Grooming and Hygiene
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Any brands/names of oils/gels? I'm going to have to purchase online, local shops have SFA range.
I've found Oils > Gels > Foam, in terms of closeness/ease of shave, but am not impressed with the shaving oil itself. A good gel would be awesome. NOT tea tree oil, whatever it is.
Dollar Shave club, how could I go past internet razor blades delivered, especially with a video like;
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I use a normal Gilette Mach 3 blade (and get them cheaper in Hong Kong) but what really makes a different for me is a natural or mild shaving cream. This is my current one and I've had good results with a close shave and zero irritation:
http://www.nealsyardremedies.com/close-shave-cream
Post-shave, I use a gel from Taylor of Old Bond Street which again is alcohol free and really calms the skin:
http://www.tayloroldbondst.co.uk/acatalog/aftershaves-and-cologne.html
I only shave every other day, allowing for the bristles to grow back enough to get a good close shave.
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Snowy - I use Astra Platinum blades with a Merkur Barber Pole. The blades were $9 on amazon for 100. I got a sampler pack when I got into wet shaving, and I was thrilled to find that my favorite blades were available in bulk. I now have a two year supply of razor blades for about $0.09 per week!
I used to use Art of Shaving pre shave oil, but I forgot to use it one day, and didn't notice a difference, so I stopped using it altogether.
For my shaving cream, I've been using Jack Black Supreme Cream Triple Cushion for about a year now, and I've been very happy with the results.
For my aftershave, I've been using Geo F. Trumper's Skin Food. It's quite nice.
To everyone else interested, especially those with razor burn issues, bumps, sensitive skin, or sick of paying hundreds of dollars a year on razor blades: Wet shaving with the right technique can address all of these issues. The first few times I shaved with my double-edge razor, I got a few nicks, but once I got the technique down it was the best shave I'd ever had. I used to get red, irritated skin, and have constant bumps and irritation, but when shaving (read: prepping) properly, I get amazing results and my skin is MUCH happier. The key is lots of water. If that means keeping your face under the faucet for 5 minutes, so be it. If not, use a few changes of hot towels until your facial hair is nice and wet. A razor can't cut a dry hair easily, which causes irritation.
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Yep, water is key. I would only shave after a hot shower or at least face wash and always start by rubbing my beard area with a lot of hot water prior to applying shaving cream.
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^^
Agree completely. I hated shaving because my face always ends up so irritated. Plus, I really dislike the chemically artificial smells of most drug store shave products. I started wet shaving a few years ago with a Mühle safety razor and its made a world of difference. I invested in a really nice badger brush with a horn handle that improves the experience. It's like using a fine pen versus a bic. Plus, I love the smell of the different soaps and creams. If I want to wake up, I can use a really menthol cream. During spring, I use a cedar/lavender scent that smells awesome. I highly recommend trying it.
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Oh… I use this shaving scuttle: http://www.georgetownpottery.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=GTP&Product_Code=SHAV0001&Category_Code=Shaving
It keeps my lather nice and warm for the duration of my shave. I love it. I just preheat it with hot water before my shower, and add new hot water to the reservoir right before I build my lather.
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That scuttle is bad ass! I'm totally copping one after the move this week.
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Snowy - I use Astra Platinum blades with a Merkur Barber Pole. The blades were $9 on amazon for 100. I got a sampler pack when I got into wet shaving, and I was thrilled to find that my favorite blades were available in bulk. I now have a two year supply of razor blades for about $0.09 per week!
I used to use Art of Shaving pre shave oil, but I forgot to use it one day, and didn't notice a difference, so I stopped using it altogether.
For my shaving cream, I've been using Jack Black Supreme Cream Triple Cushion for about a year now, and I've been very happy with the results.
For my aftershave, I've been using Geo F. Trumper's Skin Food. It's quite nice.
To everyone else interested, especially those with razor burn issues, bumps, sensitive skin, or sick of paying hundreds of dollars a year on razor blades: Wet shaving with the right technique can address all of these issues. The first few times I shaved with my double-edge razor, I got a few nicks, but once I got the technique down it was the best shave I'd ever had. I used to get red, irritated skin, and have constant bumps and irritation, but when shaving (read: prepping) properly, I get amazing results and my skin is MUCH happier. The key is lots of water. If that means keeping your face under the faucet for 5 minutes, so be it. If not, use a few changes of hot towels until your facial hair is nice and wet. A razor can't cut a dry hair easily, which causes irritation.
Can't endorse this enough - shifting to a double edge blade system is so much better in all areas. Its also badass.
I use one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Merkur-Futur-Brushed-Steel-Razor/dp/B000G0JZYQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359983575&sr=8-1
- Merkur platinum blades & badger brush. For cream I use old school Palmolive shaving cream, cheap and as good as the fancy stuff.
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I go with a two part shave routine. For my face, I use an electric razor with some pre-shave gel applied beforehand. For my skull, I shave in the shower with a Head Blade and Head Slick applied beforehand.
Not particularly luxurious, but it works pretty well for me.
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After years of razor rash (tried the electric route, Remington foil and Philishave 3 head, all the Gillette multi-blade razors and many different gels/foams/oils), I finally took the plunge and bought a safety razor - 3yrs on and it still works for me, although I did cut myself a few times in the first couple of months. Set up at the moment is Edwin Jagger best badger brush, Edwin Jagger DE safety razor with Derby Extra blade and Proraso cream soap; I use Kiehls face cream post shave which I highly recommend.
Have considered learning how to use a straight blade (aka cutthroat) razor, but not sure how much better that would be, and the downsides to getting it wrong seem rather more severe!
