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First Timer to DE Travel Shaving

Ok, I've been DE/wet shaving for a little over a month now and felt like I was able to pick it up VERY quickly. As I think most on this forum did, I got a little crazy buying razors, blades, pre and post shave stuff, etc. Well, I felt like I could hold my own now and had to travel for work. This mornings shave seesh was HORRIFIC. Pre-Shave was proraso white label, followed by about a 2 minute steam towel. I used a Merkur 37C I got from BST which the day before worked perfectly with Astra SP (I've ruled the razor and blade). I didn't want to take my Silver Tip brush for fear of ruining it and to pack light I brought along dermalogica shaving cream (normally I use soap and lather) and used it with a Walmart brand boar brush. I finished with a Proraso White Label balm. It felt like my first time shaving EVER. I wanted to get some opinions on what exactly could've gone wrong and perhaps some tips that more veteran DE guys have from their travels. Thanks!
 
This same type of thing happened to me last November. Was your lather up to par? I never did figure out what happened.
 
The cream did not lather. I couldn't figure out if the cream was not designed to later and was to be more of a lotion type cream or if it was the boar brush. I tried to build lather for a good 4-5 minutes.
 
Probably a combination of different PH in the water, and a sub-par lather. Good luck with the rest of your stay, I hope you can dial in a good shave! If your on the trip for awhile, maybe hunt for a puck of Van Der Hagen, since you've got the brush?

If the cream wasn't meant to be lathered, your attempts at doing so could have thinned it out to the point where the protection it gave was pretty poor?
 
Good comments here.

I think that the small tube of C.O. Bigelow that you can get from Bath & Body is the ideal travel cream. It lathers easy and I've never had trouble with it no matter the water. It's only $5 for the small tube and well worth your time to try.
 
My number one suggestion is that you make sure you are comfortable with your travel setup by using it regularly at home.

Successful shaves are about consistency and it is harder to be consistent under changing conditions and with different HW, SW, or prep. That is my biggest challenge shaving on the road. Beyond the general stress of travel, particularly when crossing multiple time zones, there is often more time pressure getting ready, as well as less than ideal conditions with different water, lighting, limited or crowded counter space, the need to pack it soon after shaving--in general many changes to my routine. When you add to that using a new brush and cream, you are increasing the degree of difficulty significantly. I believe (no real data, but based on other endeavors) that the more experienced and proficient shaver will more easily adjust to changing or adverse conditions. With more experience you will make small adjustments more or less unconsciously, and recognize when something more substantial needs fixing.

My best guess is that if there was a major problem it was your lather (new brush and new cream). Even with good prep, I find quality of the lather and having it on my face for several minutes before I begin really has a major impact on comfort of the shave. I do not know dermatologica cream. But if I was on the road for a couple days without my regular kit, I'd look for Kiss My Face shaving cream. I know that Whole Foods carries it. It is inexpensive, easy on the face, and comes in different scents including unscented. At home I use it as a pre-shave wash, but it is also effective as a brushless cream when massaged well into the beard with wet fingertips.

I travel with a Valobra or Speick shaving stick (Valobra is my favorite soap, stick or puck, but there are many good sticks) and a synthetic brush (just replaced my WD 22mm knot with a Muhle STF V2 21mm knot that I much prefer). I normally face lather and have both sticks and the brush in my regular rotation. I bring my regular razor, regular blades, alum block, styptic pen, and a very small plastic bottle with some aftershave splash. The whole kit takes up little room. Synthetic brushes are very durable, dry quickly, and are less prone to mildew if packed before completely dry. BTW, I look forward to using the synthetic brush as much as any brush in my rotation.

Alan
 
I guess I should get a little rubber made container to travel with. I have a Simpson and a custom wet dog brush so I'll throw one of those in there. And a small puck of soap. Thanks for all the tips and recommended. Items to pick up. The idea was to pack lightly and in doing so I ruined generally the highlight of my day. Damn boar brushes.
 
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