Reddit mentions: The best men shaving razors & blades

Indians, along with people of Mediterranean, African & Middle eastern descent have extraordinarily tough beards. Cartridge razors designed in countries with populations which shave daily & have lighter facial growth are not always adequate for those of heavier growth. In addition, Indians often have oily skin. Indians can therefore be very prone to pseudofolliculitis barbae, & multiblade razors can do damage to the skin of those with this condition.

It is therefore advisable for Indians to use a single blade razor & pay greater attention to pre-shave prep. Always have a shower or bath before your shave & soap up the area to be shaved. You may have noticed that barbers often use a hot wet towel on their clients to soften it before shaving.

Unfortunately, there are no decent DE starter sets available in India. Sets like that of Bombay Shave Co, & others rely on rebranded imported razors & there does seem to be greater importance placed on their looks than on their performance. These sets are best avoided. Starter sets can be imported, but the combination of our import duties, transportation costs etc can make them quite expensive. They are also not necessary, as it is possible to get decent equipment at a reasonable cost if bought separately. But if you do wish to, Shave Lounge UK & Maggards have good starter sets.

As far as individually available equipment is concerned, it can be broken down into shaving products like creams & soaps, shaving brushes, razors and their blades or cartridges, & aftershave treatments.

• Shaving products. There is absolutely no need to import anything here. India is a shaving cream powerhouse, & makes some of the best shaving creams available as far as performance goes. There are some Indian shaving creams which could improve a little on scent, but since the scent is washed off along with the lather, I do not consider it of great concern. https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/indian-shaving-creams-reviews.408456/Two of the best known Indian brands for shaving products are Godrej & Dettol, but there is such a wide variety available that almost all creams perform extremely well. There are not too many Indian made soaps. Godrej soap is available in most parts of the country. It is very cheap & is made of pure potassium lye, so it is capable of performing in the hardest of water, & breaking down the oil layer on the oiliest of skin,but will not have great protection in soft water. It makes an excellent superlather soap base, though. T&H, Trigodon, & the weirdly named Pink Woolf etc also sell soaps. I personally found that T&H soap has a somewhat average performance. Their creams are said to have stellar performance & scent, & T&H now has shops in most Indian cities. Trigodon & Pink Woolf soaps have good reputations. I have tried some imported products, but have been more often disappointed than not as far as the overall performance is concerned, though their scent is great.
  
• Shaving brushes. Some of the companies that sell starter sets & soaps also sell brushes. Parker, Pearl, Trigodon, Pink Woolf etc all have brushes available. I feel that they provide an average product as compared to their price , because genuine imported Omega boar brushes are available on Flipkart at a very reasonable cost. For some reason, Amazon India is overpriced for the very same brushes. https://www.flipkart.com/search?q=omega+brush&sort=relevanceOne Indian brush manufacturer has good brushes (Bilabrush) but their website sells their brushes at prices greater than genuine Omegas. Their Gio brush is sometimes available around ₹ 200 in Mumbai shops & is very good at that price.
  
• Razors. If you do wish to import shaving equipment, import razors. There are almost no decent manufacturers of DE razors in India. The best manufacturer is Parker, who exports razors in quantity, but most DE shavers who have bought a Parker razor in India have had to replace it due to quality issues. I have read of Indians who have had to replace theirs several times due to issues like unequal blade exposure, faulty construction, misalignment etc. It has been alleged that Indian manufacturers reserve their best products for export while sloughing off their rejects to locals. On the other hand, I've chatted on B&B with one Indian who has had no issues with his Variant. In general, though, Indian made razors are rather aggressive & not suitable for beginners. If you wish to buy locally, though, it is sometimes possible to source imported razors in imported goods shops or customs notified shops. I can personally recommend the Japanese Feather Popular TTO as being great for newbie & expert alike. It's also available on Flipkart/Amazon/Shopclues for about ₹ 900 onwards. https://www.amazon.in/Feather-Double-Razor-Popular-Blades/dp/B00VEICPZUSome Chinese Rimei, Baili & Weishi razors are also available. It is possible to get Yaqi's double open comb Mellon head from Aliexpress & mate it to an Indian razor handle.
  
• Blades. There are excellent DE blades available in the country, with considerable variety. There is absolutely no real need to import. If you use a cartridge razor, almost all cartridges are also available.
  
• Aftershave treatments: - Alum is easily available in pharmacists at almost throwaway rates. Witch hazel is not easily available, but I do not feel the lack. A wide variety of local & international aftershave splashes are available, as are balms, but these are not necessarily the same brands discussed on international shaving forums.
  
  ​
  
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  Here is a shaving set under 2K.
  
  ​
  
  I strongly recommend buying the brush, shaving cream, alum & aftershave first. Start using them with your current razor. Get your new safety razor & blades later, once you have learned to build a good lather on your face with brush & shaving cream, & have started using the alum & aftershave regularly .
  
  If you have children in the house, be sure to keep blades & razor away from them.
  
  A) Feather Popular razor - Amazon ₹ 920
  
  https://www.amazon.in/Feather-Brand-Double-Shaving-Razor/dp/B003YJ70NY/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=Feather+Brand&qid=1555049493&s=gateway&sr=8-6
  
  B) Gillette 7 o'clock Super Platinum razor blades at your Local pharmacy ₹ 55/-
  
  Omega 10218 or other at Flipkart ₹ 400/-
  
  C) Godrej/Dettol shaving cream - Local pharmacy about ₹80/-
  
  D) Alum block Local pharmacy ₹20/-
  
  E) Nivea aftershave or balm at your Local pharmacy ₹250/-
  
  Total -₹1725/-
  
  Please note that you could very easily spend much more. And, as time goes by, & you add more products, razors & other stuff, you'll wonder how that original outlay more than quadrupled...
  
  Technique: - the first part is the most difficult - Keep your new DE razor aside while you learn to use the rest of your equipment.
  
  Start by learning the hair growth pattern of your face - the direction of the grain. Print this out.
  
  https://imgur.com/EPymE
  
  ​
  
  Draw the main direction of growth in each section & stick it near your mirror.
  
  Once you've done that, start breaking in your new brush. Wash it a few times with liquid hand soap. Use it with your shaving cream to lather up. Continue using your current razor during this time.
  
  After a week or so, the lather produced will be better than that you got from your can of foam/gel. This is the time to break out your new DE.
  
  Watch the videos to learn how to shave.
  
  http://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/wiki/videos/
  
  Initially, shave one WTG pass, & do your XTG pass with your current cartridge razor. As time goes by & your technique improves, you can increase the DE passes & reduce the M3 passes.

Greetings!

If you are fortunate enough to have a significant other who indulges you in your enjoyment of wet shaving, you may be greeted on cake day with an upgrade or two. I was fortunate enough to be the receiver of a new Dovo Silver Steel SE razor and strop set from Straight Razor Designs. I'm only 3 shaves into the SE routine, and it's definitely taking some getting used to.

Anyhow, here's my current gear going clockwise, starting at the top left:

• I lied. Let's start with the shelf. It's an Ikea Sävern
  
  
• Arko Shave Stick - Smells a bit like Ivory soap with a hint of citronella. The rich lather this thing creates after you wipe it around your face is astonishing.
  
  
• Desert Essence Jojoba Oil - A few drops as a pre-shave between washing my face and applying the lather seems to soften up the rough stubble.
  
  
• Custom brush from Redditor AceByTerror. I can't say enough good things about this guy. I was initially interested in a brush from WhippedDog, but I couldn't find a handle to get me to make the jump. I stumbled across Ace's listing of brush handles for sale and was blown away by his craftsmanship. I contacted him and let him know I was having a hard time choosing between two of his amazing pieces, and settled on one. He had good things to say about knots from The Golden Nib, so I trusted his judgment and he glued the knot in, let it set, and shipped it shortly after. What I didn't anticipate was that he threw in the other handle I was interested in... YES, HE GAVE ME THE OTHER HANDLE, as a token of appreciation for being his first Reddit customer!!! I may as well die now because I don't expect that I'll ever have an experience with another vendor that will come close to being this unexpectedly awesome. Oh, and the brush... It's beautiful and functions as well as its form, as it whipped up a frothy lather that was a joy to shave with when I broke it in today. If you're interested in a custom brush handle, definitely check out his wares.
  
  
• Copper shaving cup from The Best Shave - This thing seemed like a bargain at $5.60; however, it's lightweight and pretty thin, and does feel cheaper than it looks. The Best Shave is located in Turkey, so if you order from them and you happen to live in the US, expect your package to sit in customs for 3-4 weeks. I ordered a few blades, Arko, and an alum block from them along with this bowl. They shipped my order quickly, but US customs sat on it for a long time.
  
  
• Edwin Jagger De89lbl DE ordered from Amazon. Actually, the threads on the first one I had broke, and EJ sent me a free replacement along with some samples. Amazing customer service! The razor consistently delivers a smooth, irritation-free shave. My current blades of choice are the Astra Superior Platinums in the green box. These are a steal at $.10 a blade, and I've been getting 4 shaves out of them.
  
  
• Dovo Silver Steel from Straight Razor Designs - Beautiful. I wasn't ready to have something this nice. I've given myself a few nicks, but I'm only 3 days in, so I guess it's to be expected. I'm alternating between this and the DE as my skin adjusts.
  
  Bottom shelf from right to left.
  
  
• Hair product and brush... next.
  
  
• bareVitamins skin rev-er upper - Ok, so it's marketed to the lady types. Laugh all you want, but my skin seems to agree with this stuff. It's a lightweight moisturizer with vitamins for healthy, even skin and acids to exfoliate. I use a pump of this stuff after applying aftershave.
  
  
• Royall Bay Rhum - An aftershave that is very heavy on the cloves. Provides a nice warm tingle like a heat lamp hovering around my face all morning. The smell starts a bit strong, but dissipates quickly.
  
  
• Repurposed antique witch hazel bottle with the original label. I dumped out the contents that must've been several decades old, and filled it with Thayers Witch Hazel.
  
  
• Ashtray filled with alum rocks from an Asian market. I got a whole bag of these things for a couple bucks. They seem to do the job!
  
  
• Bonus handle from AceByTerror. I'll probably buy a badger knot from WhippedDog to use in this handle. Speaking of, Ace's generosity inspired me, so I've been mulling over ways to return the favor to /r/wicked_edge. I'll post a follow up when the time comes.

Cartridge Razor

• Probably the most common razor type nowadays. They'll get the job done and you'll get a decent shave too.
  
  
• The Gillette Mach 3 (three blades), the Gillette Fusion (five blades) and the Wilkinson Sword Quattro (four blades) are probably the most common cartridge razors. They are widely available.
  
  
• You may also see some variations on the above razors. For example, the Fusion ProGlide Power is a battery-operated Fusion that vibrates, and is supposed to help the hair stand on end for a better shave. Some like it, some don't. Your call.
  
  Advantages
  
  

1. Technique matters less with this type of razor because most of them have a pivoting head that runs along the contours of your face. This reduces the chance of you getting the angle wrong and cutting yourself.
   
   
2. Supplies for this type of razor are readily available pretty much anywhere.
   
   Disadvantages
   
   
3. The replacement cartridges are extremely expensive for what they actually are. Gillette's (and other manufacturers') business model is to sell the handle for cheap and charge a fortune for the blades because you've already made the investment in the handle.
   
   
4. The cartridges tend to cut and tug your hair out. This can irritate those with particularly sensitive skin and many people get razor bumps when using these. As a general rule, the more blades a cartridge has, the more likely you'll have this tugging effect. If you don't have sensitive skin, then it should be fine.
   
   
5. These cartridge razors tend to get clogged with hair easily. The problem appears to be worse as the number of blades increases, ergo, the five blade Fusion will clog more easily than the three blade Mach 3.
   
   Technique
   
   

• Most people tend to use foam or gel with this type of razor.
  
  
• A WTG pass will suffice but go ATG too if you can (see "Passes" section below).
  
  
  *
  
  
  Double Edge (DE) Safety Razor**
  
  
• They look like this!
  
  
• Typically range from $20 to $60. I recommend the Merkur 38C as a good beginner's razor. Other reputable brands include Parker and Edwin Jagger. Weishi aren't bad either.
  
  
• These handles can (and often do) last you for life. You can also find them in antique shops if you look hard enough.
  
  Advantages
  
  

1. Blades for these razors are obscenely cheap in comparison to cartridge razors. In the UK, I can buy a 100 pack of Astra blades (my favourite brand) for about £9 on Amazon. That could easily last me a year of shaving on a near-daily basis.
   
   
2. The closeness of a DE shave is unbeatable IMO.
   
   
3. Your blades won't clog up with hair.
   
   
4. There is a certain enjoyment in mastering the art of a DE shave. This cannot be explained - only experienced.
   
   Disadvantages
   
   
5. A DE razor does not typically have a pivoting head like cartridge razors. That means you have to learn the proper technique or you're going to get a few nicks.
   
   
6. There is a little bit of a learning curve. It's nothing most people can't handle. However, if you're impatient or clumsy, DE might not be for you.
   
   
   Technique
   
   

• Hold the razor so it's comfortable, but keep your hand away from the face and more towards the end of the handle. You'll have better control over your wrist and the blade angle.
  
  
• Use minimal pressure. Let the blade do the work for you.
  
  
• Your first pass should be WTG. Your second pass should be XTG. Your third pass should be ATG (see "Passes" section below).
  
  
• Make sure the bathroom is nice and quiet. Listen for the blades cutting the hair so you'll know your perfect angle. It'll eventually be second nature.
  
  
• If you use a DE razor, you could use foam or gel, but the preferred method for most of us is to buy a shaving brush and some shaving soap or a shaving stick. Then you can use this to make lather. This video is a great guide on how to make lather.
  
  
• Since nicks are a bit more likely (especially in the early days) it's worth you buying a styptic pencil or alum block to seal up your cuts. An alum block is also good for soothing razor burn and also has antiseptic properties.
  
  *
  
  Electric Razor**
  
  
• No introductions necessary.
  
  Advantages
  
  

1. Pretty quick.
   
   
2. Can be used on dry skin. No need for shaving soap/foam/gel.
   
   
3. Your odds of cutting yourself are pretty damn slim!
   
   Disadvantages
   
   
4. Shave quality is severely reduced. You will never get as close a shave with one of these as you will with a cartridge razor or a DE razor.
   
   
5. Can be pretty harsh on sensitive skin. Try a pre-shave oil to see if this helps.
   
   
6. Requires either a power socket or battery power.
   
   Technique
   
   

• Oh, come on!
  
  
  
  Preparing the Face
  
  This differs for everyone. Make of it what you will. The general idea is just to get the face moisturised and the hair nice and soft.
  
  I tend to exfoliate my face with an exfoliating scrub, then rinse and apply a pre-shave oil or cream - I use this.
  
  
  
  Applying Shaving Lubricant
  
  This doesn't apply to electric razor users. You guys don't need it.
  
  If you're using a gel or foam, just apply it to the face.
  
  If you're using a shave soap and brush combination, your technique is a bit more important (but totally worth it):
  
  

1. Grab a mug, bowl, or some other vessel.
   
   
2. Wet your shaving brush with (preferably warm) water.
   
   
3. Either apply some soap to the end of the wet brush or put some soap in the mug.
   
   
4. Swirl that brush around in the soap.
   
   
5. Results will vary depending on the soap you're using; the quality of the brush; the softness, temperature and amount of water. If it's not really "whipping" up, consider adding a little more water.
   
   
6. Apply to face at desired consistency.
   
   If you're still having trouble, this is a good video on how to make lather.
   
   *
   
   Passes**
   
   There are three directions you can shave in. Shaving in a specific direction is known as a pass:
   
   

• With the grain (WTG) - shaving in the same direction as the hair grows. You could get away with doing just this. The shave will be socially acceptable, but it won't feel like a great shave.
  
  
• Against the grain (ATG) - shaving in the opposite direction of hair growth. This can be a little harsh if your skin is sensitive. This is especially true if you're new or haven't done good face prep.
  
  
• Across the grain (XTG) - Yep, you guessed it! Shaving across the direction of hair growth. This is a good compromise if you're finding ATG too rough on the skin.
  
  Here is a video about the different types of passes.
  
  *
  
  Post-Shave**
  
  
• If you bought an alum block, by all means run it under water and apply to your face. It'll help to seal cuts, close pores, and also acts as an antiseptic.
  
  
• If you don't have an alum block, splash some cold water on the face to help seal pores.
  
  
• Got nicks or cuts? Either apply an alum block or a styptic pencil. If you don't have these (you should), then you can just rip up some tiny pieces of toilet paper and stick them to your cuts for a few minutes. You can do this as you go along or at the end of the shave. Your call.
  
  
• Apply an aftershave lotion or balm. I wouldn't recommend any harsh aftershave sprays yet. If you've just finished shaving, you've got to treat your skin like a princess. Go for a soothing balm like this one (sorry, I love Proraso). I always use an after shave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older.
  
  
  
  Suggested Brands
  
  Razors - Gillette, Wilkinson Sword, Merkur, Parker, Edwin Jagger, Weishi, The Bluebeard's Revenge, Muhle.
  
  Blades - Merkur, Astra, Gillette, Shark, Derby, Lord, Feather, Wilkinson Sword.
  
  You can also buy sample packs like this one.
  
  Shaving Soaps/Sticks - Taylor of Old Bond St, Proraso, Erasmic, Trufitt & Hill, The Art of Shaving, Palmolive, Arko, Omega, Crabtree & Evelyn, Castle Forbes.
  
  Avoid Col. Conk
  
  Lotions/Creams/Oils/Gels - Taylor of Old Bond St, Proraso, Trufitt & Hill, Jack Black, Crabtree & Evelyn, Nivea, Gillette, The Art of Shaving, etc.
  
  
  
  I have intentionally left out straight razors and shavettes because you said you don't want to cut yourself. These have a much steeper learning curve than the other methods I have discussed. You probably will cut yourself if you attempt to use these.
  
  If you would like any further information about shaving, please feel free to message me, comment here, or visit /r/Wicked_Edge. Thank you!
  
  
  

I have been wet shaving with a DE since OCT 2013. It was the best decision I have made when it comes to shaving. I will answer your questions from the things that have worked for me. Just know that everything is different for everyone. Once you find something that works stick with it for a while and change little at a time.

1a: Brush/Stand. I purchased this set just to get my feet wet with DE shaving. I liked it, but it was cheap and lacked the adjustability that I wanted. I did keep the brush and stand. I always get a great lather with the brush and it is really soft. It is just as good as when I bought it. I shave everyday that I work.

1b: Handle. I started with the cheap handle that I listed above...it was not adjustable. I wanted an adjustable and bought a Merkur Futur. I love it.

1c: Blades. This is hard to recommend to someone. Get yourself one of many sample packs. Everyone likes different blades. Just try them all out. They are cheap. I chose based on the one that I cut my self with the least while giving be the best shave. Your probably going to cut yourself. It will go away with experience. I settled on the Astra Platinum blades. They are cheap on amazon with prime shipping.

