I have been wet shaving for about 11 months now and have not gotten a shave that was even close to what I would get using the Aveeno Sensitive skin shave gel, and my Gillette Good New Plus razors. I know this is a terrible thing to say and I know everyone will cry out technique! technique! lather! but the truth is it hurts me more to say it than it does for you to hear it. Now I am not just talking about the closeness of the shave, I also mean condition of my skin. I have purchased several different soaps and creams, scented, unscented and I have found that in almost all cases they leave the skin feeling irritated and if you look at the contents its one acidic chemical after another. Now im not promoting or dissing any particular brand I am just saying, isnt there something to be said for evolution and progress, especially when talking about shaving creams and gels? Still using my Merkur 34C HD and Proraso Aloe and Green Tea shaving soap. But I think my next step is to go back to the Aveeno shave gel and hope I can work up a good lather my brush (I very much enjoy the act of shaving) and see what that does for a month. If all else fails, I will have to try out the Gillette Good News Plus (twin blade lube strip disposable) again. What do you guys think, anyone else feel the same? I know its fun buying things but are we hyping ourselves up about the quality of this stuff? The Aveeno I am also 100 percent convinced will make a difference.Anyone have any experience with it? Like I said Im not promoting anything and I just mentioned those particular products because thats what works for me, any one wants to do a challenge where we switch techniques and products (buy our own) and post about our experiences (honestly). Let me know what you guys think and sorry for the long rant!
Warning Blasphemy Ahead: Aveeno Shave Gel and Gillette Good News Plus
- Thread starter Fedor'sRazor
- Start date
I'm 2 months into my DE conversion. I'll never go back to cartridges, b/c I find it necessary to take care of my skin now along w/ shaving and I'm loving the results.
However, if I ever had to return to cartridge shaving I'd definitely go back to using Aveeno shave gel. I liked it and it lasted quite a long time.
However, if I ever had to return to cartridge shaving I'd definitely go back to using Aveeno shave gel. I liked it and it lasted quite a long time.
Well this news hit me hard about a week ago. Soap after soap and cream after cream I was left dissapointed. All of them irritated my skin....I did get close shaves though....just the brush and creams did a number on my skin. So last week I used my DE with my old neutrogena shave cream and I'll say that it has been bliss since. I had to ditch the brush because the bristles (yes it was a badger) just irritated my skin. I believe that for most, the brush, creams and all of that make a great shave...but for those like us, I think we have to limit our variables sometimes. As much as I loved a good lather and brush...I new I couldnt sacrafice my face for the routine.
blasphemer! to the pyre!
If you were satisfied with the shaves you were getting, why worry about the approval of a bunch of strangers on the Internet? There's a bunch of information here if you want to try traditional wetshaving, but if it doesn't work out for you, and if more "modern" products do, no problem.
Don't know anything about Aveeno. For myself all the traditional soaps and creams I've tried (with a brush) have been better than any of the canned stuff I had used, but you have to go with what works for you.
Don't know anything about Aveeno. For myself all the traditional soaps and creams I've tried (with a brush) have been better than any of the canned stuff I had used, but you have to go with what works for you.
Yes, but I try to refrain from using such language.
Ok guys.. lets get him.
I am ecstatic that you found something that works for you.
Just as I am ecstatic that I found something that works for me.
I will not try to convince you that this way of shaving is better, or cheaper, or more fun.
I will tell you that when I changed to the "modern" methods of shaving, slowly, over time, I came to hate the act of shaving.
I despised it with a passion you just cannot possibly understand.
This wetshaving has turned that horrid, tedious chore into something that I look forward to 7 days a week, unless I am really sick and bed ridden.
Since you just purchased your Weishi and Merkur around 9 March of this year - might it be that you need to look at the user and not the equipment so much?
Perhaps you are just one of those guys who it doesn't "click" for, if that is the case, I am truly sorry that it didn't work out for you.
At least you do have something that does work, and there's enough Aveeno and disposables to last a lifetime.
