Not an enjoyable shave

[Emthor]

Hi, thanks for reading my post.

I have been wet shaving for about 6 months or so, and have been loving every moment. All the bad shaves, and all the good ones.
This one was special though, here is what i used:
Razor: Feather AS-D2 (current favorite razor)
Blade: Gillette Platinum (top 3 blades for me)
Brush: Mühle 24mm silvertip fibers (synth)
Soap: Floris No. 89 (favorite scent)
AS: GFT skin food limes

This is the part where i should probably say that the shave was AMAZING, super smooth, no nicks no nothing.
However what makes this shave special for me, is that it's the first shave since i started wet shaving that i didn't want to have.
After i left the shower i simply didn't want to shave. Which is also the reason that i grabbed the stuff that i like the most.

Lately i have been researching, buying, testing so much new awesome stuff - and i love that part, just as much as shaving.
The last 20 or so shaves, i have had something new to try out - but not in this one.. I have tried everything that i own.

I just wanted to share this experience with you guys as well, and maybe you have some pointers?
What gets you to enjoy your shaves, when you don't have anything new to try out?


EDIT: oh.. and i'm getting ready for the - "try less pressure" comments

 

[EclipseRedRing]

It is always nice to try new things but as you have found you cannot keep on doing that for ever. I can only speak for myself but I suppose it comes down to why you shave. What is the purpose of shaving, for you? For me, shaving is a time to think and to relax, it is a time for me, in my case I think about and remember things personal to me, and that gives me comfort and makes me feel good about life and about myself. I get much more from the process than mere beard reduction which is almost incidental for me. That is the purpose of shaving, for me, and so for me trying new razors, soaps and aftershaves, as nice as that is, is not important and does not improve the shave in any meaningful way. So I suppose, think about what you, personally, are trying to get out of the process, and then work on trying to make that better, or reaching a level which satisfies you. Not sure that really helps but that is my take on it. Good luck.

 

[Emthor]

It is always nice to try new things but as you have found you cannot keep on doing that for ever. I can only speak for myself but I suppose it comes down to why you shave. What is the purpose of shaving, for you? For me, shaving is a time to think and to relax, it is a time for me, in my case I think about and remember things personal to me, and that gives me comfort and makes me feel good about life and about myself. I get much more from the process than mere beard reduction which is almost incidental for me. That is the purpose of shaving, for me, and so for me trying new razors, soaps and aftershaves, as nice as that is, is not important and does not improve the shave in any meaningful way. So I suppose, think about what you, personally, are trying to get out of the process, and then work on trying to make that better, or reaching a level which satisfies you. Not sure that really helps but that is my take on it. Good luck.

Thank you so much for your answer, seems I have some reflection to do.

 

[BigJ]

The only person you have to satisfy is YOU!!

What makes me happy is enjoying the ‘top tier’ items I have!! Plus, I enjoy the continued quest to find something better (which does not happen often these days)! YMMV for sure.

 

[RayClem]

I am retired and spend most of my days at home with my wife. I no longer have to shave to be socially acceptable for work. I shave now because I enjoy doing so and it make me feel good. Even if you have to shave, however, you can still enjoy the process.

Trying new stuff can be fun. Sometimes you find things that make your shaves even better. When trying new things, however, try to keep the rest of your shaving process intact. Otherwise, if thing are better or worse than normal, you won't know what caused the change.

 

[steveclarkus]

Hi, thanks for reading my post.

I have been wet shaving for about 6 months or so, and have been loving every moment. All the bad shaves, and all the good ones.
This one was special though, here is what i used:
Razor: Feather AS-D2 (current favorite razor)
Blade: Gillette Platinum (top 3 blades for me)
Brush: Mühle 24mm silvertip fibers (synth)
Soap: Floris No. 89 (favorite scent)
AS: GFT skin food limes

This is the part where i should probably say that the shave was AMAZING, super smooth, no nicks no nothing.
However what makes this shave special for me, is that it's the first shave since i started wet shaving that i didn't want to have.
After i left the shower i simply didn't want to shave. Which is also the reason that i grabbed the stuff that i like the most.

Lately i have been researching, buying, testing so much new awesome stuff - and i love that part, just as much as shaving.
The last 20 or so shaves, i have had something new to try out - but not in this one.. I have tried everything that i own.

I just wanted to share this experience with you guys as well, and maybe you have some pointers?
What gets you to enjoy your shaves, when you don't have anything new to try out?


EDIT: oh.. and i'm getting ready for the - "try less pressure" comments

Pointer - keep at it and the “bad” ones will be fewer

What do I enjoy when there is nothing new to try out? - Shaving.