1d: Soap. I am a huge fan of Proraso Shaving Cream. I have tried them all! But they are all I have tried. A tube last me a long time. My routine is to fill up an over sized coffee cup with hot water twice from my Keurig (No hot hot water in the morning due to my apartment) and poor it into the sink. Dunk my brush in the water and shake it off lightly. Put a dime sized blob of cream on the brush and make a lather in the over sized coffee cup.

1e: Pre/After Shave. I do not use any pre shave products. I just use the lather that i make and message it onto my face. Its really hot and frothy. I have tried all of Proraso's after shave products. The only one that I liked was the blue after shave balm. It didn't dry out my face like the others. Since then I have settled on Gillette Series Sensitive Skin After Shave Gel because it leaves my face feeling great, its cheap, and the better half loves the way it smells.

2: In my experience the razor (handle) makes a huge difference. I got to the point where I was not cutting myself at all with my first handle. Then I switched. I can shave quickly and comfortably because I found the setting that I really like (number 3 on the Futur). I also really like the way the blade is put into the handle. The top of the Futur pops off rather than having to unscrew the handle to change blades.

3: I answered this in section 1c.

4: I don't have too much info on this topic. I do know not to store your brush with the bristles in the air when it is wet (a stand will prevent this). Dry your razor off the best you can after use. Rinse a brush out thoroughly after use. I use a new blade each shave.

5: When I first started with a DE I watched a couple of Michael Freedberg's to get me started. Then I just did what was best for me.

The best thing that I can recommend for you is this. Figure out why you want to change to DE shaving. We already know its a better shave than using a cartridge. For me it was to be able to use a new razor blade for every shave and not spending a lot of money for those blades. I try to do this as cheaply as possibly. I had a big initial investment on the handle but it has since paid for itself by not buying cartridges. I found what works for me early on and stuck with it. I can have the same consistent shave everyday in 10 minutes because I have had the same routine for a while now.

Ok i'm back now,

I treated myself to this for being a good girl ;)
https://www.edwinjagger.co.uk/edwin-jagger-pearl-effect-pink-de-razor.html

&
https://www.edwinjagger.co.uk/edwin-jagger-lady-s-shaving-brush-pink.html

&
https://www.edwinjagger.co.uk/edwin-jagger-aloe-vera-shaving-soap-65g.html

Went a little fancy here but you can get the same results with a similar setup.
These work wonders if you need to do the face.

The thing i like about this is i can through blades and it won't cost me much, as in i bought 100 blades for $10USD off amazon* which is cheap compared to conventional cartridge razors. This means that since i will be going through them quite quickly if i do large things like legs kinda frequently, i can use a new blade each time if i like. However i try to use them a few times to truly get my moneys worth.

The shaving soap will last forever like years, well a very long time and so will the Brush as well as the DE razor itself. The soap is nice and natural but can be a little tricky to lather up into a big heap quickly so that's why there is shaving cream. E.g https://www.edwinjagger.co.uk/edwin-jagger-aloe-vera-shaving-cream-100ml.html
I might get one like this in the future but will try out my free testpot of the stuff that i got with the rest of the items before i lash out and buy the tub.

I use a rectangular bowl to swish out the razor once i have passed it a couple of times over the area being shaved. I also have a nice 900ml baking bowl to create the lather in.

I just now did my first waxing of my underarms because shaving was not doing a very good job as in i could still see the follicles under the skin. I can tell you that waxing my underarms may have just been the most satisfying thing i have ever done and the sharp then warm pain was.... nice too ah the squealing ;) not like the horrible epilator, omg.
I just used some disposable wax strips that i got on sale like 1/3 the price of all the stuff in the grocery stores work pretty good might have to use them on some other areas that epilating is out of the question atm. I plan on stocking up on these as well. Don't use them on the face tho.

My first shaver like a year ago was one of the Schick Hydro ones and i didn't really know what i was doing and obviously didn't know that they get blunt (silly me) it was snagging on the hair and hurt like hell but i thought that this was how it was. lol

I always recommend shaving in the shower. You can even use hair conditioner as a substitute for creams or soaps or even as a pre shave to soften up the hairs just apply wait rinse then apply what ever cream or soap then shave. I would recommend using a bath glove/exfoliating glove to cleanse the skin before shaving. You may also want to look at some form of antiseptic like tea tree oil or aloe vera as well as a good moisturiser to apply right after shaving.

• https://smile.amazon.com/Astra-Platinum-Double-Safety-Blades/dp/B001QY8QXM/ref=pd_bxgy_194_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=6B59GHGZS4Q9NA8HP53M&th=1
  
  
  
  
  Omg i need to make a post about this, i might compile a whole bunch of my comments that i have done in the last couple of days (check comment history) on shaving and do a series of posts to help out peps using the search bar on this sub.
  
  Any other questions please just ask, hope there isn't too many errors in there :)
  
  
  

MOST stuff can be picked up locally. For instance, my post on the recent $50 kit thread is mostly do-able "in-person." I'll re-post it below:

Mine involves some leg-work, but I think it's quite do-able.

$9 "Shea Moisture Shave" Brush from Target - No link to the actual thing, but most regional Targets stock it. It's Pure Badger, generally has a relatively light funk, and is quite soft. Lathers decent.

$1.50 - Plain witch hazel from Walmart. About 15% alcohol, not too much sting, and noticeably cheaper than an alum block from online

$1.50 - Styptic pencil from Walmart or a drugstore.

$5.50 - Nivea Soothing Aftershave Balm for Sensitive Skin from Walmart; cool and refreshing on the skin; moisturizes well.

$10 - C.O. Bigelow's Eucalpytus and Menthol Shave Cream from Bath & Bodyworks - Lathers well with a little work, feels cool and tingly, provides good lubrication for an entry-level product.

$13 - Lord L6 Safety Razor from Amazon - Cheap, decent Merkur-alike that's supposed to be relatively mild and a good introduction to double edged razors in general.

$8 - 18-blade sampler from Amazon - 9 different styles with two apiece, wrapped up nice and safe and sold cheap. Missing Feathers, but it's still a good 2 months' worth of daily shaves for 8 bucks, ya know?

-------

$48.50 - Grand total, assuming you're willing to hit Target, Bath & Bodyworks and Walmart along with your online shopping. Heck, if you want to get Free Super Saver Shipping on it, skip the B&BW Bigelows cream and get Proraso on Amazon instead for $11. You'll bring your total up to $49.50, but the Amazon portion will account for $32, which is more than enough to pass the $25 barrier; still leaves about $17.50 worth of "in-town" shopping to do.

----------

The real issue is in finding a razor in-town for a reasonable price. If you live near an Art of Shaving Store, you can usually find some decent razors there, but they will be massively marked up. If you live near good antique or thrift stores, it's very common to find old school Gillette razors from the 30s-70s. Some are falling apart and covered with rust, but most just need a good scrubbing with a toothbrush and Scrubbing Bubbles (plus a long soak in boiling vinegar water to help disinfect 'em). These razors can be ludicrously cheap, given that they are collector's items online, but you may have to hit several places in town to find one. Heck, I've been to two antique stores and three thrift stores in downtown Raleigh, NC and haven't found anything yet!

Otherwise, you really might have to order a razor online. The LordL6 I linked from Amazon, as well as a large selection of other great razors (like the Edwin Jagger De89 and the Merkur 34C) are also there, and most qualify for free 2-day shipping if you have Amazon Prime. . . or the $4 one-day shipping upgrade ;)

Otherwise, your best bet is to hit a shaving forum like Badger and Blade and see if they have any posts about your local area for other ideas. Some areas do have shaving specialty stores (like if you live in the same town as one of the people running an online shop like West Coast Shaving, you can sometimes get into an "actual" storefront).

-------

To recap: you can find shaving cream or soap (Bath & Bodyworks, Harris Teeter, many organic grocery stores), a brush (Target, Walmart, Walgreens, or The Body Shop), aftershave (any supermarket or drugstore) and even blades (ditto: supermarkets and drugstores sell medium-quality, overpriced blades) in-person very easily. Actual razors (the "body") are harder to find unless you live near a specialty shop or an antique store that has some oldies in stock.

BUY A SAFETY RAZOR

Seriously. You'll save boatloads of money and you'll give yourself the best shave of your life. The initial start-up is a bit of an investment (~$50), but after that you'll only pay about $20-30 per year.

Buy a safety razor. This is a perfectly good one for $20 on Amazon. They can last your lifetime.

Next, buy these 100-count razor blades for $10 on Amazon. You can get 3-6 excellent shaves out of a blade before needing to change it. If you're not picky about a super close shave, you can get 10+. That's 300-600 excellent shaves for $10. Or 1,000+ okay shaves for $10.

Now of course, if you go the safety razor route, you'll also want to buy a brush and shaving soap. First the brush. Brushes come with either boar hair or badger hair. Badger hair is superior quality, but's naturally more expensive. Boar hair is perfectly sufficient, it's just not quite as smooth or durable. If your want to try this whole straight razor thing out for a while first before investing any more money than necessary, go with a boar hair brush. You can find them pretty easily at Wal-Mart and Target these days for $5-10, but here's one on Amazon for $11. You may be able to find one for cheaper -- I only spent a few seconds searching.

Next we have the soap. Personally, I'm a big fan of Proraso Shaving Soap for $10 on Amazon -- it comes with its own bowl, so no need to buy one. Naturally it depends on how often you shave, but these last quite a while. I shave 2-3 times per week and I probably go through maybe three a year. There are of course many options - you can also consider buying the solid soap bars that go in a little bowl. I feel like these last even longer. I think I once bought a 3-pack for $15. It lasted me almost 2 years.

Alternatively, many vendors and stores sell combo packs that will include all or most of these components. I know I've seen them at Target and Wal-Mart. I can't attest to the quality, but I'm sure they're perfectly acceptable for a newbie that wants to try it out and see if he likes it. If you decide any of the individual components aren't meeting your standards, you can easily buy an upgrade on Amazon.

Switch to a safety razor. I implore you. It's the best and closest shave you'll ever give yourself - and it costs a fraction of what the stupid Gillette, etc., razors cost.

Watches (Seiko & Omega, net spent is only like $500)

Fountain Pens (although, so far, I've just been browsing -- saving for a Faber Castell to get started, haha). Mostly because I try (and fail) to draw a lot (also I have a douchier, even worse version of that pic here. Don't ask why.). But I need a refill on pencils first.

Photography - Nikon D5200 w/ a couple of lenses - want but can't afford a Sony A7 (I find myself shooting in the dark a lot), and might end up getting a prime lens soon.

Computers (Used to be for gaming, now it's mainly for photography.) For the heck of it, I'll detail my build - I have an EVGA GeForce GTX 780Ti Superclocked, 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600mhz RAM, an Intel core i7-4771 (runs base 3.5GHZ, no overclocking needed), and an Asus Sabertooth Z87 mobo. All displayed on a rather mediocre Samsung S27C750P 27" 1080P monitor, but it's done well for being a 'cheap' monitor. This has been my most expensive hobby, thus far, but also probably the most beneficial. In the future, though, I'd rather put the $2k spent building towards getting a 'real' watch.

Headphones (AudioTechnica has my heart, but there are better brands / headphones out there -- I have the M50 model, but the M50x has a detachable cord, and the same audio quality, and is currently on sale for $100. They use regular 3.5mm jacks, with a gold-plated .25" that can screw on over it to use other audio systems. I don't go all out in this area, and don't use any sort of sound-card or box). Plus with soundcloud there's an abundance of free music.

Coffee (Start doing it right, and all the other hobbies will benefit! Except you'll have no more money. Buy fresh, preferably local-roasted beans. Buy a french press if you're on a budget, or a $5000 espresso-handjob machine if you aren't. Or just go support your local coffee shops.).

Someone else mentioned mechanical keyboards, down below, and I got a Das 4 (w/ cherry mx blue's) recently, so I suppose I can list that as well. I do a lot of random writing - that is, I'll have an idea, start writing something, get about 2,500 words in, and then abandon it forever. About like how I draw.

But I really suggest drawing and music. Very therapeutic, and they don't have to be expensive to be enjoyable. Also, I loveCars because of local car-meets - they're great places go and get some pretty neat photos. Look up "[your nearest city] cars and coffee]" and you should be able to find a nice monthly or weekly meet up. There was a great one in Charlotte that I went to pretty often, and the stuff where I am now isn't too bad either. The people are usually pretty cool too.


All that said, can you recommend me any pens?

Edit: Also, just because of your fondness for fountain pens, you might find DE razors to be the preferable way to shave - pick up one of these, a few of these (platinum coated is razor sharp - but that means no cuts, because you use hardly any pressure). And then, of course, a pure/best/super badger brush, depending on your budget, and some proper English shaving product (I use Taylor of Old Bond Street, because of prices, and they do perfectly fine). It's not really a 'hobby', but there's ample room to get into it and it's definitely a more enjoyable way to start your morning.

Start with this.

It is a copy of the most mild DE razor ever invented (Gillette Tech), it is cheap yet well made, surprisingly. Practice with this and then branch out into high dollar (even then very cheap) razors. An EJ89 is a great place to start, as is a Merkur Classic (I use a Futur but they are $75 and require a bit of finesse).

Also get this

Seems expensive, but you get lots of different blades and you can try them and see which works best before you drop money. Feathers are known as sharpest, Derbys as the least. That does not mean one is better than the other--blade choice is the ultimate Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV). Try as many as you can to see what works for you.

Get a boar brush. Get this one and then branch out. Brushes are one of the coolest things about wet shaving. Once you get the hang of lather, you'll start collecting brushes. It's awesome. But that Omega is all you'll ever have to buy if you want.

Is there a Bath and Body works near you? If so, great! Proraso, one of the oldest and most respected shaving companies rebrands under CO Bigelow and it is dirt cheap. Their shampoo/body wash is great, and the shaving cream is fantastic. Very easy to lather. You can also get a tub of Taylor of Bond Street (TOBS) in any "flavor" and get great stuff. It lasts forever. I like the Avocado--it's very slick--and the Eton college--it smells amazing.

Go to your local drug store and buy Pinaud Clubman aftershave. It is cheap, and smells like an old barber shop--which is to say AMAZING. Apply this after you shave. It puts a bounce in your step like nothing else. While you are there get a styptic pencil, as you may nick yourself early on. Don't worry, nicking is painless but it can bleed a little and the styptic will halt it quick. Once you get the hang of tings you wont nick yourself at all.

And then you're set---but also FUCKED. Jade East aftershave rocks, as does Bay Rum (Pinaud or Captain's Choice), as does Old Spice...Merkur and Edwin Jagger make amazing razors, plus thrift stores and flea markets have old Gillettes...if the hobby bites you there is never enough!

Join us at /r/wicked_edge for more tips! We are a friendly bunch and can guide you through the early stages of enjoying a great hobby.

Razor: I started with this Merkur razor (and I'm still using it after two years). Edwin Jagger is probably equally popular, but I haven't tried them.

Brush/bowl: I was given this bowl/soap/brush/holder kit as a gift and still use it, but the brush broke after about a year (I could probably fix it with some good glue but haven't bothered yet. The holder is nice, but you might be able to find just a brush and bowl separately slightly cheaper if you're on a budget. I didn't use the soap in the kit because:

Soap: Proraso soap was suggested and I ended up liking it a lot. Some people like to buy sampler packs of soap/cream as well, but this was good enough for me, and it would take me forever to get through samples. This Proraso got me through 15 months with an average of one shave per week.

Blades: I started out with a sampler pack of blades from Maggard Razors, and Gillette Silver Blue and Gillette 7 O'Clock (both yellow and green were the same to me) ended up being the easiest on my face. I tried Feather, but they were way too harsh at first, I think because I hadn't really gotten the technique down yet. Gillette was more forgiving, but once I got better at shaving, I was able to use Feathers.

Other: Lastly, I really like using an alum stick after shaving to help close up pores/tiny nicks (weepers), but they're not necessary. I also now use Shave Secret as a first layer when I start my second pass (against the grain). Again, not necessary, but I think it helps me personally a little to have that extra layer of protection to prevent razor burn. It does gunk up your razor a little, though, so just be sure to keep it clean.

--------------------------

I still only shave once a week, and I have a 3 day minimum in between shaves, otherwise I'll still get razor burn. Read up on some info in /r/wicked_edge. /u/Leisureguy has a ton of great comments in that sub. Sort his comment history by top, and you'll get plenty of good advice right off the bat. He also has a blog. My best tips: Make sure you use a shallow angle (as opposed to the perpendicular/90-degree shave you're used to with cartridge razors), and don't let your lather be too dry. Also, if your area has hard water, consider using distilled water to make your lather. Maggard Razors has been really great at shipping fast and having good prices for me and carries everything I mentioned, but there several reputable online shops. I know lots of people prefer to use Amazon, so I linked everything on Amazon except the blade sampler pack.

I switched to a Merkur safty razor about 3 months ago (I used the same vibrating nonsense Fusion razor previously). I've been very happy with it. Shaving takes longer, but I get a better shave, and it's more enjoyable. I think I've nicked my face twice since I started. If you go slow you'll be fine.

I'd recommend checking out some of the forums like Badger and Blade and some youtube videos like mantic59's

Keep in mind, especially on the forums, there are some self righteous nuts who take themselves and their shaving method a little too seriously. It's not a big problem, but be aware so you don't get put off by it.

I got all my stuff on amazon (because I have a prime membership), But west coast shaving is a favorite of many. A usual recommendation is to get one of their blade samplers, so you can see what works for you. I like Derby extras, but blades are a personal preference thing. Most people will tell you to stay away from feather blades when you're first starting. I haven't had a problem with them, but my razor isn't super aggressive and my face isn't overly sensitive.

You have to get your technique down before you'll get good shaves, and that takes a while. The most helpful advice I got was to lock your wrist and make all the movement with your upper arm. This helps you to keep a consistent angle, and was really helpful for me.

Is it more economical? It can be, blades are much cheaper than modern cartridges. Especially once you figure out what type of blades you like, you can buy in larger quantities and get a better discount. The initial outlay is higher though, you'll need shaving soap or cream, a razor, blades, and a decent brush.

On the subject of shaving brushes, most people will recommend you get a badger hair brush. I have both a moderate quality badger brush and a cheap boar brush, and really, I like both. One of the good things about using a shave brush is that it scrubs your face, and a boar brush will do this far more aggressively. feels good man. The badger brushes are softer, and hold more water for a nicer lather. So it's something you'll have to try for yourself.

So if you have $100 to spend, I'd probably go:

razor
brush
blades
cream (if you're not opposed to menthol, proraso if very nice)

So it's not super cheap to get into, but the razor will last forever unless you take an angle grinder to it, the brush will last pretty much forever if you treat it right. You get 40 blades for $16 (compare to 4 blades for the same price for a cartridge) and the proraso is a big ass tube that will last you a long time.

