Wet shaving for 2 months, just had my first TRUELY irritation free BBS!

[Luecke2326]

I've been wet shaving for 2 months and just had my first TRUELY irritation free BBS! I used a Parker Silver tip badger, Prorasso Red, Astra SP (shave 2), 40's style Super Speed, Aubry Organics Spice Island, and Herban Cowbo: Dusk Soothing Carrot & Cucumber. Now, I'm not just writing this post to brag about a BBS, but to also to question what was going on in those previous shaves. I started off with a Gillette Slim and a Blade Sampler, Prorasso and had ok shaves, near BBS with a lot of irritation. I know a lot the irritation was due to learning technique and learning the direction of my hair growth. I also went through a period of Soap AD, picking up Mama Bears, Arko, Palmolive, Kell's Original, and several Stirling Soaps. All of these soaps were highly recommended by B&B members, with the exception of Kell's Original which I wouldn't even wash my hands with. Now, I set the Slim on 3 and left it there, but continuously switched up soaps with varying degrees of success in lathering and had LOADS of irritation and weepers(especially with Arko, Arko Maximum Comfort, and Mama Bears).

The only thing I changed in my routine was to switch over to a Gillette 40's style Super Speed after determining that Astra SP was the blade for me(by trial and error). I track my results with different soaps and blades, but cannot seem to make heads or tails of how I got to the elusive BBS.... Do you fellas have any suggestions on where to go from here? Am I only a cream guy? Could my blade gap on the Slim have something to do with it(the gap on the SS is wider than that of my Slim set on 3)?

I know I've found a new love in DE wet shaving, but a little more consistency would be lovely! Thanks guys!

 

[wallacmb]

Congratulations! A truly great start to the day!

Max

 

[Snargle]

Sometimes shaving is just like any other skill...you go along for a while with little or no progress, and then suddenly you jump up to a new level. I don't think it's got a lot to do with your hardware or software, but more about perfecting your technique. Keep doing what you're doing for a while to lock everything in, but if, in a couple of months, you go back to your old razor and soaps, you might find that they work just as well for you. YMMV, but I think sometimes too much emphasis gets placed on equipment and not on technique.

 

[xxvaleria]

There are too many variables to be able to analyze what might have happened, and it may not be analyzable at all. I think that sometimes we tend to try to analyze too much. Most of the things that concern us actually have a very small individual effect in the overall scheme of things. Technique matters more than all the other things, and that can only be developed with time and practice.

 

[Luecke2326]

There are too many variables to be able to analyze what might have happened, and it may not be analyzable at all. I think that sometimes we tend to try to analyze too much. Most of the things that concern us actually have a very small individual effect in the overall scheme of things. Technique matters more than all the other things, and that can only be developed with time and practice.

I'm thinking you're right... I'll have to keep attempting to replicate the same result and slowly change the variables to see what works best for me. Hey, I GOT ONE REALLY AMAZING SHAVE! Cause for celebration!!!

 

[OneBadBadger]

I'm thinking you're right... I'll have to keep attempting to replicate the same result and slowly change the variables to see what works best for me. Hey, I GOT ONE REALLY AMAZING SHAVE! Cause for celebration!!!

I think a lot of it is honestly reviews. While they are great. They can deviate a person from trying something that could potentially work for them. For instance, a lot of people hate Derby blades. I love them. I know a lot of people buy a sampler pack and don't even use them, just assume they're junk without even using them. Reviews create pre conceived notions of a product and everybody while we may be similar are much different. Everybody while we use the same lathering techniques, there are still minor differences. Hard water is not hard water, some is harder than others etc.

 

[Haggises]

Consistency comes with time and practice.
I can hit a great golf shot - maybe 5 times per round

Congrats on a great shave!