Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with shaving

Are more expensive epilators worth it or could they work worse?

Jaelma24 — Sun, 12 May 2013 14:39:03 -0800

I have read posts about different epilators and have heard good reviews about Braun, but it seemed like lower to mid price epilators were recommended. I am new to epilating and I want to use it for legs, under-arms and chin. I am looking for the best epilator that is easy, efficient and has high techiness that makes general use of it easy such as wet/dry. What are some of the good epilators to use and does higher cost equate to it being better? I want to make sure that the options/features making it easier doesn't make it worse in actual effectiveness. I have read of some epilators breaking hairs instead of removing it on wet/dry epilators.

I want a more expensive one since I feel like there may be higher quality but I have seen mid-range epilators recommended on metafilter in past questions as being great and I am not sure if that was just the high end a few years ago or it maybe that is a better option than more expensive versions. Otherwise I am looking at Braun Se7921 spa or Braun SE7681 which are more expensive. I really like the SE7681 model since it has so many attachments that make it seem very multifunctional even with a shaving head to make it an all in one option. Is this really as awesome as it looks?

For Background I am a woman in my mid 20's who has tried laser hair removal on both underarms and face no success probably because my hair is too light. The hair my face is dark enough that it is noticeable and I currently shave everyday to minimize this but I feel prickly (ick). Plucking is not an option since there are just too many hairs and that would take forever to do. I have tried waxing in the past and I loved how my face was actually smooth for the first time in a long time. I am just too lazy to go out and get it done professionally and it will add up over time price wise. I was horrible at home wax. Just way too messy and hard to do on my face and neck. This is why I am looking at an epilator and figured it might be great to use all over and not just my face/chin/neck. To double check, am I crazy for wanting to epilate my face and would it be worse than waxing?

TLDR;
In summary, I want a nice epilator that is great for face/legs/underarms with options or features that make its use easier and more awesome. What recommendations would you have and is more expensive with features actually better than simple cheap epilators? Any other advice is welcome.

One beard enkemptening, please.

griphus — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:26:50 -0800

I have a rather unkempt winter beard and I'd like to shape it into an actual (but still thick, long and luxurious) beard. Every time I try to do it myself, I fuck it up. I love my barber, but there's a bit of a language barrier and ever since this little mishap , I'm not yet willing to put my beard back in his hands. So I need some YouTube videos or sites or books or salon manuals or something that will allow me to work on my beard without reinventing the wheel. I don't want one of those moustache-zeitgeisty "How To Be A Man's Man The Manly-Man Way" books that are just a bunch of public domain photos of bare-knuckle boxers and some trimming guides you can get on the back of a box of razors. I want to learn the technique, the moves, all this stuff. I want to go from Tom Hanks ca. Cast Away to Brian Wilson.

I own a good precision trimmer and a shitty but workable beard trimmer. I shampoo and condition it when I shower. I occasionally put a bit of pomade in it, but the longer it gets, the less necessary that is.

Alternatives to shaving for pregnant ladies?

linettasky — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 10:59:28 -0800

I hate shaving my legs. I'm a hairy lady with dark leg hair, and shaving always itches & hurts, no matter what shaving cream or lotions I use. I usually wax in the summer and ignore my legs in the winter, but my toddler would love it if we went to the pool, and I'm fifteen weeks pregnant. Can I get a leg wax while I'm pregnant? Are there other options I haven't thought about? Depilatories don't work for me, and I'm not comfortable taking my hairy hairy legs to the pool. The last time I was pregnant, I didn't go swimming; I just wore long pants or leggings the whole time. (Bikini line isn't a concern; I always wear board shorts anyway, and I have awesome maternity ones I'm excited to fit into.)

Best close-shave electric shaver?

rhiannonstone — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 22:22:17 -0800

What's the best very-close-shave electric shaver/razor for the face and other sensitive areas? I'm intrigued by the Cleancut and the similar Body Bare, but they seem too good to be true and honest reviews are hard to find. Do you have personal experience with either of those, or another you really like? Or does what I want even exist? I'm female, and would mostly be using it on my face and neck, but also maybe on the bikini area (I usually wax, but can't always fit it into my schedule). I don't care whether it's marketed for men or women, but I'm definitely not interested in standard men's electric razors, as they don't cut close enough--not even the fancy high-end ones. The ones I've been looking at claim a close, smooth, almost completely stubble-free shave, and assuming that's not impossible, that's what I want.

Of course I know straight/safety/other non-electric razors are an option, but that's not what I'm asking about here.

Alum block after shaving: Alzheimer's risk?