Hopefully that was all coherent enough to be useful.

*edit
Also, Buying shaving stuff can be addicting. Looking around at this stuff makes me want to spend at least $400,000 on razors and brushes and shaving creams. beware.

>I want to eventually use a straight razor, but i am terrified of cutting my neck open What are the actual chances of doing this?

Now that's not really risk, unless you are a complete retard. The idea with shaving with a Straight Razor is to not apply pressure or apply extremely light pressure. If you can hold your hand steady and don't do sudden movement, you won't cut your throat. Also while a Straight Razor is sharp, it's not sharp enough to slive your throat unless you actually try to do it.

You will most likely get small nicks and cuts while learning to shave with a straight though. So get ready for a lot of those.

>Also, I found this safety razor on amazon. Is it good for a beginner?

Yup it's perfectly fine for a beginner. Almost any razor is perfectly fine for a beginner, though I would stay away from adjustables for now.

>What kind of razor blades should I use with that safety razor as a beginner?

The type of blade you use depends a lot on your face and what your face agrees with. For example my face does not agree with feathers, I just end up with horrible results. This is why when you look at the kit suggestions on the sidebar, people recommend buying a blade sampler pack. So you can try out several different blades to figure out what works for you. So get a sampler pack and try things out.

>Are Feather blades too sharp?

Nope, just remember to take your time and be careful.

>On a side note, should I bother getting a shavette or just go straight to the straight razor?

A good brand new straight will generally run you for at least 70$, then another 20-40$ for a strop, and you need to send it for honing a few times a year. Now you can get cheaper razors like Sight Unseen razors from WhippedDog so 41$ for a straight is pretty damn cheap, if you're fine with some cosmetic flaws you can also consider the Sight Unseen Flawed razors. They're both pretty much around the same pricerange as a Dovo Shavette and some blades. You can get cheaper shavettes like the Parker SR1 or several other Parker models.

Now if you want to eventually use a straight razor, you might as well start now. When switching from a DE to a Straight, you will need to relearn all shaving techniques anyways. So you can start off with a cheap razor like that whipped dog deal, then if you can find a leather belt somewhere you'll have a strop, or get the poor mans strop kit from Whipped Dog. You can then use that set to figure out if you like a straight razor or not, if you don't then it wasn't a massive investment and you can give it to someone as a gift.

And if you do end up liking it, you can then invest a bit more in a good quality brand new razor from something like Straight Razor Designs or just stick with what you have if it works for you.

> Im looking to get a razor on Amazon due to convenience, any suggestions would be appreciated.

Honestly, I understand where you're coming from. I think a lot of us coming in have the same thought, you're in unfamiliar territory trying to order from an unknown source and amazon is a safe, known place to pick things up. However, if you choose to upgrade, I strongly recommend going to somewhere like Maggard Razors. The owners run an excellent customer focused business, that out does amazon by a mile on a lot of things. There are some commercial items you can do better on through amazon if you know what you're looking for, but in general, they are just the best place to go. You can check out safely through Pay Pal, and they ship very quickly. I think if you look around you'll see and endless amount of recommendations for using them here, and for very good reason. In the world of wet shaving, it just doesn't get more convenient than Maggards.

Specifically if I were in your position, I would order an MR-1 or an MR-5 and select the V3A head. It will run you about $26 + shipping. You won't get a more efficient razor than that from amazon for that price. It is considered to be on the more aggressive side for razors, but you've been at it for six months, so it shouldn't be an issue. I find it to be very comfortable to use, and it's currently one of my favorite razors.

 

All that being said, if you want some options from amazon, here are a few. The one you linked above was my first DE, and I would not recommend it. It was inefficient (very mild), and I don't care for the thin hollow handle.

• Edwin Jagger DE89 — Decent razor, will be more efficient than the one you have, but is still comfortable.
  
• Mühle R89 — Same head design as the Edwin Jagger, but manufactured by Mühle. Generally has a better fit and finish than the EJ
  
• Merkur Progress — Modern adjustable that will allow you to change the settings to find the balance of comfort and efficiency that works best for you. Downside is the plastic adjustment knob.
  
  Most of the results that come up if you search amazon for safety razors, are just overpriced weishi or baili clones, which is same thing you have right now. The rest are EJ clones that may be coming out of Pakistan and have serious QC issue. A prime example of something to avoid is that Viking Blade razor near the top of the results, which is a $9 baili razor selling for nearly $40. Be careful to avoid stuff like that, which is one more reason why places like Maggards are held in high regard. They are very transparent about all the things they sell, and you don't have to worry about getting scammed.

You might wanna skip out on the Musgo at first. You don't really need it, and while it can help soften your beard and moisturize your face it is kinda a luxury. If you really want a pre-shave soap you can pick up a $2 bar of glycerine soap at CVS or Walmart that will work just as well. Something like THIS would work fine.

The Omega brush & Proraso are fine to start out with, but if you want to save a bit more money you could start out with a Van Der Hagen Premium Shave Set. This will get you a decent soap, brush & bowl for $10 or less (Walmart sells these for $8). The VDH puck is also very easy to lather which makes starting out a bit easier. Once you use it up you can start ordering - samplers or switch to Proraso if you want.

The blade sampler pack & Merkur 180 looks good. Personally I have never gotten a good shave out of my Edwin Jagger DE89 which has the same head as the DE86, however the EJ DE8x series are pretty highly recommended here on WE. My Merkur razor on the other hand (1904) gives me very gentle shaves. I would actually recommend the Merkur Classic instead of the 180, just because you probably don't need a longer handle, and it is easier to pay attention to maintaining the proper shave angle with a shorter razor. But the choice is yours. :)

Alum can be useful, but personally I find Witch Hazel to be more soothing which is important when you are starting out. If you go with a Witch Hazel look for one with the lowest alcohol content you can find. I use a cheap dollar store brand (Swan) that is 86% Witch Hazel to 14% alcohol and it works really nice. Thayers Witch Hazel is well regarded but a bit more pricey.

As far as aftershave.. again this is personal preference. If you have an aftershave that you are currently using that you like I would recommend you keep that for a while. Personally I like Nivea for Men Post Shave Balm, as it is very soothing and lightly moisturizes my face (I use is all over my face).

In any case, good luck with DE shaving and keep in mind it is a skill that takes a little while to learn. Don't be discouraged if your first shave doesn't live up to the hype. :)

Congrats on getting out of that bad foster situation man. I might have a few tips and tricks I haven't seen getting put out yet for you.

1. I second what some people are saying, take as many showers as you want. Something I did find, however, is that if I only shampooed my hair every other day, eventually my hair wouldn't get oily. I've found that something like a Head and Shoulders shampoo/conditioner all in one cleans and keeps the white flakies off.
   
   
2. Those razor burn bumps were the bane of my existence, 'till I discovered the old-school double bladed safety razors (like this one and learned how to use one. For the shaving cream I alternate between Shave Secret (you can find it at Wal-Mart for a couple bucks) and a Gillette sensitive skin gel. No more bumps.
   
   
3. I am one hairy dude. I even have hair on the backs of my fingers. Mostly what I do is keep my pubes trimmed up (helps keep down body odor), and every once in a while use a trimmer with a guard to trim up my eyebrows and get rid of the uni-brow. They would look like caterpillars having sex on my face otherwise. I wouldn't recommend the eyebrow trimming unless it noticeably gets out of hand, but definitely take care of the uni-brow, if you're cursed with that. Otherwise, lots and lots of chicks dig a hairy-chested (fit) dude.
   
   
4. T-shirts get one use from me. Button downs, one to three uses, depending on if I've sweated. Jeans... if it looks or smells dirty, wash them. Otherwise, just hang them up at the end of the day and you're good to go. If it looks dirty or smells like anything other than your deodorant/cologne, wash it. I just use liquid detergent and about 2 cups of vinegar in the wash. The vinegar actually helps get rid of odors and stains. Also, use unscented fabric softener sheets. It helps keep your clothes looking nice, and there won't be any scent to clash with whatever you're wearing.
   
   Also, I highly recommend sticking with something like an Old Spice deodorant and no cologne, unless you can ask a girl that you trust what cologne would smell good on you. And then only use a spray or two under your shirt for the day.
   
   Biotene mouthwash (from Wal-Mart again) dissolves the gunk that is left on your teeth after eating, makes brushing your teeth much more effective. It's a bit more expensive than Listerine, but I've only had a couple cavities in my entire life.
   
   A good, comfortable pair of shoes will make you feel and look better. If your feet hurt, then you will hurt all over. My personal favorite for everyday wear is Macbeths (you can find them at Journeys in the mall). Good foot support, they look great, and they're (relatively) inexpensive. I was without a vehicle in California for about 6 months, wore a pair out walking everywhere in them without a single problem.
   
   I know I'm late to the party, but I hope these help!

Avid wet shaver here. So if you are considering wet shaving, allow me to indulge you for a second. There's a lot of perks when it comes to wet shaving.

• It's relaxing
  
• It's cheaper/less maintenance
  
• There's lots o' smells and combinations
  
  Sure there's a lot of razors out there, but it's mostly about finding one that you like or find appealing. Does it feel better when the razor is heavy? When it's light? Do you want it to made from plated gold or just chrome? It's about finding one that suits you.
  
  I've been using this bad boy for the last 3 years and it's given me remarkable shaves. Theres a knob on the bottom that allows you to adjust how much of the blade is exposed, so on sensitive areas (like my neck) I can adjust the blade to glide smoothly without worrying about nicks or razor burn.
  
  Now, after you find one of your liking, it's time to look for is a brush.
  
  There's typically 3 types.
  
  
• Badger
  
• Boar
  
• Synthetic
  
  Badger is the most common, as it's softer and holds a generous amount of water. Boar is a harder type hair and requires some getting used to (of which I have little experience with).
  
  Brushes can range from $10-$300. A lot of the price comes down to quality of the hair and material of the handle. Remember, you get what you pay for. One thing to consider is that wet shaving was designed to last forever. Brushes and razors from the 60's, as long as they were well taken care of, can be used today.
  
  Heck if you don't want to get too fancy, don't get a brush. A simple dallop of shaving cream on the hand and massaged on the face would suffice.
  
  Next are razor blades. There's a ton of different manufacturers. Gillete, Astra, Feather; to name a few. Every brand works for different people. I find Astra to be the ideal blade for my face, but Feather blades are too rough on me. When starting out, I'd suggest trying a "Blade Sampler Pack" from some online retailer. And when you find a brand that works, see if you could buy their blades in bulk. I get the 100 pack. So if I use 1 blade for 2 shaves, the cost of blades drop down to mere pennies compared to the cartridge razor blades they sell at the drug store.
  
  SO, now that you have the essentials, keep in mind of the three basic things you use for pre/mid/post shave.
  
  
• Preshave oil (Optional although I highly reccomend it)
  
• Shaving cream
  
• Aftershave (Optional)
  
  Here is where the fun starts. There's just so many choices! You can buy special pre shave oil (preshave oil helps lubricate the blade as it glides over your face. Shaving cream does too) or you can use a glycerine soap bar like this one however, Whole Foods sells a store brand soap bar for $1 that I love.
  
  Try out different shaving soaps or creams until you find one you like. There's so many different online retailers that it aint funny. And they're pretty cheap too. I personally love the Eucalyptus Shave cream from Bath & Body Works and i'm still using the same tube that I've had since last year.
  
  Soak the brush in water, shake excess water out, put a pea size amount of cream on the brush, rub on face, make lather, shave! It feels really good too!
  
  They say to shave for three rounds per shaving session. With the grain, across the grain, and against the grain. So pay attention to which direction the hair grows all over your face and neck.
  
  With your razor, razor blades, pre shave, and shaving cream, you'll have amazing shaves and more money in your pocket.
  
  I haven't used electric shavers, but I can assure you that there's no closer shave you'll get than from a razor.
  
  P.S. Don't buy anything from The Art of Shaving. They are way overpriced for not that great of quality.

1. Neither is better or worse for sensitive skin. There are soaps that have burned my face and there are creams that have burned my face. If you have a reaction to one you just have to figure out what ingredient it was that caused it and resign to only use products without that ingredient (lanolin kills me personally, but works great for other people). A good place to start is with Proraso White or Green soap (Green also comes in cream form if you'd like to try that, creams are easier to lather and deal with hard water better), or if you're on a tight budget pick up an Arko stick. You can also find sample packs of creams and almost all the artisan soap makers like Stirling and Barrister & Mann (and many many more artisans I can't even list them all) offer samples. Samples are helpful because you never really know what something smells like until you smell it in person.
   
   
2. Many and myriad are the choices. Maggard sells some very good in-house MR brand razors that are extremely affordable. You can also start with a vintage Gillette Adjustable if you can find a good one online for cheap, but prices and quality on those vary a LOT. Adjustables let you change how mild or aggressive the razor it. The other popular choice right now is the Edwin Jagger razor, mild and has a nice high mirror chrome finish with a variety of handle colors. My personal favorite, however, is the Parker 92R, all brass and fantastic head geometry that gives me the best shave out of all the razors I've tried.
   
   You'll also need to pick up a brush to lather the soap/cream with. Omega boar brushes are great quality and come very cheap, or if you want badger hair you can get a Silvertip badger brush from Whipped Dog for $30 (pick a handle size and select silvertip from the dropdown menu). If animal hair isn't your thing then you'll want a synthetic brush, of which Muhle has undoubtedly the best.
   
   Alternatively you can just pick up a complete starter kit and not have to worry about buying everything separately.

After some careful deliberation and lots of research here on w_e, I bit the bullet and made a $100 purchase (more than I would have liked, but I think I can justify it):

Merkur 180 razor $31 for my large sized hands. Good reviews all around and price seemed comparable to the Edwin Jagger that was recommended.

VDH Men's Luxury Shave Set $32 I went with this set basically because I wanted a shaving mug. Also, I'm not convinced I could purchase each component separately and save more than a few dollars while retaining quality. The soap has great reviews, the brush seems decent (good for a starter brush) and the stand is bonus. If I purchased each component separately I might have been able to save a few dollars, but it's easier to start out with the kit, I think.

[This blade sampler] (http://www.amazon.com/FEATHER-Oclock-BLUEBIRD-Blade-Sampler/dp/B004UIZFQW/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1331009882&sr=1-2) $16 This was a recommended sampler on one of mpperry's links, I went with it because it's a good variety of brands I recognize from research and gives me more than one or two blades of each brand.

[This alum block] (http://www.amazon.com/Tulumba-Barber-Alum/dp/B000VXELII/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1331010211&sr=1-3) $8 incl shipping Again, found this through research. Alum block was said to be a non-essential, but I have sensitive skin and it sounds like alum will help me with razor burn and dryness. Plus, I figure, if I'm making the change, might as well go whole-ish hog.

Finally, This nick stick $8 because I know I'll screw up a few times, and I can't be bleeding all over the ladies all the time.

I skipped an aftershave, mostly because I didn't want to pay for shipping. I can probably find a decent one at Walgreens or something.

Although I didn't buy many of the things mpperry recommended in his awesome comment, I plan to use those things in the future when I'm no longer a beginner. Better soaps, better blades and better brushes are in my future, when I'm getting better shaves!

Shipment should arrive over spring break, I figure that's a good time to learn. Can't wait!

There's nothing wrong with anything on your list. But IMO there's room for improvement.

I'm not a big fan of the Merkur 23c. It was my first DE and served me reasonably well, but better options have been introduced in recent years. In the same price range, you could get an Edwin Jagger DE8xxx or, for a bit more, a Muhle R89. A few years back those two companies collaborated on a new head design that's really, really good. Plus, they both tend to do a better job than Merkur with plating. Another option - that costs significantly less money - is a Maggard safety razor. It's a very recent introduction, patterned on the EJ/Muhle head, that gets uniformly positive reviews.

You could do better on the blade sampler, too. The one you've linked has ten each (too many) of four types (too few) of blade. I like this sampler. Yeah, it costs more, but you're getting a wider variety of more expensive blades.

I like Proraso and use it often (both the green and the red). But IMO most people don't really need a pre-shave, and many of those who benefit from it find that a $2 bar of glycerin soap works as well as or better than more expensive products.

Finally, your list doesn't include a brush. I'd recommend an [Omega boar] (http://www.amazon.com/White-Handled-Omega-Professional-Shaving/dp/B000CB8Q4Y) or, if you want to go with badger, a Whipped Dog silvertip.

If you've got an Amazon gift certificate you need to use, most of the stuff I've recommended is available there. But if you're just in it for the quick shipping, I can't recommend the folks at Maggard highly enough. They ship very promptly, so the only question is how long it will take a priority mail package to make it from their shop to your door. IMO there's no better introduction to DE shaving than their budget starter kit and a blade sampler pack. Plus, the owners are nice folks and active participants on this sub.

This tends to upset people, but if you're interested in a straight razor but feeling uncertain about it, I recommend starting with a shavette:

http://www.amazon.com/Parker-SR1-Stainless-Straight-Razor/dp/B002PQZEHQ

At just $20 it's a lot cheaper than a real straight razor, it's much easier since you don't have to worry about doing any sharpening yourself, and you get a feel for how a straight razor differs from a DE.

The reason many people disagree with this is because they believe the shavette is fundamentally different from the straight razor. "Shavettes are not entry-level straight razors" they say. "The optimal blade angle is different." "You can't hone and strop your shavette to your liking." "They don't weigh the same as a real straight razor." "They aren't as forgiving as a real straight razor."

Honestly I think these arguments are misguided. Shavettes make excellent entry-level straight razors because they teach you the most important things about shaving with a straight razor as opposed to a cartridge or DE: blade angle, and stroke direction. Blade angle is something that most DEs don't give you much flexibility on, while both straights and shavettes do. By stroke direction I mean that unlike a DE, which is like a straight extension of your hand, the straight razor or shavette sticks out of your hand at a 90 degree angle. It's a different feeling and different physical movement. If you can't master either of these with a shavette, then you won't be able to do it with a real straight. So why not start with a $20 shavette instead of a $100 straight (+extra for strop, etc.)?

The rest is completely irrelevant to a beginner:

1. It doesn't matter that the blade angle is different. Using a shavette doesn't train you to use a specific angle. It teaches you how to find the right angle for a given blade and situation. This is an important point because the "best" angle with a real straight--and a shavette--differs depending on whether you are going with the grain, across the grain, or against the grain. The important thing is to gain a feel for how the angle of the blade affects your results, and to be able to alter the angle as needed.
   
   
2. When you first start out you won't have a clue how to hone and strop. It's much better to have a perfectly sharp blade every time so you learn proper shaving technique. Once you have that down, then you can learn proper honing and stropping technique and you will have the shaving experience to know when you are doing it right.
   
   
3. The weight of the blade is largely irrelevant. Different straight razors have different weights too, and in any case this is very easy to adapt to. In my opinion this is literally a non-issue.
   
