Sometimes, with the grain is the only way to go. Most of the time, I don't like the shadows that result from this gentlest of all DE shaves. But I'm currently "stuck" ;-) in Washington, D.C., due to weather delays, tagging along with my wife on her important political business. She usually has a travel agent, and only carry-on luggage; this time, she went online to save money, and checking our bags was cheaper. Hallelujah! -- a real razor!
However, the Voskhod stowed in my travel razor, "Mimi," was already nearly worn out when we left, and was never intended for extended use. It's a nice, smooth blade, but one I have no compunction about throwing away after less than one week of use, and thus, ideal for travel. Or so I thought, until the wind storm hit, effectively doubling the length of my trip. I inquired hopefully at the front desk, but they just pulled out a complimentary disposable razor. A pretty nice-looking one, too. I just said, "no, thanks." I'd rather risk the dull blade than automatically plane my skin.
At first I tried keeping to the three-pass, BBS standard, and ended up slightly blotchy. Nordic people were still out and about yesterday, despite the Smithsonian being closed, leaning into the wind to check out the monuments and architecture, along with some relatively tiny museums. I personally enjoy learning the landscape and the metro, which is not easy for one used to the wooded hills of Vermont. I had already seen Art of Shaving last time, but even mundane urban things like Trader Joe's and The Body Shop are worthy destinations, to me. Thank God we found "1 Fish, 2 Fish," a budget sushi and oriental fusion restaurant for lunch, before my wife split back to the hotel to work. I could feel my face going numb, but when I got back, I found that the chill didn't prevent an unsmooth texture from rising on my skin.
So, next morning, two passes WTG. First pass same as always, second with full manipulation and just enough pressure to hit hair again, going for the roots the "wrong" way. The angle is less than ideal with respect to the skin, and the shave quite exfoliating, making all my old scars slightly more visible than usual. Insignificant consequences compared to the effect of the hair itself deflecting the edge into the skin, when you shave ATG.
Small worries compared to my wife's, struggling by phone and the internet to get us assigned to adjacent seats like she had it before. As we begin our last day in the hotel, I rise early to discover that I actually look like I need a shave, for a change. So I do the same thing again, finding only enough growth for two passes. Some repeated strokes, sure, but I do that normally... yes, with only my tiny kabuki brush, squeezed out for the second pass, I guess this is actually the more efficient shave, too. You heard it here last, folks!
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