Shaving

billwill

So I'm going from my old electric shaver to a real razor.

I know the basics of shaving, but I know absolutely nothing of the brands. What are the best razors and shaving creams out there?

Thanks!

Aioua

I'm gonna start out by pimping the wetshaving/saftey razor thread.

Even if we can't convince you do use a safety razor, please, please avoid spay foam. It's literally worse than nothing. Even just plain bar soap applied to your wet face by hand works 1000 times better.

As far as cartrige razors go, they're all pretty much the same. Really cheap/store brands might get duller quicker. Don't bother buying anything with more than 3 blades.

Skoal Cat

I have saved so much money using a safety razor. Go read that thread, and enjoy.

Tox

I use Bic disposables, have for pretty much my entire shaving life. Never really had a problem.

Although I may switch off the Barbasol shaving foam

Djeet

I haven't gone down the safety razor road and yet I'm still solvent using replaceable system-head multi blade shaving kit. For close shaves I do an against the grain pass after the with grain pass. The advantage of replaceable head or disposable is that it does not require any technique/practice to prevent cutting oneself. Foam's convenient and my skin's not particularly sensitive so I use it, though I could get my shave on lathering up with bar soap if need be. Key with non-electric shaving is letting the whiskers be wet for a few minutes (so they soften) before cutting; doesn't need to be, but you'll cut more whisker if it's softened. 4 or 5 blade heads aren't bad per se, but there's usually moisturizing and or aloe strips before and after the blades which makes the cutting head larger and more difficult to be precise, while with a safety/straight razor all you have is the blade.

piL

Aioua wrote:

Even just plain bar soap applied to your wet face by hand works 1000 times better.

I got a safety razor three christmases ago. For a long while, I used shaving soap and a brush. Now, when I get out of the shower, I use hot water, lather my face a second time (since I wash my face in the shower) with a bar of zest, rinse it off (but save the water), repeat, and then cover my face with a lather of the bar soap. Then I apply the safety razor. It's like wiping down a car, just smooth and then I'm smooth, and awesome and easy.

Dhalphir

I use disposable 3blade razors that we buy in a pack of 20 for about $10 I think. I don't use any foam or soap or anything - just wet my face in the shower after I've been in the hot steam for a while (so the hairs feel a bit softer) and go to town.

Limp moose

I don't use a safety razor mainly because of the amount I shave and the time it takes...

That being said. I can't recommend this stuff enough. IT IS AWESOME

http://www.groominglounge.com/jack-black-beard-lube.html

Also funny name. Beard lube LOL

MichaelLC

Here's another pitch for safety razors, in case you didn't get enough.

'Art of Shaving' and 'CrabTree & Evelyn' make some nice shave soaps. Though their cost seems high, I bought a tub in July, and it's just running out now.