   
4. There is no such thing as a "forgiving" blade. If you have bad technique, are clumsy, careless, or drunk, you will cut yourself. It's just a matter of time. Shavettes aren't out to get you, and real straight razors will not save you from your own bad behavior.
   
   
   Ok fellas, bring it on. Just remember that I'm trying to save this guy $80+ and the nightmare of having a bad shave and trying to figure out if it's his shaving technique, honing technique, or stropping technique (or some combination) that's to blame.
   
   TLDR: If you are interested in a straight my advice is to start with a Parker SR1 first.

Sure. I will offer up this as a super cheap example of a decent way to start. It will provide a decent shave at a very reasonable price and you can always upgrade later if you decide that you want to.

Razor. It is cheap as hell, but works surprisingly well.

Blades. Buying a sample pack is a great way to decide on a blade that suits you. Every blade is different for everyone. A blade that works wonders for me may leave you with razorburn or stubble and vice versa. Unlike most things cost is not indicitive of how good a blade is.

Brush. Some people prefer badger hair brushes, some people prefer boar bristle. I like both and I use both. This is a decent boar bristle brush for someone starting out. The more that boar is used, the softer it gets.

Soap. Believe it or not you can easily spend hundreds a year on soaps and creams alone if you decide you want to try everything out there. Proraso soap is a great one for a beginner though, easy to lather, slick, and protective. It gives a nice tingle to your face due to the menthol so that is something to be aware of though.

For under $45 you can get started with a full kit. For under $25 if you just want the razor and some blades.

Now here is my favorite setup

Razor. The Merkur 39c has a head that holds the blade at a slant, enabling it to cut more like a guillotine. This is good for someone like me that has very tough and wiry beard hair.

Blades. Astra Superior Platinum razor blades are my favorite. Each one will last me for 3-4 days of shaving. Remember, a blade that works for me may not work for you. Blades are a trial and error thing.

Brush. I have more expensive brushes, but this brush is my favorite. Very soft, yet has enough stiffness to easily whip up a lather and it holds tons of water.

Soap. This is a shave stick. You rub the soap on your face and then use your brush to build a lather. This listing is for 15 shave sticks. A single stick can easily last 6-9 months.

For about 130 bucks you can make a big jump in quality. The majority of costs involved are in the razor itself and a more expensive brush. If I wanted I could spend upwards of 200 dollars on a stainless steel razor and over 500 dollars on high end silvertip badger hair brush. As I have mentioned before, this hobby is as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be.

I hope this helps.

If you HAVE to buy from Amazon.ca, the Parker 24C and the Edwin Jagger DE89 are available as /u/ketchuegrast mentioned. I'll put the links at the end of this post.

Italian Barber is in Canada and has some awesome choices for brushes, razors, and soaps, but they charge in US dollars. The products are for sure shipped from Canada however.

The Badger Shaving Co is based in Vancouver and payment is in Canadian dollars. I would say if your mom is hesitant, that could be your best chance to convince her to buy from a smaller merchant with better products. They have the Sterling synthetic brushes, a wide selection of artisan soaps, and some really good starter kits that include razors.

Mens Essentials is in Canada and payment is in Canadian dollars too... and they have a store if you live in that area, but it's a big country, so I'm guessing that's not going to be an option. ;)

If she still says Amazon or nothing you can always get your razor from Amazon and then pick up some Proraso soap from a Shopper's Drug Mart. Most malls also have House of Knives, and they sell Taylor of Old Bond St shaving cream for a good price. That might be easier for you to learn to lather with hard water too.

Feel free to PM me if your mom wants to email me about Badger Shaving and I'd be happy to answer any questions. A guy named Travis owns the company and he is awesome, so he would of course answer any questions as well.

Here are links to what I would say are the 2 best starter razors on Amazon.ca

http://www.amazon.ca/Edwin-Jagger-De89lbl-Double-Safety/dp/B002RBF1PO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452910352&sr=8-1&keywords=DE89

http://www.amazon.ca/Parker--Three-Double-Safety-Razor/dp/B00IDDW4Y6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452909274&sr=8-1&keywords=parker+24C

I believe the term you are seeking is "Zero Waste" living, or something close to.

Researching a bit of "zero waste" living products may help you get started with some ideas! I find a lot of material on youtube about zero waste living and am dabbling into the reality of the lifestyle myself. I am not sure if you are a man or woman, or what kinds of products you do use in your bathroom (toiletries, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, etc.) But I figured I would offer a few of my favorite alternatives to common items that you may look into.

Safety razors. Disposable razors/plastic handles with replaceable heads are convenient, yet highly wasteful and overall expensive to maintain. There are lots of stainless steel safety razors on the market with the feature of removable blades (of which you replace and recycle once your current blade has fulfilled it's purpose). Safety razors range from about $25- $50 and can last up to a lifetime. The replaceable razor blades can be found for very cheap (their lifetime lasts according to your usage). Here are amazon links to exemplary items:

Safety Razor: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NL0T1G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_boeIybWZE9JXX

Safety Razor Blade Replacements: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QY8QXM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WoeIybSASAFBK

Homemade deodorant and/or natural sustainable deodorants: These can be tricky to get started with. Most commercial deodorants use aluminum to block your sweaty glands and completely block the process of perspiration. So, I urge you to take on natural deodorants with patience and give different methods a chance to work for themselves.

You can make your own, in a glass jar with ingredients that are less harmful to your body and this may be the best method to find something that aligns with your own body chemistry. A typical recipe for homemade deodorant would be 1 part coconut oil to 1 part bicarbonate soda (baking soda). BICARBONATE SODA MAY IRRITATE YOUR UNDERARMS. For the first couple weeks of usage, you may experience irritation of your glands purging the aluminum blockage and other toxins built up over time. Baking soda may also cause irritation to those who shave quite frequently, however I have found that applying this mixture at least 30 minutes after I shaved armpits in the shower, that I am less likely to get slight itchiness, if any at all. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY IF THIS METHOD IS NOT TOLERABLE FOR YOU.

If you are not keen on the idea of slathering on some good old homemade, Hippie salve, then Piperwai AND Schmidt's are popular brands with minimal packaging that seem to work for majority of people. These two products still contain bicarbonate soda, but will save you the convenience of not making your own. There are plenty of zero waste options that do not contain bicarbonate soda, but I have found luck with this formula and haven't looked beyond to seek anything else. Again, youtube is a good resource for finding such.

Piperwai Deodorant: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011SM7IGM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FweIyb6Z2E2RM

Schmidt's Deodorant: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018K3HD62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fxeIybH035978

As for soaps, there are many wonderful body, face, and hair soaps available on the market today. Investing in simple bars with paper packaging or reusable storage may be the best option for avoiding excess packaging. There are lots of options available either on Etsy, at your city Whole Foods, or there are usually natural soap options that can be found quite locally at farmers markets and such hopefully in your hometown. Personal preference will go into certain decision making with soaps but bars are usually the best way to avoid said packaging.

Hopefully this offered a small bit of help and information to help you get started in your journey towards minimalism and green-thumb consciousness! Good luck!

Check out a Merkur safety razor (https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Long-Handled-Safety-Razor/dp/B000NL0T1G) and a sample blade pack from amazon.

Get an inexpensive shaving brush to start with to see how you like it, but eventually drop more money on a nice brush. Spend $10-$15 to start then expect to drop $50+ on a nice pure badger hair brush in a few months. The badger brush that I bought for like $70 I still have with me 4-5 years later (although admittedly I don't shave terribly often). Once you get that pricey brush, get a cheap plastic holder for it as well - keep the bristles pointing down instead of up - after using it leaving them facing upwards allows the water to settle around the base and weaken the glue holding in the bristles, ultimately destroying your expensive brush. Not good.

Check out Proraso soaps in a bowl - more convenient than paste or anything else, I've found. They have multiple types, here's my favorite as it makes my face a little tingly: https://www.amazon.com/Proraso-Shaving-Soap-Refreshing-Toning/dp/B00837YY18

If you prefer your own bowl, Proraso makes a paste and you can get a mug or bowl to mix it in - I found I preferred the ready-to-go stuff as it's faster and makes it more likely I'll shave regularly. :)

Then, after you've done all that and realized it's the best shave you've ever done and it's actually way more fun to shave than you ever thought it'd be, go for a straight razor. Don't do an actual blade, strop, and all that stuff right away. Instead, just go get a disposable straight razor blade holder and some blades: https://www.amazon.com/Equinox-Professional-Straight-Single-Blades/dp/B0118BJ0PA and learn how to use that thing. Then if you're like me and shave once every week or two (super lazy!) you can literally take weeks of beard off in a single pass with a straight razor and a fresh blade. I stopped here, personally, didn't go on to a full straight razor as they're pricey and you need to maintain it (oil, strop, etc) - likely something I'd let slide and ultimately wish I hadn't spent the money on...

Also, get a styptic pencil: https://www.amazon.com/Woltra-Styptic-Pencil-Small-0-25/dp/B000EGIEOE - it stings a bit when you cut yourself but almost immediately stops the bleeding. Unlike cuts/nicks with a multiblade razor, cuts with a safety razor or straight razor are actual "cuts" - and they bleed like cuts. Like, "blood trickling down your face" type cuts. They look worse than they are because you have water on your face and it thins the blood and it runs more, but it bleeds. This will stop that bleeding really fast at the expense of a little more pain right up front. I keep one handy.

I've turned several friends on to at least the safety razor. It's way more fun to shave that way, less expensive, and is better for your skin to boot. If you like a really close shave, too, you can get a better shave overall with a 3-pass technique (I don't do that, personally) as you get better. All sorts of options...

edit: mentioned the brush holder
edit2: styptic pencil

Awesome! All right, here we go.

Razors:

The difference between men and women's razors is that women's have longer handles and a smaller aperture for the blade. Men's usually have a wavy little comb bit that lifts up their thicker beard hair to cut.

The one I personally recommend is the Weishi. It's $17 bucks, and the metal is really light, but I ended up getting used to that fairly quickly. Not a big initial investment and perfectly adequate for my needs.

I see Murker recommended fairly often. I hear they are okay, if overpriced. I personally hated it, lol. They are definitely geared towards beards and did not play nice with my pale little legs.

You could also go for the vintage Lady Gillette. I paid $30 for mine on ebay and it's got a nice long handle, good grip, and nice weighty metal. This was actually my first purchase and I'm still really happy with it. Considering I'm happy with the Weishi, though, I'd probably just repurchase that one if I ever lose mine.

Blades:

Now this one might take some trial and error. Everyone has different hair and different skin and every razor brand shaves a little differently.

A lot of people start off with a multipack to get a feel for the different blades and then narrow it down to brands they like. I think it's a great idea and probably your best bet. I'll still mention my experiences though.

STAY AWAY FROM DORCO. They are bullshit. I'm not a fan of Gillette brand blades either except for the Wilkinson Sword and they're kind of expensive at $20 for 100. Derby is also just okay.

Feather: give the sharpest, closest shave ever. So sharp that you can cut yourself and you won't even notice until the trail of blood starts going down the drain. Great blades, and a ton of people like them, but I found that they dull too quickly for leg real-estate and are too scary sharp for sensitive bits.

Voskhod: Sharp, reliable, lasts through a few shavings. I quite like this one and have repurchased it. They are good, solid razors that gave a decent shave. Good for all-over.

Shark: My favorite at the moment. Comparable to Voskhod except I feel they might give a slightly closer shave and dull a little bit faster. If I had both in the bathroom I would probably choose Shark for the legs and Voskhod for everywhere else.

Astra: Worked adequately. Shave isn't bad or great, just reliable. Worked on the legs but not as good in other places. Wasn't worth a repurchase.

Lord: I think these actually lasted the most shaves out of all of them, at about 4 uses per blade. I think I had the least incidence of cuts with these but the shave wasn't as close as I wanted. My shaves usually last two or three days with the other razors but with this one I was feeling it lasted only 1-2. I think these are literally the opposite of the Feathers in terms of their qualities.

​

M'kay, that's all I can think of for now. I hope this helps!

For me, blades last about 4 uses. And it was just using them and paying attention. Occasionally I'll shave 5-6 times, or only 2-3, if I forget how many times I've used them. To me it was pretty obvious when they were no longer sufficient for the job, and you'll learn as you go. The nice thing about that though, is that they're dirt cheap. I ordered a sampler pack, and tried probably 10-15 different blades before I settled on Astra Superior Platinum, and for me, and the razor I have, it's all I need.

This pack of 100 blades is 11 dollars.

That's about .11 cents per blade. For me that's around 400 shaves, give or take. And considering I shave at most every 2nd-4th day, at worst, that's ~30 blades per year. That's a three and a half years worth of blades almost.

I used to shave with a Mach3, and I liked the turbo blades. A 5 pack is 17.97 at walmart right now, or 3.59/blade. At best I could get 4 shaves, so lets do that math. I can get about 20 shaves out of a pack, and ~120 shaves a year. 6pks/year for 3.5 years is 377.37

Now I paid about 30 dollars for my razor, and I buy cheap van der hagen soap at walgreens, which is about 2 bucks, and 2 pucks I can fit in my bowl, lasts me about 4-6 months, depending on how crazy I get making lather. Plus after shave, I use Nivea sensitive skin, and use it as a pre-shave oil, and a post shave. I subscribe to amazon, and get 4 bottles every 6 mos for 18 bucks.

I've also bought 2 brushes, a boar brush(which was fantastic to learn on), and a nice badger brush from The Art of Shaving(great sale). Oh, and a large Alum block(which you may or may not want, but I love)

There's misc crap here and there, but my initial investment, over the course of just 1 year is not even 200 dollars, and now the only thing I need to spend money on in the next 2-3 years is shave soap. Which is 8-12 bucks a year, and aftershave, which is 36.

50 bucks a year for a shave that is something I now look forward too, it's a pleasure. I grab a frosty cold beer, take a wonderfully hot and relaxing shower, do all my pre-save prep(I prefer pampering), and then shave, post-shave pamper, and then relax. The whole process takes about 30-45 minutes, because I like to take my time and make sure I'm doing the best I can. It's marvelous. Compared to probably 400/year for canned cream and a shitty plastic razor, the choice to me is an obvious one.

Now it's easy to go overboard, and I made sure I felt comfortable, but I'm going to get another razor(if Joe at RR/IB can get that slant figured out), and different bowls, and mugs for lathering etc, and I'm determined to start trying different soaps, and scents, but even still, I'm satisfied immensely with my shaves now, and even going overboard, I'll never reach the cost of cartridge razors.

Any particular reason you want to order from amazon? Ordering from other vendors focused on wetshaving could give you a better deal...

Feedback on the items:

• Merkur razors are good, but DE89 is generally regarded around here as a better starting razor. Cheaper at Maggardrazors or West coast shaving. Or rather, any of the DE89/86/83/8x, since they're basically the same razor and head, just small differences in the handle. But I personally started out with a Merkur 34C, same head as the 180, just a shorter handle. So the 180 would probably work fine if you fancy it for some reason.
  
  
  
• Personally I understand that you want to stick to one blade while learning, but I'm not sure about the use of a sampler pack then. Generally advice is to start shaving and try each blade twice until you find one that suits you, and then stick with that brand during your "trial" period. While learning that is. Bulk blades are cheaply avaliable from ebay (trusted sellers with many sales is a recommendation) or Turkish Bestshave
  
  
  
• I really dislike Pure badger brushes and will always recommend Boar brushes or a better badger brush instead. I'd recommend something along these lines: Omega boar brush, or a good value badger brush, Frank Shaving, Ian Tang on ebay, Silvertip, Frank Shaving, Ian Tang on ebay, Finest, or any Whipped Dog Silvertip
  
  
• I personally find proraso to be a solid shaving soap/cream, but there's plenty of other good ones out there :).
  
  
• I also really like the proraso aftershave balm, good stuff.
  
  
• Sample pack, see the above comment.
  
  
• Some form of styptic pencil or alum block is a good idea. Haven't tried that brand though, but /u/Leisureguy (?) recommends it, which I'd say is enough for me to believe it's a good product (I think it's Leisureguy that recommends it, if I'm wrong I apologies)
  
  
• Glycerine soap works as a preshave, just as any other preshave oil/cream.
  
  You could also check out this recent comment I made about starting kit, probably applies here as well :).
  
  When it comes to shaving stuff /u/Leisureguy is a pretty solid guy who knows his stuff, if he says something is bad, you probably should trust him ;). Avoid that VDH stuff, there's better value alternatives out there. The sites I've linked is just examples, there's plenty of good sites out there and depending on where you're based, different retailers and deals might be better for you. If you wonder about anything in particular, just ask :).

/r/wicked_edge has lots of great advice. I'll boil a lot of it down for you though..

1. Stop using the 17-bladed nuclear-powered vibrating cartridge monsters with extra lubricating strip and kung-fu grip. Similarly, no electric shavers. They're really electric hair-ripper-outers. Not kidding. Kick it old school, like your grandfather. Look at a double-edge safety razor, or if you're really looking to go all-in, consider a straight razor.
   
   
2. Think about your shaving cream. Does it come out of a can using aerosol? Maybe rethink that too then. Plenty of options out there that don't involve chemical-laden aerosol-propelled goo. You can even really turn the clock back with a cup/bowl/mug and brush setup to whip up a nice lather. I'm a fan of Taylor of Old Bond Street. But, I've also used DR Harris products, and they're quite nice as well. One of the side benefits of my former job was all the trips to London, so I could just stop into the ToBS shop on Jermyn Street. Sadly, those days are past, so I rely on the kindness of co-workers that still go over. :) It's easy enough to get their products in the US, it just costs a bit more.
   
   
3. If you go the DE route, get a sample pack of different blades. Different blades work differently on different guys. For me, Derby blades are death. For others, they're amazing. For me, I work well with Astra, or can manage Feathers if I'm really careful (they're super sharp). My best blade though, has been a Personna medical prep blade.
   
   
4. Shave in passes. Do a with-the-grain pass, followed by an across-the-grain pass. If you're really not there yet, you can add an against-the-grain pass, but that's a pretty advanced move. Remember - you're doing multiple passes. You don't need to remove every bit of hair the first pass. You don't press the razor into your face (as you're probably used to!). This razor has heft, and a blade that's really sharp. You're accustomed to a lightweight razor that has blades that are as dull as a hunk of cardboard compared to your garden variety DE blade.
   
   
5. Use a quality aftershave. Try to avoid ones that contain alcohol, as it dries out the skin. I love the Nivea sensitive skin stuff. I can get it for way cheaper than that link shows at Walgreens, Target or Wegmans though.
   
   Many folks will try to sell you on the economics here, and how much money you'll save by shaving this way. While possible, it's not necessarily so. One can go bonkers and spend hundreds on the best gear if they wish. BUT, you don't have to.
   
   For me, I use a $30 brush from whippeddog.com with a $5 mug from Target. My cream (ToBS Jermyn St) runs about $15 a tub, which lasts me probably 6-9 months. My daily shaver is a $30 Edwin Jagger, and my blades run about $30 for a 100-pack. I get 2-3 shaves from each blade.
   
