Travel Shaving, the good and the bad

[El Comanche]

Hey guys, Was out of town and missing my DE. Sometimes travel with a Mach 3(which is no fun anymore) but realized it was gone in my kit. So I had heard good things about using a bic sensitive in a pinch from this forum. I have some Alba coconut lime shave creme in a travel size bottle.

I was surprised by two things. One was how well these products worked. The bic was sharper and easier on my face than I expected. 3 passes and I was good to go, though it took some pressure. The Alba worked well as a slick layer over the skin.

The other surprise was how absolutely unsatisfying this experience was. I guess I've become spoiled with my wet-shaving ritual at home. In reality, my shave was close and irritation free, so I shouldn't complain. But not being able to see and feel the lather, as well as using a cheap piece of plastic with no weight to shave was just no fun.

So does anyone have suggestions for a better travel kit? I don't check baggage so I assume a DE blade is not allowed on a plane(they used box cutters on 9/11). So not sure if there was a better razor option than a Mach 3.
Also wondering if there are any great shave creams that come in a 3 oz container for carry on. Other options?

 

[DougK]

C.O. Bigelow comes in a 1.7 ounce tube, which is what I took the last time I had to travel by plane. I combined that with a Trac II handle, a couple of Gilette cartridges, and a L'Occitane travel brush. That combination worked pretty well for me.

Next trip by air, though, I'm planning on switching over to a shave stick and face lathering. I have a mini lavender-peppermint stick coming from Mama Bear that I can't wait to try out, along with a couple of empty sticks that I plan to melt some VdH Deluxe into.

 

[Matt P]

You can't take DE blades on carry on. So if you are not checking a bag you can take your razor sans blade and buy a pack of personnas at Walgreens when you get to your destination. If you are traveling international you may have to hunt for blades.

I always check a bag because I refuse to go without my preferred gear.

 

[_JP_]

My carry on soap is usually the Proraso soap in the tub. Since it is not a cream it doesn't count towards the contents of the quart baggie. Most creams come in sizes larger than 3 oz, so you'll need to repackage them into a smaller plastic travel container.

You are correct about DE blades not being allowed in carry ons, along with single edge blades and injector blades. My solution is to use a Gillette Sensor, which works well for me.

 

[kingfisher]

Another vote for the Trac II.

I bought some wonderful squeezable travel tubes in Manhattan, so I can put any kind of cream I want into them for travel. If you get a sample of Maca Root cream from your local body shop, they will give it to you in a nice-sized container which you could fill with whatever cream you like. Lots of options.

 

[ateace]

I also have the small tubes of Alba for travel. Kiss My Face cream is also a good choice for the road. My travel razor is a Sensor. It's a simple, no muss, no fuss setup that gets the job done quickly and easily.

DE can wait until I return home.

 

[SideshowB]

Before I joined these boards, I had to go to Melbourne for a week for work. I figured I could get away with not shaving for a week, and all would be good when I got back home. Unfortunately, work wanted me for an extra week, so I broke down and bought a pack of Gilette Blue II disposables and a can of goo. The Gilette Blue II's are pretty horrible - they don't shave very closely even when mashing the head into your face, and doing multiple passes. Not recommended.

 

[honed]

If you shave with a BIC sensitive (yellow) just like you would do with a DE, you will have great results. It behaves just like a DE, think slow, right angle and no pressure. Gives you a great shave.
I always travel with one (do not wanna lose any of my vintage babies!) & occasionally shave my head with one to. WHen you hold it in your hand, it feels like a cross between a toy and some real piece of plastic ****. But it performs real fine.

I've tried BIC at home with plenty of time, taking a long hot shower, whipped up some heavenly Tabac soap with my Jagger Best Badger and gone after 3-day stubble with a triple pass shave. DFS+ without much effort. Seriously.

A BIC and a Palmolive stick has saved me many times, when I've had to go on trips with very short notice. You can get them anywhere (in this part of the world) & the Palmolive gives decent lather by just using your hands. Pleasurable? Not much. Effective as a means to look more civilized? Absolutely!

 

[grouse79]

I have used the Bic sensitives on a few occasions. I'd agree with you that the shaving process isn't nearly as satisfying as with a metal DE, although the results are excellent. I've only ever used them for a single shave and frankly for 8 pence each, that's no big deal. Next time I go on a plane, I'll have a few Bics in my carry-on bag.

 

[El Comanche]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Any ideas for a good affordable travel brush with a tube? I saw C&E had one for $35-

 

[DougK]

Thanks everyone for your responses. Any ideas for a good affordable travel brush with a tube? I saw C&E had one for $35-

You can go to http://usa.loccitane.com/FO/Catalog/Product.aspx?prod=20BV005LH for the brush I mentioned in my earlier post. List price is $40. I like it and use it occasionally at home in addition to travel use. For future travel, I'll probably just get a plastic tube and use one of my regular brushes because they're more broken in.

 

[soapbox]

Obligatory hints (recently updated) here.