Recomended Soaps for Converts

[SuperSpeed]

Gents,

I had a bit of a conversation at the old water cooler today. One fellow complained of his morning shave and, judging by his neck, was in need of some assistance with his morning ritual. I asked what he used and let us simply say the response is not worth posting. Needless to say the man needs to ditch his can of cream and invest in a suitable soap.

This made me ponder what this forum would recommend to a person that currently uses a "multiblade" disposable from a club, an aerosol cream and an alcohol based splash. I do not think these items are necessarily always bad but his particular selections do seem to leave him wanting. I think simply a change of soap and perhaps a balm would be a great place to start with the DE perhaps shortly thereafter.

The gent seemed somewhat proud that his current regiment was inexpensive. I actually disagree with the "shave club" razors being comparatively inexpensive. He is definitely miserly on the cream and splash side. Again, inexpensive is not the same as cheap and bargains certainly exist. I simply find his selections to be poor on both fronts.

I recommended he try the sensitive versions of the Prorasso White and Nivea balm varieties. Both of these are available in local drug stores and on Amazon so they are acessible, inexpensive and an upgrade to his current options. What would you recommend to such a fellow?

 

[rockviper]

IMO the 3-4-5+ blades carts can be more of a problem that canned shave foam or gel (some are actually pretty good). I use alcohol based AS all the time without issue.

Another factor is that he could be using his cart way beyond when it has degraded, but being expensive, you gotta get a month out of each of them. A simple switch to a DE could be the biggest bang for the buck and, if he is cheap/frugal/thrifty, he should appreciate that option.

 

[SuperSpeed]

Absolutely agree on the multiblade issue. I believe his club issued razor has four. He does have some Gillette 2 blade razors that he had previously used in the past without any problems so I believe that is his plan combined with new soap and balm.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

Proraso White pre-shave cream & TOBS Jermyn Street for Sensitive skin, followed by Nivea for Sensitive Skin. If he insists on a multi blade razor, ditch the dollar shave club razor and use a Leaf razor.

 

[Whiterook]

My thoughts would be
Proraso Pre-Shave
Gillette Pure Cream
Duke Cannon Ice Cold balm
Go back to the Atra/Trac2

He can apply the Pure by hand to start and then move up to a brush later. All the above items except the Proraso can be found at Walgreens, etc.

 

[boilerphan]

If he's looking to save money, just get him started on an affordable soap/cream and brush and retain his club cart for now. My dad uses this basic combo and the soap has improved his results enough to be satisfied.

He can always look at DEs down the line.

 

[SharptoothC]

I think the razor is probably more a problem than the soap. But if he wants to try a new soap, a good cream may be an easy transition for him. C.O. Bigelow is good, inexpensive and available from Bath and Body Works. Cremo, Kiss My Face, and Speick are also good creams at fair prices, and are readily available.

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[ChunkyOwl]

Cella or Speick creams are inexpensive, easy to lather and perform well

 

[Timeclo]

Gillette Pure is another inexpensive, readily available option that works well, with or without a brush. Of course, a cheap synthetic brush will be much more enjoyable than using just bony fingers..

 

[TBoner]

I agree with the Bigelow Proraso and the Gillette Pure due to availability.

I also concur that the multi-blade is a bigger deal than shave prep.

 

[MHBru]

I agree with earlier suggestions of Proraso or TOBS cream followed by Nivea balm

 

[Kurtis]

I recently started having issues on my neck. No matter which razor (DE, Gillette Sensor (2 blade), injector, or the Gillette Fusion (5 blade I think) I had terrible razor burn. Could be my skin changing as I get older. My Girlfriend bought me a Gillette Skinguard and it really has made a huge difference. The shave isn't as close, but it's easy and no irritation. Unless he likes BBS every time, this may be a good option for him.

 

[alykozmo]

Proraso white preshave, to start.....Alum block to finish. These are the two things I recommend to potential converts, especially those with sensitive skin.

I will let others opine on razor and soap/cream/crop....


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[Ravenonrock]

Jump into the deep end and give DE shaving a try. Forgiving razor and blade combo, go for comfort, use a soothing balm. Learn how your beard grows, shave WTG.

 

[ShaverAZ]

If he's got a can of that nasty Edge Gel that gunks up razors, simply get him a shaving brush. Gels are entirely different when whipped up into a lather with a brush & bowl. The stuff is plenty slick and cushiony, but in no time he'll wonder about REAL shaving soaps. Recommend a soap that he can get locally without lengthy shipping delays to get him started. Williams ordered for in-store pick up at Walgreens is a good place to start, and should pique his interest in other soaps & creams.

 

[Smooth and Sharp]

What stopped irritation to me was the Razor so :
1- DE with Sharp blades like Astra ( cheap on amazon and good value)
2-Soap
3- Nivea cream AS ( more a way to heal faster than stop irritation )
If he dont fall in any rabbit holes you can show him that a DE with 100 Blades is way cheaper per shave that his club

 

[Ivo4u2]

Assuming we want to keep as close as possible to the original setup.

Switch to a gilette guard or at least a 2 max 3 blade cart.
Alternative a bit more complex oneblade core or a bit more complex broman and a tuck of gsb.
Really bad shave technique then a gilette tech and gsb and patience.

Soap, proraso in a tube
As/asb proraso

Alternative speick....

Upgrade brush and soap (stirling).
Upgrade pre shave soap.
Upgrade witch hazel lotion.

 

[Marco]

IMO the 3-4-5+ blades carts can be more of a problem that canned shave foam or gel (some are actually pretty good). I use alcohol based AS all the time without issue.

Another factor is that he could be using his cart way beyond when it has degraded, but being expensive, you gotta get a month out of each of them. A simple switch to a DE could be the biggest bang for the buck and, if he is cheap/frugal/thrifty, he should appreciate that option.

Wise words from a wise man.

 

[RenoRichard]

For a long time I would start someone out with a DE and blades. But, over time my approach has changed. Now, I'd say first give him an Arko stick, a decent brush, and a lathering lesson. For the cost conscious, I'm not sure anything can beat Arko. And, some of the Yaqi synthetics are cheap. I have one incoming from West Coast for $11. Then he can begin to get an insight as to what shaving can be like. An inexpensive vintage razor and a few blades would be next.

My thoughts on a starter razor have also changed. It was for years DE all the way, now I'm thinking that a user grade Gem with a flatter angle, like a Featherweight or Contour, with a pack of Walgreens blades might be better. Cartridge razors have relatively flat angles, so do Gems and the variants. The angles for DEs can vary a bit and take more to master- IMO. Also the blade confusion for DEs can be overwhelming for a newbie.

Harry's charges ~$2 a blade, Walgreens Gem blades are ~53 cents. Harry's suggests a week per blade. Gem blades also last about a week. Harry's charges ~$6-$8 for gel/cream, Arko is ~$2 a stick. The math is simple.

 

[BigJ]

Great question!

To me the key is to pick a product that is very easy to use and that will significantly improve his shaves. I suggest that it is tough to beat a top-notch shave stick: Speick and La Toja come to mind!!