Help! Advice needed: Pre Shave and Secondary After Shave Balm

[pghwetshaver]

Greetings, B&B members.

I'm about a month or so in to wet shaving, and loving it.

I have my brush - TAOS Pure Badger. There are probably better brushes out there, but this one will do for me for now.

I have an ever-growing rotation of creams/soaps:
Tabac
TAOS Sandalwood
TOBS Avocado
TOBS Almond
C.O. Bigelow
TAOS Lemon and Lavender Starter Sets en-route

I have a go to after shave balm in TAOS Sandalwood.

I am currently using Zirh's pre shave, just to use it up (had it for a year or two now), and because the TAOS Sandalwood clogs my Mach 3 carts something fierce.

Now I'm looking for a more reliable pre shave: CF? Truefitt? Something else??

Also looking for another after shave balm when I don't want to smell like Sandalwood for the entire morning (though I find it to be a great scent!):
TAOS Unscented? Something else?

Your suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[dpm802]

I recently acquired some Proraso Pre/Post, and I rub it in to my beard after my face-scrub, and before I lather up. I've been wet-shaving for 2.5 years, and I'm blown away by how much this one little product improves my shave.

It will also double as an after-shave balm, but I usually use something else. Bigelow #1200 is my go-to ASB, but I have many others to choose from.

You might also want to add Thayers Witch Hazel to your shave routine ... it is the one constant ingredient in my software choices. No matter what else I might use to prep / lather / finish up the shave, Thayers is always in the mix.