

In our collective re-discovery of traditional wet shaving, we've doubtless circulated and amplified a number of poorly-substantiated practices, and some outright superstitions. It's on us, we who pay so much attention to this daily task, to sort out what really works versus what is merely unquestioned affectation.