What part or category of the shave do you like best?

[akh223]

If you had to pick one part or category of the shaving experience, which is your favorite?

I am not talking about a particular item, but rather the steps of shaving and its corresponding category of equipment.

For me, its the soaps and lathering them. It doesnt matter to me if I use a cartridge razor or de, Aftershave or no aftershave, and any of my brushes will do, but the soap is what I like best, and what matters most to me.

What do you like most?

 

[twhite]

On the surface this would seem like a no brainer. Obvious answer the shave part. Once I thought about it. I came to a rather surprising conclusion for myself. It is the aftershave application and the face rubbing that comes right after.

Not only did my work payoff on a smooth shave but that feeling of a freshly applied aftershave and great smell. Now that does it for me.

Looking forward to others replies. It will be interesting.
Tom

 

[Grundi]

I voted for soaps, and I love the choices and the scents...BUT...I also love the blade choices, the razors, the brushes...I would have to say that I love the variety and choices of all the things!!!

 

[md1234]

On the surface this would seem like a no brainer. Obvious answer the shave part. Once I thought about it. I came to a rather surprising conclusion for myself. It is the aftershave application and the face rubbing that comes right after.

Not only did my work payoff on a smooth shave but that feeling of a freshly applied aftershave and great smell. Now that does it for me.

Looking forward to others replies. It will be interesting.
Tom

Same here! There is just something about slapping on some AS after a nice close shave!

 

[Granite.Glasser]

Razor choice: dialed in
Blade: check
Brush: love them, but a few is enough
Aftershave: I've got that one down too
Soaps: ahhhhh, this is where the FUN is (for me)... so many wonderful choices out there to be tried and experienced. Even with all other shaving variables reduced to constants, as I have elected to do, the variety if soaps makes each shave distinctive! Performance is critical, of course, but scents are an extremely powerful and personal part of any pleasurable sensation, shaving included!

 

[fast shaver]

I like the feel of very warm lather applied to my face. Next I like the razor gliding through that warm lather without any effort.!

 

[RumpleBearskin]

I shave with straights and the variety is endless. Soaps are fun, but they don't have the personality of a razor.

Also, I love the joy of brining a 150 year old, rusty, useless hunk of metal and horn or bone back to a state of elegance and function... And then using it for its intended purpose.

 

[Brian C.]

I picked aftershave. I am like @twhite and enjoying feeling my head and face after I shave. It’s instant feedback of a job well done.


AoM; B.O.S.S.;Knight of the Veg Table;WISE;CoA;4yr/10yr Sabbatical

 

[RookieGuy]

I picked soaps thinking creams fall under that category. Whipping up a good lather, smelling the sandalwood or bay rum start to fill the air, for me that's the best part.

 

[RigelDust]

Soaps so much soaps.

 

[pbrmhl]

On the surface this would seem like a no brainer. Obvious answer the shave part. Once I thought about it. I came to a rather surprising conclusion for myself. It is the aftershave application and the face rubbing that comes right after.

Not only did my work payoff on a smooth shave but that feeling of a freshly applied aftershave and great smell. Now that does it for me.

Looking forward to others replies. It will be interesting.
Tom

For me, the aftershave is the best part of the shave. I get to smell another scent, and feel my face in the immediate aftermath of the shave. I use a TON of aftershave--it's impossible to use too much--not just for the scent, but also for the magic skin food (I enjoy alcohol-based aftershaves filled with skin food like Chatillon Lux, Maol Grooming and Declaration Grooming). But the best part is waiting to feel my face again until I'm standing on the commuter train platform about 20 minutes later. Tremendous deferred gratification...

 

[BigJ]

Tough choice!!

I picked brushes today because I am traveling and miss having my options at home. Tomorrow I might pick AS, soaps or...

 

[shave/brush]

I love brushes. I can't stop buying them. Especially if they are low priced. I have bought way too many over the years.

 

[camoloc]

i love soaps. I dont think you understand......I really like soaps!

so many, so little time.

add to the fact that I can only shave once a day makes it worse.

if we could just add some days to the week so I could throw more into a rotation. preferably add those days to the weekend!!!!

camo

 

[rbscebu]

For me, being a SR shaver, its got to be the blade. One of my great satisfactions is to convert a factory sharpened new SR into an acceptable razor, shaving with it, and then knowing that the result was all due to your own workmanship.

 

[RookieGuy]

Out of curiosity and ignorance, what do you do to get a factory SR ready to shave? Finish putting an edge on it? Or is there more?

 

[EclipseRedRing]

Accepted wisdom suggests that when applying aftershave, a sting indicates that one's technique needs improving and mine certainly does. However, I love the burn, for me a shave is hugely disappointing if the application of an alcohol based splash does not sting like hell.

 

[rbscebu]

Out of curiosity and ignorance, what do you do to get a factory SR ready to shave? Finish putting an edge on it? Or is there more?

I don't buy top line SRs so the ones I get are about as useful for shaving as **** on a bull.

They have the have their bevel properly set, then honed up to a 1u quality edge before pasted balsa stropping and finishing off on a clean leather strap. Each blade takes about an hour or more to get right.

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

The brush, definitely. When a brush is the right size, feels luxurious without being floppy, and splays just right, it makes the entire shave a real pleasure, especially to a face-lathering person like me. The lather quality ultimately makes or breaks the shave.

 

[lloydw]

the razor for me - stropping it, using it, cleaning it, honing it.