Category: Daily Living
Okay, I wasn't quite sure how to go about asking this, because I get a little embarrassed when bringing up subjects of this nature. anyway, In your opinion, what's the best product to use if you're blind or visually impaired, for this annoying task? I've tried this stuff called Nare, or however it's spelled, and it burned the last time I used it. It also seems to leave a smelly residue behind. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks
I also have the Conaire Hair Removal System, but I need a replacement blade for it. Just something inexpensive, and painless will do. I'd start another topic for the underarms, but then, I'd just sound like a broken record. Any suggestions for ridding that area of unwanted hair would be appreciated as well.
I had tried things like Veet, Nair, and other depilatory creams when I first started, but really, it turned out to be too much of a hastle for me... I personally just took it slow with a razor, and did fine, and have gotten fairly efficient at it now (I still don't like doing armpits, but somehow I get by)... I've only nicked myself a handful of times in the years I've been doing it... But everyone's going to nick themselves now and then.
If you don't want to go that route, I'd definitely suggest going for a wax, they're very worth it.
Oh yeah and if you wanted to give depilatory creams a shot again, they now have sensitive skin varieties that may not burn...but you're still kind of stuck with that smell afterwords.
Sorry I can't think up much else at the moment...
Well, for shaving, I recommend changing the blade on your razor regularly and getting a good foamy lather when you shave. I use a Venus razor for women and have never had a problem with it. Waxing is great of course, but is either expensive to have done, or time consuming to do yourself, so sometimes shaving is the way to go. I have never felt any inclination to try the chemicles, but each to their own.
yeah, there's no reason as a blind person that you can't use a regular razor. As a person that hadn't been blind for long. i know for a fact when your sighted you don't look down at each individual part of your body, you're shaving. it just happens natural. So don't be scared of the razor, it can be your friend. ehehhee smiles,
shea
I second the Venus razor! They're great... and yes, the duller the blade, the more likely you're going to hurt yourself or just get not so great of a shave.
electric raisers are also helpful at times.
personally, I love the wax. The hair does not grow back as fast and it always makes my legs feel and people say look mmm nicer.
Does waxing hurt?
It depends on your pain tolerance really, as some people say that it stings pretty bad, but others say it barely phases them.. So it's really something you'll have to find out for yourself in the end. I can say that afterwords, your skin only feels mildly tender for a short while, but things like Allo creams are great for that (some waxing places will actually give you soothing creams for afterwords).
The pain associated with it does seem to be something that one gets used to after a couple sessions, not to mention, if you keep up the waxing (every six weeks or so) the hair eventually grows back less and less, so that's a plus to waxing.
Ever since I started shaving, I always used a razor. I've always wanted to try waxing, but I was afraid that it'd hurt too badly, but about a month ago, my sister was waxing her legs, and she cut off a small section of the strip, so that I could try it. Well, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it'd be, so now, I'm definitely going to stick with waxing. I think the next time I need to wax, I'm gonna try a professional wax, just to see what the difference is between the professional and the do it yourself kind. So, if you know anyone who waxes, maybe you can do what I did, and use a small section of the strip to test it, and see how you like it. They also do sugaring, which is similar to waxing. If you go to wax your legs, but then decided you don't want to go through with it, you can't just clean the wax off with soap and water, but with sugaring, you can. I've also heard that somehow, the sugaring takes a little of the sting away, but I'm not sure if that's true or not. If you decide to try waxing or sugaring, no one can really tell you what it's going to feel like. Each person is different, because we all have different levels of pain tolerance. But, like I said, maybe you can try a test strip just to see.
There are also products like the Epilady that rip the hair out fromm the root. I've actually been using one for awhile and rarely have to use it anymore because, like with waxing, the hair grows back slower and slower until you never have to use it again. I'm almost at that never point as it has been several months since I have had to use it on my legs. As for under my arms, I still use a razor. I'm afraid the Epilady would hurt too much there. And I have never had trouble using a razor under my arms.
I've never heard of products such as the Epilady, but I'm interested in it. I wonder if it works as good as waxing. If it does, then it sounds like something I'd definitely try, It sounds like it'd be easier to use on yourself, rather than the wax.
one thing I tried is this stuff called nadds. god that hurts like you know what!
Hell? I like finishing people's sentences. lol
Aren't there some creams and lotions on the market that are supposed to help slow hair growth? I can't remember the name, but a co-worker told me she uses one after she shaves and it helps slow the growth of new hair.
