Make your own starter kit - what to put in it

[Jeff10236]

So, I have a buddy who is African American and has a problem that is common to African American men, ingrown hairs. A couple weeks ago, I don't even remember why, but we were talking shaving and he said that he only shaves once (sometimes twice) a week, and he throws away the cartridge after one shave ($$$ ouch $$$) to minimize the problem. So, I have been thinking about getting him a DE/wet shaving starter kit. Even if he still needs a new blade every shave, a few cents a blade instead of a few bucks would save him some real money (and he lives on Social Security and VA disability benefits), and the whole thing is supposed to be better for sensitive skin and/or ingrown hairs than cartridges and the canned stuff.

So, I have two competing needs...I'm buying for a friend, I'm on a teacher's salary, and I don't even know if he'll like it so I don't want to spend too much. However, I don't want him to dislike it and be put off DE and wet shaving because I bought him junk. I also have to go pretty generic since I don't know what he'll like (other than needing products that are suitable to combat razor burn and ingrown hairs).

So, here's what I'm thinking so far...

For razors, inexpensive but quality is easier than I thought when I first started. I now know that Maggards and RazoRock make quality razors for under $20. I'll go mild (comparable to the Merkur or EJ head). So, the Maggard MR1 with the v3 head, or a RazoRock Mission or Barber Pole. Though, if he continues to only shave once a week, the open comb version of the Maggard or RazoRock may be the way to go (they are fairly mild OC designs, but the OC would be more suitable for a week of beard growth). At RR and Maggard prices, maybe I should just get him one of each head and let him try each and decide.

I also now see how easy it is to get a quality brush for little money. Avoid badger until the budget increases, and stay with a $8-15 synthetic or boar. I'll probably do a RazoRock synthetic, or a Omega in either synth or boar (probably an Omega boar in the $10-12 range).

I don't think I'll get him a bowl or mug. I'll show him how to face lather, and suggest he use a cereal bowl or coffee mug at first when he wants to try bowl/mug lathering.

I'm not sure if I should give him a pre-shave oil or a pre-shave cream of some kind. Anyone with ingrown hair issues who can tell me which would be best?

For soaps/creams, I'm thinking I'll give one of each (even if he doesn't love the razor, he can continue to use these, and worst case, if he hates it all I can take it back, so one way or another it shouldn't go to waste). I have recently found Uncle Jon's soaps, and their tallow based soap is so easy to get a good lather out of, and he is somewhat local (2-2.5hrs away) so I'll buy my buddy one of the Uncle Jon's scents. For creams, it will be either TOBS or Proraso. The only thing I'm not sure is the scent. Should I go for a sensitive skin formula, or something more like TOBS sandlewood or Proraso red?

For blades, the RR comes with Derby, but I'm not crazy about Derby (I don't want him to be put off of it if he doesn't like the blades). I'll probably give him a tuck of Astra SP and a tuck of Personna Red and suggest he start with the Astra and Personna (probably in that order) and then give the Derby a try.

For aftershave, I'll probably give him a bottle of Nivea Sensitive Aftershave balm, and maybe some Clubman Vanilla. Though, I think he already does aftershave and probably has his favorites.

This is a long-time friend (since high school, going on 30 years). He's had some tough breaks (like I said, he is on disability). Money is tight for him (being medically retired since his early 30's plus ongoing medical costs), and DE shaving can save a lot of money over cartridges if you don't start collecting. I figure if I can help him out, and make shaving more enjoyable (as well as cheaper), why not help out a friend.

So, any suggestions?

 

[Bookworm]

I would suggest that you keep it even simpler than that. Find out what he already uses as a shaving cream. If he's using one, good, stop there. Get him a razor and some blades. I have done this for a guy that works for one of my customers, who is black and also gets the ingrown hairs. Even with just a few shaves with a cheapie RIMEI, he's already started noticing benefits. Get him a Baili or Rimei, test it once to make sure it's in reasonable condition, and pass it along with three or four blades for him to test with his existing shaving cream. Just be sure to emphasize the angle and being gentle with the razor.