DoctorFedora — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:55:47 -0800

So I hear that aluminum is pretty bad for your body (and maybe is linked to Alzheimer's?). I also hear that alum (which is used to close nicks after shaving) is the name of an aluminum compound. The majority of info about alum crystals for personal hygiene tends to be on "natural living" web sites and the like, so my main question is: is there any actual scientific study either way as to the safety of such a thing being rubbed on your face on a regular basis?

Dorco or Safety Razor?

luciddream928 — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:33:00 -0800

Any ladies out there shave old school, as in, with a safety razor? I'm trying to save money on the insane mark-up of disposable razors. Recently I accidentally lost my razor in a hotel while traveling, and now I have the opportunity to buy a new one. I considered Dollar Shave Club, then found that I can buy direct from Dorco at even a fraction of DSC's price. Also, I've been reading testimonials from men who say that the best shave is with a vintage safety razor, circa 1940's, and I'm considering that too. Way cheaper than anything. But.... I don't want to hack my legs up. And I'm not sure which blade to buy (seems there are different types of blades).

Any ladies out there successfully shaving on the cheap?

Is it safe to use any antibiotics on only an occasional basis?

denverco — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 21:24:18 -0800

Is it safe to use any antibiotics on only an occasional basis? I get ingrown hairs, and generalized facial infections (multiple spots, swelling), about once every three months. I don't feel that I need daily, constant, antibiotics, and I don't want to use antibiotics. That said, I feel like I do need something when I get these horrible breakouts.

I tend to get these skin infections when I am sick and/or when I get a number of ingrown hairs because of a shaving mistake.

So, is it safe to go on/off something like doxycycline when these horrible breakouts occur?

Help me identify with this film from the spoiler.

MarvinJ — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 11:32:08 -0800

Help me identify with this film from the spoiler. Going crazy trying to remember the name of this film. The premise is that an American is kidnapped by the Germans during WW2 because he has knowledge of the d-day landing, the drug and kidnap him and then try to convince him that the war is over and that he should tell them what he knows, the twist in the movie is that the day before he is kidnapped he cuts himself shaving, the cut then opens again and he realises he cut himself yesterday, not 7 years ago like the germans are trying to convince him.

Tried Google but War, Shaving, Germans bring to many irrelevant results.

It's an old film.

Please, it's driving me nutty!

Freak of nature seeks effective hair-removal solution....

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 13:55:00 -0800

When I get a bikini wax, it stays smooth for less than ONE WEEK. Is there a better hair removal solution for freaks of nature like me? I was really excited about waxing since it can allegedly keep you smooth for 2-3 weeks at a time. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case for me - I get scratchy stubble poking out after a week and by 10 days I am hairy again. Not really worth shelling out 30 bucks, right? I think this might just be my genetics, I am not a particularly hairy woman but I have really thick head on my hair that also grows fast.

The default remedy for this is shaving, but that never worked so well for me either. I ALWAYS get red bumps the day after despite trying a variety of razors, deodorant, Tend Skin, etc. and the hair grows back within a day. Not convenient when you want to go the swimming pool two days in a row or have a surprise sexual encounter.

I also know a lot of people will encourage me to go natural, but that's not an option for me. I am not getting the full Brazilian but rather what they call the French wax, only removing hair at the sides. If I go natural, I've got stuff poking out of my swimsuit.

I also tried Nair and it didn't do ANYTHING.

I've consider home waxing to save money, but I'm not sure if it's safe to wax that frequently (I would have to do it every 10-14 days to be halfway happy with my hairlessness). If I went to a professional that often, I'd be broke.

Does anyone else have this problem and any potential solutions? It sounds like a pretty dumb problem but I would just like to wear a damn swimsuit without shorts on a whim or have sex without planning it for a week ahead of time! Is that really too much to ask?

How to get a close shave with no razor bumps?

Kamelot123 — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 20:18:52 -0800

I'm a dark haired 26-year old guy, with what I assume to be a tough, bristly beard. How do I get past the 5'oclock shadow and razor bumps that have been starting to plague me as of late? (Details inside) Hello all,

I'm a 26 year old guy with dark hair, and what used to be decent skin.

This problem started up around last year, in the winter. I discovered the joys of double-edged shaving about a half year before that (Switched from the gillette fusion because of razor bumps on the neck).

Before, I had a softer beard, so I could shave with my safety razor with the grain then across the grain and get a decently close shave. However, lately in the last half year or so my beard has been getting super tough, so that shaving wtg/atg still leaves a 5'oclock shadow. So I shave against the grain, which gets my face smooth but caused a razor bump problem on my chin which has stuck around for months now.

