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Newbie: One month later update + product review.

Hello everyone!

Almost one month ago, I started shaving with a DE razor. In that time I've learned so much and have gotten much more comfortable with it. I'm no longer getting ingrowns and my face is clearing up! It started off a bit shaky, I was somewhat afraid of cutting my self and was completely unsure of what I was doing, but now it's much better.

With all that said, I thought it would be beneficial to newbies like me if I "reviewed" some of the products I'm using. I'm not a professional in any way and have never really reviewed anything in my life, just a fair warning if you're expecting a masterpiece.

This is more of a quasi-review, it's more like my personal experiences with these items and how well (or not) they worked for me. Maybe that could be considered a review but I digress, on with it!

Edwin Jagger DE 89

What's there to say about this? Everything you've read about it is true, it's a great way to get started. Unfortunately it's the only DE razor I've tried, so I don't have anything to compare it to. I just know that it works great for me and it makes for an enjoyable shave.

Omega 100066 Shaving Brush

It's cheap and it works. At first it's a bit stiff, but after a few uses the hairs get softer and it's quite easy to use. I've got nothing to compare it against though.

Blades

So far I've tried the Derby Extra Super Stainless, the Gillette 7o' Clock Super Platinum, and my personal favorite, the Astra Superior Platinum. Before trying the Astra blade, I found the Derby and Gillette to be uncomfortable and I would get terrible razor burn. I don't know what makes the blades different, they all look the same to me, but I can definitely tell the difference. The Astra blade will be my go to for here on out.

Shaving soaps, creams, pre-shaves, and after shaves.

None of those should be plural, as I haven't tried anything other than what I bought in my first order.

Edwin Jagger Sandalwood Aftershave Lotion- It smells great, and does a good job of moisturizing your skin. It has a strong scent, so stay away from it if you don't like that sort of thing. I use it every time I shave and it's well worth the money. However, some people are allergic to sandalwood products, so get a sampler before you spend $35!

Proraso Sandalwood Shaving Cream- Personally, I think this is less effective than Proraso's Green Shaving Soap. It's lightly scented (compared to the lotion mentioned above), and still provides for a smooth shave, however I find the shaving soap is better at doing this and I don't have to use as much product to get the same rich lather.

Proraso Aftershave Splash- I love this stuff. It provides for a nice cooling effect and instantly soothes irritated skin. I find it to be most effective while your face is still wet (not dripping wet though). You use less product that way and it applies much easier.

Proraso Sensitive Skin Pre-shave- Some, perhaps most, would say that a pre-shave is unnecessary. However, in my experience, in addition to the normal shave prep, it greatly reduces skin irritation and ingrowns. I just lather this stuff up like I do the shaving soap and work it in for 3 - 5 minutes, then wash it off. Before doing this, I would get terrible razor burn.

Razorock Alum Block- I've only used this a couple of times. When I first started I nicked my self a couple of times but I haven't since then. It stings a little, but it stops bleeding immediately. Very handy if you accidentally cut your self.

And lastly, a couple of things I've found immensely helpful.

Never go over a spot without shaving soap/cream applied! Most people will say "well duh!", but it's actually easy to do without even thinking about it. The first couple of times I shaved, I would miss a spot and just quickly go back over that one spot, just one stroke. That was enough to irritate my skin and give me some awful razor burn in that general area. It's always better to just reapply your soap and go over whatever you missed.

Use short strokes, and avoid overlapping. This will reduce the amount of razor burn you get and I think it makes for a more effective way to get all the hair off. After 3 strokes or so, I'll flip the blade to the other side and continue. Then I'll rinse it off and repeat.

I've got a problem with pacing my self, it's easy for me to try to shave quickly instead of just taking it slow. To remedy this I'll bring my laptop along with me to the bathroom and put something on (like perhaps a lengthy TED talk). This gives me a better sense of time and I don't feel like I have to rush.

That's it! I'll post updates as I go, and perhaps more of these quasi-product reviews if anyone cares to hear me babble on about it.
 
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