So I know the theory of shaving with the grain:
- Doesnt irritate the skin
- Proves you didn’t grow up fatherless/motherless
But… it doesn’t work, right? Against the grain is the only way to get a smooth shave… surely?
Go with the grain here. Then I’ll sometimes go across the grain but still kind of with it.
Going against isn’t worth the chance of irritation and in grown hairs.
Like my mustache area i like to do downward then from the middle of the lip towards my cheeks. I do similar with my cheeks. I’ll go down first then from my side burn to my lips across the grain.
If against the grain works for you then more power to ya.
I do both - I shave with the grain first, and then against the grain to get anything that the previous shave didn’t get. Generally I get the benefits of both!
When I’m using my safety razor I do 3 passes. With the grain first to remove most of it then across and finally against the grain to get that really smooth shave.
Years ago I’ve seen a documentary about a semi-famous barbershop/beard grooming salon where they’ve asked the barber the same question. And the guy basically said: As hair grows in every direction, you - of course - have to shave in every direction as well to get a clean shave. And he emphasised that there’s nothing to all those stories of never going against the grain.
