msandoval858
02-19-2007, 06:03 PM
There seems to be a few people here interested in the whole Method Shaving thing so I thought I'd put some info down to address some of the basics. If you search the archives of some of the other forums there's been much said with both harsh critism and praise. The system being fairly new is still going through some changes here and there as the products are continously improved. This leaves room for some confusion and misunderstanding of the process and how the products are used, so hopefully I can shed a little light for the "method curious." Not everyone wants to take the time to read Charles Roberts' 75 page Primer on RMWS, which is understandable so here I cover the basics. Btw, I have read the whole thing and found it very informative... yes, I'm that much of a shave geek :o
Charles' Primer can be found here: http://enchanteonline.com/pages/faqs/primerfinal.pdf
FAQ's found here: http://enchanteonline.com/pages/faqs/hydrolastfaq.pdf
First things first, if you haven't already, watch Mantic's Introduction to Method Shaving videos on Youtube.com. There's little I can say about the products themselves that Mark hasn't already covered in these outstanding videos. The second video on building a wet mix shows the difference in common types of brushes when used for Method shaving and also introduces a nice new product, the Activator solution (we'll get to this later). The third installment shows the cutting forms in action and gives you a basic understanding of how they work.
Video 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSv_0MpKJU4
Video 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mec_uHFuhUc
Video 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VxFXpdLvG0
So now that you know what the products are and the general idea of how to lather up a mix, the next step is actually shaving with it. The Method is broken down into three forms that provide a road map for reducing the beard to the lowest point regardless of your grain growth direction.
http://www.enchanteonline.com/pages/faqs/cuttingforms.pdf
Everybody's grain is different and it's common for some to think that following this will result in against the grain strokes on the first pass, and hello irritation. The concept is that the cube/paste combo get the face hydrated and the hair softened enough that these forms cut smooth and easy. The goal is not to plow the blade right down to the skin but to reduce the length of the hair each pass. Here's the basics of how I go through my shave.
Build mix
Lather face with brush
Cut Form 1
Lather face with brush again
Cut Form 1 second time
Take a small amount of lather from the brush and wet hand and spread across face in a thin layer, we call this "stretching" the mix
Cut Form 2
Repeat the mix "stretching" again
Cut Form 3
Now that concludes the reduction phase. It looks like alot of steps but it actually goes very quickly. This mix is slick enough that you can cut in much quicker strokes without irritation, but that's dependent on the individual. For me the above steps take no more than a few min to complete.
Once that is done now I can apply some touch up for those few remaining tough spots where there's still that last bit of stubble. This is where the Activator solution is also useful. I take a small amount of hand lathered slag from the cube, cup my hand and put a few drops of Cutting Balm, and a pump or two of Activator, rub that by hand directly on my face to create a thin slick layer. Then use short against the grain strokes to clear those last spots. In this phase I do go back to paying some attention to grain pattern. The razor glides right over this with complete ease and leaves the face BBS smooth every time. This slick cutting mix is referred to in Method Terminology as a "Cutting Serum." Charles posted a bit on Cutting Serums on his forum, check that out for more in depth info.
Once the shave is done, a normal cold water rinse follows, then I mist my face down with the spray tonic. The Hydrolast Tonic is a blend of purified water and essential oils that adds to moisturizing and conditioning the skin. It's not entirely necessary for the post shave process but adds that little extra something. Then I apply a small amount of the aftershave conditioner and message gently on to my face. I use a bit more as I love applying to my entire face, not just the shaved area. The Peppermint scent is a very soothing moisturizer with a nice cooling effect. The other scents are nice as well but I'm hooked on the Peppermint for life!
Obviously, there's more than one way to shave and the Method is not for everyone, but I have had great results from it consistantly and the skin conditioning properties of the products are outstanding. The products also will last quite a while, which better justifies the price as well. The cube and paste are what you will have to restock most often and they are together about the same price as a regular tub of cream. Hopefully this little rundown gives you a better of idea of the Method Shaving process.
Any questions?
:D
Charles' Primer can be found here: http://enchanteonline.com/pages/faqs/primerfinal.pdf
FAQ's found here: http://enchanteonline.com/pages/faqs/hydrolastfaq.pdf
First things first, if you haven't already, watch Mantic's Introduction to Method Shaving videos on Youtube.com. There's little I can say about the products themselves that Mark hasn't already covered in these outstanding videos. The second video on building a wet mix shows the difference in common types of brushes when used for Method shaving and also introduces a nice new product, the Activator solution (we'll get to this later). The third installment shows the cutting forms in action and gives you a basic understanding of how they work.
Video 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSv_0MpKJU4
Video 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mec_uHFuhUc
Video 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VxFXpdLvG0
So now that you know what the products are and the general idea of how to lather up a mix, the next step is actually shaving with it. The Method is broken down into three forms that provide a road map for reducing the beard to the lowest point regardless of your grain growth direction.
http://www.enchanteonline.com/pages/faqs/cuttingforms.pdf
Everybody's grain is different and it's common for some to think that following this will result in against the grain strokes on the first pass, and hello irritation. The concept is that the cube/paste combo get the face hydrated and the hair softened enough that these forms cut smooth and easy. The goal is not to plow the blade right down to the skin but to reduce the length of the hair each pass. Here's the basics of how I go through my shave.
Build mix
Lather face with brush
Cut Form 1
Lather face with brush again
Cut Form 1 second time
Take a small amount of lather from the brush and wet hand and spread across face in a thin layer, we call this "stretching" the mix
Cut Form 2
Repeat the mix "stretching" again
Cut Form 3
Now that concludes the reduction phase. It looks like alot of steps but it actually goes very quickly. This mix is slick enough that you can cut in much quicker strokes without irritation, but that's dependent on the individual. For me the above steps take no more than a few min to complete.
Once that is done now I can apply some touch up for those few remaining tough spots where there's still that last bit of stubble. This is where the Activator solution is also useful. I take a small amount of hand lathered slag from the cube, cup my hand and put a few drops of Cutting Balm, and a pump or two of Activator, rub that by hand directly on my face to create a thin slick layer. Then use short against the grain strokes to clear those last spots. In this phase I do go back to paying some attention to grain pattern. The razor glides right over this with complete ease and leaves the face BBS smooth every time. This slick cutting mix is referred to in Method Terminology as a "Cutting Serum." Charles posted a bit on Cutting Serums on his forum, check that out for more in depth info.
Once the shave is done, a normal cold water rinse follows, then I mist my face down with the spray tonic. The Hydrolast Tonic is a blend of purified water and essential oils that adds to moisturizing and conditioning the skin. It's not entirely necessary for the post shave process but adds that little extra something. Then I apply a small amount of the aftershave conditioner and message gently on to my face. I use a bit more as I love applying to my entire face, not just the shaved area. The Peppermint scent is a very soothing moisturizer with a nice cooling effect. The other scents are nice as well but I'm hooked on the Peppermint for life!
Obviously, there's more than one way to shave and the Method is not for everyone, but I have had great results from it consistantly and the skin conditioning properties of the products are outstanding. The products also will last quite a while, which better justifies the price as well. The cube and paste are what you will have to restock most often and they are together about the same price as a regular tub of cream. Hopefully this little rundown gives you a better of idea of the Method Shaving process.
Any questions?
:D