Preshave battle: baume.be versus Grooming Department?

[CzechCzar]

OK... I'm still loving the GD Pre-Shave.... I think it will replace my Baume.be Pre-Shave.... though I will use up the Baume.be, of course. It's very good but the GD is slightly better and is much less expensive.

Now.... the shootout between GD Hydrating Gel and Neutrogena....I regret buying two containers of GD Hydrating Gel. It's not always available hence the decision to order two. I've used it twice now..and used Canada Shaving Soap today to get a more scientific data collection point. Neutrogena is much more expensive. The GD HG doesn't calm my skin down nearly as well, unfortunately. I ended up just putting the Neutrogena over the top after a few hours. GD does recommend adding it to their pre-shave and I think I'll try that. I don't want to waste it or just bin it.

One thing I did notice, the GD pre-shave does tend to dry out the soap a bit so I need to use more water when lathering up my soaps. But it's an excellent product.

I did some reading here on B&B last night..... and learned, the Hyaluronic acid serum (which the GD Hydrating Gel is, basically) is supposed to used on a damp face... then you need to add a moisturizer. The Neutrogena is a combination of the hyaluronic acid with moisturizers. GD sells an additional moisturizing product.

I think that's why my face feels good after using both products together. I have some hmmmmmm stand alone hyaluronic acid on the way. I'm going to compare that with the GD hydrating gel.

As always, I'll report my findings here. Of course, it will remain one man's opinion and experience.

Here's one of the sites I read last night... worth the time to read it all the way through:

Hyaluronic Acid Is Magic For My Post Shave Skin | It's A Game Changer

I've been using this stuff since late October, long enough to feel like I can recommend hyaluronic acid without reservation. What is it? How did I come across it? How is it used? What does it do? I was told about it by Frank. Apparently it's a component of many high end skin care products...

www.badgerandblade.com

So useful! Thanks for A-B testing GD vs. Baum!

I will continue with hydro boost and GD. No reason to change.

 

[TheBurgh]

First shave this morning with GD preshave (having finished the Proraso red preshave).

JUST WOW! DFS++, even the problem areas of chin and upper lip, and absolutely no weepers. Second use of Personna Platinum Chrome, a good blade but never before this good. As mentioned above very little postshave feeling of a coating or moisturizer, just a sensation of a bit more smoothness. Even my hands have that same feeling.

Magix elixir? Probably not. But I have no need to experiment further. Found my "everlasting" preshave.

Again, thanks to the participants in this thread! One less shaving puzzle piece to find!

 

[sanookd]

First shave this morning with GD preshave (having finished the Proraso red preshave).

JUST WOW! DFS++, even the problem areas of chin and upper lip, and absolutely no weepers. Second use of Personna Platinum Chrome, a good blade but never before this good. As mentioned above very little postshave feeling of a coating or moisturizer, just a sensation of a bit more smoothness. Even my hands have that same feeling.

Magix elixir? Probably not. But I have no need to experiment further. Found my "everlasting" preshave.

Again, thanks to the participants in this thread! One less shaving puzzle piece to find!

Which GD preshave scent did you use? I usually use unscented, lavender or SPA

 

[Phoenixkh]

First shave this morning with GD preshave (having finished the Proraso red preshave).

JUST WOW! DFS++, even the problem areas of chin and upper lip, and absolutely no weepers. Second use of Personna Platinum Chrome, a good blade but never before this good. As mentioned above very little postshave feeling of a coating or moisturizer, just a sensation of a bit more smoothness. Even my hands have that same feeling.

Magix elixir? Probably not. But I have no need to experiment further. Found my "everlasting" preshave.

Again, thanks to the participants in this thread! One less shaving puzzle piece to find!

That's what I found.. works extremely well... better than the Baume.be I was using.. and it's very good as well. I stuck with the unscented..... very nice....

 

[TheBurgh]

Which GD preshave scent did you use? I usually use unscented, lavender or SPA

Bergamot & Ginger. Have the unscented as a backup. With this success, I imagine I'll be using all their scents!

 

[sanookd]

Bergamot & Ginger. Have the unscented as a backup. With this success, I imagine I'll be using all their scents!

I highly recommend SPA

 

[bobmsp]

I highly recommend SPA

Can you describe the scent? I see that it contains peppermint, patchouli, tea tree, and lavender oils so I assume that the scent is composed of those. Is there a strong patchouli feel?

 

[sanookd]

Can you describe the scent? I see that it contains peppermint, patchouli, tea tree, and lavender oils so I assume that the scent is composed of those. Is there a strong patchouli feel?

Everyone smells something differently but I get a lot of lavender. I don’t get much peppermint nor patchouli. I do find it a calming scent not an overpowering scent.
The 3 GD preshave scents I use are Lavender, Spa and unscented.
Sorry I can’t be more help.

 

[bobmsp]

Everyone smells something differently but I get a lot of lavender. I don’t get much peppermint nor patchouli. I do find it a calming scent not an overpowering scent.
The 3 GD preshave scents I use are Lavender, Spa and unscented.
Sorry I can’t be more help.

That's a lot of help. I've used the GD lavender and liked it a lot. Thanks.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Question: how much GD pre-shave do you use?

I've been putting little dabs on my cheeks, upper lip and chin... then rubbing it in... I might be applying too much. I seem to have make pretty loose lather (wetter than what used to be normal for me) so the lather on the face doesn't get too thick. The Pre-Shave blends with the soap lather instantly and seems to thicken it up quite a bit.

I'm only 3 shaves in, I think.. I love the benefit but would like to know the experiences you all are having. I didn't change anything when using the Baume.be pre-shave. The two consistencies are much different.

 

[Sethology]

Question: how much GD pre-shave do you use?

I've been putting little dabs on my cheeks, upper lip and chin... then rubbing it in... I might be applying too much. I seem to have make pretty loose lather (wetter than what used to be normal for me) so the lather on the face doesn't get too thick. The Pre-Shave blends with the soap lather instantly and seems to thicken it up quite a bit.

I'm only 3 shaves in, I think.. I love the benefit but would like to know the experiences you all are having. I didn't change anything when using the Baume.be pre-shave. The two consistencies are much different.

What I've been doing is putting about an almond sized amount in my hands and then dabbing little amounts of it all over and gently massaging it in

 

[TheBurgh]

1. Pea-sized dab between both dry hands, then
2. rubbed well between both hands to warm and spread the product, and
3. then rubbed well into damp face in circular motions (rubbing a bit more into tough-to-shave areas, lips and chin).

Leaves a white, thin and pasty (but not lathered) coating which I let penetrate whilst both lathering the soap.