I use a shaver which is battery powered. My nan bought it for me so I could start shaving my legs and under my arms a few years ago and that's what I use. It takes 2 AA batteries, which don't need changing very often. You just have to take the top off it to clean it after you have finished using it.
i use the same thing, its a shaver that uses 2 AAA batteries for my legs which was very recent ever since i had to use corticosteroids for a disease i had last year which lasted like 4 months.
so that gets me kinda mad to do somthing aditional.
but always i shaved my armpits with a shaver.
yes that's what I use as well.
Nymphadora
Shaving with a razor is easily done. Try the Venus or the Wilkinson's Ladyshave. The ladyshave and, I believe the Venus also, have anti-cut blades, so, unless you move them sideways on your leg, you won't cut yourself. Use conditioner instead of shaving foam, as it leaves your skinsmoother, and you cut yourself less when you shave. I hold my razor right at the bottom, so that my fingers can still touch my leg, and guide the blade. I know this sounds really stupid, but, when you shave your legs, the easiest way to do it is to imagine you're peeling a potato or an apple (something like that). Just strip the hair off in sections. Also, if you listen to the sound your blade makes, you will know when you've got rid of all the hair.
For under arms, I use conditioner as well. Hold one arm right up in the air, kind of out to the side of your body and above a right angle. This exposes the armpit nicely, without tightening the skin too much. Depending on the way your hair grows there will depend on how you shave. Again, hold the razor right near the bottom, so that your fingers can feel where the blade is going.
Hope this helps
FM
thank you. I'll keep all this in mind.
condishioner? never thought of that! I'm gonna try that! it probably keeps the raser sliding smoothly to right?
it does. Apparently it also keeps hairs away for longer, and it leaves your skin in better condition. Add to that that you don't have to spend lots more money on foams and it's good all round!
nare workss great too just tryed it.
Yeah I've heard that hair conditioner is recommended over soaps/body washes always, since soaps, etc., are abraisive (and can be unmoisturizing in some cases) and conditioners are, well, the opposite.
I tried it just tonight, and only nicked myself twice. I think this is gonna work for me! thanks for the thought.
shaving isn't bad when you get the haing of it, and I think that every blind person could use a regular razer. like i said, it just takes some guts at first, and some practis. i started shaving with a regular razer, when i was 14. because i didn't like the thought of those nasty smelling creems and those expincive electric razers. and weather it's my legs or my under arms or other places that don't see the sun light, i always do fine.
condissionar is aussom, i use it because the shaving creems use to brake me out horibly, and i must say, that yes it's worked wonders.
and, lotions like baby lotion are grate to use on your legs or *coff coff* other arrias after shaving because you tend to not get irratated as much. pluss the smell is good too. and you can really use any kind of lotion, i do. but i recommend baby lotion at first because other lotions with lots of sent can really birn and sting if you have sensative skin.
hope I helped.
I just saw this topic. I agree with others here, there's absolutely no reason a blind person can't use a regular razor. I have, ever since I started shaving. I use the Venus, and I love it. Others are right, just change the blade very frequently. It's annoying, cuz those blades aren't cheap, but a sharp blade gives the best shave.
Gemini, can you tell more about sugaring? How is that different from waxing?
Becky, I've heard of the Epilady, but never used it. My older sister did, and she said it hurt like hell, so she stopped. No thanks for me!
I use a regular handheld razor, one of those razors that isn't supposed to cut you, but I turned out to be an acception when I nicked my ankle once while I was shaving my own legs Aw'w'w god, there was so much blood, but I managed to stem the flow with a bit of tissue. That didn't put me off the razor though, I know I still need to do it at least once a week, lol. I also use this hair removal cream under my chin as oppose to shaving under there as well. It's absolutely foul, but it does do a very good job. Apparently, waxing hurts, like, hell. Don't do it, lol.
Jen.
You can also use cooking oils for shaving I have never figured out how those shelf waxing kits work anyway. I would like to try but I don't know how.
I use what's called a foil shaver. Mine is actually at least 30-years-old. Mom gave it to me because she'd never used it and it was still good. Actually, it's amazing. Nothing needed, no water, no foam, nothing. Just the shaver. It has a screen that you pull off, you clean the thing and then start again. They still make these in electric and now in ones that take batteries as well. There are all sorts of foil shavers, from a few bucks to a few hundred. I'd say go for something that's not cheap and will break but you don't have to go crazy. Either way, these are very accessible and totally safe.
