Best shaving products

Hollister11

What are the best razors and shaving cream brands to use

I generally use lidl disposable razors a d their shaving cream/gel. But my face does be in buts afterwards.

What products are the best in the market that don't cost a bomb, also what should I do before and after shaving to look after my shave.

Orion

Well you're about to get as many different answers as there are people willing to respond.

Best is very subjective. Every has different preferences, faces, growth etc.

A good starter kit is the one I started with.
Razor - Muhle R89 I actually started with the Merkur 34c but prefer the handle on the Muhle and it's a 3 piece. But both are good, low aggression, starter razors.
Brush - Black Silvertip Special - nothing particularly special about this brush but it is a decent performer and I still use it in my rotation. If you want cheaper you can get one of the Omega ones. Haven't used them myself but they get decent reviews.
Blades - without a doubt get the sampler set - everyone has different experiences. e.g I don't like the gilettes at all but others swear by them. Start off with the softer blades like the Personna and work up to the more aggressive ones like Astra and Feather. You'll find a blade that ticks all the boxes and then that's yours.
Pre-shave - Personally I rarely shave without this - helps give a nice glide.
Post-shave - I generally just use a splash lotion - I've a few now. Believe it or not Old Spice is still a gem and is my go to one for daily shave. An aftershave balm if your face is very sensitive would be good though. I use the Bulldog one occasionally from Boots.
Cream/Soap - lots to choose from. Don't use canned gels or creams - they are all crap. Get a decent one. If you are on a tight budget you won't go wrong with Palmolive from Tesco - under €3 a tube. Proraso creams are excellent too. Then you can go more expensive and get the Taylor or Trumper ones. Maybe start off with a Praraso or Palmolive to get started though.

Now to look after your face - get a routine going for yourself.
Always shave when your pores are open so after a shower or use a hot towel to get them open. Use a shaving oil or pre-shave balm like the one above. Then shave away. I do two passes with the grain, one across then one up. This gives a lovely close shave.
Afterwards get an alum block and wet it then rub it all over the shave area. This helps close the pores and seals any minor nicks. Then rinse with cold water to close the pores completely.
After than it's post treatment time. I very often just apply an aftershave splash like Old Spice or one of my other ones. Not eau de toilette - they are just perfume. AS lotions have food in them for your skin. The scent doesn't last as long but it feels great. The Proraso ones are very good too but one of my faves is this one. If you are very sensitive then use a balm or a skin food. The bulldog one is excellent. You can always apply a splash or cologne after that if you want.

Hope this helps.

bazz_3rd

I'm going to stick this question here as I can't see a better place for it:

Anyone know where (in Dublin, preferrably) I can get single edged blades? I'm leaving the country in a couple of days and I haven't left myself enough time to get them online. I'll try the barber's when I'm there this afternoon, but if anyone knows I'd appreciate it.

Orion

For a shavette or an actual straight razor?

Knights in Stephens Green centre do shavettes so they might do blades too.

jimgoose

I use a Gillette Fusion, Gillette shaving gel and Nivea aftershave balm. Lovely job, and not outrageously expensive, aside from those blasted blades. :pac:

philstar

my weapon of choice is gillette sensor 3

used in conjunction with nivea shaving gel and body shop face protector

kingshankly

Definitely couldn't include Nivea products in "best shaving products"
Their moisturiser is in my opinion very poor
Clairns for men feels like silk compared to it

asteroids over berlin

Dermologica shaving products are excellent but they are expensive, although expect 2 months shaving (daily) out of them. Particularly if you have sensitive skin.
Scrub, pre shave guard, close shave oil, post shave balm.

fly_agaric

kingshankly wrote: »

Definitely couldn't include Nivea products in "best shaving products"
Their moisturiser is in my opinion very poor
Clairns for men feels like silk compared to it

Well op did say

that don't cost a bomb

, Clarins may be about 5-6 times price of Nivea (and > 10 times price of an own brand supermarket product??). but I suppose (like cost of a "bomb") its all relative.

I like (and use) the (sensitive) Nivea shaving gel but not really mad about the balm/aftershave/moisturiser cream stuff (or whatever they call it).

Wibbs

Better here I reckon. Moronic me missed it. Doh Apologies

Azatadine

Horses for courses and all the rest of it but I think DR Harris are well worth trying out. Not that cheap but a tube of Almond or Arlington is ca. 15 euro

http://www.shaving.ie/products/dr-harris-almond-shaving-cream-tube.html

I've been using their creams for a while and find they make lovely soothing lather very readily. Nice scents too.

I actually had a bit of a tub of proraso green lying around and thought I'd give it a try this evening for a change but ended up washing it off and lathering up with Harris half way through my first pass. Huge difference between the proraso and Harris but it is more expensive alright. Proraso is good too though, especially when starting out as it lathers easily too.

AthAnRi

Only DE wet shaving for about a week now. And I have to say it is by far the most comfortable and enjoyable shaving experience I've ever had. I actually look forward to shaving now.

I echo most comments here btw. Orion has given a very detailed overview and as a converted DE Wet Shaver I agree with his comments. I would throw in the Edwin Jagger D89 as a good alternative starting razor. A steel For €25

Agree completely on Blades also, I've tried two, Derbys and Wilkinson sword classic and found the latter to be a much better suit for my face.

Don't go overboard on buying the most expensive either. Sometimes the "cheap" option is as good as the expensive option. Very easy to get carried away.