Good going.

 

[ajkel64]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

 

[mumB_L_E]

I remember being in your shoes...

I had always struggled with shaving-induced irritation and mild acne (I think the two, at times, were related) until I ironed out my shaving technique and routine with a DE (specifically the AS-D2), brush, and soap. With experience I have dramatically reduced my all-in shaving time and my shaves consistently feel good, which I did not think was possible, so I rarely dread a shave these days. Clear skin is plenty motivation for me to shave every day or day-and-half. Additional motivation:
-- the simple pleasure of executing a job well done
-- the smell of good soap, aftershave, and EdT
-- taking a break from everything on the other side of my bathroom door

 

[Emthor]

I remember being in your shoes...

I had always struggled with shaving-induced irritation and mild acne (I think the two, at times, were related) until I ironed out my shaving technique and routine with a DE (specifically the AS-D2), brush, and soap. With experience I have dramatically reduced my all-in shaving time and my shaves consistently feel good, which I did not think was possible, so I rarely dread a shave these days. Clear skin is plenty motivation for me to shave every day or day-and-half. Additional motivation:
-- the simple pleasure of executing a job well done
-- the smell of good soap, aftershave, and EdT
-- taking a break from everything on the other side of my bathroom door

Thank you for sharing

 

[Mustard Seed]

The Floris No.89 is to die for......

 

[Emthor]

The Floris No.89 is to die for......

Very complex fragrance, but i have used the EDT for years, and LOVE it!
So trying the soap was a no brainer for me.

 

[samhain666]

What inspires me is the shave itself

 

[Tedolph]

Hi, thanks for reading my post.

I have been wet shaving for about 6 months or so, and have been loving every moment. All the bad shaves, and all the good ones.
This one was special though, here is what i used:
Razor: Feather AS-D2 (current favorite razor)
Blade: Gillette Platinum (top 3 blades for me)
Brush: Mühle 24mm silvertip fibers (synth)
Soap: Floris No. 89 (favorite scent)
AS: GFT skin food limes

This is the part where i should probably say that the shave was AMAZING, super smooth, no nicks no nothing.
However what makes this shave special for me, is that it's the first shave since i started wet shaving that i didn't want to have.
After i left the shower i simply didn't want to shave. Which is also the reason that i grabbed the stuff that i like the most.

Lately i have been researching, buying, testing so much new awesome stuff - and i love that part, just as much as shaving.
The last 20 or so shaves, i have had something new to try out - but not in this one.. I have tried everything that i own.

I just wanted to share this experience with you guys as well, and maybe you have some pointers?
What gets you to enjoy your shaves, when you don't have anything new to try out?


EDIT: oh.. and i'm getting ready for the - "try less pressure" comments

I haven't used a new product in years (well getting Whiskey Woods when it came out excepted!). What inspires me? Improving my technique, not wasting product, etc.

Most of all enjoying the experience: the sound of the straight razor, the aromas, the feel of the brush against my face, the hot towel, the tingle of my after shave, the quiet uninterrupted time-time to just be while doing something artistic.....

Maybe painters feel the same way when painting, I don't know.

It is a very introspective thing for me. Something I look forward to.

 

[thombrogan]

EDIT: oh.. and i'm getting ready for the - "try less pressure" comments

Less pressure?! Caveat Emthor!

Please read every last crayon scribble I make with the highly insisted and explicitly stated information that I have no medical, neurological, or psychological/psychiatric training/schooling/certification and; in our current relationship as I type and you may later read; I'm a complete internet rando.

It sounds like the thrill of obtaining new or obscure or ultra-luxurious shaving equipment is either gone or you've found almost anything you would've sought.

That's frigging cool and Your listed favorite stuff is very impressive (makes note to self to check out Floris 89 on search engine later).

But now you're living "The Chase Is Better Than the Catch" from Motörhead's "Ace of Spades" album and feel much like the cat that's caught the red dot or the dog that caught its own tail. It was a rush tracking it down and getting and a blast to try everything out, but now you own and experienced the shave den of Olympus and are still wanting.

This is where the pressure gets turned up:

How comfortable can you make your shaves? How long can your BBS last? At least one member here (not me yet!) has 19-22 hours BBS after an irritation-free shave.

You've started a new quest

 

[benos]

Hi, thanks for reading my post.