I've had waxing done a couple of times, and it's not all that bad. It does sting a little, but it's not that bad. Like I said, the initial pull of the wax strip does sting, but it goes away pretty quickly. I'm honestly not completely sure what the difference is between sugaring and waxing. Basically, it's the same thing, but I've heard that sugaring is somehow supposed to be less painful. I haven't tried it, though.
Um, Jen, you shave under your chin?
Hi Ladies! I'm assuming this is an all-girl topic. Earlier another poster asked about lotions that inhibit hair growth. I'm pretty sure Avon makes one called a hair-minimizing lotion. It's usually about $8 for a big bottle. But It does go on sale quite a bit. I'm pretty sure they still have it on the market. If you don't have a rep, I think you may be able to buy it online. Also, they make a shave gel called Silky smooth (or something like that). It's a blue gel that won't clog your razor and only comes off when you wash it off. It's very concentrated so you don't need much. I've found it to be one of the better gels out there. I've never tried using conditioner, but I'm sure it works well. Don't forget to exfoliate your legs with a loofa sponge or a washcloth before shaving. This really does give a smoother shave. Make sure you've given your skin time to absorb some of the moisture this will open up the pores and help prevent nicks.
there is this product that is supposed to get rid of the hair. what u do is u put one of the pads that comes with it on your leg and hook the pad to the thing. u press and hold the button for a few seconds, and supposedly your hair comes out painlessly by the root. the way that it works is that it sends a cold wave of electricity through the hairs to the roots. the roots die and the hair falls out. i am not sure how true this is because i have never tried it. and it costs $135 or so to get one. man, if it was that easy, that would be sweet because i am so sick of shaving and getting in grown hairs in certain areas.
Hmmm, Somanea. Sounds like one of those as seen on TV infomercial scams to me. LOL.
actually i just typed in perminant hair remooval in google and found it. i didnt see it on tv
I don't trust those stupid infomercials. Those people just want one's money.
i dont trust them either. but like i said. the thing that i am talking about, i typed it in google. i didnt see it on an infomercial.
Somanea
Don't get one. I had one a couple of years ago and they DO, Not, WORK! Honestly, they're a load of rubbish.
ok.
i really hate shaving, but i hate the idea of ripping my hair out by the roots as well. and i cannot use those chemicals on my legs because they burn. even the sensative skin varieties burn.
I have exactly the same problem, and I don't have the guts to get them waxed, so i'm afraid it's shaving for me. You could go and have electrolysis, but it's very expensive, and I don't know if it's painful or not.
From what I've heard, electrolysis is best for small areas like between your eyebrows. I really don't like shaving either. But this is because it always seems time-consuming to me. I'm really not sure how painful electrolysis is. I would like to try it on my brows though. I hate waxing those. Talk about painful!
my friend who is an rn says that electrolysis just feels like a shock of static electricity.
Dermatologists say that electrolysis is best for those who have thick, dark hair. It's not practical for those who have thin, or fair hair, and I was told that it feels like a rubber band being snapped against your skin.
I'd hate to undergo that procedure.
I have actually been using a home electrolysis machine for a few weeks now. It is incredibly painful as you have to insert a needle into the hair follicle and then run an electric current through it. Sometimes it's hard to keep the needle in place for the entire 15 seconds it takes to burn the follicle because my hands shake so much from the pain--I'm not exaggerating. Also, it takes forever because you have to do each hair individually, so you need to have a whole winter to waste :-). BUT it's cheap and it's supposedly permanent, so the thought that I will never, ever have to shave my legs again, and never, ever have to think about when I last shaved before I put on a skirt or run to the pool is worth it to me!
Wow, Susanne. My legs hurt after reading your post. LOL. I think I'll stick to my regular razor, even if it is a little inconvenient. Ouchy!
Yeah, I agree. lol
wow, I thought I was the only one that even considered using conditioner, I love it though. I just use a normal razer. I've become pretty good at it, been doing it for 4 years or so. Unfortunetly I got the bad hispanic jean of growing a bit of hair under my chin as well, for now I'm using face nare or waxxing to remove it, but soon my parents are going to get me lazer electrolysis done, supposibley it just tingles a bit, and is only done 3 times, and its over. Its very expensive I think though.
well suzanne. u might get scarring on your legs though.
o hell a kneedle? not me will stik to waxing.
Has anyone tried the Schick Intuition? It's on the pricy side, but for me, worth it. It is the greatest for about 3 or 4 shaves, then you need to be more careful, because the soap around the razer is waring down. I also use it under my arms. BTW, before the Intuition, I only use the power of the shower water for my under arms. That worked great as well.
