Unemployment does strange things to me. The latest being this poll:
For the men, which side of the face gets shaved first?
For the ladies, errm… ok, which leg gets shaved first?
Me, I start with my right cheek.
Totally pointless, I know!! It’s just that I have all this free time…
I’d think, for the fellas, at least, it’d be pretty straightforward. Right handers (m’self included) start on the right, and left handers start on the left.
Though I start on the neck first, from the jawline back, work m’way across, then back up to the right cheek.
Oddly, now that I think about it consciously, (for the first time in probably years) I work from the outside in to the middle on both sides.
Weird. Suddenly I too am fascinated by alla this.
If it’s not too presumptuous of me to add a bit to the poll:
Do you shave with or against “the grain”? I know I can’t get anything close to a clean shave unless I work against the grain o’ the stubble.
[sub]It just doesn’t pay to think about the things you do on autopilot. Makes the brain ache.[/sub]
I start on the left, with the grain. I’m right handed.
I’m touching up the areas around a fairly full beard. I do the neck first (downward, then up for a close cut), then the left cheek (same down-then-up pattern) and then right cheek. I’m also right-handed.
Alright, I’ll check in on this one.
The facts:
Close cut Van Dyke, Right-handed, left cheek first.
My cheeks are kinda sparse, so I can get away with going with the grain there. But under my chin I go against the grain for that close cut. The order tends to be left cheek, under chin/neck area, then right cheek.
Slight hijack/addendum:
Foam or gel?
I prefer gel myself.
I’ve had the beard since '89. I’ve had my current can of Noxema cream since '88. It’s true.
Ambidextrous
Shave left leg first - thigh downward
Against the grain - for smoothest feel
Normally use soap - but prefer foam
Start at the bottom-left of my neck, against the grain. Then left cheek (and chiselled jawbone ;)), against the grain, then the middle of my neck, then repeat on the right-hand side.
Right handed.
Right side first, going from ear to mouth (against the grain), starting up near the sideburn then moving down. Then the left side, then neck.
Here’s the weird thing: the grain on the left side is very different from the right–right side grain is mouth to ear, left side is eye to jaw. I’m a freak!
Right handed, left side first. Against the grain.
That sounds like advertising copy for something…
Against the grain. Everywhere.
I still can’t make out a qualitative difference between gel and foam. I think I’ve been rotating alternatively between the two for the past 6 years now!!
Incidentally, I ran out of the foam recently one morning, and tried liquid soap - it actually works pretty good!!
I just realised that without ears, I wouldn’t be able to shave my longish sidelocks at the right length on either side!
Right handed, gel, right side first and first with the grain, then against the grain.
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I start in the middle, bottom and work up. Then left, then right. First with then against the grain. Left handed.
I shave with a beard trimmer first. Then I use the razor, delicately, and work my way from the bottom of the “V,” near the lips. I leave a little up top, since she likes it that way. I get all stray hairs near the lower portion. By this time, she’s moaning with abandon, and I stop shaving and rinse and dry her off, then take her hand and lead her gently into the bedroom.
Left leg first, starting from the ankle up, against the grain. I don’t use soap or foam usually, but I sometimes use nifty lavender scented soap.
Right handed, shave in the shower and touch up anything I missed afterwards (so I guess that would be neither foam nor gel), both with and against the grain, in that order. Left cheek, under chin, right cheek, under lips, over lips.
I’m right handed and start with my right cheek near the sideburn. With the grain, no shaving cream or soap. Usually in the shower.
When I shave my GF’s legs I start with the right leg first, bottom to top, against the grain. Usually in the shower.
I’m right handed. I shave my left leg first. I start with my lower leg, then knee, then thigh. Then I shave my right leg. Then I shave my left underarm, then right. But when I shave my bikini line I always start with the right side. I go against the grain and I use gel.
The outside.
The Right