Hello,
Well, after several years of lurking on this site without ever registering, let alone posting, I'd like to extend a profound THANKS to everyone who contributes to the site!
Having fairly sensitive skin, I suffered for years using dreadful multi blade razors, and cans of gloop that left me torn up and highly irritated. About 5 years ago, after mentioning it to my Barber he recommended that I give wet shaving with a DE a try. So, I headed home and started doing my research. B&B had the biggest and best wealth of knowledge!
Based on my reading on B&B I settled on making my first DE purchase, dipping a toe into the pool. I ended up playing it WAY safe, and purchased a Weishi (sp) TTO, a tube of readily available CO Bigelow (Proraso) shave cream, and a CO Bigelow badger brush (Hey, I was at the store, thought I'd stock up!).
The first time I used the Weishi, and a Derby blade, by-the-way, the difference was obvious! I was hooked!
My Weishi, was a great learning tool, as it was cheap, and not at all aggressive. It also broke after 4 months!
So, broken hearted, I popped back on to B&B to see what a reasonable upgrade would be, and the Merkur 33C seemed the best fit for me, and after ordering, found that it was! I paired the Merkur 33C with Merkur platinum blades, and have been very pleased with the results.
Next came the matter of an AS. Well, to me that was a no brainer. Stick with Tradition, I figured, and Pinaud products were where I ended up. Clubman was my first real AS splash.
So, here I am today, a happy wet shaver that has honed my 3 pass technique using a Merkur 33C, Proraso, and any one of the Pinaud products (except Vegetol - I'll save that story for another day).
I've tried a few other creams and soaps. I received a nice bowl of Trumpers Extract of Limes shave soap which lasted me a good year. Wonderful stuff! Haven't gotten around to picking up a new puck.
VanDer Hagen (the pink one) has been perfectly fine for a cheapy alternative. Takes a bit of work to get a good lather, but other than that, it's decent enough. Need to take a bit more care, as I tend to get a bit roughed up if I move too fast.
The Kiss My Face line is really something else! I started off with the Lime scent. The fragrence wasn't anything to write home about, but MAN did that stuff work nice! Currently have a pumper of the Mint which even though it smells like pepto, has it's charms, and is VERY forgiving to use!
I recently picked up a tube of Godrej Lime from the little Indian Grocery at the end of my block. I'm in there quite often picking up my usual supply of Mysore Sandal Soap, and various other snacks, and the owner recommended I give it a try. The stuff smells WONDERFUL, but leaves my skin very irritated. Gonna have to play around with that one, as I love the scent so much, I'm almost willing to tolerate a bit of the irritation! I've tried some other hard soaps with varying results. I'll be sure to post on those as I try new ones.
For AS's, I've been very loyal to the house of Pinaud. Clubman is my standby, followed up by Citrus Musk, which I love, but tend to save for the weekends (I have no idea why, it just seems to happen that way). Tried the Bay Rum, and still have some left, but I'm just not much of one for the spicy smelling stuff. More a clean/citrusy/musk guy, in that order. The Lime Sec is nice, but reminds me a bit of lime Jello. I just rec'd a bottle of the Special Reserve and this has become my "formal" splash. This stuff reminds me of something very old and complex... Something my Grandpa would have wore. I like it! i tend to turn to this stuff when donning a suit. The Vegetol, well, cat pee comes to mind. Nuff said. Has been relegated to sterilizing my razor...
I tend to like, and react well to the heavy alcohol AS lines. They just work for me. Seals in the shave, and leaves my skin nice.
I like the cooling affect of the Aqua Velva classic blue stuff, but there's something in it that leaves my skin a bit pinkish. Same with their Musk. Love the stuff, but tend to use it (ironically) on day's I don't shave, which isn't often. I'll occasionally splash some blue on in the afternoon of a hot day, when my morning splash is all wore off. No irritation then...
I don't have much luck with creamy mixes or balms. I have some nivea that I apply before bed in the winter to help combat dry skin. I sometimes use it as a pre-shave with decent results.
I've tried a few others along the way, but the above are what stands out, and have become my regulars...
Blades - I've used Derby, Dorco, Persona, and Merkurs, and the Merkurs have become my go to blades. Well, actually, that is by default as I happed across a fairly large lot of them for a song and dance. I still have about 80 blades left which will last me for AT LEAST the next year!
I've only my Co Bigelow, smallish badger brush. I'm thinking of ordering an Omega Boar brush just to give a boar a try for the hard soaps.