For any facial hair, I use this electric micro razer. I personally really like it. I have used the creams though, and they work fine for the facial hair.
Oh, btw, I occasionally use an electri razer for my legs.
Good topic, lol, I sat here and read the hole discussion.
yep i have used that. i use it until the soap wears down entirely.
um? a needle? no thanks! how do you keep from screaming? ouch!
I'd go for the rasers, too. If you change the blades reguary and if you have some protecting thing over the blade that it only cuts when you apply pressure to it, then it is fine. Even I, the most left-handed person you can ever imagine, never cut myself with that.
I use a Venus razor as well, and it works well. I just lather up, and go slowly with the razor on both my legs and my armpits. When you're done, use lots of lotion on your legs to moisten any dry spots, and use a good deodorant on your armpits so they don't feel so raw and scratchy. I haven't nicked myself in months, and I'm a little clumsy when doing those fine-motor type things like shaving; probably something to do with my cerebral palsy.
I use to use electric razors and they just don't seem to work and they cost so much money.
Sprays: My sister use to use a spray and said it stung quite a bit and if you miss a spot you gotta use a old fashion razor to get to it.
Creams: I dunno I'm leary of them.
Waxes: You'd have to tie me to a table or sedate me to get a wax. My cousins got Nadds (when the inhome waxes first came out.) and they told me it unless you can cope with excruciating pain, don't use it. Waxes are also time consuming and pricey.
Electric Pads: I think I saw one on a infomercial and I'd never buy one of those because for $19.95 (well most products on the commercials are at that price tag.) or more, you'll get a crap load of stufff that works to a extent the first time, but never again.
And as for cuts: I give mine 12-24 hrs before I use neosporine on it to heal it. If you do cut yourself, avoid that area until it heals. Most cuts on legs heal fairly quickly. Deeper the cut, the longer the recovery.
I have used a normal disposable razer ever since I was 14. I haven't cut myself in years. There is just no time for anything else and it's so much easier to just grab it while you sitting in the bath.
Shaving legs is a must. I use a different kind or razor, it does not hurt. Try shaving before you take a shower, so afterwards, your're done shaving. Well, if your tired of razors, try shaving creams, not every cream is effective though. If you don't like shaving creams, and you have some cash and some time to spare, try going to a salon, but its a little expensive depending if your going to do half or your whole legs. I think whether its using razors, shaving creams, or going to a salon would be up to your personal preferences. I think shaving is a must because its part of your personal hygiene. You just got to do it whether your blind or sighted, there's no excuses.
Hi, I use the Venus raiser, and i like to have my eyebrows waxed quite often.
Hi all. Well I got finished reading this thread and just wanted to put my comments. I do shave with an eletric razor. And i love it.
I red this topic and someone mentioned condissioner. Well it works. That is why I love these bords.
Oh, conditioner is brilliant for shaving your legs with, hence why I put it on the boards.
CM
Hi I like Schick's intuition. The cartridges are kind of expensive, but they're worth it. Besides, you can often find them on amazon for a pretty reasonable price. I think the blades last longer than Venus breeze, but that's just been my experience.
Going off on another tangent as I often do, does anyone have any tips for trimming eyebrows independently? om uses a ... well, I'm not exactly aure what it is, but I have to act like my face has been injected with botox when she uses it ... There has to be a way I can do this by myself
can cortizone cream cause hair to grow on your legs if you had to use it as a medication to cure a disease because i am kind of mad for that lol.
does the electric raiser have a leather or a dull blade so it doesn't hurt?
lol i tried vete and it just was too smelly for me. it works ok, but i find a good, sharp razor does the trick just fine. i use body washes usually but conditioner does an awesome job too. always make sure you lather up with lotion afterwords because if not you might dry your skin out and itll be uncomfortable. as far as eyebrows, i get them waxed every 3 weeks or so, and it hurts but its not so bad. i would rather that than pluck them myself. ughhh. and i get my lip waxed like every few months or whatever because fortunately thats not a major concern for me. that hurts surprisingly less than the eyebrows lol. but as said before, there is no excuse not to shave. if you are going to expose your legs or armpits, its just so raunchy and nasty to not have them shaved!
I use regular razers.