   If you run the numbers, you'll likely come out ahead by going to DE, get better shaves, and have better skin as well. It sure was cheaper for me. I used to go through a cartridge a week. So, that's 4 carts a month. I was spending $30-ish every other month on 8-packs of cartridges, or about $3.75 per week. Nowadays, that's 2 blades a week, at ~$0.30/blade, that's $0.60/week in blades. That's a massive savings alone.
   
   You can do the ROI analysis for yourself. Take into account what you'd spend on shaving supplies, and calculate at which points the cost lines cross (ie break-even).

I've not used that kit, but it seems to be unavailable in any case. The $11 Utopia Care razor is actually good and certainly a good price (though not quite so good a price as this razor---and it, too, is a good razor though it lacks the comforting heft of the Utopia Care).

The Merkur is not stainless steel, despite that info. It's not a bad razor, but for most the Edwin Jagger is better: EJ formerly used the Merkur head but a few years back adopted a design they developed in cooperation with Mühle, and (obviously) they worked on the design until they felt the head was better. (No sense in dropping a good head for an inferior head.) All EJ razors use the new head, the only differences being handles (and prices). Take a look at the EJ Kelvin razor, for example:

The Omega Pro 48 is a good brush. Wet the knot well under the hot-water tap before you shower and the brush will be ready when the shower's done. New boar brushes don't hold lather well---the lather tends to die in the first few shaves---but they break in quickly and performance is much improved within a week, especially if you make a series of practice lathers (which can also wash out any funky smell).

I agree that the l'Occitane Plisson Synthetic is a very good brush---and synthetics don't require breaking in. OTOH, it costs 3 times what the Omega Pro 48 costs, and the Pro 48 is a fine brush (especially after the first week or two).

The necessary items are; razor, brush, cream/soap, and blade sampler pack. For aftershave you can use whatever you currently have, but if you don't have anything you can pick up Nivea sensitive aftershave balm from your local supermarket for $5.

There are preshave creams, oils, and soaps. These are not necessary, but some users do find them helpful. A cheap glycerin soap like the "clearly natural" or "whole foods 365" can be had for about 2-3 dollars. You use these soaps to wash your face before you start lathering.

For post shave there is; alum block, afershave splash, aftershave balm, moisturizing cream, moisturizing oil like jojoba oil, unrefined shea butter, and witch hazel. You pretty much have to try which works for you, but I'd start with a cheap aftershave balm like the Nivea sensitive that I mentioned (if you get satisfactory results with it you don't have to explore the other options unless you want to).

For bowl lathering you can use any small sized bowl you have in your house. Approximately 2-3 inches deep and 4-6 inches in diameter would be a good size for the bowl. You can also purchase one from your local supermarket for cheap. Alternatively you can face lather which removes the need for a bowl.

--------------

HERE is what I recommend for DE kit. Mainly posting that for all the information links in that post, I recommend you check them out.

Below is a UK specific suggestion:

• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89, DE86, or DE87. (just the handles are different) £20.
  
• Brush: Omega 40033 'Mighty Midget' boar brush £5.70
  
• Blade sampler: 10 brands 65 blades £9.90
  
• Shaving cream/soap: Tesco sells Palmolive shaving cream for £1.80 or Palmolive shaving stick £0.50 (might be available at ASDA).
  
  
• ASDA, and Boots should sell "The real shaving company" shaving cream (might be called "Groomed"). The real shaving company shaving cream can be purchased from Connaughtshaving as well.
  
  Total: about £40 (including shipping).
  
  ---------
  
  If you are on a super tight budget you can switch the Edwin Jagger razor to 'Boots' plastic handle DE razor. They sell it for about £3. I have not personally tried it myself, but others have said it to be decent. The Sodial razor is available through Amazon.uk too.
  
  Lastly if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.
  
  Edit: the Connaughtshaving 'popular' blade sampler seems to be out of stock. You could order the sampler from nkdman.co.uk they have free shipping.

My girlfriend and I have identical body-hair rituals so, I speak for two women here:

​

Armpit hair - We both remove it all the time, I mean it takes 2 seconds.

Leg hair - Also consistently shave, but if we're wearing pants a lot (winter) we aren't weird about some leg stubble. We are a hairy leg democracy and vote on when we will shave so nobody werewolves alone.

Pube hair - Trim neatly. We both shave the bikini line and the top to keep a nice triangle , and use an electric razor to trim the rest of it down to a neat length, but we don't remove it all ever.

​

​

Side note: I highly recommend safety razors, specifically The Lady Gillette - you will save mountains of money. It costs $20-$30 (can be found on eBay), and then the blades cost actual pennies. Example, less than $10 for 100 blades - you could easily use less than 1 blade per week, making this last 2+ years. TEN DOLLARS EVERY TWO YEARS. You can stop buying those overpriced cartridges that were only invented to make you spend more money,

Plus, the shave is superior anyway, and it's convenient. It's so nice being able to take the razor out mid-shave (say, if I let things get a little bad) and hit the blade and the head with water and go back with a perfectly unclogged blade. I've been using mine for over a year, and made my girlfriend buy one immediately and she has never looked back either. Seriously my friends, worth it - happy to answer any questions.

​

Guide to budget-buying for your first safety razor? Yes. As a matter of fact, this is the biggest advantage of shaving the old way: Supplies are quite cheap (though enthusiasts can quickly spend quite a lot of money on fancy brushes and hand-made razors). Go to Amazon, and look at these:

Silver Tone DE Razor -- For the money, you can't really beat this razor. I have one, and it works as it ought to. You might pick up an antique for no more than a couple bucks at a yard sale or antique shop; but give this a try if you can't be arsed.

Williams Mug Shaving Soap -- Works well enough; best when lathered on the puck. Cheapest you can buy.

Luxor Pro Badger Brush -- It's cheap. But it works. It will probably start losing bristles and thus wear out after a year or two; YMMV. If you want to get something a little nicer that will last a good long while, plan to spend at least $25 on a shaving brush; boar are better for the cheaper brushes but badger are the best if they are quality.

Most recommend getting one of the blade sampler packs on Amazon if you don't know what you like shaving with. These cost $12-30 or so, depending on how many blades are in them. If you're looking to go really cheap, get a 100 pack of Derby blades for $8. You can get a five pack of cheap blades for as little as $1, but I can't vouch for the effectiveness of those.

All told, this combo will cost you around $18.92, and you'll have adequate shaving supplies to last you for a couple years (depending on how much soap you use).

In time you'll want to upgrade things, of course; but this will do you well.

I've been using my 6S without issue for over a year now. It's been great, but I'm looking forward to see how the Model T compares to it when it finally arrives. I've passed on my "extra" razors to my dad as he became interested in wetshaving as well. At the very least he loves the great Maggards synthetic brush.


It's pretty nice being settled on a razor and not needing to look at new ones anymore. The only downside is I'm considering ordering a second Model T to hold as a future gift before the price doubles.


And to answer your question, I'd recommend giving Feathers a try, especially since you have them there. I used to use only Personna Blues with the 6S, but switched to Feathers a few months ago and have really nice shaves with them.

I am a sweaty person. I have tried all the name brand antiperspirants/deodorants. After years of crusted yellow/white stained shirts, I realized that my body seemed to compensate with more sweat, plugged up under the arms, it surfaced on my back and head. Clinical/prescription strength antiperspirants only added to the problem, and my white tees took the damage. Later I found out people, myself included, actually use too much, you only need a super thin amount applied to your underarms, don't go about it like frosting a cake.

Also thinking about the potential harm of aluminum based antiperspirants (you absorb everything through your skin), I moved on to some natural deodorants (brands like Toms) but they just didn't seem to work so well, but i did notice when I applied less deodorant, or didn't altogether, my sweat began to lessen in severity. Anytime I actually smelled (like after yardwork or a any long day in the sun), it was time for a shower anyways. After I was properly applying a thin coat, I settled on Arm & Hammers Essential Deodorant that began to alleviate my problems, notably with my clothing. No more yellow crusty shirts!

But how about some deodorant that will last you several years? Try a Thai Deodorant Stone, I've had this baby for a year now and I can attest that it works great. Nowadays I apply this to my underarms from time to time and lightly powder my feet and groin with a mix of cornstarch and talc. Life is much better now.

TLDR: Use less antiperspirant and try a deodorant stick without aluminum, like Arm & Hammer Natural Essentials, or try a Thai Deodorant Stone cause it rules. Also try applying talc/cornstarch to areas you get moist

And while we're on the topic of saving money on everyday hygienic activities, consider a safety razor (refill blades are $10 for 100 compared to $20 for 8) some nice sandalwood shave soap (I've had this bowl for a year and it doesn't really look like any is gone) and a nice aftershave (I get lots of compliments on the particular scent of this one from those who get close enough to smell it) I always use an after shave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging...

Before I started shaving like this, I had a bit of an acne problem and some parts of my face where I would get spots of dry skin, it's gone now. My skin is mostly clear. You're gonna get a much better shave that doesn't irritate your skin and save a ton of money when you think about the cost of Gillete Quadruple edged razors, plus how much more badass is it to shave like this? This is how your grandpa shaved. The upfront investment is a badger brush, which I called an investment because a good one will last you a lifetime.

That's my hygiene ramble.

Honestly I think you'd see a lot more success with a cheap badger hair brush and some shave soap (Proraso Shaving Soap In A Bowl - Refresh, 5.2 Oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00837YY18/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Eb6qDbAN1EM1M)

I switched about 8 years ago and I'd estimate I've saved at least $400 in shave supplies. (Let's say minimum 2 cartridge packs a year at $25 each). For that alone I'd keep doing it but I also have a significantly better shave.

Another item that might improve your success is the actual razor. I've tried a bunch and these work best (Astra Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades ,100 Blades (20 x 5) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QY8QXM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Bi6qDbR9FZ5HN)

Anywho...be glad to help further if you need...good luck!!

Taylor of Old Bond Street and Geo F Trumper are both London-based companies with a very good reputation here. Both companies offer a sandalwood variety of shave soap. For around £10 you should be able to get a 6 oz soap of either in a plastic tub, or you can upgrade to Geo F Trumper in a wooden bowl for about £20.

Edwin Jagger is a company based out of Sheffield that offers very nice razors for around £20. Any that start with DE8_ are good, they all have the same head... it just comes down to the handle for example DE86 has a faux-ebony handle but DE89 is all chrome... the cutting head is the same on both.

A silvertip (highest quality) badger brush will run you at least £20, so as you can probably start to see, getting a soap, brush, and razor all for £30-40 will be tricky. If you downgrade to a boar brush you can get one for about £10 which will bring all 3 products to about £40. A boar brush isn't "worse", it's just different -- many people prefer it over badger. It's also more humane as the badgers need to be killed to harvest their hair. Otherwise you will need to start getting into lower-quality soaps and razors to offset the cost of the badger brush, or spend at least an extra tenner.

For example here are some amazon.co.uk links for you, there are probably other UK-based shaving websites that carry all these as well, or if you live in a major city you might even have a physical shave shop:

Razor

Shaving soap

Boar brush (personally I would look for one with a wooden handle though, I think it's classier than the plastic. If you want to stick with plastic, they come in a variety of colours)

I intentionally picked British-made products for you since you want to incorporate strong traditional and classic themes, but other companies like Merkur (German), Gillette (American), Parker (Indian) also make good razors that you might want to take a look at. I'm also assuming you want a brand new razor and not something vintage. Proraso is a nice Italian soap I use myself that will probably cost you £5 if the others are a bit too expensive.


You can add in an aftershave but that will again be another £10 or so, same with a bowl. If you want something classic and like an aftershave, I'd pick up an alum block instead. It's a naturally-occuring mineral that acts as an astringent and antiseptic -- you run it over your face after shaving to close your pores and prevent razor bumps, etc. Brand generally doesn't matter, it's all the same chunk of rock. I think a bowl is an unnecessary extra cost, any cereal bowl or latte mug can be used. If anything, just go to a charity shop and pick out the nicest mug you can get for £1-2. The bowl is used to produce your lather... you swirl the brush on the soap for 30-60 seconds to load it, and then transfer to the bowl and the lather will grow into something like a normal shaving cream when you stir it for a couple minutes. You can also lather directly onto your face or in the palm of your hand if preferred too.

If he has any questions on how to use the stuff, just direct him our way :)

/r/wicked_edge for alot of info but I just started shaving alone at 31! I started with a Shavette too so pretty hard. But my ritual works like a charm.

1. Take a hot shower.
   
2. when you are done. come out and wash your face with some Glycerene soap . Any some with the same contents works. I leave it for around 1 mins. Then apply shaving cream lather on top of it.
   
3. Time to make some lather! use a brush it helps moisturizing and massaging the lather into your beard and pores. Two types of Brushes:
   
   

• Synthetic hair brush. option one. Good option 2 cheaper Just keep in mind if you go synthetic then buy shaving creap and not soap.
  
• Boar/Badger - You will need to pay up here. I went Silvertip Badger which is the finest but with the cheapest brush. This has a whole different prep so PM if you wanna shell out a few extra bucks but live in bliss. keep in mind that Synthetic is just as good.
  
  
• Buy a shaving bowl or any soap bowl will do, take your brush into the soap/cream. For soaps creams buy something with Glycerine1 My favorite scent is this one 2. See this video to make lather
  
  

4. Shave. With the grain or across as a beginner. A good Double edge safety razor to start with some blades very sharp so careful
   
   
5. When you are done splash your face with some cold water onceor twice. Use an alum block around your face. If it burns alot it means you were too rough on that area. After that a splash of with hazel.
   
   
6. Wait a few mins and use some nivea sensitive after shave balm
   
   Remember always pat your face with the towel to dry. Dont rub.
   
   Tips on how to shave with a DE are plentiful on youtube.
   
   Enjoy. Feel like a Boss.

There are some that cost 100 but you can find a great one for much cheaper, like around 50-60. Read some reviews off the internet and make sure it has a grated handle, if it doesn't have a grated handle it becomes very slippery when when wet. The other things is that different razors do better with different blades but I've yet to find a razor that doesn't work great with either feather blades or the Astra superior platinum so I would recommend buy a small pack of each to try.


I bought this one for less than 20 bucks for travel and it works really well with feather blades. It doesn't have the nice weight you get from a higher quality razor and the perfect blade stability, but it's still better than a cartridge razor and will get you started until you can save up for something better. When I get home I will send you some other things you should get.

https://www.amazon.com/WEISHI-Nostalgic-Handle-Butterfly-Double/dp/B00PKHIDRA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=Safety+razor&qid=1556324878&s=gateway&sr=8-3

I'd like to suggest an alternative list. I don't have a lot of experience with a ton of different safety razors, but I did have a cheapo safety razor I inherited from my grandpa (RIP), and after 3yrs I spent under $40 on an Edwin Jagger and the difference was staggering. I'm not one to suggest unloading a ton of money on anything, but I'd suggest your priorities are a bit skewed when you're spending less on your safety razor than you are on your alum block (which is hardly a necessity, comparatively. Some people don't even like them, although I do)...

Here's my alternative suggestion that adds up to roughly the same amount of upfront $$ (~$50 - 60), but sets your priorities toward getting a fantastic, albeit affordable safety razor that will last you your whole life:

Edwin Jagger ($40)
http://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Jagger-De89bl-Double-Safety/dp/B003LW4L2W/

There are others in this price range that are good as well. I can't speak to those, but I doubt anyone here will argue that the Edwin Jagger is not a top contender for its price point. It's very popular.

I'd hold off on buying blades today (unless you really want to) since the above safety razor comes with 5 which should get you buy for your first 20 shaves or so if you want them to.. but when you do, buying them 100x at a time for ~$10 seems to be the right price point (and it'll last you 5yrs if you're like me), unless you like fancy feather blades or something. I've never noticed a difference between vendors, but others have. YMMV. Here's what I have:
http://www.amazon.com/Derby-Extra-Double-Razor-Blades/dp/B004SGKMA0/

That brush seems like a good price point. over $10 but under $20 seems to be a good price point for a decent quality brush unless you know what you're looking for. Mine has lasted me 3yrs so far and has no visible signs of wear or hairs falling out. I'd expect it to last another 3 at the very least, but probably many more.

Alum block? Skip it if you want for the time being, but I'd get it if I were you since it's just $6. It's the same one I have and it does its job of closing up nicks very well.

Styptic pencil is like $1 (maybe $2) at CVS / Walgreens, IIRC, no need to get on amazon if you don't want. Definitely get one of these, just don't lose the damn thing. Sure beats little bits of toilet paper on your face for hours and hours.

You can also get a puck of William's shave soap at CVS for $2 link which will last you a long time. If you want to spend a few bucks extra on that Palmolive stuff because you know it'll be better for your individual skin, then go for it.

In short: Spend the money on the safety razor, which should last forever. Skimp on everything else, which will not last forever. That's my advice. I spent 3yrs shaving with a razor that I had no idea was as comparatively awful as a good one. I wish I had known better at the time, but unfortunately I did not, and had pretty shitty shaves and got lots of nasty cuts for 3yrs that could have been avoided.

I just got my shavette the other day. I've had 2 shaves with it and am a big fan so far. From what I've noticed, your preshave prep and technique are critical! A good preshave lotion/oil, a nice hot towel to the face, and a good quality soap are important so you're not fighting over poor prep AND the learning curve. Since you're using 1/2 of DE blades, you're pretty much using a brand new blade everytime, plus it has sharp corners so technique is a must. Accurate angles and no slips of the hand. As long as you take your time it can be a very relaxing shave just like DEs or SRs. Plus, obtaining a nice BBS shave with something that requires skill to achieve is very rewarding. I'm a fan.

I think they get a lot of hate from DE shavers because they require a lot more skill, and from the SR shavers because you're not honing, stropping, and caring for the steel yourself. Too hard for one group, too easy for the other. Personally, I just like to enjoy the act of shaving and have a nice smooth face all day.

First time poster here but there will be plenty more to come.

Duke Cannon Shave Cream: This is some pretty good stuff. I mainly got it because of the ingredients you get for the price. It's 6 oz for $13 which is pretty decent. I smell manly as all shit after I shave too but that's half the reason we're in this right?


It's ranked above Art of Shaving on an About.com review which sells at lower quantaties and higher prices. ($16 for 2.5 oz)


70s Gillette Super adjustable: Butterfly open, long handle, awesome. Do they even make anything better than this?

My grandpa gave me his collection of saftey razors. I also have a 40's Gold Tech, some 1920s comb guard ones, and some SE ones I don't remember the name/brand of. They're a bit burried now but I can get pics later.

Rooney Brush + Vintage Old Spice Shaving Mug: Two more hand me downs.


The mug is a shave mug, has the slots to hold the soap in place etc.


