Three-month old Indian newbie checking in

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I would suggest that you take a look at the Biotique cream, Godrej creams, & Dettol creams. That may help with the skin protection.
They are definitely more protective than the Old Spice. The Gillette Gel (tube version) is protective & surprisingly good overall if applied brushless.
Most soaps are mild smelling. If you prefer stronger perfumes, go for creams rather than soaps, like the Godrej Rich foam/Delux lather.
At one time I had 30+ creams & soaps, but PIF'ed them down to about 25, as I don't like strong smelling creams.
Biotique is very mild smelling. Dettol is intermediate.
Vi-John is strong smelling, but is not protective.
I've never tried Mysore sandal for shaving.

 

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Have u used the Omega yet?

 

[ticor]

Have u used the Omega yet?

I'm afraid not. The brush was delivered, but it was the wrong color. I'm usually not sensitive about colors, but if we don't penalize suppliers for sending the wrong parts, they will not learn. If Flipkart had a delivery feedback system like Amazon's, I would have used that instead.

 

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Pity about that.
I have had problems with both Flipkart & Snapdeal. Snapdeal is much worse than Flipkart.
No problem whatsoever with Amazon.

 

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You may want to soak the brush in liquid detergent for a few hours before first use. I also like to add some germicide/antiseptic.

 

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Pl post results with brush when you get it.

 

[ticor]

Pl post results with brush when you get it.

I got the package yesterday, and soaked it in dettol for a couple of hours, as you had suggested. And then I soaped it and let it stand overnight, as suggested by someone on youtube on breaking in a new brsuh. I got to try out the brush for the first time today. It definitely feels softer and stiffer than my old nylon or horsehair brushes, but it does it takes up a lot of soap or cream to lather properly. The problem may have something to do with conditioning, but I'm not sure. In your experience, is that normal for a boar bristle brush?

 

[Kalaghoda]

Welcome aboard!

 

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I got the package yesterday, and soaked it in dettol for a couple of hours, as you had suggested. And then I soaped it and let it stand overnight, as suggested by someone on youtube on breaking in a new brsuh. I got to try out the brush for the first time today. It definitely feels softer and stiffer than my old nylon or horsehair brushes, but it does it takes up a lot of soap or cream to lather properly. The problem may have something to do with conditioning, but I'm not sure. In your experience, is that normal for a boar bristle brush?

To some extent, that is true.
Natural bristles can hold more water than synthetic, which is why synthetics dry faster.
This also means naturals will hold more lather.
more lather=more cream.
A natural bristle brush can hold lather equal to a slightly bigger synthetic.
You should also be aware that it takes about 20 uses for a boar brush to be broken in properly.
My Omega is a 105 mm & comfortably holds enough lather for 5 passes when face lathering.
More with a bowl.

When you say nylon brush, which brand do you mean?
EDIT: Just saw your first post.
You have the toothbrush bristled Gillette.
Its not a true synthetic.

There have recently been a few cases of anthrax in India, so avoid Indian horsehair or sterilise the cr*p out of it.

 

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Now that you have your brush, some other info.
Most Indians have a thick beard. In this case you should face lather.
Thick stubble provides a good surface to build lather on, so if your beard is thick, you won't need a lathering bowl.
If your beard is fine, you may prefer to use bowl lather. Any steel/plastic/ceramic bowl from around your home/kitchen will do.
If you have hard water in your taps, you will need to use more soap. ( I don't like wasting soap. It offends my frugal Marwari soul )
As soap scum deposits on your brush, over time, you'll need a little less soap/ cream.
In this case, you can remove some of the deposit by dipping the brush in dilute vinegar or citric acid for a couple hours every six months or so.

 

[ticor]

You have the toothbrush bristled Gillette.

Lol, yeah. I've heard complaints about this. It looks and feels cheap, no doubt, but it makes and holds enough lather for 3 passes. I've seen youtube videos of people trying to use it with a bowl. Their lather came out too flat and bubbly. However, maybe because I use it directly on my face, it's always worked well for me. It becomes useless after 3 passes, but I stop caring beyond that point. In contrast, I've always had bad experience using this brush with a Godrej shaving round. Maybe the boar brush will work better with it. For one, the stiffness of the boar brush will get it to scrape up more soap.

There have recently been a few cases of anthrax in India, so avoid Indian horsehair or sterilise the cr*p out of it.

Argh! Too late! I used the brush a few times already before retiring it. Anyway, I'll soak it in bleach for a day, just to be on the safe side.

Most Indians have a thick beard.

I'm definitely one of them. I have been lathering on my face all this time because I've been too forgetful to buy a bowl from a neighbourhood supermarket.

Also, thank you for all these useful tips! I have one more question: how long do you let your shaving rounds air out before closing the lid on them? So far, when I use them, I put them back on the shelf for a day without the lid on. I put the lid back on the next day.

 

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'Lol, yeah. I've heard complaints about this. It looks and feels cheap, no doubt, but it makes and holds enough lather for 3 passes. I've seen youtube videos of people trying to use it with a bowl. Their lather came out too flat and bubbly. However, maybe because I use it directly on my face, it's always worked well for me. It becomes useless after 3 passes, but I stop caring beyond that point. In contrast, I've always had bad experience using this brush with a Godrej shaving round. Maybe the boar brush will work better with it. For one, the stiffness of the boar brush will get it to scrape up more soap...
...I have been lathering on my face all this time because I've been too forgetful to buy a bowl from a neighbourhood supermarket.'

We Indians do better without the bowl

'Also, thank you for all these useful tips! I have one more question: how long do you let your shaving rounds air out before closing the lid on them? So far, when I use them, I put them back on the shelf for a day without the lid on. I put the lid back on the next day.'