I'm sure I posted somewhere on this thread, but didn't reread all the previous posts. I use the Schick Intuition. It has built-in shaving cream bars. Only drawback, is that the front of the razor, the part that comes in contact with your skin loses it's bar relatively quickly. But, nothing beats the convenience of not having to lather up with body wash or conditioner beforehand. The refill cartridges are kind of pricey, but I find this to be the case with most refills. Lots of money for a few strips of lubricated metal! I had an electric razor in middle school, and I never cut myself. it had a protective screen over the blade. It worked okay, for a quick shave, but it didn't give the smoothest finish. I just got my eyebrows waxed a week ago. I hadn't had it done for several months. Ladies, take a couple of Motrin or Tylenol before your waxing. It'll help with any inflamation. Also, my stylist who does the wax told me that your skin is more sensitive during your period. So keep that in mind, and medicate accordingly. I'll agree with the above poster. If you're out in public, and going to show some skin, it's critical that you shave first.I went to college with a girl who admitted infront of the whole class that she didn't shave her legs. She seemed like really nice girl, but honestly, that's just gross!
Why? So what if you don't shave. Not that I don't, but i have no problem with ladies who don't shave. I mean, it's society who dictates that we should. There's nothing gross about it unless they're dirty too, and then it's the dirt that's disgusting, not the hair.
but but but, I hate to hunt for the rabit in between the bushes, though.
I don't mind girls with long hair on their head. but I do hate to imagine hair on their privates. or legs. that's my personal taste.
Raaj.
I can see the point of shaving down below. It's cleaner, it makes things easier. But legs, armpits, facial hair? Who cares if it's there or not. If someone refuses to socialise or looks down on another because they haven't shaved, the problem lies with that person, not the hairy one.
i shave everything. armpits, legs, the pubic region, even sometimes my lower back especially in the summer when i wear bikinis and want extreme smoothness back there. and in my opinion, its ok if someone doesnt wanna shave their pubes, even their armpits because unless you raise your arms a lot or whatever, no one will see that. also it can be extremely uncomfortable to shave the pubic hair, and that hair is meant to protect a woman during sex, so it might even be a good thing to leave it (i wouldnt know.) but to not shave your legs? i dunno. that seems rather raunchy. it is a cultural thing, and different cultures hold different views, but especially here in the united states, its men who are expected to have hairy legs, not women, so when women do, it kind of takes away from their femininity. thats just the social view of it. i mean more power to you if you dont care what society thinks of you, but if you are gonna be walking around with shorts or short skirts or bathing suits and your legs ar unshaven, you might get some odd looks.
you know what? if people look at me odd cause I don't shave my legs, so be it. as someone previously stated, the problem lies with that person...not me.
shaving is one of the most difficult things for me, so I do what I can and that's that.
When I was in my teens, I would use Nair (since I didn't feel confident with using a razor and do not like the buzzing sound of the electric shavers.) It smelled nasty, but it worked for at least weeks at a time. Now that I'm out of school, I don't shave any of my hair, just trim whatever areas I need to down with scissors. Sometimes it can get uncomfortable having it long, so that's the only reason I do it. The good thing is that I don't like short skirts and sleeveless tops, and I have not worn shorts in a long time (which I really don't mind). Also, I don't like close-fitting clothes, so even if I wear pants in the summer, it's not uncomfortable to me. The only exception to sleeveless and shorts that I do use is my bathing suit for swimming, and for that I don't worry what people think (if they think negatively of it) because I'm in the water to relax or exercise and not to show off. I'm actually not sure they even pay attention anyway.
I remember being told before starting junior high how I might be made fun of if I didn't shave and that it was something that you just needed to do, so at that time I went along with it. But I've never liked it and still think, at least for me, that it's more to make other people happy than something that makes me feel good about myself. I feel weird without my hair and it just seems unnecessary to _have to get rid of it. I can understand people caring about healthful things like taking a bath and brushing and flossing teeth; you can more easily get sick if those things are not done. But to me, totally removing my body hair is not a hygenic necessity. Just my thoughts. *smile*
I use a raiser but I find it to be really time consuming. On the other hand, it does save money. I love getting my legs and eyebrows waxed..but since money is tight I just don't do the eyebrows and I just shave my legs with the raiser. Also, Venus women's is awesome!
As for under my arms I also use a raiser and I just do that in the shower under the hot water. It seems to be easier this way.
I love the quatro power fution razer!! it does a very good job. :) its a razer that is battery powered with a manual blade with 5 razers 4 on the front and 1 on the back fore getting to hard too reach places.