If that works out for him better than the current ones, THEN you can start getting fancy.

What you're describing would be great for someone who has already started a bit, or wants a complete change, but shock therapy isn't the greatest for going from a cartridge to a DE

 

[dpm802]

I think you're pretty much nailed it.

AstraSP blades are a great starter blade no matter which DE razor its paired with, but give him a tuck of Derby and Feather and maybe one or two other brands and let him do his own experiments.

I was going to suggest the Nivea line of Sensitive ASB and ShaveGel and Facewash ... these are top-notch performers at rock bottom prices and they are available everywhere. Most stores will run cyclical sales where they feature the Nivea line every 4~6~8 weeks, so tell him to be on the lookout for those sales.

A brush is nice to have, but not critical ... he can just lather up by hand, as I assume he's been doing all along. A $10 RR Plissoft is a great place to start. If you get him a boar brush, be sure to give it a couple weeks of test lathers so it will be semi-broken in before he puts it to his face the first time.

Toss in a styptic pencil and some Witch Hazel, and he should be good to go.

Don't forget to let him know that he'll need to change up his technique, and especially stress the importance of proper prep-steps. Show him some videos from mantic59 or any of the other shaving gurus out there, and let him know that its OK if he cuts himself the first couple times. There is a definite learning curve involved, and none of us got it right the first time at bat.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I think you are on the right track. I would suggest Nivea Original Shave Cream. Inexpensive, easy to lather, great post shave feel. Also Proraso white or green...again, inexpensive, easy to lather, great post shave feel. Astra SP is a good starter blade. If he has ingrown hair I would also recommend Witch Hazel to tone his skin post shave. And Nivea Sensitive ASB. He is fortunate to have a friend like you.

 

[BSAGuy]

Gillette Tech
Astra SP's
Semogue 620
Proraso green
AV Ice Blue
Done

 

[BigJ]

I think you are on the right track. I would suggest Nivea Original Shave Cream. Inexpensive, easy to lather, great post shave feel. Also Proraso white or green...again, inexpensive, easy to lather, great post shave feel. Astra SP is a good starter blade. If he has ingrown hair I would also recommend Witch Hazel to tone his skin post shave. And Nivea Sensitive ASB. He is fortunate to have a friend like you.

+1. He is lucky indeed!

 

[G.W.]

I've always suffered terribly from ingrown hairs on my neck, and switching to a DE razor has been... well "life-changing" is possibly overly-dramatic, but it's made things a lot better for me. I can now shave every day if I want and have minimal-to-no irritation, and ingrowns are all but vanished from my neck. Shaving more often/ regularly is the key to keeping those ingrowns at a minimum. I've been shaving for 30 years, and oddly, a month and a half ago I tried the DE razor for the first time. I wish I woulda' known this a long time ago.

This is a nice thing you're doing for your friend.
I started with a Weishi 9306 for just a bit over $10. I've used soap/brush for a long time, so I had that on hand, along with aftershaves. The only thing that I can guess that would be "tricky" is blades. If you're giving a couple different tucks, that should help him sort out what he likes, probably.

 

[Jeff10236]

Nivea shave cream may not be a bad idea. How well does it work with a brush? I want to give my friend a brush since from what I read that can help with both sensitive skin (part of why I got into the traditional shave thing) and ingrown hair issues, but in case he doesn't get into a brush, a cream that works with or without the brush may be the way to go. Though, even though they are made for a brush, I suppose he could use either TOBS or Proraso without a brush if he decided that the brush was more work than he wanted to worry about.

 

[Jeff10236]

As for the 'nice friend' stuff, thanks but I think most of us would do the same in similar circumstances. I have other black friends with ingrown hair issues, and other friends with sensitive skin issues, but they all have good jobs. I've known this buddy for nearly 30 years so he is one of those friends who is almost like a brother to me, and with his disability he is on a rather tight budget so why not help where I can.

 

[mdwolfie86]

Razorock butterfly razor
Razorock synthetic brush
Razorock soap
Razorock Aftershave

The Razorock line of products is a great bang for your buck, not only in price but in quality as well.

