Yes -- the wide difference between a two days' growth of beard, and the smooth face and throat after the shave.
There can also be the anticipation of a new razor, blade, or soap/cream.
What makes you look forward to shaving ?
- Thread starter sydbarett
- Start date
There can also be the anticipation of a new razor, blade, or soap/cream.
True. Thanks for the gentle reminder.
I find that I get most excited by the razor. Everything else is just part of the routine to me.
O.H.
All components used in your shave are important. If they aren’t. Why are you using them? A shave is a chain of events. A weak link in a chain will effect the outcome eventually. They all have the capacity to ruin or compromise your shave. All equally important.What to you, is the most important component for that satisfying shaving experience ? That something which makes you look forward to the shaving ritual ?
- Is it the Razor that has the perfect blade angle and the ideal exposure. Just the feel of the cold steel
- Or is it the Blade that's sharp and yet smooth and forgiving ?
- Maybe its the Brush that you love massaging your face with
- The Soaps that make you look forward to trying out new fragrances everyday
- That Aftershave that stays with you for the day and gets you all the compliments
What is it for you ? For the sake of simplicity, maybe we can skip the pre-shave creams and include straights under "Razor" or "blade" if you please.
The two things I am always most tempted to buy are razors and soaps. New razors and soaps always make me wish I could shave more often. Razors partly for performance and partly for the beauty of a well engineered heavy metal thing in my hand. I really like lathering and the scent of a good soap and my kids like to laugh at my foamy face. I always lather one more time than the number of razor passes I make just cause I like the scent and feel and I hate to "waste" the extra lather.
Savoring a new personal best for consecutive days alive. 
This. It's a bonus to have good tools, but the process is where the joy is.
Mostly brush and soap. I'm pretty consistent with my aftershave usage. VIBR in the colder months and Lilac Vegetal when it's warmer.
During a straight razor shave, DEFINATELY the razor.
During a straight razor shave, DEFINATELY the razor.
24 hours of new stubble. 
Warm water, soothing music, luxuriously soft lather, a gentle facial massage, sublime fragrances wafting over all.... And an hour to myself.
Spa Time! Self Serve!
I enjoy the whole process which rewards me with a smooth face.
The wife. She does not like the scruffy look.
The intangibles. The feels.
This is quite like me as well. An interesting experience I had was purchasing a titanium Timeless master in polish. So light in weight and the shine was like rhodium... My mind had a very difficult time overcoming the learned association of heavy razors equaling good performance and face-feel. The Timeless is notably lighter in my hand even when I compare it to my Feather. (Extraordinary!)
The expression of the soaps is spot on too! I'll always have super thick well-built lather to cover my beard while I'm cleaning the basin and drying my gear. Just to soak the feeling and fragrances.
Last edited:
One thing I really look forward to is when the blade need changing. There is something I really like about carefully selecting a brand, taking the blade out of its carton, then unwrapping the wax paper envelope and carefully loading the blade into my razor; making sure the edges are even on both sides.
Here are some of my blades neatly arranged in an 'album like' fashion, all waiting to be selected.
Jason.
Here are some of my blades neatly arranged in an 'album like' fashion, all waiting to be selected.
Jason.
Attachments
Last edited:
Because of my experiences with shave soaps and aftershaves I started the long fall into colognes, EDT, EDPs... I am amazed; and, an example of how the sensory experience of the olfactory can enslave one.
The real motivators for me are my desires to look nice and to feel wonderful, more so than the hardware.
The whole experience. Now, in the spirit of this thread, if I would have to choose equipment, I would go for the brush.
It is none of the things on your list. It is because shaving immerses me in the experience, and is a welcome break from my hectic days.
- Thread starter
- #40
Love all your comments gentlemen 
That these are just tools to an end, there never was any doubt. But what if the end itself were to keep changing, like it often does with me.
There are days when I love basking in the calmness of Haslinger Ringelblumen, some which make me feel like an English Gent out in English country full of English Ferns on a rainy day and others when nothing but B&M Hallows would do.
There are days when I feel tame enough to toss a Polsilver on the DE89 so that I can concentrate just on the scrub of the brush and fragrance of the soap; and there are days when I long for the ring of a full Hollow, so much so that while traveling I sometimes use the Arlington to mimic the ring when the airports wont allow me to carry the Straight.
Then there are days when nothing would make me happier than the feel of that wall of silvertip soaked in warm water brushing against my cheeks. And yet I'd normally go with a scrubby brush.
There are also days when I feel frugal to the bone and out come the Haslinger Sage and Supermax Platinum - the only objective being to get the best shave in least cost - something wet shaving is always touted as being capable of providing but rarely does thanks to our ambitions.
Truth be told I might have been tempted to wager on soaps and brushes getting the highest votes so the current results kinda surprise me. That is part of the fun I guess. All those wonderful experiences shared here is what makes me eager to try out new "tools" rather than the tool itself or its attributes. For they promise me an experience. And Happiness !
That these are just tools to an end, there never was any doubt. But what if the end itself were to keep changing, like it often does with me.
There are days when I love basking in the calmness of Haslinger Ringelblumen, some which make me feel like an English Gent out in English country full of English Ferns on a rainy day and others when nothing but B&M Hallows would do.
There are days when I feel tame enough to toss a Polsilver on the DE89 so that I can concentrate just on the scrub of the brush and fragrance of the soap; and there are days when I long for the ring of a full Hollow, so much so that while traveling I sometimes use the Arlington to mimic the ring when the airports wont allow me to carry the Straight.
Then there are days when nothing would make me happier than the feel of that wall of silvertip soaked in warm water brushing against my cheeks. And yet I'd normally go with a scrubby brush.
There are also days when I feel frugal to the bone and out come the Haslinger Sage and Supermax Platinum - the only objective being to get the best shave in least cost - something wet shaving is always touted as being capable of providing but rarely does thanks to our ambitions.
Truth be told I might have been tempted to wager on soaps and brushes getting the highest votes so the current results kinda surprise me. That is part of the fun I guess. All those wonderful experiences shared here is what makes me eager to try out new "tools" rather than the tool itself or its attributes. For they promise me an experience. And Happiness !
Similar threads
