Shaving with sideburns

[nordicstyle]

How do you shave to get the edges of your sideburns straight? I only grow them down to about where my ear ends, but I find it difficult to shave them in a straight line as I don't really see the area that well in the mirror. I want them to end in a straight horizontal line and at equal height on both sides. The line should be at level with the end of my earlobe or so. Does anyone have any special tricks or techniques to recommend for doing this? Do you use a physical guide (i.e. a comb) or any extra mirrors to see?

I saw a video guide where a barber recommended drawing a line with your finger after applying shaving cream to remove the cream and give you a visual guide to shave after, but still the problem is to make that line straight in the first place. (He used the technique for a "Craig David" shave.)

BTW: I use a Mach 3 razor and Gilette shaving gel.

 

[photofabix]

A multi-cartridge razor is about the hardest way to trim sideburns, at least I think so. If your going to use a razor a single edge razor would be the way to go IE: dual edge razor (the old school razors) such as the Merkur Classic

The best way I've found to maintain sideburns is with a trimmer, such as the Andis or Wahl Peanut

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by photofabix

A multi-cartridge razor is about the hardest way to trim sideburns, at least I think so. If your going to use a razor a single edge razor would be the way to go IE: dual edge razor (the old school razors) such as the Merkur Classic

The best way I've found to maintain sideburns is with a trimmer, such as the Andis or Wahl Peanut
I also use a trimmer for keeping my sideburns even. Whenever I try to use my razor, they end up way too short or terribly uneven. I don't like it when my sideburns end up looking as President Obama's did today. His were noticeably uneven.

 

[photofabix]

Originally Posted by JayJay

I also use a trimmer for keeping my sideburns even. Whenever I try to use my razor, they end up way too short or terribly uneven. I don't like it when my sideburns end up looking as President Obama's did today. His were noticeably uneven.

Brings up another topic, checking for evenness, I had a stylist once put a finger at the end of each sideburn and look in the mirror to see how close she was. I've also used that method several times, and it seems to help.

 

[rapdancin]

if you shave in a bathroom that has a mirror/medicine cabinet kind of thing you can usually get a better view by shaving with the mirror angled out. the one i shave with has a mirrored inside too so i shave hard to see places with my head inside the cabinet so i can see as much as possible

 

[Crakaveli]

andis t-edjer is the tool for shaping

 

[Berticus]

Wow, how narrow is your view? Shouldn't people have a viewing angle of a little less than pi? I've never had issues shaping my side burns both while using those horrid multi blade cartridge razors (fusion) or a straight razor. I've done a couple of styles, of course both sides need to be even. I used to have them straight, but now I angle them.

People will have different facial features, so asking how others do it may not work out as well for you. If I want to do a straight line I use the bottom of my earlobe and a little higher than the top of my nostrils (a little lower for the right side since my right nostril is slightly larger than my left one). For angled sideburns, I run it parallel with my jaw.

 

[dizzhizz]

i also use a mulit bladed cartridge as well for shaving my sideburns and never have any problems and i usually can cut straight, horizontal lines.

but then again i'm asian so shaving might be an easier task given that i really don't have too much facial hair and issues with my razor.

 

[visionology]

ditto. I just use some old sensor excel or something that I got around 10 years ago and with a medicine cabinet works fine. It's not that hard.

Slightly harder is holding a mirror in one hand reflected off the other mirror while holding a Oster Pro in my other hand cutting the back of my hair line straight.

 

[MCsommerreid]

Get massive ones. No one will be able to tell if they're uneven.

 

[nordicstyle]

Originally Posted by photofabix

Brings up another topic, checking for evenness, I had a stylist once put a finger at the end of each sideburn and look in the mirror to see how close she was. I've also used that method several times, and it seems to help.

I do this also, but that only assures that each side are of equal length at one point, not that the lines are in fact parallel.

Originally Posted by rapdancin

if you shave in a bathroom that has a mirror/medicine cabinet kind of thing you can usually get a better view by shaving with the mirror angled out. the one i shave with has a mirrored inside too so i shave hard to see places with my head inside the cabinet so i can see as much as possible

Yep. I have one of those cabinets with mirrors on both sides of the doors, so I can open the doors and see the sides of my face. It does help.

Originally Posted by Berticus

Wow, how narrow is your view? Shouldn't people have a viewing angle of a little less than pi? I've never had issues shaping my side burns both while using those horrid multi blade cartridge razors (fusion) or a straight razor. I've done a couple of styles, of course both sides need to be even. I used to have them straight, but now I angle them.

I have reduced vision, which makes it harder a bit harder to focus when I have to move my eyes sideways to see. I think maybe getting an extra mirror to hold in my hand would help, but I have not been able to find any that is not made for ladies and make-up (i.e. pink or round or otherwise very feminine).

Originally Posted by Berticus

People will have different facial features, so asking how others do it may not work out as well for you. If I want to do a straight line I use the bottom of my earlobe and a little higher than the top of my nostrils (a little lower for the right side since my right nostril is slightly larger than my left one). For angled sideburns, I run it parallel with my jaw.

What I have been doing is what you are describing with running a imaginary line from the end of the earlobe to the nose when shaving. Maybe I should also try following the jaw and see how it turns out. I guess it's easier to make something look right when following the features of the face, even if the lines are not technically straight or parallel (after all, a human face is not exactly symmetrical either).

Originally Posted by MCsommerreid

Get massive ones. No one will be able to tell if they're uneven.

Hehe. Good one.

Just to make something clear. I am quite positive that I do manage to get even sideburns the way I do it today, but being somewhat of a perfectionist I feel the need for some way to verify it or to make the process easier. Finding something difficult does not mean I am not able to do it.

 

[TylerDurden]

I use a blowtorch it works really well. I just look in the mirror just make sure there equal lengths. Really not to hard, rather simple really.

 

[MCsommerreid]

Side burns are never completely even or the exact same shape anyway. Unless they're like a half inch uneven, in which case you're sure to notice, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[greg_atlanta]

It's hard to get a straight line with a Mach 3 razor. Either use a cheap two blade razor, or get a gillette fusion with the 6th blade on the back of the cartridge (but be careful, easy to cut yourself).

 

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by MCsommerreid

Side burns are never completely even or the exact same shape anyway. Unless they're like a half inch uneven, in which case you're sure to notice, I wouldn't worry about it.

What he said. I just use my earlobe as a point of reference and then hope for the best when shaving. No one sees both of them at the same time anyway.