Hello! Recommendations for a newish daily shaver…..

[Fridge03]

Hi all,
Brand new here and after some help!

So since a young age I had facial hair. Decided I liked the look so for the past 15 years I had stubble/a beard. Fair to say, in that time a razor blade may have touched my face maybe 5 times.
However 8 months ago I started a new job (firefighter) and now must be clean shaven (at least round the jaw line/cheeks/neck).

So I first of all started with the bog standard cartridge razor and store bought shaving foam. I found that it gave me terrible razor bumps and rash, especially on my neck.

Knowing that I have reasonably sensitive skin and after a bit of reading I bought a Braun Series 9 electric razor on the premise that whilst it won’t give as close shave, it is better for sensitive skin. However after 6 months use, I’m not overly impressed. It does a good job on my cheeks but it’s rubbish on my jaw line and neck. Meaning I have to do multiple passes. I’ve noticed a big increase in ingrown hairs and still get burn.

I’m not entirely sure where to turn to next. I moved away from wet shaving because of what it was doing to July skin, and the time element of it as I have to shave pretty much every day now. I was toying with trying a rotary electric instead of foil but after further reading I’m thinking I may have to take the plunge and go back to wet shaving? And if I do, go for a DE safety razor?
My hair is pretty coarse and does grow in a few different directions on my neck, which is where I have the majority of issues. I also have a couple of moles that I worry about catching if I wet shave.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be hugely appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Big_T]

Welcome!

Lots of us have been down the same road as you. There is a ton of good information here at B&B for as long as you want to spend reading it. Think days, not hours. And there will be several helpful people answering your questions here soon.

I'll suggest the Henson AL13 mild razor for you. If you're not used to seeing razors for $70 rest assured there are many that cost more. I'd also suggest Astra SP blades for you.

There are hundreds of soaps, creams, and brushes to choose from. I think Proraso cream that comes in a tube (there are 3 or 4 varieties to choose from) along with a Razorock synthetic brush and a Timeless bowl are great items to start with and they are reasonably priced.

All of those items above are the things I will be recommending to my teenage grandsons as they approach a lifetime of shaving.

One other thing you should do is jump in on this PIF. It's your chance to win some free stuff to get you started.

GIVEAWAY! - Newbie razor, shave stick, and brush PIF

To encourage others in their DE journey, I am offering a Baili BR179 (twist to open "butterfly") razor, an Ogallala bay rum shaving stick, and an Omega boar brush. Also included is a 10 pack of Dorco ST-300 blades (CONUS only). All of the items (except the blades) are new from Maggard Razors...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Multum in parvo]

The suggestions above for brush, bowl and cream I can fully support. If you need a 70.00 razor to start out I’m not completely convinced.

A second hand Gillette Tech you can easily find here or over at the big auction site. If you want brand new a simple Lord L5 or Chinese Gillette Super Blue will do nicely. If you want to buy in an actual brick & mortar shop this is fine as well. The Gillette or Wilkinson branded DE‘s will work well enough. Store brands are a bit more hit&miss but if you ask here beforehand you will get guidance.

Look at threads here that say PIF (paying it forward), lots of stuff for starting out for free and always good fun to participate and get to know some people.

 

[LRod]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Jud]

Proraso was ok just dried out before I was finished shaving. I have had been enjoying Stirling Soaps, good lather, several different scents. They have a finest hair badger for $32, works great! The shave bowl they have has great reviews and is $6, ordered one last night. Razors I am of no help, started my SR journey last month.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

I'd find an Adjustable DE Razor. An old Gillette or even a new razor as a few adjustable are still made. This will allow you to start out low and smooth and get used to wet shaving with a real razor. Then when you feel right, turn it up a notch or two. If you want to spend a little money then the Rockwell 6C is a nice option. It will give you 6 different levels of shave just like an adjustable will, but also be a nice razor for the long term.

Soaps and brushes are a personal thing and some people will say you need this, Or That, and I will disagree with a lot of people's choices on soaps as I like a quality soap. The scent is not a biggie for me. I will say to read and learn a bit about soaps. We have lots of info on it right here. Check out soaps from Artisans that are made in small batches. Not the stuff at Walmart or Amazon or whatever box store around you. These will cost you more but will be much better for your face and skin and learning. About any Omega Boar brush for less than 20 bucks will do you after it's broken in. So it's up to you if you want to spend next to nothing, A little bit, or go all out and spend 1,000 bucks for your first shave. Yes, that is possible but remember the cost of your equipment means NOTHING compared to experience. Join in and learn and expect some disappointments in the beginning. It will get better quickly, as long as your not trying to learn with a Straight Razor. LOL.