 

[Rusty Blade]

Nivea shave cream may not be a bad idea. How well does it work with a brush? I want to give my friend a brush since from what I read that can help with both sensitive skin (part of why I got into the traditional shave thing) and ingrown hair issues, but in case he doesn't get into a brush, a cream that works with or without the brush may be the way to go. Though, even though they are made for a brush, I suppose he could use either TOBS or Proraso without a brush if he decided that the brush was more work than he wanted to worry about.

You can use a brush or just your hand to work up a lather. Nivea Original shave cream lathers very easily.

 

[RandyC]

I haven't been lucky enough to try anything else yet but looking at all the reviews here and how it's working for me I think the Omega 10049 is the bargain of the century.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

 

[Jeff10236]

Wow, this is a very generous forum. Someone on the forum has offered to PIF a vintage Gillette for my friend's starter kit. I don't know if he wants to be identified or not (I forgot to ask) but here is a semi-public thank you to a member who is a veteran who wanted to help out another veteran. Hopefully he'll let me know it is OK to identify him or he identifies himself here.

So, we definitely know what the razor will be (Gillette Fat Handle Tech). I'm leaning towards the RR synthetic for the brush (no break in so it's easier, works great for face lathering). I'm not sure yet what the cream will be. Torn between the Nivea, TOBS and Proraso. Pre-shave will be either Leather and Wood sandlewood pre-shave oil (what I use) or Proraso pre-shave cream. I'll take the savings since I won't have to buy a razor and put it into more blades to start him off right.

 

[Jeff10236]

I haven't been lucky enough to try anything else yet but looking at all the reviews here and how it's working for me I think the Omega 10049 is the bargain of the century.

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Hmm, maybe with the razor savings, I'll get him both a boar and a synthetic so he can experience both and go with what he likes best.

 

[Bookworm]

You can get a cheapie Boar for about $2.25 on E-Bay. I picked one up, and two rounds of lather/dry (against my hand) cleared the odour out and made the brush look pretty decent for a tiny brush.

 

[RandyC]

Out nosing around and stumbled over this:

Try DE Wet Shaving Kit

If I end up looking to start somebody out I might go this route, the price is definitely right and Proraso seems to have a decent rep.

I realize you're already set on the razor.

 

[Jeff10236]

I was leaning towards one of the starter kits from Maggards before the razor offer came in. Well, I was leaning towards that if I decided to go Proraso instead of Nivea or TOBS cream. But, I hadn't found that retailer yet, so thank you for another source for shaving supplies.

 

[Invicta]

Boar brushes are not expensive so stick with a reasonable one, e.g. Omega 10049

 

[RandyC]

I was leaning towards one of the starter kits from Maggards before the razor offer came in. Well, I was leaning towards that if I decided to go Proraso instead of Nivea or TOBS cream. But, I hadn't found that retailer yet, so thank you for another source for shaving supplies.

I live less than two miles from Maggard' s. I noticed the store after eating at a restaurant a couple doors down and looked them up on the web. The shaving cream I'd been using previously has apparently discontinued and I had about 6 months of beard. I saw the kits on their website so went back to check them out in person. I ended up spending almost twice what I was planning. "Since you're here in the store you can pretty much build you're own kit".

Now I thoroughly enjoy shaving rather than it being an inconvenient task to put off. Having them close by is a terrible, wonderful enabler.

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[Jeff10236]

I live less than two miles from Maggard' s. I noticed the store after eating at a restaurant a couple doors down and looked them up on the web. The shaving cream I'd been using previously has apparently discontinued and I had about 6 months of beard. I saw the kits on their website so went back to check them out in person. I ended up spending almost twice what I was planning. "Since you're here in the store you can pretty much build you're own kit".

Now I thoroughly enjoy shaving rather than it being an inconvenient task to put off. Having them close by is a terrible, wonderful enabler.

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Yes, I understand. I am both sorry and thankful that I haven't yet found a good shaving supply store near me.