My story, and thank you

[jazzman]

After about 35 years of shaving with Gillette’s latest and greatest, I found that I was extremely unhappy, and often in pain. A little time on the internet (including this site) revealed that some intrepid time travelers were finding fulfillment with DE’s, brushes, and lubricants that don’t squirt out of cans. So in I jumped.
About six weeks ago, a Merkur HD, a Vulfix brush, and Taylor’s lavender soap arrived from Lee’s Razors and Classic Shaving. The most-noticeable advantage was the intoxicating aromatherapy effect of the lather. Next was the vast improvement in lubrication as compared with the canned gel I had been using. Finally, the result was by far the closest shaves I have ever had. The only down side was the time required to get a good lather. So, on work days, I reverted to the gel, but the DE continued to deliver a better shave than the Sensor Exel.
My next area of inquiry was whether creams could solve the time problem on rushed workday mornings. As I’m sure most of you know the answer was yes. So I went nuts at the local mall, and here are the results:

The most disappointing cream was AOS lavender. It smells nothing like the Taylor’s soap, and it doesn’t lubricate as well as the other creams. Anthony Logistics’ cream lathers up almost as soon as it sees the brush and lubricates almost as well as the soap. The Body Shop shaving cream has a nice scent and delivers a terrific shave. And finally, Crabtree & Evelyn’s Sienna cream seems to be just as good as The Body Shop, with a different nice scent.

Thank you all for lots of great advice, and Happy Lathering!

 

[guenron]

Well Jazz that's good to hear! These epiphanies that we all have on occassion are so wonderous that there is even great pleasure in hearing someone else's experience. For the last several years I awaken a bit early so I can enjoy my four-pass regimen. Four latherings really starts my day well. For the most part, I am a hard-soap and brush guy. I just tried a new cream on Friday and Saturday of this week that might just help you through your weekday time crunch and still deliver the goods. My findings on using it brushless might just be what you are looking for?

 

[Cliff]

Glad you're enjoying yourself Jazzman, keep going, it gets better and better as your technique becomes refined.

 

[DoubleE]

Jazzman:

Congratulations on your successful and enjoyable trip back to yesteryear. As you're discovering, there are many excellent creams and soaps to be had out there if you're willing to experiment. That's why it takes many gents on this forum weeks to months to go through their rotation of shaving goodies.

Like Ron, I get up earlier than I used to just so I can get the maximum enjoyment out of my 4 pass regimen. Who'd have thunk it?! After all, it's only shaving!

Keep us apprised of your continued success.

Jerry

 

[Scotto]

I also get up early to make sure I can indulge myself!

BTW, interestingly, the AOS cream smells like actual lavender; the Taylors is another smell altogether. Nice, but not pure lavender.

 

[Nick]

Jazzman,

Congrats on success, and thanks for sharing your thoughts on some of the products you've encountered.

-Nick

 

[jazzman]

I take it all back. Today I used the Art of Shaving lavender, and worked with it a little in a mug. It produced a really thick, aromatic lather and gave me a great, well-lubricated shave. The other creams that I mentioned above come in tubes, but I was using the jar version of this stuff. Maybe that explains the initial conclusion, but I will be using AOS lavender when I have the time.