 

[deafficianado]

Welcome! I highly recommend a DE razor and to using a shaving brush with shaving soap. There are a lot of nice choices available and it’s possible to have an effective setup affordably. For a newbie such as yourself, I recommend an adjustable razor such as the vintage Gillette Fatboy or Slim or for the modern the Pearl Flexi adjustable. They’re made from brass and will last. For soaps, Arko is cheap and just works. That in conjunction with a puck soap of your choice with a synthetic or badger shaving brush will provide great shaves.

 

[DEgeezer]

Welcome to B&B!
Lots of good advice here on this forum. My advice would be, what ever razor, soap, etc., you choose, go slow, and with very little pressure. And maybe stick to one pass for a while. I'm sure you'll catch on fairly quickly, and soon be shaving like a pro!

 

[StewB]

One of the nice things about shaving with a double edge (DE) razor is that you are much more in control of the shave, but "with great power comes great responsibility." There is a learning curve, but fortunately it's not that steep. I started using a DE razor about 3 months ago and I quickly discovered that I did get razor burn by using the same kind of technique I used with a cartridge razor (using pressure when my angle was wrong). But as you have probably already heard, one of the keys to DE razor shaving is not to use pressure (at least, not like you do with a cartridge razor) and to use the correct angle. Since I have been using a DE razor, I have noticed a dramatic reduction in "acne," particularly on my neck and along my jawline ("acne" in quotes because I think my real problem was ingrown hairs).

Give yourself some time to learn and I think you will soon get very good results with a DE razor. Cartridge razors can also give a very good shave, but even with cartridges good shave prep is important (canned foam is most likely not going to do the job). But in regards to cartridge razors, my main question is: Why pay a high per-cartridge price when you can get at least as good of a shave (or even better, once your technique improves!) using a DE razor? Yes, there is a learning curve, but IMO it's an enjoyable learning curve as there are so many choices!

With DE shaving there is some initial expense to learn what works and doesn't work for you, but there are some very good razors out there that aren't exorbitantly (IMO) expensive. For example, the Edwin Jagger DE89 and Merkur 34C are both well regarded and I can see why (I have both of these razors and they provide a very good shave). I can also recommend the Van Der Hagen short handle razor as a good starter razor (the VDH is what I started with; I still use and like it).

But before going down the rabbit hole of DE shaving (unless it really appeals to you), I would say a good thing to start with is your pre-shave prep. Many electric razor users get perfectly serviceable, irritation-free shaves using sufficient pre-shave prep. Many (most?) electric razors can now be used wet and with shaving cream. Start with good prep and see if it works for you. If it still isn't good, then I would suggest starting with a modest DE razor (such as a VDH) and again focus on good pre-shave prep.

Whichever direction you decide to go, there's plenty of information here that can help you get better shaves and with less irritation.

Enjoy!

 

[NickCutlip]

Welcome to the forum !!

 

[Rhody]

Welcome
My suggestion is a rr lupo dc

 

[Ron R]

Welcome to B&B, have some great shaves!
A few things that might help your situation is map your beard growth direction because that will help you with what ever shaving system you choose. Some folks can not shave ATG with out a lot of skin irritation.
A mild razor is what you need I'm thinking because of skin blemishes, aggressive razor with a sharp blade will slice them and then you have issues with that also. Limit your passes to 2 WTG + XTG and some pickups should be enough for job requirements.
Henson razor are talked a lot about for comfort shaving and they come in a mild & medium and fellows with skin issues seem to like the mild one. The razor has very little blade exposure with a built in angle for ease of finding sweet spot.
(I will leave a beard map for you and others, print one off if it helps. It is a weird looking photo but it will help possibly. 2-3 days growth should give your beard direction.)

Have some great shaves!

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

Hi all,
Brand new here and after some help!

So since a young age I had facial hair. Decided I liked the look so for the past 15 years I had stubble/a beard. Fair to say, in that time a razor blade may have touched my face maybe 5 times.
However 8 months ago I started a new job (firefighter) and now must be clean shaven (at least round the jaw line/cheeks/neck).

So I first of all started with the bog standard cartridge razor and store bought shaving foam. I found that it gave me terrible razor bumps and rash, especially on my neck.

Knowing that I have reasonably sensitive skin and after a bit of reading I bought a Braun Series 9 electric razor on the premise that whilst it won’t give as close shave, it is better for sensitive skin. However after 6 months use, I’m not overly impressed. It does a good job on my cheeks but it’s rubbish on my jaw line and neck. Meaning I have to do multiple passes. I’ve noticed a big increase in ingrown hairs and still get burn.

I’m not entirely sure where to turn to next. I moved away from wet shaving because of what it was doing to July skin, and the time element of it as I have to shave pretty much every day now. I was toying with trying a rotary electric instead of foil but after further reading I’m thinking I may have to take the plunge and go back to wet shaving? And if I do, go for a DE safety razor?
My hair is pretty coarse and does grow in a few different directions on my neck, which is where I have the majority of issues. I also have a couple of moles that I worry about catching if I wet shave.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be hugely appreciated.

Cheers

Welcome to Badger & Blade!