I have run the gamut of shave preps/shaving methods. I always shave at the end of a shower, use shave oil, a badger/boar bristle brush, quality shaving soap/cream and have tried different blades (my favorite is feather, which is easy to find since I am in Japan). But it doesn't give the same results I was getting when I started double-edged shaving. It's like my face is always dry/irritated/difficult to shave lately, the hairs don't come off as easily as they used to, the razor doesn't glide like it used to and I have to make several passes.

I finish up with post-prep (a cold wet towel + thayers witch hazel). I also use cetaphil moisturizer a few times a day. But with the problem getting worse, I recently switched over to electric.

Really, the only thing that doesn't super-irritate my skin or give me razor bumps is the phillips sensotouch. I tried braun's series 7 too, but gave me whiteheads so I sent it back. But I have a 5'oclock shadow immediately after using it.

This is an incredibly crucial time for me to look my best, as I am to be going through many interviews this month. I would love to grow a mustache, but apparently being clean-shaven is important for interviewing in Japan.

Can your beard really toughen up so much in the span of just one year? I mean, this time last year I always had a baby smooth face after shaving and now it is simply impossible to get that.

Anyone have a similar situation to mine? Any tips/advice on how to improve, or am I stuck with the razor bump vs 5'oclock shadow tradeoff? I'd like to just be able to shave and not have to do anything drastic like going to a dermatologist for hair removal or anything.

Thanks in advance!

PS: I have acne on my back from working out, and am taking acne antibiotics - I heard that can dry out the face, but am not sure if it has anything to do with my shaving problem. In any case, I've had the razor bump problem longer than the back acne.

I Love You Mr Disposable Razors

mippy — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:13:05 -0800

Is it worth buying an electric razor, or is shaving underarms/legs with a regular disposable just as good? For years I bought the cheapest disposable razors, thinking that if they could shave a man's face, they'd be fine on legs. When I bought some Wilkinson Sword women's razors (don;'t know the name but they have three blades) the difference was astounding, much better than I thought a couple of quid extra would get me.

However, I am not very good at shaving. I am dyspraxic, I have sensitive skin, and I am so short sighted that I can't shave in the shower as I either cut my skin or, in one memorable incident, actually slice some of my nailbed off. I am wondering whether an electric shaver will help with this. A friend suggested something called an IPL ('what is this, 1986?') but I have no idea what this is. I was looking on Amazon as I have some credit there, but I'm none the wiser. I'm also thinking that I don't want to add any more gadgets to my life unless they'll make my life better.

So tell me about your shaving equipment! Will a basic one do for the usual female grooming tasks or should I be looking to spend a bit more? Are they significantly better or easier than manual razors? I'm in the UK but I think most brands are international.

Why do I experience ear pain a few hours after bathing?

GlassHeart — Sun, 06 May 2012 10:10:21 -0800

Why do I experience ear pain a few hours after bathing? Since I was a kid, I've been getting ear pain not long after bathing. I don't always get this ear pain, but it appears very, very frequently; about one in every four baths I take result in me getting ear pain afterwards. The pain tends to occur more frequently in my left ear than my right. The pain doesn't bother me as much as the temporary hearing loss that accompanies the ear pain because, usually, the only time I can feel pain in my ear when I'm experiencing this problem is when I pull on my earlobe. But I listen to music with headphones on very often, and it's annoying to hear music more clearly in one ear than the other.

I have a feeling that this ear pain is caused by soap-water getting into my ear when I stick my head under water to rinse my face off, or perhaps due to hair getting into my ears after I've shaved my face (I shave in the bath). Could soap-water and/or facial hair getting into my ear be the cause this? I make sure to rinse my ears well when I'm underwater, but I dunno. . . . I've a feeling that if I started taking showers, this problem would stop. But I unfortunately can't take showers . . .

Anyway, the problem is a little concerning. I have no clue if this problem could eventually lead to permanent hearing loss. I'll make sure to see a doctor about this sometime soon, but I'd still like to see what you have to say.

Thanks.

What font does the Tabac logo use?

GlassHeart — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 08:36:38 -0800

What font does the Tabac logo use? What font does the Tabac logo use?

It uses two different fonts. I'm mostly curious about the "TABAC" text font.

Thanks.

Best rotary-style electric razor?

Sidhedevil — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:04:06 -0800

Dear face-shaving persons of MetaFilter, what is your preferred electric rotary razor? Mr. Sidhedevil has a tough beard and tender skin, and insists on using a rotary-head-style electric. The most recent AskMe on this was from 2010, so hoping there are some new good models out there. We're in the US, so it has to be available here. He has tried a non-rotary foil style electric razor and hated it, and (this will probably surprise nobody considering that he is my husband) he is somewhat set in his ways and resistant to change, so if folks could stick to the rotary models only that would be a great help.

