Before you started "shaving properly"

[5Cantonas]

Hi people and robots who shave. So glad my uncle introduced me to the DE. Now I have going, an EJ89 with feathers, Rooney ST brush, and lots of good ol' Proraso.
How did you shave before discovering DE/straight shaving, or in other words, shaving properly? A year and a half ago, I would swear by the mach3 nitro and edge aloe cream. I was naive.

 

[Krona Kruiser]

A few years ago, I used a Fusion, and some Edge Gel. My face felt dry and I'd get irritation under my neck. I also hated doing it. In all fairness, my favorite cart was the Sensor Excel but I had trouble finding it and I always found the Fusion to be ugly.

 

[shave~extacy]

I fealt the same way about the same razor... thats not to say the mach 3 doesnt offer a good shave ... I would never go back to using edge foam by the way.

 

[The Kiwi]

All of the men in the immediate family had converted to electric shavers before my adolescent years. I tried shaving with one of those very unsuccessfully, several times, with several different makes and models. But between those attempts, I was wet-shaving, just seldom using shaving soap. I used canned shave foam most of the time from age 14 to 25, and then began using creams and soaps more often until at about age 30 the canned products were the minority.

 

[drathgeb]

I started shaving with a mach 3 and canned barbasol. Shaving was a chore and I would try to get away with doing it only twice a week. No I shave with a straight and can't wait til my next shave

 

[BlackBard]

I started shaving with a DE in my teens, before cartridge or disposable razors were invented. I switched from canned foam to soap and a brush when I was 22 or 23 (about 46 years ago - YIKES!).

 

[OkieStubble]

I shaved with a Mach 3 and whatever canned goo I had at that moment. Now I use DE's, SE's, Straights, Trac II and even the singled edge Bic Sensitive when traveling. With better soap/cream, splash/balm products, improved technique and brushes etc, I could probably go back to the Mach 3 and get a great shave. I just don't want too.

 

[TheVez2]

I used a Mock 3, but I can't say I ever liked the shave or looked forward to it. I just used it because that is all I knew. I used Edge Gel for the same reason.

 

[Big Jay]

I was never "taught" to shave. I went to an all male private catholic high school. My first experience with shaving was prompted by the dean handing me a very crappy disposable and telling me to go to the bathroom to shave or i'd get a detention. No shaving cream. Just water. I frankly didn't think I had enough to shave. He thought differently. I was one of those kids who went through puberty late. So actually, I never shaved properly. Had no clue about multiple passes, beard growth, etc.

From there I used what my father used. Crappy disposables and Barbasol Beard Buster. That proved to be an epic mistake as I didn't inherit my father's leather-like skin. I suffered through that for a while until the Mach 3 craze caught on. Traded up to that. It was better. Still used the Barbasol. After that I switched creams and went to Nivea Sensitive canned goop and Aveeno Sensitive canned goop. Better but still lots of irritation. Finally, I switched to DE wetshaving on the suggestion of a bodybuilding forum member. At that point i figured out all the proper parts of shaving like multiple passes, pressure, angle, beard growth, and so on.

 

[yakster]

Before I picked up safety razors and a brush, I would shave with whatever cheap disposable razor I could buy in bulk at a warehouse store and use a can of foam. Back then, I didn't enjoy shaving, it was just a necessary evil.

 

[kingfisher]

Usually a Mach 3 with Aveeno gel or King of Shaves gel.

 

[Threeme2189]

While in the army I would do 1 pass with a mach 3 and some canned goop every other day.
After that I would trim my whiskers every couple of weeks with some hair clippers and then shave the stubble off with a mach 3 or fusion and the aforementioned canned goop.
I'm so glad those days are over

 

[MilesTeg]

I've been at it for about 30 years. I have done electrics and almost every multiblade ever created. I used the foam and gel cans, and even some expensive goo in tubs. What got me started wetshaving was the use of pure lye soap and a badger brush. That was quite an improvement, but I knew I could somehow do better.

Then I did some reading and embraced the entire process. I still catch myself not paying attention at times (applying pressure), but I am getting pretty good at it now.

 

[Cochese2323]

Someone mentioned it on another forum for another hobby of mine. One thing lead to another, found this forum, now I love shaving

 

[BrookR1]

All I used was Gillette Good News (twin blade disposable) and bath soap while in the shower. I only did one pass. At the time, I viewed shaving as a chore and not a luxury.

 

[echotron]

Before I picked up safety razors and a brush, I would shave with whatever cheap disposable razor I could buy in bulk at a warehouse store and use a can of foam. Back then, I didn't enjoy shaving, it was just a necessary evil.

Same here, did that for a whole bunch of years ... but right before I got into wet shaving, I bought a very nice (expensive) electric - quick easy but not close enough.

 

[JDTTO]

Welcome to B&B!

Shaved electric (wet and dry) as I allready knew multiblade carts were not for me. Gave carts another chance as I was fed up with my habbit of forgetting to charge my shaver. I got moderate results with a fusion proglide and store-brand 3 blade carts, the main issue was the tugging on the first pass and the irritation in the neck after ATG.

I looked around on the web and by enabling forums like this one I got into proper shaving.

 

[RedRocks]

Welcome!

I've been twin-blade shaving (TracII) since the early 70's. Someone over on UtahConcealedCarry.com started a shaving thread. I had looked into DE for some time, & decided why not? I'm a few months into DE now & really have no plans on returning back to the old way, although I'm not giving up either of my twin blade razors.

~Frank

 

[DanOK]

Welcome to B&B.

I started shaving with a DE, soap, and brush a little over 45 years ago and transitioned to can goo and a cartridge sometime in college. About six years ago I returned to traditional shaving primary due to frustration with a morning routine focused on getting out the door as soon as possible. I get up a little bit earlier and enjoy starting my day with a good shave and a cup of coffee.

 

[shavious]

I started with a Mach 3 and gillette gel. Shaved every third day because the irritation was awful if I did it any more often. Tried an electric which gave me irritation immediately. Moved "up" to a Fusion with similar results to the Mach 3. Finally discovered DE almost 2 months ago and never going back.