The rooney brush is an English made badger brush. I'd been using those crappy Van Der Hagen brushes from the drug store and the hairs would come out in chunks no matter how I hung it to dry. This vintage thing hasn't lost more than 2-3 hairs and I've been using it for over a year.

Astra Superior Platinum Blades: $10 for 100x blades that cut like lasers.

Alright the elephant in the room: weird packaging. These things are made in St. Petersburg, Russia, distrubuted by proctor and gamble czech republic, have arabic all over them, and somehow hungary is involved.

Honestly I don't know what to say other than these blades are the sharpest for the price you can possibly get. I've tried vintage gillete super blues, 40s gillette thins, modern wilkinsons, and they all pulled. With these I could shave my whole beard without trimming it (I did for a speech class).

It can be or it can't be. I started a couple of years ago (maybe 3?) and when I did, I spent about $120 for everything. Since then, I've spent a total of about $50. That includes blades and soap.

Really, to get started all you need is a razor and blades, then you can buy the soaps or creams piecemeal as you go. A lot of manufacturers will give you free (or cheap) samples of their products, so you can try before you buy.

My recommendations for starting out are:
razor
blades

You can get a cheaper razor, but I recommend a longer handle. You can also find nice older ones at antique shops for really cheap if you're willing to clean them up before using them. I'm not that patient, but maybe you are. The blades are a variety pack, so you can get an idea of what you like because they're all a little bit different. The last time I replaced my blades I bought these because they're really cheap (less than 10¢ per blade) and I like them a lot.

Eventually you might want to get a brush and some fancy soap, but I've seen brushes at Walmart for $5 or less.

There's a lot of fancy lingo that goes into wet shaving, but it's really not a whole lot different than using disposables. The only real differences are that you have to take better care of your skin (shucks), you don't have to press as hard with the razor, and you control the angle of the blade (a blessing and a curse.)

If you have any questions, please ask! There's also always the sidebars at /r/ladyshavers and /r/wicked_edge!

With regards to shaving: You can get a fantastic shave without relying on the overpriced multi-blade cartridge razors so popular these days. I'd recommend the following as you can acquire them:

1. A reasonably priced stainless steel old fashioned double-edged razor handle. Here is one example on Amazon that is cheap with good reviews
   
   
2. A brush for lather, especially badger hair. I use this one by Tweezerman, also on Amazon
   
   
3. A decent shaving soap/cream. I use the Bigelowe brand from Bath and Body works, which is often on a Buy 2, Get 1 sale and a $10 tube of this stuff will last you a LONG time. As a matter of fact, I have an extra tube of the stuff at the moment. If you think you're going to spring for the razor and brush, PM me with your address and if you're in the US I'll send it to you. You only need a toothpaste-sided dab of this stuff to work into a lather, and it had an excellent minty feeling against your face.
   
   
4. Double-edged razor-blades, and you can get sampler packs in order to try different ones and see what you like best. Check in at /r/wicked_edge for opinions of different brands. Most are very economical on a per-blade basis compared to the multi-blade cartridges so many people use these days.
   
   
   A few additional helpful hints:
   
   

• Shave right after a hot shower, it wets the hair, opens up the hair follicles and removes dirt and debris from your face that otherwise might detract from your shave.
  
  
• The red "bumps" on your face may well be shaving bumps. Quick question: do you have curly, kinky or "nappy" hair? Many seem to be of the opinion that double(or more)-bladed razors exacerbate this, because when you pull the cartridge across your face, the first blade snags many hairs, pulling them out slightly from the follicle, and the next blade cuts the hair, which then drops below the surface of the skin. This results in a seemingly very clean smooth shave.... for the first day. If your hair is tightly curled as it grows out though, some of the hairs will grow into the skin instead of smoothly out the follicle, resulting in shaving bumps during the days after your shave. Using razors with single blades, and shaving right after a hot shower should reduce this.
  
  
• If you're using an old-fashioned shave with lather that you work up with a brush instead of from a can, you don't need a shaving bowl. If you're right handed, use your left hand as a paddle surface to work up a lather on, kind of like Bob Ross and his paint palette.
  
  Best of luck!

Parker and Merkur make good razors. They're more expensive than something like you could get from Maggard but if you have free gift cards, what the hell.

Razor - Long handled Merkur

I have this Parker brush and I love it. It is pricy and doesn't really fall under "starter" or "budget" labels but it is a nice, soft brush. If you don't want to spent that much or you want boar there are plenty of other options out there.

Tons of blade samplers out there. Pick the one that fits your budget.

I recommend a cream to start with as opposed to a soap. Creams are super simple to build lather with. TOBS is always a good choice. My favorite from them is Eaton College. but they have SEVERAL scents in their lineup.

That's all you really need and it can all be purchased from Amazon. Happy shaving.

-DW

Hey man in the grand scheme of things, I'm pretty new to wet shaving in general. I went out and bought a Merkur Long Handle on a whim because I wanted to mix it up, and try something new. Plus, I thought it would be manly. Anyway, I discovered three things:

1. Wet shaving is a FAR BETTER SHAVE than ANYTHING I've tried before. I've tried all the various cartriage razors like Mach 3 etc etc. Not only is it far smoother (ladies love) but it's also a more comfortable shave. Less tugging and pulling
   
   
2. Far more manly. I've gotten compliments from women and men alike on the quality of my shave. Impressive I think.
   
   
3. It feels amazing. Like a man-spa-day for your face. The soaps and everything that go with it also smell really good.
   
   Ultimately you just gotta try it for yourself! It does take some technique to get it down well. However I will say I was shaving well enough to avoid bumps/cuts within a week or two!

Ditch the plastic razor and generic shaving cream. You can get an amazing, stubble free, longer lasting shave for way (WAY) cheaper by switching to a double edge razor.

Here is what I recommend:

DE razor: Merkur 37C Slant HD Safety Razor $40

Razor blades: Persona Israeli, Derby, Kai, Shark (100 Pk. $18) or Feathers. $20-$50 100 Pk.

Brush: Any brush from a local pharmacy. $5-$15

Soap: Wilkinson Sword, Proraso, or Williams. $3-$10

Mug: Any coffee mug is fine.

The razor will last you at least two life times, a 100 pack of razor blades should last you a couple of years, ditto for the brush, and the shaving soap will probably last a couple of months. The shave will be godly once you get the hang of it. Make sure to get a good lather and to shave at a slow pace.

I recommend lurking the Badger & Blade forum and watching the videos by mantic59. B&B is the best shaving resource in the Internet and mantic is a shaving god (and also a redditor!)

Once you are more experienced, I recommend getting a good badger shaving brushing and stepping up to the Feather razor blades. These blades can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Treat it with respect.

Watch this video to get started

Glad I saw this thread. It's my time to shine.

I am only 18 years old and use a DEvette every day, and I can't even grow a full beard yet. I cut my neck/chin/jawline areas though and it works very well. Just about a month ago I stopped shaving for a week to see how well my beard grows out and I had plenty of acne after just a week, yet with a DEvette I get the cleanest shave I have ever gotten and I have no irritation as long as I'm careful. I shave at a relatively shallow angle but will shave at a steeper angle on my sideburns.

I also don't use any shaving cream or anything but I do shave in the shower so I use plenty of water to lubricate. To make sure your shave is safe use something to keep the blade tight to the head or use a razor where the blade is naturally tight against the head to limit blade flex. I use This merkur razor without the guard. The blades I use don't tend to flex.

DEvettes are amazing if you can adhere to the learning curve. You WILL irritate yourself a lot, but with practice they can be the greatest shave you ever get, every single time.

With all of this in mind, YMMV. I am convinced DEvettes are amazing for everyone, but you need to find your perfect blade and your perfect pre/post-shave routine too. Not everyone can shave with just water.

To get a really close "baby butt smooth" shave then you will usually have to finish with an against the grain pass when using a DE safety razor. Getting the Muhle R41 (which I do not own and have never used) won't really help you with getting the same smoothness from only a with the grain or across the grain pass. I think you'd just be more likely to get razor burn. Using a mild razor while you are still perfecting your technique will just help keep you from getting razor burn and make your shaves more enjoyable. If and when you do want to upgrade to a better razor and retire the old plastic WS then look at the Edwin Jagger DE89. It is on the mild side but reasonably priced and the usual recommendation around here for a first razor. The slightly different model numbers just denote differences in the handle, if it has crosshatching or not. Or if you really want to try an aggressive, get the Muhle. As we say here, your milage may vary so whatever works best for you, just do it.

You should definitely try a blade sampler pack. While most razor blades will do the job some brands will just be better (less tugging, less burn, smoother shave, etc) for you. For me, my favorites are Gillette Super Platinums in the blue packaging and Bolzano Superinox. I can only find one blade sampler pack on Amazon UK and it really sucks. Instead maybe get this one from Shaving.ie. I haven't ordered from them myself but they have a good reputation here and I've seen them recommended a lot. Maybe add a pack of Bolzano, Astra Platinum, and/or Shark blades.

I really don't know why people are shitting on Amazon. I like supporting artisans and small companies as much as anyone else, but if OP wants to go with Amazon because it's cheaper (and it is cheaper), then let them do it.

To answer your question, the Edwin Jagger DE89bl is a great razor, Proraso Green is a great soap, and the Omega 48 is a good brush. You can also pick up all sorts of blades in bulk.

If you get the Astra blades, the kit is about $60 on Amazon and about $75 on a small site that is popular in this sub.

Let me just reiterate. I like artisans and small vendors, especially for the wider variety of scents and razors. There are better options for less at small vendors, but those are on items that only those vendors sell. for mass-produced products Amazon is often the cheaper option

I wouldn't buy a ready-to-go kit, especially from a supermarket-type store like Target. However, you can find countless combinations of razors, brushes and soaps all over the internet. My preferred razor is the Edwin Jagger DE89lbl. It is a fantastic razor with great weight distribution, blade expoture and it looks great too. I'm not sure how much you've looked into the different types of brushes but a few good brands that I like are Simpson (pretty pricy), Omega (better price for starters), and Edwin Jagger (in-between the two). For soaps I'd recommend TOBS Sandalwood. You can't go wrong with the scent of sandalwood IMO. If you want to spend less for soap than go with Arko. It's very cheap and will last quite a while because it is hard. Speaking of which, if you have hard water than don't go with the Arko and go with a softer soap/cream that comes in a tub like TOBS. You'll have a tough time trying to create a lather with a hard soap if you have hard water. That's all I've got for you, I don't use any pre-shave oils. One last thing, some antiseptic wouldn't be a bad idea. I hope this was helpful for you and good luck!

• Edwin Jagger DE89
  
• Omega 10049
  
• Proraso Sensitive
  
  You pay a premium for certain things on Amazon, but those are good options. The price of blades is quite high on Amazon, so get a couple of packs of Astras (or a sampler pack) on Maggards before sampling a larger selection from tryablade.com.
  
  Maggards also has build-your-own DE starter kits which you may find to be better value. Also they sell excellent artisan soaps which are better quality than massed produced soap like Proraso, (and much nicer on the skin). Their own soap is very good quality and affordable.
  
  Brands to avoid on Amazon are Escali brushes and Van der Hagen.

Ok, here is what I recommend to start with. This is basically what I started with to. None of these items are the best quality, but you can get a feel for the shave technique and you'll know if you want to spend more money on better stuff quickly.

Razor

Blades note you'll want to try other brands eventually, but these are not harsh, they're inexpensive, and thus a good first purchase.

Bowl & brush note toss this puck of soap, it's shit.

Shave soap



This will get you going for gear. You can sub out stuff for better quality if you want, but I'd keep it cheap to start. You'll also want to learn how to use all this stuff. This is what I used to learn how to shave the first time. You'll find there are many techniques and schools of thought, but this is the best basic guid to learn and develop muscle memory.



Good luck, and if you need help pm me or check us out at /r/Wicked_edge/

My husband uses a safety razor and is SUPER into it. It's a "thing". We got his handle off Amazon... same one he saw at Art of Shaving but significantly cheaper. The blades are SUPER cheap.

He loves the brush and the soap in the bowl rather than the traditional shave cream because combined with the razor it gives him less ingrown hairs, but that's just preference. He uses Clinique for Men Post Shave Soother and swears by it as well. One little bottle lasts him a good 6 months. I think the combo of his products, liking his handle, and just changing the blade out way more often gives him a better shave and less ingrown hair problems. He's jewish with that super course hair that they tend to have and a LOT of it.

I think that you would be better off with a double edge. It's less technically demanding to learn, you don't have to maintain the blade (you'll have to sharpen a straight edge from time to time and strop it daily) because it's disposable.

My philosophy is that shaving is less about the hair and more about the skin, caring for it and leaving it comfortable/not irritated. Even with a light beard, it's worth learning how to shave well because it's good for the skin and it's a pleasant and meditative ritual. The whole process of carefully prepping the skin, applying the soap/cream and doing a multiple pass shave is satisfying. Like a very masculine manicure, manly pampering. Mampering? No...

Anyway, if you click around this sub a bit, you'll notice that it's easy to go overboard and get too into it, and shave gear isn't cheap. But that's as much a blessing as a curse. I have three straight razors and a double edge, and I fully expect them to last me decades.

If I were you, I wouldn't jump in the pool quite that deep though. Here are the suggestions I make to most shave newbies interested in checking out the wetshaving gig:

Edwin Jagger DE 89:https://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Jagger-Kelvin-Double-Safety/dp/B00K6Z24SK/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1469558129&sr=8-4&keywords=edwin+jagger+de

This is a simple, entry level razor. It comes with a few blades, but I'd recommend buying a sampler pack (and yes, I picked this pack because it has Feather blades, they are exceptional, if slightly too sharp for me. I use Sharks.):

https://www.amazon.com/FEATHER-Oclock-SILVER-Blade-Sampler/dp/B004UIZFQW/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1469558238&sr=8-4&keywords=double+edge+sampler+pack

After that you'll need a brush. I'd just check the sidebar there, I use a wee scot and I suspect that not many would push you in that direction.

Then you'll want a nick stick, because dude... you'll cut yourself. It happens. Again, sidebar. But here's the cheap one that I use (don't cut myself much anymore so I don't invest in the good stuff these days):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013H6AVM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And beyond that is the decision between soaps and cream and an aftershave. That one is up to personal preference in terms of scents and consistency.

I use this cream and like it fine: https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Old-Bond-Street-Sandalwood/dp/B0007MW2ZW/ref=pd_cart_rp_1_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=519dkWyoBqL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_SL500_SR100%2C99_&psc=1&refRID=FTVMYYYARCCYAX4AK72N

I use this aftershave and love it to pieces, enough to spend 50 fucking dollars on it a few times a year: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007XMDQO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This isn't a super cheap set up (about $200) but you could get a cheaper aftershave and brush and be all set for under $100 and make improvements down the line if you decide you want to keep doing this.

As someone who just switched from cartridge razors about a month ago:

>The first is it takes a lot more skill and effort to use the safety razor.

I couldn't disagree more. I was terrified at first, and was almost shocked at how easy it was to pick up. I nicked myself once, the very first time - and haven't seriously since. And really, that's why god invented styptic pencils.

>With the safety I might be able to shave the time down to 15 but it's still with much greater effort.

...I don't know how you're shaving that it takes you 15 minutes. I mean, if you're using a brush and everything - yeah, probably - but I don't currently have the money to invest in one, so I've been using regular old shaving cream from a can (I know, blasphemy. I'm sure I'll switch eventually - but seriously, it works just fine.)
You have to make shorter strokes than you would with a cartridge razor, but that's it. It takes maybe a minute longer - but not significantly so, or I wouldn't do it. ~5-7 minutes, max.

>Third thing is cutting yourself is more common but it's not just easier to do, you can also actually leave a scar if you haphazardly use it on your face or rush.

Again, I was terrified of this, and find this to be incredibly misleading. You can nick yourself, but you honestly would have to try pretty damn hard to cut yourself any worse than you could with a cartridge razor. Maybe if you, like, sliced it horizontally across your cheek or something, but why would you do that?

In addition, while it does have a higher intro price - from that point on, your blades are dirt cheap. I mean, seriously cheap. Like, 100 blades for ~$15 cheap, though when first starting, you should spend a little more and get a variety pack to see what blades work best for you. Even still, it pays for itself inside a month or two.

For anyone looking to switch - this is the one /r/wicked_edge recommended me, and I've loved it so far. I'd never switch back, because I honestly haven't found a single downside. Blades are cheap, shaving is quick and close, and most importantly to me - my face doesn't constantly hurt anymore. If you're prone to razor burn, a safety razor will change your life.

I think I'm one of the few people that switched to safety razors for the financial savings and actually got that savings, because I didn't get sucked into all of the accessories.

Honestly, I use my relatively generic safety razor ($35) and got bulk double-edged blades ($10). I did that....three years ago? And I'm maybe halfway through.

I don't shave every day, but honestly, I'm good shaving a surprisingly many number of times on the same blade. If I had been going through my old standby of Mach 3 (turbo (express (vibrating))) or whatever it is now, God only knows how much money I'd be in for.

The single biggest improvement in my shaving life was when I went to an old school barber and told him that I kept getting massive razor burn under my neck with a safety razor, and he was like, "that's because you're doing it backwards". I was shaving down, from my chin toward my chest. My hair doesn't grow that way - I need to shave from the bottom of my neck up toward my chin. (you may be different).

After I figured that out? Never going back. Also, I use conditioner instead of frothy mugs of soap. It just works better for me.

I use the Merkur 23C long-handle razor, which is currently ~$28 on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Long-Handled-Safety-Razor/dp/B00374F5CY/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1V9JOHAEGBLYW&th=1). I'm super happy with it -- mild, well-balanced, glides like a dream. Minimal blade exposure and lightweight, so there's less risk of nicks/cuts for DE razor beginners like myself. The long, slim handle also means it fits my (small, female) hands comfortably. There are less expensive options on Amazon in the $12-$20 range, though I can't vouch for them personally. There's also a longer recommendation list over at r/wicked_edge.

For DE razors, it's recommended you replace the blade often. The blades themselves are super inexpensive (anywhere from $0.15-0.55 each depending on brand; see http://www.tryablade.com/blade?sort=popularity).

In terms of suggested prep, here's an outline of my approach:

1. Soften skin with water -- I do my shaving post-shower, though I'm sure you can also place a warm wet towel on your face if you'd prefer to do it another time
   
2. Cleanse skin -- I use my regular hydrating facial cleanser and then rinse it off with lukewarm water
   
3. Lather shaving area -- On wet/damp skin, I apply a tiny bit more of my cleanser in the area I'm planning to shave and massage/lather it in (I don't have a dedicated shaving soap/gel/foam & just using my normal cleanser works well, but YMMV). Let the product sit on skin to soak for a few seconds
   
4. Shave with DE safety razor -- Use a light touch, never apply pressure or actively press the razor, simply let the weight of the blade do the work and gently guide it across in short strokes. Rinse razor as often as needed.
   
5. Rinse & recheck -- Rinse off the area with lukewarm water & check to see if there are any missed spots. If there are, lather & reapply more product onto skin before shaving those missed spots.
   
