# For people who shave their legs/faces **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946 "2010-08-11T16:29:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/1 "2010-08-11T16:29:08Z")
I’ve heard that to get a closer shave, you should shave in the direction of the hairs instead of against the hairs. I always, always shave from the ankles up, not knees down. Perhaps I am doing it wrong? What do you do? ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/2 "2010-08-11T16:32:28Z")
Male here. I shave with the grain first, then against a few times until it feels smooth. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/3 "2010-08-11T16:33:11Z")
Same here. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/4 "2010-08-11T16:36:51Z")
Both ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/5 "2010-08-11T16:40:37Z")
same here (I shave with the grain first, then against a few times until it feels smooth. ) ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/6 "2010-08-11T16:48:42Z")
Trying to shave my legs knees-down sounds like way more work than it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/7 "2010-08-11T16:55:43Z")
In my experience, I get a much closer shave if I shave \*against \*the grain. However, I’ve always been told that it’s a bad idea to do that because you end up shaving the follicle underneath the level of the skin, which can result in ingrown hairs. I’ve never gotten ingrown hairs, but your mileage may vary. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/8 "2010-08-11T16:57:09Z")
Depends on how much there is to shave. One day’s growth can be taken off in one swipe, against the grain. After a week, it’s too tough to get in one pass, so first with the grain to rough grade it, then against for baby’s-bottom smoothness. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/9 "2010-08-11T16:58:02Z")
I’m a 48 year old male and only learned to shave with the grain last year. I’ve always used an electric razor, and with one of those you just randomly move it around your face until you’re done. The few times I have used a blade, I shaved against the grain, and boy a few days of that really turns my skin to hamburger fast. I think I must have gotten the idea from the old twin-blade commercials that showed a hair being stretched and cut by the first blade, and then trimmed closer by the second blade. The direction in that commercial, at least that I recalled, was against the grain. So, last summer I decided to give the old blade another try, and for some reason started going with the grain, at least for the first pass. What a huge difference!:smack: ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/10 "2010-08-11T17:08:57Z")
Cyclist here, so yes, I shave my legs. Definitely with the grain at first, then against the grain in spots to smooth things out. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/11 "2010-08-11T17:58:20Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > Trying to shave my legs knees-down sounds like way more work than it’s worth. Same here. I get a close _enough_ result going from the ankles up, without the contortions. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/12 "2010-08-11T18:02:01Z")
Male, always shave down. Never ever up. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/13 "2010-08-11T18:09:26Z")
> [@kapri](#): > > I’ve heard that to get a closer shave, you should shave in the direction of the hairs instead of against the hairs. You’ve got that backwards there. The **closest** shave (removing the most hair) comes from going against the grain. The **least traumatic** shave (minimum skin irritation) comes from going with the grain. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/14 "2010-08-11T18:16:11Z")
Both. I shave toward my chin, so under my jaw, it’s against the grain. On my neck and cheeks, it’s with the grain. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/15 "2010-08-11T18:17:34Z")
I go with the grain mainly to cut down on irritation, as I have very sensitive skin. I have shaved against the grain before, but it wasn’t any closer than shaving with the grain. In fact, the only way I can get a smooth shave is to douse my face in aftershave, then burn it off. Not that I’d recommend shaving like that. ---
**Author:** ![Koldanar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@Koldanar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koldanar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/16 "2010-08-11T18:32:23Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > Male here. > > I shave with the grain first, then against a few times until it feels smooth. Exactly this, both for my head and my face. Err, how am I on the Straight dope science advisory board? Did I contribute in my sleep? ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/17 "2010-08-11T18:35:24Z")
Male face-shaver. I do a three pass shave. First against the grain, then across the grain, then against the grain. I use a Merkur DE razor, Feather blades, and Mitchell’s Wool Fat Shaving Soap with a badger hair shaving brush. I now find shaving to be a pleasure, instead of a chore. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/18 "2010-08-11T18:40:25Z")
You guys are some hairy MFers. I do a quick swipe against the grain every few days, et voila. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/19 "2010-08-11T18:50:00Z")
Against the grain for legs and underarms. Sideways to the grain for ye olde bikini line, possibly followed up with a teeny bit of against the grain, but that tends to tempt the Gods of the Fucking Ingrown Hairs Again God Dammit. And another person chiming in to confirm that: Against the grain is the closest shave, but because it can actually cut hairs to below the level of the skin at their normal resting orientation, it’s also more likely to result in ingrown hairs. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/20 "2010-08-11T19:00:09Z")
With the grain in the pits. Legs used to be against the grain, but I’ve only used an epillator the last 10 years, so haven’t needed to shave legs in a while. I use the epillator against the grain. I hardly have any hair left on my legs! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946.md?page=2)