Just this week I've started to dabble in pre-shave preps in an effort to add more lubricity to matters. So far, straight olive oil has made a PROFOUND difference in matters. I literally have ZERO, NONE, NADDA irritation or nicks. I always seem to end up with a bit of something going on at the very base of my throat, with the application of olive oil, then my usual lather, the irritation has ceased, and my skin is left BBS. Even the better half has noticed the difference! I'm going to play around with making my own blend. Stay tuned for an update!
I'm a bit unconventional as I shave BEFORE my shower... I perform the wash and hot compress/lather/shave/cold water splash, then hop in the shower. For me, it seems the hot water of the shower helps rid my mug of any residue from the shave, and really does something nice for my skin. After my shower, I then perform my other routines, splashing on my AS just before I get to my hair. By the time I walk out of the loo, I'm all set, and my AS is "cured"- ready to go.
Shaving has gone from a dreadful morning ritual, leaving me tender and raw to a hobby, one which perplexes my Fiance. Every store we go to, I'm always on the prowl for something new and interesting. I'm sure that this hobby has probably done something for my health as well, not being so irritated and inflamed. Based on the results of my work, I believe I've got my technique nailed. I've even used a straight razor with decent, be-it SLOW results. Took me nearly an hour to shave, but I did it!
As a former "stalker" on this site, relegated to looking and reading with anonymity , I can't extol enough thanks to all the regular contributors and commenters for how much I've learned over the last several years! I'm a convert and evangelist of the art. I display my kit proudly in the bathroom for all to see, and am often questioned about it by guests. I've converted a few successfully from their electrics and Mach 37 slicemasters over to the art of shaving like a gentleman with tools befitting the job!
Well, I think that just about sums up where I am today... You can expect to see me around, and actively posting as time moves on! I'm also a complete auto fanatic known on the interwebs as The Automotive Philosopher. Got a question on anything auto related, I'm your man. I'm a Business Development and Training Consultant by trade, Organist, by training, Scotch drinker by genetics, and cooker of food outta love. In short, I love stuff! I appreciated finery and craftsmanship in all things! I'm looking forward to the additional learning to come...
Best regards!
Aaron
Well, after several years of lurking on this site without ever registering, let alone posting, I'd like to extend a profound THANKS to everyone who contributes to the site!
Having fairly sensitive skin, I suffered for years using dreadful multi blade razors, and cans of gloop that left me torn up and highly irritated. About 5 years ago, after mentioning it to my Barber he recommended that I give wet shaving with a DE a try. So, I headed home and started doing my research. B&B had the biggest and best wealth of knowledge!
Based on my reading on B&B I settled on making my first DE purchase, dipping a toe into the pool. I ended up playing it WAY safe, and purchased a Weishi (sp) TTO, a tube of readily available CO Bigelow (Proraso) shave cream, and a CO Bigelow badger brush (Hey, I was at the store, thought I'd stock up!).
The first time I used the Weishi, and a Derby blade, by-the-way, the difference was obvious! I was hooked!
My Weishi, was a great learning tool, as it was cheap, and not at all aggressive. It also broke after 4 months!
So, broken hearted, I popped back on to B&B to see what a reasonable upgrade would be, and the Merkur 33C seemed the best fit for me, and after ordering, found that it was! I paired the Merkur 33C with Merkur platinum blades, and have been very pleased with the results.
Next came the matter of an AS. Well, to me that was a no brainer. Stick with Tradition, I figured, and Pinaud products were where I ended up. Clubman was my first real AS splash.
So, here I am today, a happy wet shaver that has honed my 3 pass technique using a Merkur 33C, Proraso, and any one of the Pinaud products (except Vegetol - I'll save that story for another day).
I've tried a few other creams and soaps. I received a nice bowl of Trumpers Extract of Limes shave soap which lasted me a good year. Wonderful stuff! Haven't gotten around to picking up a new puck.
VanDer Hagen (the pink one) has been perfectly fine for a cheapy alternative. Takes a bit of work to get a good lather, but other than that, it's decent enough. Need to take a bit more care, as I tend to get a bit roughed up if I move too fast.
The Kiss My Face line is really something else! I started off with the Lime scent. The fragrence wasn't anything to write home about, but MAN did that stuff work nice! Currently have a pumper of the Mint which even though it smells like pepto, has it's charms, and is VERY forgiving to use!
