Where should I start?

[stobes21]

So this morning I didn't have time to shower and shave before I left for class, so I came home before I go off to work to clean myself up. And what to my wondering eyes should appear on my doorstep? The new sampler pack from the B&B decant club! Needless to say, I am quite excited, but I do have a problem: Where the heck to I start? This is a lot of stuff, and except for the derby blades, I've never used any of it! So, what are your suggestions for my first go 'round with this new pack of wonders? I've listed the contents below:

Woody's Quality Grooming:

* Daily Shampoo (Tea Tree & Hemp Seed Oil)
* Foaming Shave Gel (Shea Butter & Hemp)
* Exfoliating Pre Shave (Fruit Enzymes)
* Rescue Post Shave (Shea Marine Lipids)

The Gentlemen's Refinery:

* The Standard Pre Shave Oil
* The Standard After Shave Balm
* Black Ice Shave Cream

Baxter of California:

* Daily Face Wash
* Facial Scrub
* Super Close Shave Formula
* After Shave Balm
* Invigorating Body wash (Bergamot/Pear)
* Invigorating Body Wash (Italian Lime/Pomegranate)
* Oil Free Moisturizer
* Super Shape SPF 15

California North:

* Watermint Conditioner
* Razor Shavecream
* Action Moisturizer
* Electric Glide Formula
* Gelskin Wash
* Sea-Blast Shampoo
* Oxygen Cologne

Speick:

* Soap
* Hair & Body Gel

Gold Dachs Shave Soap Stick

Susie's Bubbles Shave Soap (I got Life (Aramis M Type))

Gentleman's Quarter Shave Soap (I got Highlander)

Cremo Cream Shave Cream

Derby:

* Shave Cream (I got Lavender, and it's a huge tube of cream! No sampler size here!)
* 5 Pack DE Blades

MiN New York Wash Daily Shampoo

Shaving Essentials:

* J.M. Fraser's Shaving Cream
* Derby Menthol Shaving Cream
* Derby Normal Shaving Cream
* Booster Iced Lime AS
* Booster Polar Ice AS
* Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood Shave Soap
* Ogallala Bayrum & Sandalwood Aftershave
* Pre de Provence Soap

barc Bump Down

Saint Charles Shave:

* Avalon Shave Soap
* Nutriment Aftershave Gel
* Savory Rose Aftershave Milk
* Bay Rum Aftershave Balm
* Bay Rum w/ Twist EDT
* Aspect EDT
* Tea Trea Shave Cream
* Musk Rose Shave Cream

Murad Face Defense SPF 15

Ogallala:

* Bay Rum Shaving Soap
* Bay Rum Cologne

Men-U:

* Ultra Concentrate Shave Cream (Tea Tree Oil)
* Ultra Concentrate Healthy Face Wash
* Ultra Concentrate Facial Moisturizer Lift

Penhaligon's:

* Blenheim Boquet EdT
* Quercus EdT
* Endymion EdT
* Opus 1870 EdT
* Castile EdT


So, suggestions?

p.s. Thanks B&B for putting this together!

 

[dpm]

Great question! One I was going to ask myself.

I started with the Woody's whole routine this morning. Newbie mistake, I started trying to make lather out of the shave gel. No matter how much I hit it with the badger I couldn't get it to come up. It did work though, just had to add a second snurdle. Wasn't impressed by the pre-shave, but the ASB was really really nice. Sticky in a good way.

I also took the opportunity to make two changes at once and ruin any scientific data gathering and switched to the included Derby blade.

So far so good today. I was going to try the Men-U line next since I can get some of that locally. Then the Gentlemen's refinery line since I just read about them.

I'd love to hear if anyone has a better justified order.

 

[Hun]

First things first!

• Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood Shave Soap
• Penhaligon Blenheim Boquet EdT

 

[stobes21]

Well, I tried to go with a SCS/Bay Rum w/ a Twist theme. I started with the tee tree oil shave cream (not impressed, but I'll give it another try to see if it gets better), followed by the Booster Iced Lime (Nice...) and the SCS Bay Rum balm. I topped it off with the Bay Rum w/ a Twist EDT. I've been enjoying that scent all day...yum.

Maybe tomorrow I'll bust out the Woody's stuff. I'm taking a trip out of th country next weekend, and the Woody's bottles are the right size for airport travel but big enough to get me through 4 or 5 days.

 

[joel]

The woody's stuff is KILLER for cartridge razors - the shave gel, pre-shave and aftershave for cartridge razors is the best I've experienced yet. The Gentlemans Refinery stuff is really the tops, especially if you like the anise.

The men-u shaving cream and face wash are about the best in the biz.

Enjoy fellas!

 

[dpm]

Tried the Gentlemen's Rifinery stuff today. Did not like the PSO... exactly as people have said on here, it just gunks up the razor and makes everything sticky and doesn't really make anything glide more than a good quality lather does. I also think it makes a barrier that prevents a BBS. Their black ice cream on the other hand was great! I love the scent and so did my wife. The ASB wasn't bad, nothing spectacular.

I also tried the barc bump down... now there's an amazing product I was completely skeptical of. It definitely made an immediate difference on some serious neck irritation from my previous shave. I reapplied just now and we'll see how it helps not immediately after a shave. Anyone with the bumps especially on their neck should consider at least trying it.

Next up (in a couple days) the Men-U line.

 

[hoselayer]

I tried the Baxter stuff. Very impressed. The body wash was pretty weak, but other than that, great. I couldnt get the SC to lather to save my life, but it was very slick. So I tried it. I couldnt believe how slick it was. I got a very, very good 3 pass shave with virtually no lather. I just looked like I had a little hand lotion on there, but worked beautifully.

I will also second the Barc comments. Nice stuff.

 

[dpm]

Don't know if anybody still cares or what else you guys have tried out so far... but I gave the Men-U line a shot yesterday and was very very impressed. Really nice smelling stuff and it worked great. The shave cream lathered up really nicely and held well. Most comfortable shave so far I think, but not quite the smoothest yet. ASB/moisturizer was comfortable... nothing spectacular yet, but a solid product.

I think I'm going to try the Saint Charles stuff next... always wanted to try aftershave "milk".

 

[fixed point]

So far, I think the SCS Avalon soap is my favorite shave soap in the pack. I really appreciate the packaging too, as I'm not sure how to properly load up my brush with one of the little chunks of soap from the other companies.