Favorite shaving supplies

[TylerK]

I use a gillete hydro. Its a new razor and I love it. For those of you that struggle with achne when shaving, I recommend that you don't use a razor or shaving cream at all. Electric razors are best for those with sensitive skin.

[Tad]

Is there actually a difference between razors for men and razors for women?  Or is it all marketing?  If there is a real difference, what is it and what's the point of it?

I just buy whatever's cheapest and I shave in the shower with a bar of soap.

I've found that the blades last longer/get a better shave because there's more of them on mens versus womens?

And what's the point of using a shaving cream? I've always shaved either dry or with water with no issues.

[28BROOK]

Is there a difference between male and female razors?

Not really.   I've used the Gillette Fusion and Venus. 

The Venus is designed more for shaving around curved places which would make it ideal under the neck and should be good enough for facial hair.  I bought it for shaving the nether regions because of a hygiene problem.  I will say the Venus Spa Breeze cartridges may work better for shaving legs but they suck shaving in the pubic area.

I bought the Fusion because I could no longer get the blades for the razor I had - that is the problem with men's blade razors in the U.S. - shaving fads.

As for shaving creme - I buy Gillette products mostly - the gels in the small cans - the 50 Cent and $1 items at Wal Mart.  As much as I shave these last a long time.

After shave - I don't use - can't stand the smell and it made my face break out the last I used it and generally I view it a vanity expense.

Brook

[Nikolai_S]

I can't bring myself to shave without shaving cream, it just feels wrong. The razor runs much more smoothly over my skin with shaving cream, and goes over uneven surfaces like the bump of my chin more easily. Only time I've cut myself shaving was when I tried to shave a patch of skin that I hadn't covered thoroughly with shaving cream.

Oh, and I asked my mom once if shaving cream was really necessary and her eyes got huge and she squeaked something about razor burn. So apparently that's something else it protects against.

[Tad]

i dont get the whole razor burn thing.

[Bimmer Guy]

Hey guys, I am starting to get some peach fuzz, so I am checking out the razor situation.  In my reading, I am thinking that I want to go with an old school double edge straight razor.  Specifically, this one.  :  http://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Jagger-DE89Lbl-Detail-Chrome/dp/B002RBF1PO/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1413264585&sr=1-2&keywords=safety+razor

I am not up for the whole making of the foam with the soap, brush, and mug, so  I am going to buy the recommended Barbasol sensitive skin gel from a can.

Anyway, I found this interesting forum I thought I would pass along to the guys who are really into the shaving experience.  Interesting stuff.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forum.php?s=d775b7ced73cdb247d071bed65861b1e

[TheGrayWolf]

Hey guys, I am starting to get some peach fuzz, so I am checking out the razor situation.  In my reading, I am thinking that I want to go with an old school double edge straight razor.  Specifically, this one.  :  http://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Jagger-DE89Lbl-Detail-Chrome/dp/B002RBF1PO/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1413264585&sr=1-2&keywords=safety+razor

I am not up for the whole making of the foam with the soap, brush, and mug, so  I am going to buy the recommended Barbasol sensitive skin gel from a can.

Anyway, I found this interesting forum I thought I would pass along to the guys who are really into the shaving experience.  Interesting stuff.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forum.php?s=d775b7ced73cdb247d071bed65861b1e

Hi Brett,

I am actually a member on that forum and I have some first hand knowledge of wet shaving, so if you have any questions feel free to ask. Edwin Jagger razors are a good brand from what I've heard, however I would advise against getting canned gel and such. Shaving soap/cream are actually not difficult once you get a bit of practice and have a decent brush. There are plenty of tutorials on B&B as well as YouTube for that as well as shaving with a DE safety razor.

[Alice Rogers]

I have been shaving for 25 years and I have tried them all. Straight razors, cutthroats, the works. For me (thick stubble until I had laser hair removal) the Gillette Mach 3 is the best, even better than the later model Gillette's, the blades are well spaced so stubble doesn't get stuck between them and lessen their effectiveness.

If you find yourself on a budget the second place Razor would be the 'King of shaves' The blades are comparatively MUCH cheaper than the other premium products but they are still pretty good.

As far as lube goes I find shaving GEL to be best, it doesn't seem to really matter which one but the Nivea one is pretty good.

Add a flannel to your kit, a very hot flannel resting on your beard area for a minute or so before you start can make a HUGE difference to ease and irritation levels.

Alice
xx

[Juliett]

Schick hydro with 5 blades is the absolute best razor money can buy. It's a bit pricy, but well worth every penny.

[Amadeus]

I joined the Dollar Shave Club for a couple months, got the premium package.  If my finances weren't so strapped right now, I'd still be a member.  The razors are okay, but the shave butter...  Oh.  My God.  Their shave butter is God's way of saying 'I love you'.  I use a Gillette Fusion razor and some of the shave butter and my skin feels amazing after.  Throw on some of the shave lotion they sell, and I'm set.  I smell good, I look good, my skin feels great...and I got the monthly Bathroom Reader thing.  That was cool.

[Noah G.]

I posted on this thread forever ago (well, 4yrs ago) but things have changed quite a bit in that time.

Currently I'm shaving with a store brand version of one of the "big name" razors, so nothing special there, but the other products I'm using I've really liked and came across them at the grocery store (it's a regional company) -- I know Target also carries the brand. It's called Every Man Jack (or EMJ) and is all naturally derived and, for those for whom it's a concern, is not tested on animals.