There is a reason why a lot of people recommend the Merkur 34C to beginners to wet shaving. This is because the razor is an excellent balance, between a mild razor, and an aggressive razor. What you absolutely don't want for course whiskers, is a mild razor. I have course whiskers myself, and the first razor I got, was a Feather AS-D2, and it took all day to shave my face with that thing.

Having said that however, where a mild razor can help, is as a training tool, to teach you to learn angle of attack, and learn to use no pressure. Learning proper technique, will carry your far in your wet shaving journey, towards improving your shave. But I think that a medium/mild or medium aggression razor, is going to be best for your course whiskers in the end.

Now, as far as moles on your face, well, I have them too. Remember I said about not using any pressure? That goes a long way of keeping you from nicking them. Another thing that helps, is to go slow, remember, its not a race, you don't need go all road runner on your face. You will naturally have more control of the razor and what you are doing, if you go slow with it.

You also need to make sure that you are building a proper lather with either shave soap or creams. Is the lather nice and slick on your face and neck? Because if its not, its doing you no favors, add more soap, add more water, make sure the lather is slick. Creams should be easier for your to lather your face with them, but I am still a strong believer in soaps first and foremost.

A previous commentor mentioned the expense of some razors, this is a very true statement. My favorite razor right now is my Rex Ambassador, which is a 250 dollar razor, currently being sold at many places right now for 300. What I love most about my Rex, is its an adjustable razor, allows me to adjust blade aggression on the fly, and its a high quality durable razor made out of brushed 316L stainless steel.

But its important to note, you don't have to spend 300 dollars on a razor just to get an adjustable. I more recently ordered a new razor, a Merkur Futur adjustable razor, which is going to arrive on Monday. The Merkur Futur is a heavily well known and popular adjustable razor, and it can be had for less then 70-dollars at New England Shaving!

Remember, keep that face lathered, nice and slick, make sure that face is wet before applying that lather to insure no dry skin. Once you go over a couple times with a razor and now have dry skin, don't keep going back over it, unless you re-lather. Raking dry skin is a quick way to a weeper before the shave is over.

I agree, there is lots of resources of information on B&B to help guide you on your path. I wish you good luck on your wet shaving journey.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I also agree with Ron. As an addendum to my previous post, as a newbie to wet shaving, it might be easier to just do WTG passes only. If you use an efficient razor, like a good Merkur 34C or better, it should be able to take enough of your whiskers off, with just WTG passes only! I am sure your employer at the fire department isn't going to FIRE you, for only doing WTG passes. Yes, that pun was most indeed intended.

Have a great shave, have a great day!

 

[rbscebu]

Welcome to B&B.

It's a pity that you are overlooking straight razors. Many consider them the best for sensitive skin. If free time is a concern, straight razors include the replaceable blade (shavette) type.

 

[Walleyeb]

Welcome to the B&B you’ll get lots of great advice here. I second the advice of going with a Henson. But since your hair is coarse I’d go with the medium and I pair it with Feather razor blade. IMO even the Henson medium is a pretty mild razor. Shaving with a is much like shaving with a disposable razor except you only have one blade and the head doesn’t pivot. Going slow is a good idea starting out. I’d also start out with something easy create to lather with, like TOBS Sandalwood shaving cream.

Last but not least YouTube is a good place to pick up some good tips as well.

 

[Eben Stone]

but "with great power comes great responsibility."

Did you just quote Spiderman?

 

[BigJ]

Welcome aboard!

You have some great razor recommendations above!

I also suggest a blade sampler or two, a shave stick (like La Toja or Speick), and an appealing brush!

 

[Fridge03]

Hi all

Thanks for all the welcomes and the amazing info/recommendation. I've already been watching a few videos and doing some reading. I think DE is the way to go for me. I went for an electric due to the "time saving" and ease. However, I find that I have to do multiple passes with my Braun as it misses areas meaning I have to go over them again so adding to the time element as well as causing further skin irritation. I think this is also then encouraging ingrown hairs which I never got when I first tried wet shaving, just razor burn.
I'll give the electric another few shaves with some better prep as @StewB whilst I do a bit more looking about the right DE shaver/blade combo etc.

 

[zacktracy]

Just putting in my 2 cents as I’ve struggled a bit with razor burn and ingrowns on my journey into the wet shaving world. I’ve currently settled on a Rockwell 6C after trying various Gillette vintage razors including adjustables. With the Rockwell, the ability to change plates and dial in the best shave for my face and hair has made a major difference for me. Originally I used plate 3, but have worked my way up to plate 6 as my technique has improved and I still enjoy the great shave this razor gives. I have a second Rockwell 6C, extra blades and a brush or two I’d be willing to part with to help get someone else started out in wet shaving. PM me if you want to discuss further. Whatever you decide on, don’t give up as I almost did, but am so glad I didn’t! My skin is so much better after dialing in my technique and learning how to shave properly.