Lady arm hair: What do to?

manicure12 — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 23:36:29 -0800

Have you ever removed arm (not armpit) hair? How and would you recommend it? I'm a woman who has had arm hair my whole life. Not enough to bug me on a daily basis, but sometimes I think about it and I wish it could disappear. I'm white and fair skinned, (not a stereotypically hairy ethnicity-Irish) some of the hair is blonde and some of it is darker. It's not heavy or curly or anything like men usually have, but it's noticeable.

I also feel like I never see other women with arm hair, so I figure either I'm an unusual case, or everyone else is quietly getting rid of theirs. Which is closer to the truth? Do other people notice this about me do you think?

If I could easily permanently remove it, I would. But temporarily removing it over and over again sounds awful.

Has anyone on here successfully removed the lady arm hair? Obviously shaving sounds like an awful idea. Laser and electrolysis sound really expensive, but possibly my best bet? I've seen home kits for laser-type things, and epilators, and waxes, but I'm just not sure what would be best and what the effects are. ie: Could I try it just once?

I worry about even trying removing my arm hair just once, for fear that the hair would grow back worse. In high school for some reason I decided to shave the very faint, very blonde hair on my toes/top of my feet, and ever since it has been growing back awful and very dark...so yeah...I now have to constantly shave my feet. Gross and weird. And I don't want to repeat on my arms...

Anecdotes totally welcome!

Dirtstache optical illusion!

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:41:54 -0800

When I shave my face, it always leaves behind the appearance of a dirtstache. How do I stop this? Part of it is the fact that I don't grow much facial hair outside of my upper lip, so the "shadow" doesn't appear anywhere except there. (I'm east Asian). But I still wish I could shave in a way that doesn't leave my upper lip slightly darker than the rest of my face. I use a gillette fusion razor and gel shaving cream. I think the shave is plenty close, although I haven't tried many other methods. Sometimes I use an electric razor but I think the effect is the same. Any tips?

Do you have any advice or testimonials for someone new to wet shaving?

Jeff Morris — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:20:02 -0800

Do you have any advice or testimonials for someone new to wet shaving? I am a 26-year-old male. I have used Gillette Mach 3, Fusion ProGlide, etc., razors since I started shaving about ten years ago. I have started looking into wet shaving. Men often swear by it and claim they would never go back to the cartridge razors and gel-in-a-can shaving cream. I have read that it's a closer shave, better (albeit more time consuming, which I'm fine with) experience, and an ultimately cheaper way to go.

Understanding that YMMV, I was wondering if any manly MeFites can (1) attest to the following products (Amazon MeFi affiliate IDs within) / setup, and (2) offer any advice to a newcomer.

razor (Merkur)
blades (Derby)
brush (badger)
soap (Proraso)
pre/post (?) cream (Proraso)
stand
mug

Are there any other essential types of products I am missing? Has anyone made the switch and found it life-altering (or, conversely, not all it's cracked up to be)?

I appreciate your time and help!

szzzZSHROMmmmSHZzzooomm

rumposinc — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:04:27 -0800

ISO the best beard grooming system for my special bearded person. My dude is an extremely fair brunette (very dark hair) with hella thick, straight hair on top and a thick, soft, full beard. He has sensitive, reactive skin and some tendency to get ingrowns where he shaves with a razor (neck, places outside the lines of his beard). His preference is to keep a fairly conservatively-shaped full beard with a smooth neck. It's not so long, but not on-purpose stubble close, either (long enough to be soft, I guess).

He has struck out in his quest to get the right tools to efficiently trim his beard and keep the smooth parts shaved without blotchiness and ingrowns. So now, he has asked me to take over the search and gift him with a nice system for his holiday present.

He has decided that Wahl is a non-starter--he's tried several of their mid priced systems and feels they don't handle his very thick beard without snagging, pulling, and trimming unevenly before they simply break down (he has problems with the plastic guards snapping off and snagging in his beard when he trims). He thinks he may be interested in a system that includes an electric razor component for his neck, but wonders if this will mean neither component (the trimmer or the shaver) will work well. He's looking for extremely high functionality that can handle his beard's thickness but is still precise. He also wonders if razor shaving the rest is the best option, or if there is something he's missing to avoid freaking out the skin on his neck.

He's tired of dealing with tools that are supposed to trim and end up making it look like his beard was unevenly chewed--because his skin is so fair and his beard is so dark, he feels unintentionally shorter patches created by a suck trimmer "glow through." He's tired of trimmers that break down inside a year despite good care. He's tired of a blazing red razor-burned neck.