I have their pre-shave scrub (an exfoliating face wash, basically), their shave cream, and face lotion but they also offer numerous other products that I'd like to buy but aren't strictly relevant to this thread (body washes and bars, body lotion, hair products, deodorant) -- they also offer premium shave options. It's all very reasonably priced and usually come in one or more different scents or a fragrance-free option.

On the subject of blades I've been thinking lately of trying a straight razor next. Not gonna lie, the old-school cool factor is part of the motivation (what can I say).

[Blue Senpai]

I joined the Dollar Shave Club for a couple months, got the premium package.  If my finances weren't so strapped right now, I'd still be a member.  The razors are okay, but the shave butter...  Oh.  My God.  Their shave butter is God's way of saying 'I love you'.  I use a Gillette Fusion razor and some of the shave butter and my skin feels amazing after.  Throw on some of the shave lotion they sell, and I'm set.  I smell good, I look good, my skin feels great...and I got the monthly Bathroom Reader thing.  That was cool.

I might join Dollar Shave Club, I have serious dark sideburns that reached my jawline pre-T and the hairs are getting thicker.

[Bimmer Guy]

Hi Brett,

I am actually a member on that forum and I have some first hand knowledge of wet shaving, so if you have any questions feel free to ask. Edwin Jagger razors are a good brand from what I've heard, however I would advise against getting canned gel and such. Shaving soap/cream are actually not difficult once you get a bit of practice and have a decent brush. There are plenty of tutorials on B&B as well as YouTube for that as well as shaving with a DE safety razor.

Thanks so much.  My razor just came in the mail.  Watching tutorials is next!

[ChrisRokk]

I've been using whatever that Aveeno shave gel is with the oatmeal in it for a while now.  I just buy whatever razors are cheap.  But I really dig that shave gel.  I was using their facial wash pre-shave which I liked as well but I switched to Nivea this time because it was on sale.  They both seem to fight acne pretty well.

Good to know that Dollar Shave Club is worth it.  I've been considering it.  I think Gillette has the same mailing deal.

[Amadeus]

So here's a question I have for the guys here: did your dads teach you how to shave, or did you ask a cis-male friend to teach you?

[ChrisRokk]

So here's a question I have for the guys here: did your dads teach you how to shave, or did you ask a cis-male friend to teach you?

YouTube taught me.  If I would have learned from my dad, I would have scars all over my face by now.

[aleon515]

I must have watched my dad a lot more than I thought as I was not entirely clueless on the process. That said, I am still pretty much like I'm 15 or so.

--Jay

So here's a question I have for the guys here: did your dads teach you how to shave, or did you ask a cis-male friend to teach you?

[GnomeKid]

I use a double edged safety razor.  Currently have feather blades.  Still on my first pack (Even after over 1 1/2 years) so I can't say if one brand is better than another.  They certainly do the job, though.  Not sure what brand the razor is.  Its a basic stainless steel handled one.  Would never go back to the multi-blade style razors popular in stores today.  They're wasteful and expensive. 

Typically I use Barbasol shave cream with aloe and the gillette after shave gel.  That cheap one in a blue bottle.  Works Great. 

I have some shave cream (tube not the canned) from CO Bigelow that I got at bath and body works.  I'm currently out of the barbasol, and have been using that.  I don't have a brush or anything, so maybe thats the issue.  Really I prefer the $1 can of barbasol.  Only thing thats nice about the one I've been using is its more  translucent, so I can see to shape the angles my beard better. 

No one taught me to shave.  Its fairly self-explanatory. 

[TheGrayWolf]

I use a double edged safety razor.  Currently have feather blades.  Still on my first pack (Even after over 1 1/2 years) so I can't say if one brand is better than another.  They certainly do the job, though.  Not sure what brand the razor is.  Its a basic stainless steel handled one.  Would never go back to the multi-blade style razors popular in stores today.  They're wasteful and expensive. 

Typically I use Barbasol shave cream with aloe and the gillette after shave gel.  That cheap one in a blue bottle.  Works Great. 

I have some shave cream (tube not the canned) from CO Bigelow that I got at bath and body works.  I'm currently out of the barbasol, and have been using that.  I don't have a brush or anything, so maybe thats the issue.  Really I prefer the $1 can of barbasol.  Only thing thats nice about the one I've been using is its more  translucent, so I can see to shape the angles my beard better. 

No one taught me to shave.  Its fairly self-explanatory.

I use the CO Bigelow cream with a badger brush and it works very well for me. I think getting a brush would make a big difference since you would be able to get a good lather that way. The small tube I have has lasted me quite a long time since you only need a dab of the cream when you use a brush.

I have heard that the propellants in stuff like Barbasol dry out the skin, which is why I stay away from those types of creams and gels. The one time I got a bad (dry) lather with a shaving soap I tried (which was my fault although the brand of soap itself is known to be mediocre) is the only time I've gotten any real skin irritation from shaving, so the moisture factor in the lather is definitely important for me at least. That said, as always YMMV.

[kelly_aus]

At home, I use an old school safety razor, old school soap and brush. And yes, a very hot flannel..

I started this routine when I was in my teens when I first started shaving as I was suffering from all sorts of issues with my skin and shaving. Went and had a chat to an old barber (who still did proper shaves) and had a chat with him. His advice was to stick to a sharp razor with as few blades as possible - he suggested a cut throat or safety razor. The minute I changed my routine and followed his advice, I found I had far less issues with acne and razor burn and the like..

If I'm travelling, I use a twin-blade disposable with King Of Shaves gel..