6. Apply soothing and moisturizing product(s) of choice onto skin -- Whatever works for your skin, preferably alcohol-free to minimize irritation/stinging
   
   After a few hours, I'll use Stridex/BHA over the area & then moisturize again. Previously I tried doing it between step 5/6, but my skin felt itchy/unhappy. So now I either wait a few hours, or do it the next day. Hope that helps, lmk if you're curious about anything else!

I did some research myself and concluded that a good boar brush was well-regarded and even recommended for lathering with hard shaving soaps, and a high-quality boar brush (e.g. by Omega) would still be about half the price of a decent badger brush, which itself would be better suited to lathering with softer shaving creams.

For a double-edge safety razor handle, you can often find perfectly good, old Gillettes for a song at antiques shops and eBay, but for new models I can recommend the recent Muhle or Edwin Jagger models, which both use the same, gentle but effective head design (if you have a really coarse, dense beard, get the open-comb design).

For a cheaper alternative to dip your toes into safety razors at lower cost and risk, the Feather Popular seems well-regarded as a gentle, quality razor handle for the price, and if you decide to upgrade to a nicer handle later, you can always keep this around as the travel razor you could stand to lose with trivial concern.

After researching blades, I splurged on a 100-ct carton of Astra Superior Platinums and couldn't be more satisfied; smooth and sharp (but not quite as dangerously sharp as the more expensive Feather brand), they seem to last about twice as long as the 10-pack for $1.50 on sale Kroger store-brand blades I'd started with.

FWIW, most of my pre-purchase research was done at the Badger & Blade forum's reviews section, just take care they don't tempt you into making this an expensive hobby!

You're welcome. The Omega line of boar brushes are pretty fantastic. Cheap badger brushes aren't worth it. If you're looking on Amazon, I would suggest the Omega 98 for $15.00 on Prime. Any of the Proraso soaps in the jars for $9-10 on Prime, http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Safety-Razor-Model-LP1822L/dp/B004N77JVY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417932223&sr=8-1&keywords=lord+l6 Also on Prime and uber cheap. Pretty much the same head as the DE89. For Blades, I would suggest the TryaBlade path and get him a sampler of well-known and popular blades. I can make you a good list if you want.

I'm not a fan of normal aftershave splashes because they're just alcohol and fragrance. I would rather use something on my face that's going to benefit with medical and health properties. I love witch hazel mixed with pure aloe. You can even add some essential oils to it to give it some fragrance.
For Pre-Shave Oil, you can literally just slather extra virgin olive oil on your face, or use Noxzema in the 12oz tub for pre-shave cream.

Believe me, I would rather study about traditional wetshaving than what I'm actually studying in college.

If you're confident that your Dad will stick to DE shaving and fall in love with it. I would suggest getting him the EJ DE89. They're insanely cheap on Amazon Prime right now.
http://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Jagger-DE89bl-Chrome-Plated/dp/B003LW4L2W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417932514&sr=8-2&keywords=Edwin+Jagger+de89
The quality is way above that Lord with basically the same head. Same geometry, same aggressiveness(unbelievably mild).

My bad! DE is short for double edge, as in a double edged safety razor (like this). It uses a disposable blade. A straight razor is like this and has a blade that requires care and maintenance to keep it sharp. A shavette is like a straight razor, but it uses a disposable blade.

I got my straight razor from WhippedDog.com. Larry Andreassen, who runs the sight, offers good deals on restored vintage straight razors. There are a few brick-and-mortar stores that will sell them, but new razors are fairly expensive and aren't necessarily better than old ones that have been properly cared for. You can get safety razors and straight razors from online stores, Amazon, or even garage sales and such (but it's best to know what to look for).

Hey. We're glad to have you. Definitely a worthwhile endeavor. Anything that says sensitive skin on it will (that is of quality) should be good. I'd start here:

proraso

or here:

TOBS sensitive

As far as the DE razor, I've been shaving for over half a year with one DE and absolutely love it- the Edwin Jagger DE86. here


I'm not saying it's the best. It's just the only razor I have experience with. But I am very pleased with it. It helped me find a blade I like and I feel like a DE pro now. But there are others that are good as well. See sidebar for more information.


And of course- the proper legal disclaimer: YMMV.

I think the selections are great but, do have a few suggestions.
You may want to avoid an adjustable razor to start with. If you think you'll want one down the road don't want to have two DEs in your arsenal, then by all means get it now. But a lot of beginners blame their bad shaves on not being able to find the "right setting" on their adjustable. I like the EJ89 as a good starter. But if you do go with the Progress, don't play with the settings, play with your technique.

I also think you should get a blade sampler with a little more variety (read includes astras). This is a pretty good one, but I think the bigger the better.

Good Luck, and congrats on deciding to change your shave.

What is you max budget?

Here is my recommendation for your kit(trying to keep with a budget):

Blade sampler $23

Edwin Jagger DE89 $30, it's the one I have and I love it.

This Omega Brush for $13, I have a similar Omega boar brush and love it. You have to soak it in hot tap water for about 5-10 minutes before you lather up to soften it up so it can absorb water.

For soap you could also consider C.O. Bigelow w/ menthol and eucalyptus $10, just got this at bath and body works for $5 in store (if you live near a store) and shaved with it today, it was fantastic, had a nice cooling effect to it and had a good protective lather. Taylor of Old Bond street is good as well, i have the sandalwood one(the hard soap) and it is fantastic. You have to consider they have hard soap, cream and sticks as well so you could look at those as well.

And as far as lathering you can lather in a bowl/mug or straight to the face, i like the face method thats just a personal bias though.

Awesome! You seem to know your stuff, could you please recommend me some products? It would mean the world to me since I know nothing about this and I'm looking to order it as soon as possible. I have a lot of questions about this stuff and I have no one to ask.

I think I've already found a great safety razor on amazon though I'd love to get your advice on a good one. Also what type of blade is the best? Gilette, something else?

What shaving soap should I get? I use shaving cream in a can right now.

An aftershave that use alcohol as a base and add other moisturizers sound great. Any recommendations there?

What's the difference between boar and badger?

What type of shampoo should I get

And what type of oil? And why oil over conditioner?

As for my budget, sky's the limit, I want the best right now since I've been dealing with cheap stuff for a while.

Hi. I know this is pretty late, but I’ve been using a safety razor for the last six years. While which razor is best is totally subjective, after owning several more expensive ones, I actually found I prefer the straight forward basic [Merkur Classic](Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00374F5CY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_5BrmDbC72K1DR). Great price and great shave. Oh, and don’t buy into that whole “you have to do this and this and properly do this” ritual shit some people try to feed in videos and even on the subreddits. Just shave as you normally would and you’ll find what works best for you.

Wet shaving is the cheapest way shave I have ever found, and the best shave I have ever gotten. I shave every other day and get a "5 o'clock shadow" around mid-afternoon the second day. This has been better for my skin too.

Depending on how fast you go through blades, it can be pretty cheap. I use these blades as they have the best quality-to-cost ratio I have found - Shark Super Chrome

Invest in a good badger hair brush - it will last you years if you take care of it. It really does make a difference and will allow you to use better, cheaper soap than any foam you can get in a can.

For soap, I am a big fan of Taylor of Old Bond Street. A $15 tub will last me 1-2 years (a little bit goes a long way!) I dab a finger in to the tub and put it in to a cup that I use to froth with my brush.

From a brief description here, it doesn't sound frugal. But I buy blades every ~18 months and soap every ~24 months... I use a Merkur DES handle I bought years ago for $30, and buy a brush every few years. I would say my annual costs are less than $20. Cheaper than any other method I have used while having better shaves and less irritation.

I would try it first with lower end...just in case you dont like it....

The Tweezerman brush is pretty good for $9 on Amazon, pick up some Bigelow shave cream from Bath and Body Works for $10 (just rebranded Proraso), a sampler of blades, an espresso mug for working lather and some Nivea Sensitive shave balm.

For a razor, this was my first DE and it is a great, cheap, all metal DE that will let you know if DE is right for you. Mantic actually had a review on one of his videos and really liked it as well. It is heavy-ish, even and very forgiving.

http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Double-Shaver-Nonslip-Handle/dp/B0050HO9MI/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1347028678&sr=8-9&keywords=de+razor

Plus at under $10 you wont feel bad moving up to something more advanced as you get better.

Wal Mart even carries a Clubman Styptic for about 75 cents...If you are feeling you want a shave soap instead of cream, try Van Der Hagen from Wal Mart for about $1.50.



There is no need to go over $50 if you havent even tried it yet. Then you can replace parts as you find what works best and send these items to the travel bag.

#######Didnt notice your name...Hot Black approves of this name. IMHO Restaurant at the End of the Universe is a much stronger book than HGTTG#########

I'll include links but by all means shop around...

• Edwin Jagger DE89 - popular three piece starter razor
  
  
• One of the many creams by Taylor of Old Bond St. - inexpensive and quality
  
  
• An alum block like RazoRock - you can also find some of their artisan soaps
  
  
• A synthetic shaving brush - this one looks to have the same fibres (Plisson clone) as some other very good ones. You could also get a boar brush by Omega or Semogue for eg but these will have a break-in period. Do NOT get a badger brush on your budget; it will be shite. The exception might be this mixed loft Omega 11047 "mixed midget" which is a fantastic little brush; works out of the box like a badger but gets better over time like a boar.
  
  
• Go to your local drug store for Nivea Men Sensitive after shave balm - inexpensive, effective, and widely available.
  
  This is a more than decent starter kit and affordable but you'll also need skills. Check out this poster from /u/mmosh and search for tutorial vids on Youtube by Mantic59 and/or "Nick Shaves".
  
  EDIT: Completely left out blades. You want to sample many kinds to find what is right for you. Something like this.
  
  
  
  

Moderately related.
Guys, do yourself a favor and get one of these straight razors. You'll be scared as shit when you first use it, but after three or so shaves, it becomes really easy and you'll appreciate that you're spending less than $.25 per razor, you get an awesome shave when you do it right, and you get that cool factor. Bonus points if you graduate to a normal, high quality razor that you strope to keep sharp. Not recommended for a first timer.

Not feeling so bold? Then try a safety razor. Personally I've never used one and they are more expensive for the razors than a straight razor (but a lot cheaper than common razors), but you don't have to be quite as careful.
Your ol' gel/foam will work all the same or you can get shaving soap with a quick search which is a nice addition to the experience of shaving.

This next one is more for your husband. There is no reason to spend lots of money on shaving. If your husband is currently shaving with disposable razors or with a cartridge based system then he is probably wasting money.

For shaving get a double edged safety razor. I use a Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor. The razor blades are sold separately and this is where you save a lot of money. Getting both together is a really nice Christmas present.

The Shark Super Chrome razor blades cost $0.12 per blade. I go through maximum two blades per week. So that is less than a quarter each week for a really good razor.

Be forewarned. Safety razors are not for everyone. Some people don't like shaving with them.

Now the next part. Shaving foam. Shaving foam is expensive. If you use shaving soap and a badger brush instead you will save money. It takes a bit longer time to lather up the soap but the savings are worth it.

You don't have to get the safety razor and the shaving soap at the same time. I would get the razor first and see how your husband likes it.

There is also a subreddit for old school shaving called /r/wicked_edge that is really good. People there will be happy to answer any questions you have.

I use the SODIAL razor and Bestshave horsehair brush in my travel kit. The Arko stick is compact. I have an older version of one of these toiletry bags.

• Razor: SODIAL/Ri,Mei - $2.56 to U.S., Ri,Mei - $4.50 with case Canada/Worldwide), excellent starter/travel razor, shaves like a Gillette Tech. I just bought one as a travel razor, it’s great.
  
• Brush: Bestshave.net No:6 Horse Hair - $2.45, I have two, one in my travel kit, nice brush.
  
• Soap: Bestshave.net has a large selection, Arko Stick at $1.95 or Arko Tub $4.40 are popular.
  
• Blades: Bestshave.net
  
• Polsilver Super Iridium (5) - $2.30
  
• Astra Superior Platinum (10) - $1.04
  
• Rapira (10) - $.80
  
• Bic Chrome Platinum (10) - $1.95
  
• Shark (10) - $.85
  
• Derby (10) - $1.00
  
• Racer (10) - $.76
  
• Sixty-five blades for $8.70, $.13 per blade, most blade sampler packs cost $.25 to $.60 a blade. They have other blades, these are ones I’ve tried, I don’t like some, other people do.
  
• Total Cost: $15.66 U.S. ($17.55 Canada/Worldwide)
  
  
• Reviews: Blade Reviews - Photos of Kit - YouTube Razor Review - YouTube Razor Demo - No:6 Horsehair brush review the brush quality has improved since this was written.
  

That's awesome! Where are you doing your training?

This is the razor: http://www.amazon.com/Feather-Double-Edge-Shaving-Razor/dp/B003YJ70NY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1413687866&sr=8-4&keywords=feather+razor

The Arko soap is hit and miss with people. I'm new to it so my lather skills aren't the best but I was able to get a great lather with a basic pure badger brush (http://www.amazon.com/SimplyBeautiful-Basic-Badger-Shaving-Brush/dp/B00B1TKY8C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1413688692&sr=8-2&keywords=badger+brush).
For $1 per stick though, can't really go wrong.
Here's a video of a review on the Arko soap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r5A259cDqE
Don't mind his somewhat heavy breathing at times.
The soap really does smell like industrial cleaner but I kind of like it! And it doesn't stick around for long.
If you're unsure, to start I woud definitely recommend some form of shaving cream. They are easiest to lather and work with. Just cracked open my Nivea today and it was a decent shave! Not too much of a scent, nice and slick and $3/tube. http://www.amazon.com/Nivea-Men-Sensitive-Shave-Cream/dp/B00GXZSAE4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1413688904&sr=8-2&keywords=nivea+shaving+cream

I went on amazon bought a brush for 10.00, a relatively cheap DE razor for about 27.00 a stand for 10 and a soap for 10.00, I would recommend trying a soap sampler to find one you like. You can find starter packs as well, and I would do that. I was trying to be somewhat frugal but ended up needing more than I thought. Most razors come with a free pack of blades, usually at least 5, and that should last you approximately 15 shaves, so at least two weeks. After that I recommend going with some kind of blade sampler since a lot of packs come with a hundred blades and if you buy the wrong blade you might be out the 10 or 15 that it cost.

It takes longer than a cartridge razor to shave, and requires more skill and attention, but the whole process is much more enjoyable with better results.
I recommend going the cheap route until you're sure you like it, and as you wear out the items you buy (bristles comes out of my brush almost every shave, a couple at a time) then buy the next level up. It can be extremely expensive, but like anything there's also regular people versions of all the expensive stuff too.

For your reference:
Razor
Soap
Brush
Stand
Blades

I have coarse hair. If I shave with cheap disposable razors the same thing happens to me. Look into a safety razor. You can replace the razor itself for like 8$ for 100 razors, it's much easier, cheaper, and more comfortable for me.

My routine- shave in the shower. I bring in a clean cloth that I heat up with hot water, wring it out, and apply to my neck. This softens up your hair a little bit and makes shaving easier. I use some over the counter shaving cream, but Tend Skin Air Shave Gel works amazing, but it is a little pricey. I recommend that you only shave along with the grain of your hair for now, you'll see less irritation that way. Once your irritation has calmed down you can shave against the grain. At the end of my shave I'll shave once against the grain to get a closer shave. Rinse with cool water when you're done shaving.

You need to moisturize after shaving, get an after shave cream to help your skin out. I've been using Marlowe post shave lotion that I got at Target.

I hope this helps. You can try with your current supplies what I recommended and see if it helps. Biggest tips think would be to change your razors frequently, put a hot damp cloth on your neck before shaving, and shaving along the grain. Oh and get an after shave.

PM me if you have any questions. :)

I have super sensitive skin and used to absolutely hate shaving – which was especially unfortunate because my paleness rivals Jim Gaffigan's and my hair is very dark.

These are tips I've picked up from 2X over time that have made a major difference for me in getting a closer shave without irritation:

• The right razor helps. I've found that men's razors are typically better, but these cheapo drug-store brand women's ones work really well for me. I recently used my boyfriend's double edged safety razor and I'm considering making the switch (blades are super cheap!), but I'm currently too afraid of butchering my legs by accident.
  
  
• Dry brushing before showering with a body brush seems to help prevent skin irritation for me; failing that, exfoliation beforehand with a loofah in the shower. If I don't do either of those I am pretty much guaranteeing skin irritation.
  
  
• Men's shave cream works better than women's shave cream and is cheaper, but conditioner or lotion works even better than those – with the added advantage that you can easily see the area you're shaving.
  
  
• For the bikini area it's better to go with the grain or at an angle to it to avoid irritation (~45° from going with the grain seems to be good for getting a closer shave with less irritation).
  
  
• On areas more prone to skin irritation (like the bikini area), using a product like PFB Vanish afterwards seems to help, but it's really expensive. Recently I've started using witch hazel as soon as I'm out of the shower instead – it's working just as well, but it's cheaper. Apparently a lot of strippers put unscented deodorant on the area to prevent irritation/ingrowns, too.
  
  
• I dry my razors off after I use them to prevent them from rusting, but I've heard of dipping them in alcohol first or storing them in mineral or baby oil instead (I'm not sure which liquid would work best for this, but I'm curious – does anyone know?). Drying them has made them last way longer while irritating my skin much less.
  
  
  Also, you might benefit from reading this thread in r/reddit.com. I imagine men's shaving tips apply equally to us.
  
  tl;dr: use men's razors, men's shave cream or conditioner or lotion, exfoliate beforehand, shave with or at an angle to the grain, witch hazel after, dry off your razor

Don't be! Its easy, reletively cheap to get into, its fun, and just start with a double edge safety razor and you'll be fine. You arent going to slice your face off. Trust me, you'll love shaving with it. Go to your local antique mall and look for something liek this Go to amazon and order a sampler pack of blades And possibly some shave soap and youre set!

You can find shave soap at Target/winco if you are in the USA as well. You can get brand-new razors on amazon, look for a company called merkur. Although there is nothing like having a vintage razor from the 50's. =) Check out that subreddit for more info. Even if you are female these work awesome legs and armpits. My wife uses one. And yes, its WAY cheaper than cartridge razors.

Personally I use:

• Razor
  
  
• Blade
  
  
• Shave Soap
  
  But wet shaving is very much a YMMV kind of thing. You may find that a different razor/blade combination works better for you. I got the cheap razor and a blade sample pack to start. The razor is cheap $$ wise but it's good quality. I've had no issues with it.
  
  /u/LeisureGuy over in /r/wicked_edge is the ultimate shaving guru IMO. Here's his guide for a shaving kit under $50. It's a very friendly community overall, and accept women as well. Most of the guys there that have wives/girlfriends pressure them to switch because it's so much better than cartridge (and cheaper!). I've seen various posts by females saying they've been converted and absolutely love it.
  
