Anyone here who uses a straight a fan of brushless creams? I know there’s a few threads about brushless in the general cream forum but want some specific feedback on pros and cons as far as straight use is concerned. Recommended brands appreciated. Many thanks.
Brushless Creams and Straights
- Thread starter thp001
- Start date
I've been straight shaving about 6 years and have never used anything but smear on Cremo. Tickled with the stuff in fact. I don't feel the need to do the brush and bowl and soap thing. My shaves are beyond anything I ever achieved before straights and never thought a shave could be this good without blood and irritation.
I'm not switching until something is proven better. I'm thinking about visiting a local barber that straight shaves customers. ( most likely a shavette ) Have him do the prep and hand him one of my razors and see what shakes out. Might be a good comparison.
I'm not switching until something is proven better. I'm thinking about visiting a local barber that straight shaves customers. ( most likely a shavette ) Have him do the prep and hand him one of my razors and see what shakes out. Might be a good comparison.
I'm also curious about this. Thank you for starting this thread.
I only have one straight, but I have been using it almost exclusively since its birth. Ida is her name. I was putting her first edge on during the storm. So it seemed fitting to name her as such.
After that, the only times that I didn't shave with Ida were on my trips that were carry-on luggage only.
I only have one straight, but I have been using it almost exclusively since its birth. Ida is her name. I was putting her first edge on during the storm. So it seemed fitting to name her as such.
After that, the only times that I didn't shave with Ida were on my trips that were carry-on luggage only.
I occasionally use Cremo but I always add a little water and lather it up with a brush these days.
IMO, Using a straight means wanting to take your time, and enjoy the journey of the shave. This also means using a nice puck of soap and brush. A bowl or scuttle if you prefer. Pre-shave oils and aftershave items. Enjoying the feeling and scents. It's all about the enjoyment of the shave so why take short-cuts.
When I'm in a hurry or medically unable to use my straights then I do take short-cuts by using safety razors. And if I had a tube of soap I might go that far too. But for me, it takes some of the fun out of it.
YMMV
When I'm in a hurry or medically unable to use my straights then I do take short-cuts by using safety razors. And if I had a tube of soap I might go that far too. But for me, it takes some of the fun out of it.
YMMV
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
I’ve tried some brushless products, Feather, Biotique Palmyra, and surprisingly a non-shave product, Martin de Candre 4-oil Marseilles soap. The biggest issue with them is that it’s difficult to see where you’ve shaved and have not shaved. But they work fine.
The MdC 4-oil Marseilles soap is the slickest soap that I believe that I’ve ever had. I bought it as a hand soap, but the bar I had on my bathroom sink would slide off the soap saver unless it was well leveled. After your bar of soap slides off your soap saver 6-8 times, a true straight razor user will be thinking, ‘Hey, can I shave with this stuff?’ And the answer is yes you can, and it’s as good as commercial brushless products, and lasts forever. The last batch (unlike the first) did have a rather pronounced benzoin resin scent, which I like, but some do not.
The MdC 4-oil Marseilles soap is the slickest soap that I believe that I’ve ever had. I bought it as a hand soap, but the bar I had on my bathroom sink would slide off the soap saver unless it was well leveled. After your bar of soap slides off your soap saver 6-8 times, a true straight razor user will be thinking, ‘Hey, can I shave with this stuff?’ And the answer is yes you can, and it’s as good as commercial brushless products, and lasts forever. The last batch (unlike the first) did have a rather pronounced benzoin resin scent, which I like, but some do not.
If it works and you enjoy using creams and cream sticks, I say go full send with your shaves. Wouldn’t be my first choice but everybody’s time and thrills are different. Stay weird my friends.
Interesting thread. I used to use brushless cream only when traveling. After joining B&B I discovered the concept of stick soaps, so that’s what I use for travel now. But have a tube of Keihl’s brushless shave soap that is now gathering dust. Been trying to burn through it with a DE, but maybe tomorrow I will try it with a straight!
Clubman brushless cream is OK. Not as good as MdC with a badger brush 
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I've tried Creamo a couple of times and I know I haven't gotten it close to dialed it in, but I don't want to either. I prefer hard soaps to any cream, and I also take sticks on the road. I like a soap and brush too much to change what I like.
I did hand lather a stick on my face in the shower and shave with a DE the other day. I'm not as good as I used to be at that.
we all like what we like and if we get the shaves we like, it's all good.
I did hand lather a stick on my face in the shower and shave with a DE the other day. I'm not as good as I used to be at that.
we all like what we like and if we get the shaves we like, it's all good.
I have not used a brushless cream in many years. While Creamo and Trader Joe's work well enough I never totally liked their consistency or how the felt on the face before and during the shave with a DE razor. I now use a shavette so something like Creamo would be my last choice for a shave cream (lather) because it is so sticky. The Trader Joe's felt a little creamer and I think it would work better between these two for straight shaving, but that is just a prediction without actually trying them.
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