Finally there is a learning curve, look up shaving videos on youtube(nickshaves, kevy shaves is good as he shows his first 3 shaves). Plenty of options. By shave 3 or 4 you will be getting better. If you're like me shave 1 will be a blood bath and two a razor burning but after you get your technique down you'll never look back.

Top Tip, Pressure(as in little or none) and Angle

beardybrewer

Cortecs wrote: »

Horses for courses and all the rest of it but I think DR Harris are well worth trying out.

They are lovely scents alright but their soap is light on scent and there are many, many better performing soaps. That said, I do have about every Windsor product there is and really love the EDT. I hear their creams have a stronger scent which I may try one day to see how they perform.

AthAnRi wrote: »

I echo most comments here btw. Orion has given a very detailed overview and as a converted DE Wet Shaver I agree with his comments. I would throw in the Edwin Jagger D89 as a good alternative starting razor.

When I started this was the defacto starter razor. Very mild, very easy to learn. Lovely looking razor, too.

Azatadine

Good to know the soaps do not have as strong of a scent as I was thinking of getting it. I use the creams. Might stick with them.

On the razor, I started with the Muhle R89 version of the EJ and I've tried a couple of other razors but keep coming back to it. Sometimes I think I'd like a bit closer shave but I'm not skilled enough yet.....I can whip the R89 around my face no problem without worrying about burn or nicks but not any of the others....

uncle_sam_ie

Too much stuff to choose from but, this is one of my favorite setups.

ATT R2 with a Voskhod blade
Brush, The Duke 2 best
Mike's natural soaps, Vetiver
The Iron Society pomade
Fine Platinum after shave
and Creed Aventus

Gael23

I use Gillette Fusion blades and foam. Kills me to pay €15 for 4 blades though. Sometimes might get more expensive foam but that's the only standard one I like. Nivea is terrible and there's a smell off clerics I dislike.

54and56

Aldi have a new 4 & 6 blade shaving system which they've just introduced. It's so new it's not even on their website but it will be replacing their current Lacura multi blade system.

I purchased the new razor which comes with two 4 blade cartridges (I think it was about €5) and I honestly can't believe how good it is. I'd been using the 3 blade Lacura for a few years but also intermittently used the Gillette Fusion 5 blade from time to time and I can honestly say the new 4 blade system from Aldi shaves like a knife through butter. I couldn't believe how well the blades flexed to the shape of my chin and how smooth the shave was.

I'll probably try the 6 blade cartridges also but I really can't imagine how anything could shave smoother than this new 4 blade system.

Azatadine

beardybrewer wrote: »

They are lovely scents alright but their soap is light on scent and there are many, many better performing soaps.

I bought a tub of Almond cream from Harris but I threw in a shave stick of Marlborough as well. I see what you mean about the scent. Much much weaker than the cream (compared to Arlington and almond anyway). I like the performance of the soap though.

The Wolverine

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Too much stuff to choose from but, this is one of my favorite setups.

ATT R2 with a Voskhod blade
Brush, The Duke 2 best
Mike's natural soaps, Vetiver
The Iron Society pomade
Fine Platinum after shave
and Creed Aventus

Creed must have cost you a bomb

uncle_sam_ie

The Wolverine wrote: »

Creed must have cost you a bomb

It's from a split. http://www.basenotes.net/threads/418655-INTL-Postumo-s-Splits-Creeds-new-Malle-s-Amouage-Tom-Ford

Orion

Gael23 wrote: »

I use Gillette Fusion blades and foam. Kills me to pay €15 for 4 blades though. Sometimes might get more expensive foam but that's the only standard one I like. Nivea is terrible and there's a smell off clerics I dislike.

If you are sticking with cartridge razors there's no reason you can't also use decent cream. Canned foam is terrible crap. You can get a brush in Boots for about €7 and Palmolive cream in Tesco for €3. The brush isn't the best by a mile but would still be better than using canned crap.

allthedoyles

Has anyone recommended Mach3 ?

Gael23

Orion wrote: »

If you are sticking with cartridge razors there's no reason you can't also use decent cream. Canned foam is terrible crap. You can get a brush in Boots for about €7 and Palmolive cream in Tesco for €3. The brush isn't the best by a mile but would still be better than using canned crap.

I have never used a brush, should I be?

Orion

There are brushless creams but I've never tried them. For good creams (and Palmolive despite it's cheap price is excellent) brushes are best. Canned foams are full of crap that stay on your skin. Decent creams feel much better and definitely make a different both for the shave and for your skin.

The Wolverine

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

It's from a split. http://www.basenotes.net/threads/418655-INTL-Postumo-s-Splits-Creeds-new-Malle-s-Amouage-Tom-Ford

Cool is it an open slash or a drop bottle? One with small hole

kneemos

Anything but Gillett.Massively expensive for three or four shaves,total scam.

I get months out of a Wilkinson Sword Hydro Five,bit sharp for the first two or three shaves I find ,but fine for many miles afterwards.
Depends on skin type really what works for you.

uncle_sam_ie

The Wolverine wrote: »

Cool is it an open slash or a drop bottle? One with small hole

Spray.

hmmm

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

Aldi have a new 4 & 6 blade shaving system which they've just introduced. It's so new it's not even on their website but it will be replacing their current Lacura multi blade system.

Been trying these for a few weeks and by god they are utterly useless, I might as well be rubbing a potato over my face for all the cutting ability they have. There's no point having 4 or 6 or 40 blades if they're all blunt.

The old Aldi 3 blade razors were brilliant. The Lidl brand cut the face off of me. Are there any discount razors out there now that are a happy medium?

raxy

I've been using boldking razors. Much better than Gillette or Wilkinson.