5/29/08  I decide to take a nice hot shower at the end of the day and shave (gave my face a few days off to heal)  Nice HOT shower, dry off the body but leave the face wet, walk into my shaving room, run some hot water in the sink and get ready.  I wanted to change to a new blade, but decided I would do one more shave with the old razor (Merkur) because I was switching the shave cream and adding the shave oil, and I didn't want to add too many variables.

First I added about a nickel size puddle of the oil and rubbed it into my beard, as I said earlier it smelled like olive oil.  All of a sudden I wanted to eat some pasta, but held off and decided to finish my shave.  I lathered up some lemon and started brushing my face, ooohhhhh it smells so good. 

 Ok, so on this shave I learned a lot.  I am paying super attention to the angle of the razor, I start to drag it down my face while rolling it until I can just hear he razor start to cut, then try to keep that angle while working that plain of my face upper face goes well, and really working the angle under my jaw.  I know that wet shaving takes longer than the quick hack with a M3 but for some reason I felt myself start to rush, not good, I need to slow down and do it right.  I do several passes on my throat with only the slightest amount of irritation.  The olive oil really seems to help!  I have been been reading about face mapping, you need to figure out which direction your beard grows, well my hair all seems to grow from left to right, which makes it hard to get a super smooth shave on my throat.  So the last couple of shaves I have been using 100% aloe as an after shave.  I have been noticing that my face seems tighter since I have been wet shaving,  I also got a bit of a sun burn last weekend while out on a boat, so while I haven't shaved in the last couple of days Ive been feeling my beard... it feels totally different.  If feels thicker or coarser or something, and the angle of my beard growth feels totally different.  I posted this finding on B&B and had some responses saying that multi blade razors cut your hair and an angle whereas a DE cuts it of straight and many people find that their beard feels different.  

All these variables and changes and I would say this is my best shave yet.  The two rough spots on either side of my chin are the smoothest they've been since puberty, my throat isn't great, but no worse than the normal shave with Goo and an M3.  I think I will shave again in the am with a fresh razor and see what happens.

ps note to self, go back to AOS, smell other preshave oils, and check out scented post shave balms....mmm sandalwood......