I've been told that waxing can cause in grown hairs on the legs. I don't know if this is true or not, but if it is, I certainly don't want to do it. I use tweezers for my eyebrows and other facial hair. It hurt quite a lot the first couple times, but now I can hardly feel it.
I find the electric razers don't give as close of a shave as the regular manual ones, so I just use those.
I've heard you can use the leg of your jeans to sharpen manual blades. Just run the blade down the jeans the opposite direction from shaving, and apparently it works. I haven't actually tried it, but if it does work, I would only have to spend about $5 every two years on blades, since apparently your blade will last six months if you sharpen it.
drying your blades will help them last longer as well. You can use rubbing alcahol, or, just a cloth/hand towel. They become dull due to rust/oxidation as well as from being used. So yes, remember to dry it and sharpen it and it'll last for a long time.
Here is another thing I found. This article said to use a blow dryer to dry your razor, then seal it in a ziplock, and stick it in the freezer. It slows down the oxidation process and supposedly, if you do it every single time after you shave, a blade can last for one to two years, maybe longer. I might give that a try as I hate shelling out eighteen dollars for a pack of gilette mach turbo refills. If/when I try it, I'll post my findings. Finally, don't store your razors in the bathroom. The high moisture level will cause them to go dull a lot quicker than they would if you store them in a drier room.
I use a safety razor. Its like what they used in the 30's. Its a metal handle with a butterfly clamp at the end, you put a double edge razor in the butterfly and shave. I can get two or three shaves out of one razor, and the blades are about ten cents a piece. I have a hundred pack that I bought a long time ago, and its still going strong.
Granted, for a quality hanlde, you'll have to shell out more than twenty bucks, though you could spend several hundred if you wanted. It quickly pays for itself when you don't have to buy the cartridges.
I tried using the blow drier to dry my blades, as well as sharpening them on my jeans. it works wonders. At this rate, I won't need to buy a new one for at least a couple years, since the last time I bought blades it was a pack of disposable ones.
Hi I use a electric shaver that is 9 dollars and it works just fine.
I use to use a product called feet and it works just fine.
I also used hair to but I use now the electric shaver.
I hope this helps
I like that safety razor as well. It's heavy and stirdy.
hmm, i agree with shea way up there...
Most people don't even use their eyes while shaving with a regular razor, they just feel with their hands to make sure everything is all smooth....
how do you sharpen your razors? I know previous posters have mentioned sharpening them on jeans but can someone give a more detailed description, please?
I al also love the safety razor.
I use the Venus Vibrence, which works pretty well. It's a reusable raiser, with disposable blades, that is battery powered. It's not too expensive and it gets the job done. I used depilitory creams a few times in college, and never again. Especially now that I'm organic in all of my body care choices. That stuff is horrible. Think about it, it's chemically burning off and disolving your hair. 60 percent of what goes onto your skin gets obsorbed under it, and I don't want that nasty volital chemical coctail under my skin, or in my body, let alone on my body. I do get my eyebrows shaped and waxed and my upper lip, but that's really painful and I don't think I could bring myself to wax my legs and perhaps not even to pay someone else to do it. I recommend using a really good sugar scrub before shaving, either an oil based one the day before, or a soap based one the day of, I use Villainess Smack, a foaming sugar scrub product right before shaving, and a good conditioning, not foaming shave cream. I use Aubrey Organics creme de la shave, which smells amazing, goes a long way and helps condition and heal your legs. Then I use a nice really rich body cream or body butter on my legs after shaving, like Arcana's body cream, or Heaven and Earth Essentials healing lotion.
I *must* use some kind of lotion or body butter after shaving my legs. Otherwise, my skin gets really itchy and irritated. I, too, prefer not to use the chemical creams. thanks for the tip about trying the scrub first. I'll have to try that the next time I shave.
to the poster who was wondering about using your jeans to sharpen your blades, first of all, make sure the blade is clean first. I find a bit of soap and water helps, as well as wiping it down with some rubbing alcohol if you have any. that will also help prevent rust, which, as someone mentioned earlier, is the enemy of any blade. Then run your blade down the length of your jeans in the opposite direction you shave. Repeat this 10 to 20 times, then turn the blade around and repeat the same thing, but in the other direction. In other words, when you shave, if you're holding your blade the way you would when shaving, run the blade down the length of your jeans instead of up, as you would when shaving. If you're holding the blade the other way, with the curve of the handle facing away from you, then run it up the length of your jeans. this way, you'll sharpen the blade without ripping the material to shredds. Sorry. I'm not very good at describing this. I hope that helps.