I'm tired of Useless YouTube shaving videos!

[Earl_Grey]

Good guy. He's doing all right for himself. Apparently he's working in the wealthy suburbs on the coast north of Boston. I can't anoint him as the GOAT, however. He couldn't lather Williams Mug Soap. The "greatest of all time" should be able to create lather out of anything. Like John Lennon said, "I'm an artist. Give me a fxxxing tuba and I'll be able to get you something out of it."

I meant GOAT in terms of YouTube: information and entertainment.

Don’t really judge him on Williams, for one I’ve never tried it, and secondly I’ve heard on multiple accounts how bad that soap is.

 

[amateur]

Greetings to all. I live in Russia. Would you be interested in videos of Russian-speaking bloggers on YouTube?

 

[Ranyart Finn]

I watched a lot of Shaving videos as I started getting into the hobby a few months ago, but I've quickly found my interest whittling down to just a small group that I enjoy watching. SinatraLennon, Razor Emporium, GeoFatboy, and the new kid on the block, Heiko Shaves.

SinatraLennon - nice guy, straightforward, engaging, and doesn't spend 9 hours lathering up
Razor Emporium - sound advice, great to watch Matt's technique, love the History of... videos, and usually has some interesting thoughts on what he's reviewing/demoing
GeoFatboy - great personality, good facts on the products he's reviewing, gives some great tips on technique
Heiko - like me, new into the hobby, but clearly has a passion for it, and he tries to be objective in what he shows, along with different kinds of content alongside the shaves. I really liked his examination and fix of the Pearl Flexi, for example.

Things that get my goat...

• 'What's going on guys?', 'What's up guys?' as the intro. A simple 'Hello' or 'Hi' is fine.
• Cold Openings - ie, a little intro teaser before the main credits, as though this is a commercial production
• 'But now a quick word from our sponsor...' You're not being syndicated by a network! This is YouTube!
• Performative schticks such as snapping your fingers, clapping your hands, taking a step backwards... then using your skull as a tom-tom.
• Super-excitable! Machine-gun speed babble dialogue! Never getting to the point!
• Going on and on and on about how great the soap is - despite this being a razor review
• Spending 15 hours creating what looks like a perfectly acceptable lather - then another 15 going over it again and again, saying 'Oh yes... nearly there now'.
• Waxing lyrical about how the razor they're using is the best razor, and if it had been their first razor, would have been their only razor... and then saying the same thing in the next video about a completely different razor
• Defaulting to the highest level of aggression on any adjustable razor, while using a Feather blade, and then complaining that they have nicks or irritation
• Telling me all about your family holiday... what the kids are up to... what you're planning on doing after the shave... I'm here for the whiskers removal. Not your life story.
• Asking me what I'm up to, like you can hear me and respond.
• Lame attempts at comedy, followed by a short, nervous laugh. Just makes you look a little... creepy.
• Superficial reviews of hardware. If you're reviewing a razor, I want to know how it's weighted, how it feels, whether it glides or drags, whether its easy to assemble/open/disassemble, how much it costs, if it offers VFM... not constant reiterations of "I gotta tell ya - this thing is awesome." Tell me why it's awesome. And also tell me what's not so awesome.
• Loud, annoying, overly-theatrical catch-phrases. Like yelling "Boom! Soap Suds!" so loud that you scare my dogs and the bloody neighbours complain...
• Going onto your next pass before you've clearly finished the first or second...
• Telling the world how efficient a Henson AL13+ is - and then remarking a Gillette Adjustable on setting 1 is 'too aggressive'. I know everyone is different and that not all razors suits all faces, but seriously? As you sure you haven't got settings 1 and 9 mixed up?

I know I sound like an utter grouch, and all the above are pretty harmless... my tongue is in my cheek for some of the above, but for (quite a few), they're so expected and cliched that I'll skip what might be interesting content because I can't bear the cringe factor.

Rant over!

 

[GrizzlyCA]

I do agree with much of what has been said. I recently talked to a YouTuber that does a number of reviews on soaps and scents. It was clear they did not have the base knowledge to describe the scents they were reviewing in talking to that person.
I tried to be helpful but that person should not portray themselves as an expert.

On the flip side, there are some YouTubers that really are dedicated to helping others learn. A good example is dapper shaves. That guy is amazing and has helped many. People like Dapper are the ones I will spend my time watching and even supporting at some point.

