You can teach an old dog new tricks!

[WildernessWildChild]

I've been shaving for over 30 years now and the absolute best shave I've ever had (other than a pro with a straight razor) was yesterday morning.

The secret was using hair conditioner instead of shaving cream or soap.

K, this might not be earthshaking stuff but for a guy who has barbed wire that grows out of his skin at Mach 10 and needs to shave frequently (leading to dry skin) it's pretty major. I've tried all kinds of shaving soaps and creams that claim to pre-moisturize and aftershaves/creams/balms that claim to restore ph balance but nothing has worked like this.

-no cuts
-no rash
-no redness
-no itch
-no dryness

I went for a hair cut the middle of last week and noticed that the girl (yes, I said girl) that cuts my hair had taken a training course in straight razor shaving. Feeling on the adventurous side I went for it- WOW, best shave ever! I mentioned how much I didn't look forward to shaving more due to the after-effects than anything and she clued me in to the secret of a happy shave- she said use my wife's conditioner. I said I don't have a wife. She then said to use my girlfriends. I said sorry, don't have one of those either. She then gave me that look that only a female with a problematic man-child of their own can give and asked what conditioner I used. I replied that I used Aussie, I like the purple bottle. Another one of those looks and a sigh, she told me that would be great. I ended up giving her a really good tip for the great haircut, shave, and sort of a bribe to let me back in the door next time.

Hope this helps someone. It's been over 24 hours and still smoothish and pain free.

 

[painter's radio]

"my wife's 53 and she just learnt to juggle"

hawhaw

 

[9006]

This thread is hilarious! If this isn't a success story I don't know what is!!

Seriously thanks for sharing though, because I have a similar experience when shaving, sometimes it's horrendous. I buy the top razors which costs a bomb, and the first shave is ok, then it slowly gets worse.

But hey - I'll give it a go!

 

[kamya]

http://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge If you want to learn/ try doing this yourself.

 

[MissGuided]

Good for you, BC - that was actually a trade secret that we girls are privy to during our first club meeting.

Yield the secret wisely - we have ninjas.

 

[WildernessWildChild]

Soon my protégé will be old enough to infiltrate the girls club and divulge all secrets to me.

Amusingly enough, I was brave enough to put my life in the hands of a fiery red-headed type who was quite impressed by my not flinching whilst shaving the neck.

 

[Veruca]

Girlfriends/wives around the world : "Where the hell did my conditioner go??!!"

No but seriously, I'm very happy for you guys!

 

[ucxb]

This is fantastic !! Thanks for sharing I will try conditioner on my legs, shaving cream is so over priced I think

 

[WildernessWildChild]

Another tip that I've used for years regarding footwear.

If you've got a pair of new leather footwear (dress shoes, runners, hiking boots, etc.) take an ordinary wax candle (at least room temperature, warmer is easier) and lightly apply the wax to the inside of the footwear in question. Doing this will speed up the break-in process and reduce the chance of getting blisters that so many of us experience

Works for both genders btw.

 

[Veruca]

^ this works! I have tried it!

 

[defenestrate]

I still remember giving one lady the, "What are you crazy?!" looks after she told me about using hair conditioner. I'd recommend to anybody giving it a shot. Those things seriously work better than any shaving cream or lather.

Speaking of crazy, I've recently procured a straight razor. Either that means I'm taking a rite of passage into respectability or I've really gone into the deep end this time. I'll allow you to decide.

 

[WildernessWildChild]

A bit on the dry side for presentation but holy s**t!

[video=youtube]

 

[WildernessWildChild]

Cough, cough- sorry, had to blow the dust off this.....

How're you all doing, everyone ok? Good, good, glad to hear it.

So a couple of things to share that you may or may not know about.

1). If you cut yourself (particularly the hands- especially when you get those painful cracks at the end of your fingertips) and you want it to heal quickly wash your hands with vinegar. Yes it hurts (I usually drop the F-bomb a few times) but it prevents bacteria from getting a foothold and helps the healing process.

2). You're building something, working in the garden, hiking, etc., and you cut yourself skip the bandages- grab a roll of electrical tape and wrap the afflicted part snugly (make sure you don't cut off circulation though- that's bad. Real bad!). It prevents dirt, grime, and any other nasty things from getting in and starting to infect. You'll notice the skin under the tape has a tender, soft feel to it if you leave it on a couple of days, I've used it on knees, elbows, fingers, toes, forearms....

3). Really dry hands or feet. Skip the overpriced creams with the pretty labels and get a product called "Bag Balm" or "Udder Balm". Anything that will moisturize and return flexibility to a cows overworked teat is going to do wonders for your skin in a very short period of time (do it at night, put cotton socks or gloves on and you'll notice a huge difference in the morning. It's kind of a heavy salve so washing up takes a bit of effort but its worth it. Works on lips too.....um, er, so I've been told.

Had to do all of the above the last few days, thought I'd pass it along. The guy who taught me the advanced first aid class I took was pretty impressed that my "personal first aid kit" was as simple as vinegar, a utility knife, and electrical tape as he uses on them on himself as well- unfortunately they're not approved for use in "official" first aid kits for job sites, recreational facilities, etc.

Don't know if anyone is interested, cares, or will ever give it a go but these cheap and easy tactics work.

 

[MissGuided]

^ good info, BC - thanks for sharing.

 

[WildernessWildChild]

Kids got a spring cold so as I was helping her get ready for bed we did "The Vicks Treatment" to make sleep possible and it helps get rid of the cold faster- I swear by this....

Rub Vicks VapoRub all over your feet- bottom, top, sides, ankles- then put on a pair of heavy socks. Next rub it all over your upper torso- front, back, and sides. Kids now developing modesty so she took care of the chest and tummy but was more than happy to get a Daddy massage on her back and shoulders. Put on a t-shirt after you're all gooey. If you're a grown up type I'm kind of a fan of mixing up a couple of packages of lemon Neo Citran and a very healthy dose of rum or rye (several ounces) and drinking it hot right before bed- gives you really crazy dreams and gets you sweating the cold out while you sleep (might want to have a towel on the nightstand and a couple of extra blankets nearby to exchange as well).

This works really good- I find that when I get a cold (rarely happens but when I get them they're nasty) if I do the above, sleep (pass-out) for 12-24 hours, and ignore the world I recover pretty quickly.

Gotta go, short n' sassy wants snugga time with The Human Furnace.

 

[kamya]

The vicks works. You can even heat it up which makes a massage with it even more awesome while you rub it in.

 

[drr26]

I use 2p razor blades they work just fine, with nuage shaving oil. That stuff beats foam and gel.

I may try the idea if I run out though

What I would like is for some way (other than expensive laser treatment) to permenantly remove my facial hair, not keep shaving all the time