How To Shave Your Beard With A Shavette

I’ve been going through my site updating the pages with videos. I realize that if you want to learn how to shave a beard with a shavette that the easiest way to learn is by watching someone do it. I decided instead of deleting the old content with pictures I would just add to it.

Below is a video of me shaving a beard with a couple of weeks growth:

I figured it was time to add a page  showing you how to shave your beard.  In this particular instance I will be shaving my beard using a dovo shavette.  First things first, I’ll show you picture of where I started from.  Unfortunately, I can’t remember how many days growth of hair this is.  My best guess would be somewhere between 3-7 days.

This next picture of my face lathered up. I am using shaving soap that I applied with a badger hair brush.

I’m going to be starting on the left side of my face. Start with whatever side is the most comfortable for you.

Here is the proper way to hold the dovo shavette. I am holding it with my right hand. If you are left handed it’s going to be the same concept except reversed.

This picture is similar to the other picture of the side of my face. However, notice my hand. I am pulling up on the skin to make it tight. This lifts the hair off the skin and allows you to get a closer shave.

I was taking these pictures myself, so I wasn’t able to get any pictures in the act of shaving. However, this picture shows the position of the shavette I use in order to shave my cheek. The angle of the shavette is something that is hard to show in a picture. You will develop a feel for it as you shave with your shavette.

Now when I reach the jawline I change the position of the shavette so it is parallel to my jawline. As I shave down towards my neck the angle I hold the shavette is going to be changing due to the curve of the jawline. A trick you can use is to pull the skin up on top of the jawline. This makes it easier to shave.

As you go down the jawline onto your throat you are going to have to change the angle again to match the slope. If you always hold the razor in the same position you are going to cut yourself. You have to adjust the shavette based on the contours of your face.

Once again notice how the position of the shavette has changed. Another thing to notice is the hair on my neck. On this side of my neck I have hairs that grow up towards my face. When you start shaving with a shavette or a straight razor one of the first things you want to do is study your beard. Notice the direction that your hair grows. This will help you reduce irritation by knowing what direction to shave.

Typically, you shave with the grain on your first pass. Some people go across the grain for the second pass, and then against the grain on the third pass. I personally think across the grain is a waste of time and opt just to do a second pass going against the grain.

I have shaved both sides of my faces. When I shave underneath my chin, I will point my chin towards the ceiling as this makes the skin tight on your neck.

The chin can be a difficult place to shave and is a common place to experience nicks and cuts. My advice is to start off with shaving your neck by your adams apple. Then work your way up towards your chin. You will get a feel for how to hold the shavette. Then once you reach your chin you’ll know what angle to hold the shavette at to avoid nicks.

Here I am shaving below my lower lip. Right below the lip is easy. However, you have to watch out for where your chin starts. You have to change the angle otherwise you will nick yourself. This is a pretty tricky area as well.

Occasionally, I won’t get as close a shave as I like on my chin. I will flip the shavette vertical and then shave side to side.

When I am shaving my upper lip I will shave the sides first. You can start at the corner of your lips and work in or start below your nose and work towards the corner of your lips. Either way works.

The middle of my upper lip is the last place I will shave. I will typically go straight down. However, this usually misses the hairs close to my nose.

If you look closely at these next two pictures you will be able to see some hard to reach hairs. At this point I flip the shavette vertical and come at them from the side.

Finally, I am finished. Dry off your face and apply some after shave balm or lotion. I really need to learn to smile more for the camera 😉