I am hoping that other bearded mefites can help me find an excellent system south of 150ish (also, I have Amazon Prime)? Additionally, if you are moved to provide personal advice that you think might help him (or me) feel free.

Shave something off the price of razor blades?

kitcat — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:44:10 -0800

What's the best value out there for cartridge razor blades? My husband and I both use the Mach 3, but I just realized the blades cost a ridiculous amount (this time, $3.35 each). Alternatives? Is there a cheaper safety/cartridge razor that doesn't suck? We tried going with disposable ones this month (gender specific ones, this time) and I, for one, am all rashy from it. Husband says his are ok after the second or third shave. Can we go back to a cartridge system that will cost less and shave decently? I don't want to invest in a new system for naught.

- buying online likely won't work; most cheap online sources for stuff either don't ship to canada or cost a lot to ship
- we don't want to go electric
- we don't want to use straight razors

Thanks.

What is a good model of corded shaver?

millions — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:50:19 -0800

Does anyone have a recommendation for a corded (not battery-powered) electric shaver? Typically I use a safety razor to shave, and I'm looking for a faster option--mainly for days when I don't want to go through the whole process of wet-shaving before work. I figure that with a corded shaver I could shave more frequently without irritation, and save the safety razor for when I want a really close shave.

Not interested in battery-powered models. I want something I can take out of a drawer and have ready every time, and not worry about charging or having the cord fall out when I use it.

I see that Norelco has a model (6940) that fits the bill, but I think I would prefer a foil system to a rotary (if I could get a new Remington MS2-100, I probably would). What's out there?

How to get rid of my beard...for good?

satyricaldude — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:00:46 -0800

Sick and tired of shaving! I'm going to get electrolysis. Here's the catch: I'm a guy. Anyone out there undergone the process before want to tell me what it's like? I imagine it's quite different for men rather than women as our beards are quite a bit coarser. Specifically, my problem is this. I'm 27, and I've always had a pitiable beard. I can wait a week without shaving and it looks like I'm just getting a five o'clock shadow. It's shitty, of course, because I scrape myself with stubble as it's sharpest when it's freshest. I'd like to undergo electrolysis (laser won't work for my blond hair) but I'd like to hear more about it first. Specifically, any MTF transsexuals or just fellas who hate to shave? I'd like to hear more! Thanks for all your feedback.

Electric shavers - what are they good for?

Foci for Analysis — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 05:07:46 -0800

Why do men choose electric shavers over safety or cartridge razors? Are electric shavers better or worse for sensitive male skin? I'm working on a web project related to shaving and need *facts* regarding the benefits of electric shavers. Based on what I've been reading so far, the main advantage seems to be convenience (it's not messy, fairly quick to shave with) and not better shaving or skin health.

Make me look less trustworthy in Lower Manhattan

SampleSize — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:50:22 -0800

I'll be in lower Manhattan today (Worth St). Can anyone recommend a barber in the vicinity that does straight-blade shaving? I would like to get my regular mustache converted into a Bob Dylan-style pencil mustache. If not right in the neighborhood, a reasonable subway ride away is ok. Thanks!

What shaving cream should I use?

GlassHeart — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 05:26:09 -0800

What shaving cream should I use? I'm making the transition of using a common cartridge razor (Gillette Fusion) to using a double-edged razor so that I can: 1. Get a closer shave. 2. Save (lots of) money.

Double-edged razors are said to give you a closer shave than cartridge razors and, almost more importantly, double-edged blades cost hardly anything. For a measly $60 CAD (including shipping/handling) I could buy 200 Feather blades on Ebay which would last me four years; for the same price I could buy just eight Gillette Fusion cartridges which would last me a few months.

I've done some looking around and it looks like I'll start off with a Merkur "1904" razor, Feather blades and a badger-hair shaving brush. Merkur seems to be highly esteemed among people who use double-edged razors, Feather blades are said to be the sharpest blades of them all and badger-hair brushes are said to lift hair better than other types of brushes.

Now this leaves me with shaving cream: what should I use? Does the shaving cream you use matter much when it comes to shaving?

Thanks.

Best electric pre-shave product?

shabaabk — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:28:58 -0800

I'm looking for a lotion, oil, powder, etc. that'll help me get a closer shave with my electric razor. Any experience? While I'm open to less common solutions, I'm optimally looking for something I can just grab at CVS. In the past I've used baby oil which has worked well, but are there any other options (specifically for electric razors or alternative solutions) that might be better? I've seen commercials for Lectric Shave recently and was wondering. Thanks!