There is a trick to using the Godrej round.
I saw it when I was 8 & my dad used the round when he forgot his regular Old Spice on a holiday to Mahabaleshwar.
First, forget the packing the round came in. Its too small. There is a way to use it, but I'll get to it later.
Put the new Godrej round in a tea/coffee mug which is just slightly larger in diameter. A little height is good.
Fill with hot water about half inch higher than the puck. Wait for a minute, then pour off.
After another 10 minutes the puck will have softened & its ready to be used.
Lather directly on the puck, using the mug like a lathering bowl.
After using, again pour cold water on the round in the mug and pour off. You can omit this step if your puck is too dry. Cover mug till next use.
For later uses, put a spoonful of hot water on the round in the mug, ten minutes before using.
You can also use cold water & microwave the whole mug, round, water et al.
(Which is what I do)
Don't let the rounds air out - they will become difficult to lather.

I get a good superlather if I thoroughly lather up a puck & then put some Godrej or Dettol menthol cream in the mix.

I've even grated up a couple of pucks & converted them. Some into shave sticks & some I mixed with half a tube of Godrej menthol & put it in an empty Biotique Bio Palmyra pack.

 

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Two things to remember-
The Godrej round lather isn't too protective, so use less pressure.
The round will also leave your skin dry. This is probably due to too much coconut oil in it, which is known to be drying. Use a good aftershave balm. The Nivea balms are alcohol free & great.

BTW.
The process of using water on your soap in advance is called blooming, & many dry soaps need it.

 

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Godrej Shaving Round

Indian shaving creams reviews

 

[ticor]

Thanks for the new tips. For the shaving round, I found a small jar of asefoetida that houses the puck perfectly. All I had to do was soak it in really hot water and bleach to get rid of the smell. The height of the jar is about double that of the puck, and so blooming (TIL) and loading work flawlessly. BTW I discovered that squirting a dab of shower gel after loading the brush with the Godrej shaving round tames it somewhat, and I get better slickness. I've tried both, Pears shower gel and Nivea, and they both work fine. I'll buy a Biotique round after I finish one of my existing rounds. I think the Proraso one will disappear first.

 

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Thanks for the new tips. For the shaving round, I found a small jar of asefoetida that houses the puck perfectly. All I had to do was soak it in really hot water and bleach to get rid of the smell. The height of the jar is about double that of the puck, and so blooming (TIL) and loading work flawlessly. BTW I discovered that squirting a dab of shower gel after loading the brush with the Godrej shaving round tames it somewhat, and I get better slickness. I've tried both, Pears shower gel and Nivea, and they both work fine. I'll buy a Biotique round after I finish one of my existing rounds. I think the Proraso one will disappear first.

Has the smell of the Hing really disappeared? That stuff lasts forever. You should get an award for finding a way to get rid of the smell!
I use a cheap ceramic coffee mug from my kitchen with a broken handle.

Biotique is not a round.
It is a premium croap type product with an MRP of Rs. 180.
It is available only in tubs, like premium European brands.
It outperforms many of them.
If I was given a choice of only one cream to use, it is the one I'd choose. If you get nothing else, get this.
From what you've said, you have the Godrej round, the Old spice, the Gillette gel & the proraso.
The Gel & the Proraso are good, but you don't have any good Indian creams. The round and the Old Spice are sub par.
You really should get some.
Besides the Biotique, I'd advise the Dettol creams to start with.
The Godrej creams are much better than the round.
The Gillette creams are also newly launched & quite good. Very different from the gels.
Italian made Palmolive creams have been launched about 4 months ago.

 

[alex2363]

Has the smell of the Hing really disappeared? That stuff lasts forever. You should get an award for finding a way to get rid of the smell!
I use a cheap ceramic coffee mug from my kitchen with a broken handle.

Biotique is not a round.
It is a premium croap type product with an MRP of Rs. 180.
It is available only in tubs, like premium European brands.
It outperforms many of them.
If I was given a choice of only one cream to use, it is the one I'd choose. If you get nothing else, get this.
From what you've said, you have the Godrej round, the Old spice, the Gillette gel & the proraso.
The Gel & the Proraso are good, but you don't have any good Indian creams. The round and the Old Spice are sub par.
You really should get some.
Besides the Biotique, I'd advise the Dettol creams to start with.
The Godrej creams are much better than the round.
The Gillette creams are also newly launched & quite good. Very different from the gels.
Italian made Palmolive creams have been launched about 4 months ago.

Hers link to members review on Biotique Palmyra cream...maybe they can help access
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...ggfMAE&usg=AFQjCNFCU_Y1rkm1hbtA1RQNHzCjCwA31Q

 

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it takes up a lot of soap or cream to lather properly.

I find my Omega has the same problem.
It is one of the reasons I suggested a smaller brush.
I also have a Gio brush, which I alternate with the Omega to give the brushes time to dry out.
It has a bigger handle & a smaller loft.
It does not eat cream like the Omega does.
The Gio is marketed by Raj Impex (www.bilabrush.com)

 

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Which model Omega do you have?

 

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Discussing brushes has given me a case of sbad.
Just bought an Omega 10218 & a new Gio.

The 10218 is a 103mm with a longer handle (51mm loft , 52 mm base, 22 mm knot) than the 10065 which is a 105 mm (54 mm loft, 51 mm base, 24 mm knot)
I hope that the smaller knot & loft will eat less lather, & the bigger base will be more comfortable to hold. Comparing, I can see that the bigger base of the 10218 is almost exactly the same size as that of the Gio. I know that the Gio is a great latherer & does not need as much cream as the 10065.
Both the new brushes are much stiffer than the old ones. I have soaped them & left them to set overnight. I really want to compare the two Omegas.