I recently picked up a tube of Godrej Lime from the little Indian Grocery at the end of my block. I'm in there quite often picking up my usual supply of Mysore Sandal Soap, and various other snacks, and the owner recommended I give it a try. The stuff smells WONDERFUL, but leaves my skin very irritated. Gonna have to play around with that one, as I love the scent so much, I'm almost willing to tolerate a bit of the irritation! I've tried some other hard soaps with varying results. I'll be sure to post on those as I try new ones.
For AS's, I've been very loyal to the house of Pinaud. Clubman is my standby, followed up by Citrus Musk, which I love, but tend to save for the weekends (I have no idea why, it just seems to happen that way). Tried the Bay Rum, and still have some left, but I'm just not much of one for the spicy smelling stuff. More a clean/citrusy/musk guy, in that order. The Lime Sec is nice, but reminds me a bit of lime Jello. I just rec'd a bottle of the Special Reserve and this has become my "formal" splash. This stuff reminds me of something very old and complex... Something my Grandpa would have wore. I like it! i tend to turn to this stuff when donning a suit. The Vegetol, well, cat pee comes to mind. Nuff said. Has been relegated to sterilizing my razor...
I tend to like, and react well to the heavy alcohol AS lines. They just work for me. Seals in the shave, and leaves my skin nice.
I like the cooling affect of the Aqua Velva classic blue stuff, but there's something in it that leaves my skin a bit pinkish. Same with their Musk. Love the stuff, but tend to use it (ironically) on day's I don't shave, which isn't often. I'll occasionally splash some blue on in the afternoon of a hot day, when my morning splash is all wore off. No irritation then...
I don't have much luck with creamy mixes or balms. I have some nivea that I apply before bed in the winter to help combat dry skin. I sometimes use it as a pre-shave with decent results.
I've tried a few others along the way, but the above are what stands out, and have become my regulars...
Blades - I've used Derby, Dorco, Persona, and Merkurs, and the Merkurs have become my go to blades. Well, actually, that is by default as I happed across a fairly large lot of them for a song and dance. I still have about 80 blades left which will last me for AT LEAST the next year!
I've only my Co Bigelow, smallish badger brush. I'm thinking of ordering an Omega Boar brush just to give a boar a try for the hard soaps.
Just this week I've started to dabble in pre-shave preps in an effort to add more lubricity to matters. So far, straight olive oil has made a PROFOUND difference in matters. I literally have ZERO, NONE, NADDA irritation or nicks. I always seem to end up with a bit of something going on at the very base of my throat, with the application of olive oil, then my usual lather, the irritation has ceased, and my skin is left BBS. Even the better half has noticed the difference! I'm going to play around with making my own blend. Stay tuned for an update!
I'm a bit unconventional as I shave BEFORE my shower... I perform the wash and hot compress/lather/shave/cold water splash, then hop in the shower. For me, it seems the hot water of the shower helps rid my mug of any residue from the shave, and really does something nice for my skin. After my shower, I then perform my other routines, splashing on my AS just before I get to my hair. By the time I walk out of the loo, I'm all set, and my AS is "cured"- ready to go.
Shaving has gone from a dreadful morning ritual, leaving me tender and raw to a hobby, one which perplexes my Fiance. Every store we go to, I'm always on the prowl for something new and interesting. I'm sure that this hobby has probably done something for my health as well, not being so irritated and inflamed. Based on the results of my work, I believe I've got my technique nailed. I've even used a straight razor with decent, be-it SLOW results. Took me nearly an hour to shave, but I did it!
As a former "stalker" on this site, relegated to looking and reading with anonymity , I can't extol enough thanks to all the regular contributors and commenters for how much I've learned over the last several years! I'm a convert and evangelist of the art. I display my kit proudly in the bathroom for all to see, and am often questioned about it by guests. I've converted a few successfully from their electrics and Mach 37 slicemasters over to the art of shaving like a gentleman with tools befitting the job!
Well, I think that just about sums up where I am today... You can expect to see me around, and actively posting as time moves on! I'm also a complete auto fanatic known on the interwebs as The Automotive Philosopher. Got a question on anything auto related, I'm your man. I'm a Business Development and Training Consultant by trade, Organist, by training, Scotch drinker by genetics, and cooker of food outta love. In short, I love stuff! I appreciated finery and craftsmanship in all things! I'm looking forward to the additional learning to come...
Best regards!
Aaron
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