- Thread starter
- #10
Thank you for the response, its not so much the equipment I am having trouble with, its the soaps and shave creams, I know I havent tried everything but my issue is that everything I have tried seems terrible for my face. I love the ritual of shaving, sometimes I look in the mirror and try to make my beard grow faster with my mind, I kid you not. Maybe I didnt explain myself clearly, it was written right after I realized I might have to go back to the Aveeno (nothing against them, like I said I think their product is great and it is what I would use if...) since everything else seems to irritate my face. I would have to give up the act of twirling my brush around the soap container until it went from badger to vanilla cream or watch water magically disappear into the brush with almost nothing dripping out, pressing the brush into my face mid lather and getting an infusion of hot water right where you need it (commence all "That's what she said's"). Im not sure how i can create a lather with the shave gel. Is the brush irritating me too? I hope not. I am not here for anyones approval, I was just sharing my panic. I am not trying to convince anyone of anything, just sharing my personal experience. I love my Merkur and will try it with the shave gel. I know I am not alone with my disappointment. I am also secretly afraid that if I do turn back to gel, I will miss out on all of the fun purchases. Anyone else have the same experience?
If the soaps are bothering you, you should go back to something that doesn't. You'll find out whether it's the brush or not. If you eliminate the brush, there are still other products you can try. First, find something that works, and if you still want to try things out, there's no reason not to. One suggestion is if you haven't tried a gentler DE razor, you might want to. Merkurs can be harsh--maybe try a gillette. But first, get yourself back to something you can tolerate. 11 months is too long to not at least have a break.
By the way, those acid ingredients really aren't acidic. They're fatty acids that end up being basic on your face, the exact opposite of acid. But basic solutions are generally a lot worse than acid.
By the way, those acid ingredients really aren't acidic. They're fatty acids that end up being basic on your face, the exact opposite of acid. But basic solutions are generally a lot worse than acid.
Good advice above here.
I have a friend who uses Godrej cream right out of the tube as a brushless because the brush irritates him.
Try that.
Have you tried the Proraso cream in a white tub for sensitive skin?
I have a friend who uses Godrej cream right out of the tube as a brushless because the brush irritates him.
Try that.
Have you tried the Proraso cream in a white tub for sensitive skin?
Well, I'll admit that two days ago I was in a rush to get out and didn't have time to do my usual DE routine. So, after a fast face warm with a hot rag (no soap), I slobbered some of the wife's canned good (Baribisol yellow) on my face, and grabbed a Gillette Sensor disposal razor and did a fast two minute shave. Three passes, and I achieved the same level of BBS I get with my expensive DE toys and soaps.
So, for me at least, the whole myth of "DE shaves better than cartridge" is complete balderdash. Doesn't mean I'm giving up DE, because, let's face it, it is a hobby and, once your only expense becomes blades, it does get cheapter than cartridges. But it's not necessarily better shaving than cartridges.
Jeff in Boston
So, for me at least, the whole myth of "DE shaves better than cartridge" is complete balderdash. Doesn't mean I'm giving up DE, because, let's face it, it is a hobby and, once your only expense becomes blades, it does get cheapter than cartridges. But it's not necessarily better shaving than cartridges.
Jeff in Boston
Honestly, no.
Having said that, if you've been lathering with a brush for 11 months you're probably not going to get any better results than you are now, so I'd stick with the gel.
Using what works best for you doesn't make you a bad person, nor any less welcome here on B&B. It's your face, after all. Some of what works for you may even be useful to new wetshavers who have had severe difficulties with any kind of shaving. Thanks for posting your trials and errors. Stick around, you have something valuable to contribute.
+1
I actually can understand how much you hated shaving; I'll never go back to the cartridges and goo.
Yup.
Anyone can get one good shave out of any product, the question is how your face holds up to those products day in/day out. It's a pretty common thread "I used Edge gel and a Fusion and got BBS in 1 pass, what's up with that????" No-one ever follows up to mention that doing that for 2 weeks straight tore their face up and left them spotty and irritated.
Well, I guess I can say from my experience that I shaved exclusively with cartridge razors and goo for 30 years and my face never got any more spotty or irritated or "torn up" than with the DE razors I use. I only switched to DEs because 1) I was tired of the cost of cartridges and 2) the novelty of DE shaving attracted me. I'll never permanently turn back to cartridge shaving, but I can bet that if went back to cartridge shaving for two weeks I wouldn't be any worse for wear.
Jeff in Boston
