If you’ve read any of my shaving articles and tips, you will know that I am a strong proponent of wet-shaving with the grain first. So being that I feel so strongly about this, it is only right that I explain my reasoning.
The benefits-
- A close shave with a significantly lower chance of shaving irritation. Why? Because the longer the hair, the more it is susceptible to “tugging” by the razor. So starting off with the natural direction of the beard (with the grain) will help to drastically reduce the chances of “tugging” that often times leads to razor burn, and ingrown hairs.
- Because the 2nd and 3rd pass can be more aggressive. Going with the grain first can painlessly reduce most of the beard’s bulk, thereby allowing the next more aggressive shaving steps (2nd & 3rd passes) to be easier and less painful.
**Keeping in mind that my reasoning for this is directly associated with the fact that on the first shave pass, the beard hair is always longer than the 2nd or 3rd pass.
Happy shaving, and I hope this helps!
