Recommendations for groomsmen?

[SliceOfLife]

Since this in entry level why not get this kit with bowl brush and soap? The fact you are giving them Gillette's it seems this would be a good starter for all of them. Once the get hooked send them to B&B.

Van Der Hagen Premium Shave Set - $12.49
http://www.drugstore.com/van-der-hagen-premium-shave-set/qxp155185?fromsrch=Van+Der+Hagen

$1 soap, $1 bowl, the brush isn't worth $10.

These sets used to sell for $7 or so at Walmart... they were a decent deal then.

 

[dcrosso]

The $9 Omega boar brush from West Coast Shaving is a higher quality boar then the VDH brush. It will break in easier and do a quality job. I have a VDH Deluxe boar that I picked up at a yard sale for 75 cents last summer. It had been used very little. I have used it almost every day to wash my face before using a Omega boar or badger brush to shave. The VDH boar is still not broken in after about 6 months of use. The $9 Omega is a much better brush for a few dollars more.

 

[Chiro75]

I'm trying to stay away from sets, anyway, so each one is a little different. Makes it more special that way, IMHO.

Are you sure the DE razors will be recieved with welcome? Just asking because some people are touchy on this subject, especially since they are not new. I expect that they have been cleaned, sanitized, and polished.

Yep. I'm good on all the metal work, it's the brushes I'm a little more confused on, but this advice has all been helpful. A significant portion of my patients are HIV+ and/or Hep+, so I definitely can understand how things like this can give people the heebie jeebies.

 

[Montecristo #2]

Congrats! My thought is as I've been a grooms man many times; While a gift is customary, not necessary, I would much rather get 1 nice gift than a couple cheaper gifts. The sum of the parts doesn't really work here. I think your heart is in the right place, but maybe just get them a brush and suggest a few soap ideas for them to purchase.

Or you can just skip the budget rule on this one (like your fiancé probably has on a few things) and hook them up!

 

[kooshman7]

Thanks, fellas. I think the $9 boar brush it is. I hate to cheap out, but I do have a budget and I figure if they get into it, they'll upgrade as needed. One of the guys already uses a bowl and brush and is looking to get a safety razor after I told him about my experience, so hopefully he doesn't go out and buy something before then, but that being said, if one good safety razor is good, two are better, am I right?! lol

I'd really like to get fancy shaving bowls or scuttles from some of the potters who are doing them, but that's out of the realm of possibility, so I'll probably just get a few latte bowls instead. They work just fine, too! Our "theme" is Depression-era for the decorating (think lots of flowers in glass bottles and jars, cans, etc), so mismatched/repurposed fits the theme perfectly.

Don't let the price on the Omegas fool you, or their looks for that matter for the most part. They work exceptionally well, and for my own experiences I find boar much much better than pure badger which is the typical grade you'll be getting in the lower end.

 

[Go West Young Man]

Skip the razors - unless the guys are committed to the learning curve, odds are they'll tear themselves up and then toss it into the back of a drawer. I'd go with the Omega boars and a Shea Moisture badger from Target, and spend the rest of the $$$ on good soaps/creams.

 

[Chiro75]

I've already got the razors, so it's too late.