For those guys out there who are clean-shaven, multiple choice questions ahead.
First, why do you shave? Is it by choice or is someone, like an employer, making you? For me, most of my career I was clean-shaven because the places I worked for did not allow beards, only a thin mustache. When I final got into work that did, I sported a goatee just because I (finally) could. Although I shaved it off and let it grow back a few times since then, most of the time, including now, my face is bare because I think I just look better (and younger) that way and it just seems more professional when dealing with the public.
What is your primary method or tool for shaving and how long do you make it last? I use disposable razors fairly exclusively and can squeeze at least 3 weeks out of one by shaving 3-4 times a week just because I'm a cheap bastard.
How often do you shave? I will usually only shave 3 times a week on work days and let the stubble run wild on my days off unless I'm going someone important; so by the time I go back to work my face is pretty grizzly, but one of the advantages of wearing masks is no one outside the house will really notice
.
Do you shave up or down? I've always read the advice that one should go with the grain, not against it, but I find by going up I get a more super-smooth feel, with nary a hint of stubble and I will always do that the first day of the week due to the thick hairs that I allowed to grow back, but after the second and third days I will only shave down as once it is smooth, further close shaves will irritate and slice my skin.
Did anyone teach you to shave and who? While some guys might think it's supposed to be a tradition for fathers to pass onto their sons grooming knowledge, no family member really showed me. It was more a combination of intuition, trial & error and what little hints I could get from reading and perhaps a friend or two (there was no internet or YouTube back then). Consequently I never really passed down the knowledge to my sons, mostly because I still don't think I do a good enough job of it to be an expert. I think when it comes to shaving most of what we learn anyway is more by observing someone else than them actually verbally instructing.
Finally in your experience, do you find your partners either current or past, prefer you to be clean shaven or have some of them expressed a desire for you to grow facial hair and have you done it just for them? Most of the women I've been with have liked whatever state my face was in at the time, however it does seem they expressed more satisfaction when I had a goatee. My wife leans slightly towards the times I didn't shave as well but I think it was more because of the novelty since as stated, most of the time we've been together I've been clean-shaven.
So love to hear other's thoughts. Feel free as well to add anything that I might have missed in my questions.
First, why do you shave? Is it by choice or is someone, like an employer, making you? For me, most of my career I was clean-shaven because the places I worked for did not allow beards, only a thin mustache. When I final got into work that did, I sported a goatee just because I (finally) could. Although I shaved it off and let it grow back a few times since then, most of the time, including now, my face is bare because I think I just look better (and younger) that way and it just seems more professional when dealing with the public.
What is your primary method or tool for shaving and how long do you make it last? I use disposable razors fairly exclusively and can squeeze at least 3 weeks out of one by shaving 3-4 times a week just because I'm a cheap bastard.
How often do you shave? I will usually only shave 3 times a week on work days and let the stubble run wild on my days off unless I'm going someone important; so by the time I go back to work my face is pretty grizzly, but one of the advantages of wearing masks is no one outside the house will really notice
Do you shave up or down? I've always read the advice that one should go with the grain, not against it, but I find by going up I get a more super-smooth feel, with nary a hint of stubble and I will always do that the first day of the week due to the thick hairs that I allowed to grow back, but after the second and third days I will only shave down as once it is smooth, further close shaves will irritate and slice my skin.
Did anyone teach you to shave and who? While some guys might think it's supposed to be a tradition for fathers to pass onto their sons grooming knowledge, no family member really showed me. It was more a combination of intuition, trial & error and what little hints I could get from reading and perhaps a friend or two (there was no internet or YouTube back then). Consequently I never really passed down the knowledge to my sons, mostly because I still don't think I do a good enough job of it to be an expert. I think when it comes to shaving most of what we learn anyway is more by observing someone else than them actually verbally instructing.
Finally in your experience, do you find your partners either current or past, prefer you to be clean shaven or have some of them expressed a desire for you to grow facial hair and have you done it just for them? Most of the women I've been with have liked whatever state my face was in at the time, however it does seem they expressed more satisfaction when I had a goatee. My wife leans slightly towards the times I didn't shave as well but I think it was more because of the novelty since as stated, most of the time we've been together I've been clean-shaven.
So love to hear other's thoughts. Feel free as well to add anything that I might have missed in my questions.