So lately I have been thinking about what the most important aspect of a great shave is.
This is assuming that your technique is good, and that you know your face/beard/skin well. Because if you are still at the "learning stage" then you will not get great shaves until your technique is good.
So if we assume that technique is good, what is the most important, and least important aspect of getting a good shave?
This is my personal "rankings" of what aspects are from the most important to the least important, 1 being the most, and the higher the number the less important.
1: Razor/blade (Straight razor just the razor obviously, DE the razor and the blade)
2: Shaving brush
3: shaving soap
4: preshaves.
This is my opinion obviously, and now i will explain why I feel this way
4, preshaves: Preshaves are redundant if your technique is good and you know your face well. Taking a shower is enough prep and pretty much renders preshaves useless in my opinion. I have used tons of different preshaves through the years, and I can tell from experience that they don't improve my shaves. I think they can help give a better shave if your technique is poor, or you don't shower before you shave.
3: shaving soaps. I honestly think people put too much money and thought into soaps. Your soap has one job that it needs to do well: Lather. I have tried a lot of soaps, cheap soaps, and expensive soaps, and I can get a great shave with any soap out there. I think you need to find a soap, or series of soaps that you like, and just stick to that. I honestly don't get the soap crazr that people seem to have.
2: shaving brush. no matter what soap you have, it's useless without a good shaving brush. Again, I have used shaving brushes that have been less than 10 bucks, and brushes that are 300+ bucks. While I don't think you need a brush that expensive, I think having a good brush plays an important role in lathering your soap properly. No matter how good a soap is, it's never gonna reach its full potential without a proper brush that will create a decent lather.
1, the razor. Give me any soap, and brush, I can get a great shave if I have a good razor. good technique means nothing if your razor is dull or just doesn't work for you. I find for me that I need a very sharp edge that can easily mow through my stubble. my skin is really sensitive, and I suffer from a chronic skin condition that leaves my skin dry, and it doesn't take much for me to get irritation. So if the blade cannot effectively cut stubble, then the entire shave is compromised.
It doesn't matter if you get the greatest lather going, if your razor is crap.
I know that are people out there with iron skin, that could probably shave with a rusty piece of glass and get a great irritaton free shave. But that is not me, because of my skin condition I really need something that can cut my stubble off like a lazer.
DE shaving doesn't really do that well for me, i can get respectabe DE shaves, but my best shaves have always come from SR shaves.
Now, I'm not saying "i am right" or anything. there is no right or wrong in this, this is all my opinion based on my experiences, and my own skin.
So I would like to know how you guys feel? What variables do you find matter the most to you? and why? if you have tough skin you could definitely give me a different perspective that i would find interesting. But even other guys with sensitive skin might have found something entirely different than me that works for them.
So I would love to get your opinion, and remember, there is no right or wrong, the only right thing is what works for you..
This is assuming that your technique is good, and that you know your face/beard/skin well. Because if you are still at the "learning stage" then you will not get great shaves until your technique is good.
So if we assume that technique is good, what is the most important, and least important aspect of getting a good shave?
This is my personal "rankings" of what aspects are from the most important to the least important, 1 being the most, and the higher the number the less important.
1: Razor/blade (Straight razor just the razor obviously, DE the razor and the blade)
2: Shaving brush
3: shaving soap
4: preshaves.
This is my opinion obviously, and now i will explain why I feel this way
4, preshaves: Preshaves are redundant if your technique is good and you know your face well. Taking a shower is enough prep and pretty much renders preshaves useless in my opinion. I have used tons of different preshaves through the years, and I can tell from experience that they don't improve my shaves. I think they can help give a better shave if your technique is poor, or you don't shower before you shave.
3: shaving soaps. I honestly think people put too much money and thought into soaps. Your soap has one job that it needs to do well: Lather. I have tried a lot of soaps, cheap soaps, and expensive soaps, and I can get a great shave with any soap out there. I think you need to find a soap, or series of soaps that you like, and just stick to that. I honestly don't get the soap crazr that people seem to have.
2: shaving brush. no matter what soap you have, it's useless without a good shaving brush. Again, I have used shaving brushes that have been less than 10 bucks, and brushes that are 300+ bucks. While I don't think you need a brush that expensive, I think having a good brush plays an important role in lathering your soap properly. No matter how good a soap is, it's never gonna reach its full potential without a proper brush that will create a decent lather.
1, the razor. Give me any soap, and brush, I can get a great shave if I have a good razor. good technique means nothing if your razor is dull or just doesn't work for you. I find for me that I need a very sharp edge that can easily mow through my stubble. my skin is really sensitive, and I suffer from a chronic skin condition that leaves my skin dry, and it doesn't take much for me to get irritation. So if the blade cannot effectively cut stubble, then the entire shave is compromised.
It doesn't matter if you get the greatest lather going, if your razor is crap.
I know that are people out there with iron skin, that could probably shave with a rusty piece of glass and get a great irritaton free shave. But that is not me, because of my skin condition I really need something that can cut my stubble off like a lazer.
DE shaving doesn't really do that well for me, i can get respectabe DE shaves, but my best shaves have always come from SR shaves.
Now, I'm not saying "i am right" or anything. there is no right or wrong in this, this is all my opinion based on my experiences, and my own skin.
So I would like to know how you guys feel? What variables do you find matter the most to you? and why? if you have tough skin you could definitely give me a different perspective that i would find interesting. But even other guys with sensitive skin might have found something entirely different than me that works for them.
So I would love to get your opinion, and remember, there is no right or wrong, the only right thing is what works for you..