 

[Dave himself]

I've recently started watching Shave&Butcher. The guy is so laid back he's horizontal, with a dry sense of humour. His jokes at the start are so bad they make me laugh, I always look forward to his post's.

 

[LRod]

Main things I look for in a razor reviewer:
#1 They have visible hair on their face to shave off.
#2 They show the razor close up and in detail! (not just a quick flash because they want to push whatever soap they're using. If you aren't gonna do this, don't mainly title the review by the razors name)
#3 Know the product that you're reviewing!
(I'm tired of hearing: "I think it's xyz model number, I think it's got xyz blade gap, etc..)
UGG!!!

 

[Qanzoq]

I like videos where the reviewer actually has some hair to shave...radical i know

Like reviewing a hoover with a super clean floor or etc etc ........

If you are going to have shaving videos have a few days growth...i mean obvious or what duh !

 

[shavin' scott]

Good afternoon:

I learned to shave as a little boy sitting on the toilet seat learning from my grandfather. Eventually, I graduated to an adjustable, Gillette, shaving cream, and no blade. I am willing to bet that my grandfather had zero guidance on shaving, but for the 17 years I was there before I went to college I never saw a bleeder. And I’m pretty sure there was no YouTube in the 70s and the 60s before. He also was a rough, depression, era guy, but seem to really enjoy shaving and made a process of it, and would invite me in.

I just watched two random videos for the first time ever. How about a few rules? A minimum of three day growth or longer if you have a light beard. A razor and a brush that is readily available, and pre-and post shade material that is also readily accessible. And blades that do not require a special salute a tap on the door and the secret handshake..

Your mileage may vary, but after watching those two videos, I actually worked myself upinto quite a lather.

Scott

————————————-
This is a venting post where I express what I feel (and see) when I watch most YouTube shaving videos!

I won't mention any reviewers good or bad!
But I will point out that some reviewers (very few) are actually at the top of their game!

Well, when I'm researching a razor, I obviously first gauge what everyone here on B&B feels about said razor. I enjoy this community and also use it as an educational platform for our shaving hobby. But for some reason I also end up looking at YouTube videos. It's nice to also get a visual hands on look at something!
These are the things I've noticed in no particular order:

-Half of the reviewers have no idea about what they're talking about! I lose track at the amount of times that I hear: "I think" or "I can't remember". I for one study the heck out of anything I do and try to learn as much as I can on the technical side (I'm a Pilot and instructor by trade). So these so called expert reviewers (as perceived by their followers) sometimes don't remember specifics of the tool they're reviewing i.e., blade gaps, blade exposure, handle length, finish etc..

-They have no whiskers to shave (probably one the things that bother me the most). You are reviewing a tool that's meant to shave and you've got no hair to shave off for the demo?
Two things I've noticed that might possibly explain this:
1. They shave 10 times a day in order to continuously make videos for more likes, subscribers and/or product revenue. They never give time for a nice growth in order to demonstrate how well the razor actually works!
2. They're someone that by nature has practically no hair to shave off no matter how much time passes for growth. In my opinion, these people should not be reviewing razors!

-The main title is given to the razor they're showing off but they don't show it in detail. They quickly show a glance of the razor and get on to the shave. And that's the last you see of the razor in the entire video!

…

 

[rsp1202]

I tend to ignore the videos where the shaver has a beard.

Also, there's one well-known YT reviewer who carries on a running monologue as he scrapes the razor across his face, over and over. If he was getting paid by stroke-count he'd be pretty rich by now. I understand that some guys don't have sensitive skin, but this is amazing to me, and painful to watch.

 

[LRod]

I tend to ignore the videos where the shaver has a beard.

Also, there's one well-known YT reviewer who carries on a running monologue as he scrapes the razor across his face, over and over. If he was getting paid by stroke-count he'd be pretty rich by now. I understand that some guys don't have sensitive skin, but this is amazing to me, and painful to watch.

I know what you mean. I sometimes think that they're actually doing it without a blade installed!

 

[shavin' scott]

That was hysterical

 

[Dave himself]

I still watch YouTube videos, but now it's mostly for the entertainment value. For razors, blades, soaps and everything in between I have to give my thanks to B&B.

 

[den fly]

The worst is when Youtubers get obsessed with making the "perfect" lather. They'll add 2 drops of water 7 or 8 times and after 10 minutes say just a couple drops more. Then they'll play with the lather for another 5 minutes and say "oh that's about perfect now." At that point the lather looks just the same as it did 10 minutes ago when it was just fine.

