The perfect shave experience. How long did it take/have you had one?

[halfturk]

I just had an almost perfect shave. All the stars aligned. I was just wondering what others stories are about the perfect shave. I wanted to post this not to have a discussion about which soap/razor/blade/aftershave worked best for you or your dream razor you haven't acquired or even if you got bbs but rather what was you best shave. Maybe it was on vacation or with your grandfather teaching you'll someone else shaving you...

For me it was a completely silent house, my own house, which is really rare. The smell was right, the temperature of water was perfect and i could hear the hairs being clipped away as i went. The right combination of equipment and a bbs shave with almost no thought or irritation. I say almost because I gave myself a little razor burn on touch up. It was a completely uneventful shave and the wonderful experience that I always though would be the result of wetshaving as my own time to spend. I have been wetshaving for 5ish years and I finally got what I personally wanted.

I could not find a post similar to this, so if there is I apologize and it will be deleted. I just wanted to hear other's stories and whether or not you have had your own "perfect" shave experience.

 

[The Dean]

Perfect? I'll let you know when I have one.

 

[ThomasB98908]

When the stars and planets align just right - - been known to get a BBS with almost no effort. I think a lot has to do with skin condition too. I find that if I'm properly hydrated enough my skin takes a shave better. Congrats on hitting the KARMA of wetshaving. Feels good doesn't it.

 

[shavious]

Perfect? I'll let you know when I have one.

I'm with The Dean. I've yet to have a perfect shave. However, I have had some very, very good ones. My best ones have been much like you described: had the house to myself, maybe some music playing. Everything worked out well with little to no thought, but somehow it was still quite a zen experience. I always look forward to shaving in anticipation that the day's shave might be another similar experience.

 

[Relentless]

I had one just a few weeks into shaving with a DE. I've not yet recreated the conditions to do it again. Had to check my razor a couple times to make sure there was a blade in there.

It is a fantastic zen-like experience.

 

[halfturk]

I guess I was really trying to illicit stories or memories of a really good shave. I think everybody has a different idea of what that is in terms of environment and experience. I really like the use of zen here. Probably better than the use of perfect. Thanks for sharing that was the kind of thing I was looking forward to reading...

 

[Redzone]

Best I've had in this short journey is also the one I didn't think about much (interesting) I usually shave during the day as one bathroom and 6 people is not the perfect set-up.

 

[bakerbarber]

I didn't truly enjoy it until I had healed over from all the ingrown hairs along my neck. Since I had lived with bad shaves for so long it took me a long while to realize what a good one was.

Now I have a perfect shave every day as long as I don't see blood and can't feel a rough spot before lunch.

It took me a month to settle into acceptable shaves with a DE when I first started. I had used a brush for years, but it took me a long time to get fed up with cartridge razors. There's so much to try at first. It's hard to stick with one routine at first. At least it was for me. I wanted to try every blade and soap and razor I could get my hands on...

 

[semi]

about twenty minutes

 

[Coler]

...shaving is capable of being over-thought...

By my BBS standards and reckoning I'm enjoying a perfect shave every morning.

To be perfectly frank, I find it hard to understand how on a website dedicated to the skills and materials relevant to shaving, it seems to cause so much difficulty.

 

[halfturk]

I think this is what I am getting at. There are a million posts about gear and technique but I didn't think about any of that today. It wasn't about the shave really itself it was the shave experience that I found joy in because in. In the moment of shaving without thinking about it.

 

[Lockedin]

For me it was a completely silent house, my own house, which is really rare. The smell was right, the temperature of water was perfect and i could hear the hairs being clipped away as i went. The right combination of equipment and a bbs shave with almost no thought or irritation. I say almost because I gave myself a little razor burn on touch up. It was a completely uneventful shave and the wonderful experience that I always though would be the result of wetshaving as my own time to spend.

I see a theme here - "It was a completely uneventful shave". I noticed that others mentioned not actually remembering theirs.

I do remember a bit of my last GREAT shave - much as others have descirbed:

Prep & skin condition were good, I'd had just enough coffee. I do remember checking my Flare Tip for a blade at one point as lather brush and blade came together in a zen shaving experience.

No weepers, no irritation, just a BBS face and head that lasted through the evening!


All in all, I feel that thanks to what I've learned on this forum, almost all of my shaves are great these days!

 

[BlackBard]

I hate to breat it to ya, but there is no "perfect" shaving experience." And, even if there were, I would not want to have one unless it was the last shave of my life.

 

[KodiakAttack]

I mostly get a DFS every time... But I do recall once instance where in fact, the stars did align, and I received a BBS. I was not searching for it and to my recollection I did nothing in particular to generate said BBS. Perhaps I'll see it again one day. It's the thought of not knowing when it comes around again which is one of the more exciting aspects of my wet-shaving adventure.

 

[halfturk]

Why can' t I have a perfect shave experience? it iis all relative to the other shaves I have had and all the things I can't control. I am not saying razor x plus cream y in enviroment c is the best combination. I was just happy everything went right, I wasn't in a rush, my kid wasn't screaming and my wife wasn't home. I just wanted to know if others have had the "perfect"/zen/ecstatic shave and wanted to share.

 

[The Dean]

Most of my shave experiences are pretty good. But not perfect. I may never reach "perfect" but the fun is in the journey.

More memorable shaves are in my near future, I think. I will soon have the condo to myself as my mother has to go to an assisted living facility that specializes in patients with memory problems. I am quite sad about that, but it is the best thing for her. On the positive side, I can be a little bit freer about the place. Bathroom door open, music playing, less concerned with what might be going on in the other room--less on-guard. Maybe a post shave cigar on the patio while still in my bathrobe--perhaps a glass of bubbly. My neighbors should already be shaking in their boots.

 

[Lamboy]

I have to say i have been getting DFS much more regularly, but I am trying not to think of BBS so it is a surprise

 

[shavious]

Most of my shave experiences are pretty good. But not perfect. I may never reach "perfect" but the fun is in the journey.

More memorable shaves are in my near future, I think. I will soon have the condo to myself as my mother has to go to an assisted living facility that specializes in patients with memory problems. I am quite sad about that, but it is the best thing for her. On the positive side, I can be a little bit freer about the place. Bathroom door open, music playing, less concerned with what might be going on in the other room--less on-guard. Maybe a post shave cigar on the patio while still in my bathrobe--perhaps a glass of bubbly. My neighbors should already be shaking in their boots.

On a serious note, sorry to hear about your mom. I'm sure it's hard to make such decisions.

On the other hand, I like your style. A post shave cigar and a glass of bubbly sounds incredible.

 

[mmack66]

2 or 3 years in, when I first used a Schick Plus Platinum DE blade. It was unreal how good of a shave it was. Makes me wish I had the stash of that guy on eBay that seems to have an endless supply of them.

Thankfully, the G7OCSPBla gives me almost as good of shaves.

 

[NSmalls]

I'm not sure I've had one yet but I've gotten pretty damn close.