STAY AWAY FROM THE RABBIT HOLES
+1- Take one's time, and buy more of those silly tech stocks.Since this is my second time around and my original newbie self, in my late 20's, would be told to have patience and try other equipment than I originally was using as well as try to get more information.
Buy whatever you want you deserve it.There's worse hobbies in the world at least you're not on drugs.
Bowl latherer right away. And despite what you hear you will spend much more money on DE shaving lol lots moreIf you could send a message about what you've learned about wet shaving, to yourself, as you first picked up the practice, what would you say?
Here's mine:
Shave soaps last a lot longer than you imagine. Also, the best scent components do not have an unlimited shelf life. Don't go too nuts buying shave soap.
You will have multiple rounds of thinking you suck at honing a razor, then thinking you are good at it, then realizing that you still suck, just in different ways.
Skin stretching seems silly and stupid, but get over that fast. You need it.
Yep, the Gillette Sensor was the last "innovation" that NEEDED to be done. If they hadn't kept going up higher than inflation you poor folks NEVER WOULD HAVE MET ME! Let that sink in fer just a sec and let the tears flow.Starting back in the 1990's buy a bunch of Gillette Sensor/Excel handles and stock up big time on the cartridges. Buy a few Omega boar brushes and stick with the reputable soaps and creams like DR Harris and Palmolive until the good synthetic brushes come along. Forget about DE's and all the other types of razors and save yourself a lot of money, time and effort. They will never give you as good or as easy a shave as the Sensor. It is the one for you.
Spend a lot of time learning how to lather. When it seems like your lathers are okay there is still a long way to go. Neither too little water nor too much water. Keep at it until the lather is slick and shiny. Face lathering is easier than bowl lathering as far as seeing how the lather is coming along. It doesn't need to take a lot of time either, it's more about getting the proportion of soap to water right and mixing them together properly.
I feel I have to Korreck you on a few points: buy Gillette Silver Blue blades and some old Gillette New Long Comb razors. And of course, Arko. And Williams. And Palmolive Stick. And all the vintage Avon aftershave lotion you can find.Don't mess around early on...spend the money on the high end razors up front. Also...blade samplers, blade samplers, blade samplers!
I feel I have to Korreck you on a few points: buy Gillette Silver Blue blades and some old Gillette New Long Comb razors. And of course, Arko. And Williams. And Palmolive Stick. And all the vintage Avon aftershave lotion you can find.
I know this point has been made before elsewhere, but there are good reasons for doing exactly this. One, you have a new, precise instrument so any shaving issue is your technique. Two, if your first high end razor works out you may very well be content for many years and can work on said technique. Lastly, a high end razor can be sold or traded with little lost.Don't mess around early on...spend the money on the high end razors up front. Also...blade samplers, blade samplers, blade samplers!