I have been wet shaving for about 6 months or so, and have been loving every moment. All the bad shaves, and all the good ones.
This one was special though, here is what i used:
Razor: Feather AS-D2 (current favorite razor)
Blade: Gillette Platinum (top 3 blades for me)
Brush: Mühle 24mm silvertip fibers (synth)
Soap: Floris No. 89 (favorite scent)
AS: GFT skin food limes

This is the part where i should probably say that the shave was AMAZING, super smooth, no nicks no nothing.
However what makes this shave special for me, is that it's the first shave since i started wet shaving that i didn't want to have.
After i left the shower i simply didn't want to shave. Which is also the reason that i grabbed the stuff that i like the most.

Lately i have been researching, buying, testing so much new awesome stuff - and i love that part, just as much as shaving.
The last 20 or so shaves, i have had something new to try out - but not in this one.. I have tried everything that i own.

I just wanted to share this experience with you guys as well, and maybe you have some pointers?
What gets you to enjoy your shaves, when you don't have anything new to try out?


EDIT: oh.. and i'm getting ready for the - "try less pressure" comments

What really gets me to enjoy my shaves, whether I'm using new stuff or not, is focusing on the results of each step. Not obsessing too much, mind you, but just focusing. For example, focusing on dialing my lather in the way I like it, even down to something as simple and maybe silly-sounding as "I really like the way this brush is painting the lather on with these strokes here" or "I like how easily this brush is splaying in the bowl and generating the lather right now". Or, for the razor, enjoying how dialed in I am when taking strokes, how smooth each stroke is, the angle I'm holding the razor at, its comfort level in my hand, etc. Even something as simple as rinsing the brush out, drying it, and observing the bloom of a nice badger knot. All these simple things are there for you to enjoy, whatever equipment you're using. I can get some of my most pleasant shaves using a well-loved brush and a "humble" razor. Take that stuff in, it's the best part.

 

[benos]

But now you're living "The Chase Is Better Than the Catch" from Motörhead's "Ace of Spades"

Man, nice reference. Now I've got it stuck in my head! RIP Lem

 

[thombrogan]

@benos

 

[Emthor]

Less pressure?! Caveat Emthor!

Please read every last crayon scribble I make with the highly insisted and explicitly stated information that I have no medical, neurological, or psychological/psychiatric training/schooling/certification and; in our current relationship as I type and you may later read; I'm a complete internet rando.

It sounds like the thrill of obtaining new or obscure or ultra-luxurious shaving equipment is either gone or you've found almost anything you would've sought.

That's frigging cool and Your listed favorite stuff is very impressive (makes note to self to check out Floris 89 on search engine later).

But now you're living "The Chase Is Better Than the Catch" from Motörhead's "Ace of Spades" album and feel much like the cat that's caught the red dot or the dog that caught its own tail. It was a rush tracking it down and getting and a blast to try everything out, but now you own and experienced the shave den of Olympus and are still wanting.

This is where the pressure gets turned up:

How comfortable can you make your shaves? How long can your BBS last? At least one member here (not me yet!) has 19-22 hours BBS after an irritation-free shave.

You've started a new quest

This comment sir, absolutely made my day.
Thank you for your time

 

[trentr]

I remember being in your shoes...

I had always struggled with shaving-induced irritation and mild acne (I think the two, at times, were related) until I ironed out my shaving technique and routine with a DE (specifically the AS-D2), brush, and soap. With experience I have dramatically reduced my all-in shaving time and my shaves consistently feel good, which I did not think was possible, so I rarely dread a shave these days. Clear skin is plenty motivation for me to shave every day or day-and-half. Additional motivation:
-- the simple pleasure of executing a job well done
-- the smell of good soap, aftershave, and EdT
-- taking a break from everything on the other side of my bathroom door

That is a big one for sure
And I am also in the boat of shaving once being an uncomfortable painful chore with irritation and acne and now very enjoyable with nice feel and mostly irritation and acne free

 

[Kenyth]

Clear skin is plenty motivation for me to shave every day or day-and-half. Additional motivation:
-- the simple pleasure of executing a job well done
-- the smell of good soap, aftershave, and EdT
-- taking a break from everything on the other side of my bathroom door

And this says it all! Taking pleasure in your work is the path to success.

Learning how to shave used to be something boys did with their fathers when becoming men. Now, it's fallen out of style for a long time and learning proper hygiene habits from your parents is just not "cool". (My kid wants minimal interaction with me on stuff like this.) As a result, most young guys really don't know how to wet shave properly. They never even realize they don't until they find something like DE shaving and decide to care.

Since starting this hobby, I tried using some disposables and canned Barbasol foam while traveling, primarily to see if it was the equipment or the technique. While the better products do have better characteristics, the disposable and foam worked well also. It would seem that CARING about doing the job right and practicing good technique is the most important factor of all.