 

[gpjoe]

I wish I had bookmarked or saved it, but the last video I watched was some dude shaving off his full beard with a shavette (AC, I think) and DESTROYING his face in the process. Wish I could find it, it was brutal.

Anyway, for me, it is now purely for entertainment and to laugh at the number of adjectives (wonderful, fantastic, very nice, great, awesome, lovely...you get it) these guys use to shilling their free stuff.

 

[gpjoe]

...and to laugh at the number of adjectives (wonderful, fantastic, very nice, great, awesome, lovely...you get it) these guys use to shilling their free stuff.

...like this guy. Just remember you are abetting him by clicking on this, but he absolutely gushes over the razor. Gotta love the (paid for) enthusiasm.

 

[LRod]

I wish I had bookmarked or saved it, but the last video I watched was some dude shaving off his full beard with a shavette (AC, I think) and DESTROYING his face in the process. Wish I could find it, it was brutal.

Anyway, for me, it is now purely for entertainment and to laugh at the number of adjectives (wonderful, fantastic, very nice, great, awesome, lovely...you get it) these guys use to shilling their free stuff.

I saw it!
The comments section was very entertaining to say the least!

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

...like this guy. Just remember you are abetting him by clicking on this, but he absolutely gushes over the razor. Gotta love the (paid for) enthusiasm.

Dude, thats the shill I was talking about, just didn't want to mention his name out of respect, although he deserves none by selling his soul to the shill devil if you asked me. He's the guy who always says, "35 degree angle, no pressure, let the razor do all the work gentlemen." He's also the guy who always has to scare the living daylights out of an headphone user such as myself, when the nice quiet environment, suddenly becomes a crushendo of, "BOOOOM, LATHER!" Absolutely 100% not necessary. Like many younger YoutTuber's, he seeks attention through catch phrases.

And to make matters worse, like I've said in the past, he's always on and on and on, about PAA soap this, CK6 that. Its like, why don't ya marry Doug already, you clearly want to have his baby. And thats another thing, notice how you never see whiskers on his face or head? And when he uses the razors, you hear no audible feedback, which would be a sure sign of whiskers being cut? Thats because he has no whiskers. He's got to pump out as many shill video's as he can, to wrack up the sponsorship money, as well as the YouTube partnership program in adsense revenue.

I saw right past the fool. I do not like YouTubers like him. Just don't even bother watching him folks, you have nothing to learn from a fool. Even GeoFatBoy has much more credibility then that guy, and he's even got a store of his own! These days, I pretty much just watch Sinatra Lennon being goofy, and watching Paul H Films keeping it real, love that guy, he's awesome.

 

[DesertIguana]

Anyone who has camera think they can be U-Tube Star.

Most will never achieve stardom.

I think if a U-Tube is longer then 7 minute, it almost always boring to me.

Keep short, make your point, and rate the product. Good, Bad, Great, or just Awful.

 

[LRod]

Dude, thats the shill I was talking about, just didn't want to mention his name out of respect, although he deserves none by selling his soul to the shill devil if you asked me. He's the guy who always says, "35 degree angle, no pressure, let the razor do all the work gentlemen." He's also the guy who always has to scare the living daylights out of an headphone user such as myself, when the nice quiet environment, suddenly becomes a crushendo of, "BOOOOM, LATHER!" Absolutely 100% not necessary. Like many younger YoutTuber's, he seeks attention through catch phrases.

And to make matters worse, like I've said in the past, he's always on and on and on, about PAA soap this, CK6 that. Its like, why don't ya marry Doug already, you clearly want to have his baby. And thats another thing, notice how you never see whiskers on his face or head? And when he uses the razors, you hear no audible feedback, which would be a sure sign of whiskers being cut? Thats because he has no whiskers. He's got to pump out as many shill video's as he can, to wrack up the sponsorship money, as well as the YouTube partnership program in adsense revenue.

I saw right past the fool. I do not like YouTubers like him. Just don't even bother watching him folks, you have nothing to learn from a fool. Even GeoFatBoy has much more credibility then that guy, and he's even got a store of his own! These days, I pretty much just watch Sinatra Lennon being goofy, and watching Paul H Films keeping it real, love that guy, he's awesome.

Geo Fatboy always has plenty of hair to shave off

 

[rsp1202]

Paul H and Kevy, I like as well. Some of the Turkish barber videos are great, but the videographer is often on the wrong side of the guy who's getting shaved on the other.