  Edit: I do not shave my legs yet. But when I do, I will absolutely be using my DE razor to do so.
  The blade sampler pack is essential in the beginning to try various blades to see which one works best for you. They all have various levels of aggressiveness/sharpness/etc.

Some comparison math for those wanting to see the numbers right now:

All from Amazon.com, and the cheapest I could find at a decent quality...

• Gillette Fusion Pro Glide w/ Flex ball and two blade refills: $10.59
  
• Gillette Fusion razor blade refills, 12 count: $40.99
  
  __
  
  
• Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor w/ guard, w/ 1 platinum-coated double-edged razor: $29.85
  
• Personna Double-edged Razor Blades, 100 count: $14.54
  
  Already, the totals are: Fusion, $51.58 and the safety razor, $44.39.
  
  Now, let's shave.
  
  I'm not including cream or soap, since that's a preference for people, and can change prices drastically for what people use. Personally, I use absolutely nothing; water works just fine and I don't break out at all like I would if I applied some sort of substance on my face prior to scraping it off.
  
  We'll give Fusion the benefit of the doubt as well, by getting THREE shaves out of a single blade. The double-edged razors, we'll toss out after every shave (yup, double-edged or not, resharpened or not, one and done for this experiment). We're going to shave twice a week. That's 104 times a year (I wanted a figure close to 100, because I like that number).
  
  Fusion: One razor, 35 blades (three shaves per blade). That's three packs of replacement blades, totaling out to 38 blades including the two that come in the starter pack...$10.59 + ($40.99 x 3) = $133.56. You can go an additional nine shaves before having to buy another replacement pack.
  
  Safety razor: One razor, 104 blades (one shave per blade). That's two packs of replacement blades, totaling out to 201 blades including the one that comes in the starter pack...$29.85 + ($14.54 x 2) = $58.93. You can go an additional nine...ty-seven shaves before having to buy another replacement pack.
  
  The craziness is that even after giving as much home field advantage to Fusion as I could, they still cost over $70 for the first year. Realistically, you can get a lot more shaves out of the single-blade, double-edged razors which increase the longevity of a single replacement pack. If treated properly, one 100pk can last over three years. Those "moisture" strips on blades today last maybe a shave, and they're just about worthless afterwards; hairs constantly get stuck in between the blades and are difficult as fuck to remove, thus causing frustration or added swipes to get all the hairs off your face; and these added technologies like a swivel head, vibrating shaft, lubrication spitting spout, or rotating super ball does nothing differently than what you've already learned how to do with the contours of your own face and how the products treat your skin, rendering these features completely redundant.
  
  It's a no brainer.
  
  Edit: Oops, messed the links up. FIXED NOW!
  
  Edit edit: I just want to state that I am in now way shunning the use of the pro glide if it works for you. If you have found a way to increase the longevity of those blades, and you prefer them to any other blade, then by all means, continue to shave with what you like best. This price comparison is to show to those one the fence about trying a new method, or are searching for new methods to save a couple bucks, that there is an alternative. This formula is very basic, and doesn't contain all the variables that go with shaving (i.e. sharpening blades, the actual amount of shaves you can get from a single cartridge, a high quality durable electric pre-shave, hair growth and thickness). This is just to show that the single blade product at its most basic level is a much cheaper solution to shaving needs.

Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor (MK 23C) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NL0T1G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_O90CzbSJ0E07Y .
.
Proraso Shaving Soap in a Bowl, Sensitive Skin, 5.2 oz (150 ml) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JHEY14/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Y-0CzbYSCM0MT .
.
Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street Luxury Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin, 5.3-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VZPTAC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_bb1CzbP65TJRP .
.
100 Astra Superior Premium Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades Personal Healthcare / Health Care https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EXPTR0W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7b1CzbPDNCYAR .
.
Perfecto 100% Pure Badger Shaving Brush-Black Handle- Engineered for the Best Shave of Your Life. For, Safety Razor, Double Edge Razor, Staight Razor or Shaving Razor, Its the Best Badger Brush. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VF1NI5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zd1CzbRXDRTVE .
.
Crown King Victorian/Western Style 12 oz Shaving Scuttle - Durable Porcelain - Hierloom Quality - Dishwasher Safe - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTF145J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9e1Czb0XEH37V .
.
Proraso After Shave Lotion, Refreshing and Toning, 3.4 Fl Oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085UECY2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4f1Czb32JE3AZ

Does he like star trek? This book is super cool.

Aside from nerdy, maybe he would enjoy something like this. Beers are best enjoyed in the appropriate glassware!


edit- I got this razor and this blade sampler kit for my ex and he said it was the best gift he had ever been given.

I'm extremely self-conscious of my facial hair; if I had to label myself, it would be as trans / genderqueer.

When I was reading earlier, I only mention it because I have a huge issue with shadowing. I missed when you said
> but in cases where I don't have time or don't want to put any on

and I'm sorry. However, I'll leave this link here just in case you haven't looked deep into color correcting, cause it def helps me.

But, in my experience (YMMV), even the closest shave will still have a slight shadow and if I'm feeling weird about it I take 5-10 minutes to cover it up.

Since you're asking for shaving tips though, here's my advice:
Start with a DE. I'd personally recommend the Edwin Jagger (it's what I have, it won't break the bank. The blades are insanely cheap. I generally go with Feathers.

If you want to make buying easy on yourself, there's a kit here I've had on my pinterest wishlist forever that looks pretty nice.


As for the act of shaving itself, you can check out this video tutorial that covers the Edwin razor that's pretty good.

You can also check out this quick shaving routine. A lot of the DE shaving comes in how many passes you do, and which direction you're shaving (with / against the grain etc.) I would highly recommend checking out the FAQ section and scrolling down to "how do I shave".

You don't want to go against the grain though every time you shave, as it'll most likely start to irritate your skin. Going against the grain as the last pass of shaving always gets the closest / least noticeable shave for me. But there is still a shadow, unfortunately. This is why I recommend color correcting under your foundation, as you shouldn't have to be putting on "half a bottle" (I know it's an exaggeration) in the first place.

The main thing I use most of the time are just a scale (in grams is best, but it's more about ratios than anything), a dough scraper (something like this, but any flat piece to manipulate the dough will work. It's also very useful for cleaning where you were shaping the bread.). For letting the dough do it's final rise, I cover a flour sack towel (other fabric will work, but you want it smooth enough so the dough doesn't get fuzz in it, but coarse enough for the flour to 'catch' on it) in flour (a mix of wheat and fine rice flour is best, but cornmeal and rice or just lots of wheat flour will work) and line a colander with it. And razors for cutting the dough without it sticking. (putting something like these on a wooden coffee stirrer stick works well, but any razors or sharp blades should be fine.)

Other stuff is nice to have, but not necessary, IMO.

I do the same thing and it works great. I'm a white guy with really straight hair, but I have the skin of an infant and get horrible razor bumps on my neck. This really does help. I figured it out when I had a beard and would shave my neck area then my thick brush would get that area when I shaped the beard. The brush would knock the hairs out of the skin and prevent them from being ingrown.

Another thing I've found that helps a lot is a good razor. I know I'm not in the same exact boat, but as someone prone to skin irritation a nice real safety razor with a good double edged single blade is amazing. I use this safety razor and buy the better blades for it (and they're still really cheap.) Combined with a good shaving soap I barely have any problems compared to what I used to. It's why I grew the beard in the first place.

On top of what the others are saying, check out the following:

• /r/wicked_edge -- a good sub for this stuff
  
• For the actual safety razor, I have this Merkur and really like it.
  
• http://tryablade.com -- buy single blades to see which suits you the best. I personally use the Astra Platinums and love them. Get two or three of the top ones. Once you find one you like, buy a box of them from Amazon for under $20.
  
  
  The main things to know when using a safety razor:
  
  
• Shave at a 20˚ angle (which you're most likely doing already)
  
• Always shave with the grain (you can also shave across the grain for a super close shave, but you'll only do this if you have that thick, carpet-like facial hair)
  
• Heat your face and hair, but cool the blade (hot water on the blade will soften it, use room-temp water)
  
• Store the razor on its side so it doesn't rust of leave the blades wet
  
  That's pretty much all there is to it. Using a safety razor is so much nicer than the multi-blade systems that tug and abuse your face.
  
  Now, if you really want to go deep into low-waste shaving, you can look into a straightedge... but that's not for everyone.. and I'd definitely suggest getting into a safety razor before the straightedge.

In regards to razors, recently went from cartridge ones to the double edge razors and its awesome. Like $16 on a nice metal handle thing on Amazon that twists open and you drop the razor blade into it then twist it shut and shave. Got like 100 blades for $10 and I'm set for eons.

Its nice as its a lot less garbage plastic and stuff, cheaper, and for my baby skin doesn't cut the shit out of me and get clogged like the multiblade cartridges. Downside is the head doesn't swivel and tilt, but it's easy to get used to.

Edit: This handle and these blades in particular. They're alright, and apparently good shaving cream helps a lot. Just wish I had found these to begin with, rather than using DSC for years.

I can't speak to the quality of the razor but otherwise the other kit works. If you are looking at aftershave there are plenty of local options I would imagine as well as more online. For a cheaper razor I would look at razors by Lord. This is an example. Remember that you get what you pay for with new razors (vintage is a different story). Also, do get a styptic pencil for when you nick yourself. They are relatively inexpensive here. A good cheap entry level razor is the feather popular. What should be remembered is that these cheap razors are generally less aggressive which is good when you start, but may become undesirable once you gain control. I recommend the 89 and 34C because they are lower mid level aggressive while not breaking the bank wide open. The sampler pack looks decent. Best luck shaving! Feel free to ask any more questions here.

EDIT: Word Choice

I was going down the same path of DE safety razor shaving about a year ago after a friend suggested it to me on Facebook. Here's what I found:

-First, you sub to wicked_edge, did you see this post? It helped me greatly before I began buying anything. Granted, if you're looking to buy second-hand, that link won't help you out a bunch. But I also knowing finding safety razors second-hand is not easy to come by. That post will also help you find your other tools and accessories.

-Absolutely buy online. It will always be cheaper and easier than buying locally or even finding locally (especially here in Gainesville). There are shave stores in Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa- but good golly miss molly are they EXPENSIVE. Amazon and buy.com have way better prices. But returning things can be tricky- keep that in mind in case you decide to go big on quality.

-Find a blade sample pack. They offer a big selection and since you're just starting out, you can find what you like. Here's a link to one.

Personally, I don't get the fuss. I've had a safety razor shave, and it was great. But I don't see myself taking good care of my shaving tools to justify investing in something like that. I spend maybe $10 a year on my disposables and apply moisturizer when I finish. Absolutely no bumps, no rash, no irritation. Takes me 2 minutes to shave and I'm out the door. I don't have to worry about losing them, clean them, take care of them, oil them, or buy a brush and lather. Just something to think about before you go investing in safety razors- especially if you're a college student.

Before the downvote boat comes my way- this is JUST my opinion. Sorry to put my pro-affordable shaving agenda.

EDIT: Fuck. OP is my roommate. I just noticed this. Disregard everything, I'll see you at 8:30, buddy.

1. Aveda Botanical Kinetics™ Hydrating Lotion - Face lotion, applied to face and mustache after shower.

2. Musgo Real Glycerine Lime Soap, MR GLO - Face soap, used before each shave.

3. Proraso Shaving Soap with Eucalyptus Oil and Menthol - Shave soap, whipped up then applied to face for shaving.

4. Proraso Pre and Post Shave Cream - Pre/Post shave cream, massaged into face after washing face with MR GLO. Massaged into face again after shave.

5. Proraso Aftershave Lotion - Aftershave, applied to face either after shave or after shower. My wife likes the smell of this.

6. TABAC ORIGINAL For Men By MAURER & WIRTZ Deodorant Stick - Deodorant, masculine scent of lavender, citrus, and warm florals.

7. Colonel Conk Evernice Model 775 Chrome Safety Razor Stand - Stand, holds DE razor and brush.

8. Merkur Model 180 Long Handled Safety Razor - DE Razor, great weight and balance used to shave face.

9. Tweezerman Men's Shaving Brush - So, so brush used for applying shave soap. Would like a better brush someday.

10. Feather Hi-Stainless Platinum Double Edge Razor Blades - Razors for DE, my favorite so far.

11. Tweezerman His Moustache Scissors with Comb - Scissors and comb, after movember I decided to keep the mustache so these items help maintain its appearance.

12. Comb - Comb, used for combing hair before and after shower.

13. Aveda Men Pure-Formance™ Grooming Clay - Hair product, used after shower with hair wet or dry. Hair looks natural but styled. I'll use pomade if I want the appearance of having a more polished look.

14. Large Stainless Steel Shaving Soap Bowl from Super Safety Razors - Mug, I'd rather have a porcelain mug for class but this does the trick. I use it to soak my brush and razor before each shave. I also use it for creams when not using Proraso.

This is barely under $20 before shipping...but is Just over $30 after shipping. I suspect shopping around for better vendors will provide better results.

This was similar to the kit I started out with. Same blades (not the sharpest, but are plenty forgiving), same Creme, better brush than the Van Der Hagen I started with. Not sure about the razor, but a solid cap razor tends to be better than a bomb-door razor at this price point, that's why I went with that option.

Razor : http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Double-Shaver-Nonslip-Handle/dp/B0050HO9MI/ref=sr_1_53?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1342132824&sr=1-53&keywords=safety+razor : $6.72 : $5.12 shipping

Shaving brush (Fromm/Diane) : http://www.amazon.com/Fromm--Diane-Handle-Shaving-Brush/dp/B0020JD5M4/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1342132917&sr=1-1&keywords=shaving+brush : $3.79 : $2.49 shipping

30 ct Derby Blades: http://www.amazon.com/Derby-Double-Edge-Razor-Blades/dp/B002OC76CW/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1342132974&sr=1-3&keywords=derby : $3.28 : free shipping

C.O.Bigelow shave cream: http://www.amazon.com/C-O-Bigelow-Premium-Shaving-Cream-1-7/dp/B003D2NMH0/ref=sr_1_14?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1342133059&sr=1-14&keywords=shaving+creme : $5 : $3.94 shipping

Bowl: any old cereal bowl: free, you should already own a few extra ones.

Total: $18.79 before ship + 11.55 Ship = Grand Total 30.34

Mango Sage Tea shaving soap (like a cream, but takes a bit more effort). The moisturizer is actually a hydrating cleanser, I just think of it as a moisturizer. Not really sure why.

For the sake of completeness (and at the risk of sounding like a corporate shill) the cartridge razors I use are Dorco Pace 4 (you can get them in bulk from Amazon, or rebranded from various sites) and the razor blades I use for my safety razor are Astra Superior Platinum. Razor blades are pretty specific to your skin, though, I went through a few different types before finding ones that work well.

EDIT: I also wash my face with a warm damp washcloth both before and after, and keep the razor blades wet as much as possible by briefly running them under warm water. The second one especially really seems to help.

My man - get yourself a safety razor and enjoy all of the luxuries that a single-bladed disposable razor offers without any of the downsides

The blades are so dirt cheap. Like they're 10 cents a piece if you buy it online.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Edwin-Jagger-Heather-Ladies-Double/dp/B00K6Z1R60/ref=sr_1_27?keywords=safety+razor+short+handle&qid=1567133206&s=gateway&sr=8-27

And blades like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Astra-Superior-Premium-Platinum-Double/dp/B001QY8QXM/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=safety+razor+blades&qid=1567133246&s=gateway&sr=8-5

​

The nice thing about a safety razor is when you want to clean out the hair, all you have to do is unscrew the top a few turns and it loosens up and gives you more clearance in-between the blade and the handle - the water washes the hair right out.

I go through about 1 blade a week, so my shaving bill is now literally 40-50 cents per month, and it is way better than disposables.

Dude here, same problem. Let me pass down some bro knowledge that year of experimenting and hundreds of dollars has produced. I'm serious in saying I don't know why everybody shaves like me. It's damn near free in upkeep too.

Invest in a safety razor, this is the one I use and you cannot go wrong with it http://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Jagger-DE89bl-Chrome-Plated/dp/B003LW4L2W. The blades are pennies each and last multiple shaves. The initial investment is big, but the shave is the gentlest shave you can give your skin, short only of a cut throat razor done by a professional. I won't go into detail of why this safety razors are gentler than the crappy cartridge junk the industry is peddling us these days, you can google that yourself.

Next, ditch shaving cream. I've used the butane crap to the highest end like Taylor of Old Bond Street. They all leave a residue, which clogs, which sucks. The best way is actually to shave while cleansing your face with a gentle cleanser. I use Cerave Hydrating, and the lotion texture is perfect for shaving. La Roche Posay Toleraine Cleanser will work very well too, or any other non foaming/lotion like texture cleanser. Use a very conservative shaving motion (the safety razor is intuitive to the male creature, believe me), and shave with the grain. Also, get a fogless shower mirror, you can get that off Amazon for under $20.

It's a bit to invest in initially, after 8 years of countless Gilette cartriges, handles, butane creams, shaving brushes, shaving cups, traditional shaving creams, and heck even waxing, this works for me. I wish I knew this when I was just another hapless 15 year old boy wiping space goo on my face and mowing it down with those mini cheese graters.

was scrolling down just to find this comment. switching to a safety razor changed my life for the better!

guys; seriously, try using a safety razor. you get a much better shave, and a much cheaper shave as well. you can get sample packs and figure out which blade works best for you too.

a good safety razor only costs $35 or so and will last a lifetime. once you figure out the brand of razor you prefer, you can get several years supply of those as well for very, very cheap.

I got these:

Merkur Long-Handled Safety Razor ($32.70)

Razor Blade Sampler Pack ($6.25)

I have a Van Der Hagen and it's not bad. Maybe mine was a quality control exception, but the alignment and finish are perfect. It's got decent heft to it, but personally I like a lighter razor. The blades it comes with are crap though.

But my favorite sub-$20 razor is from Feather. Sure it's plastic, but it's some sort of magical plastic that feels like powder coated metal, is indestructible, but is light as a, well..., Feather. It's definitely the better shave than the VDH, I prefer the Feather's blade angle.

http://www.amazon.com/Feather-Double-Edge-Shaving-Razor/dp/B003YJ70NY

If you can't find a vintage Lady's Gillette, consider the Merkur 180 (a.k.a. Merkur 23C). The one you'd get wouldn't be vintage, but at least the short handled version has been around for some 80 years. It has a long handle, good weight and grip, and it's all metal.

On the other hand, if you're happy with your Lord, why not wait until you make a nice find? If you convince your friends to get one of their own, maybe one of them would let you try the model they've got, so you could compare.

The one I bought is the Merkur 34C, it is pricy and if you have larger hands. The Merku4 34C will feel small. Select the 38C, as it has a longer handle.

The other one I have seen people recommend it the Edwing Jagger DE89lbl. I think either one will work fine. If you can get to a House of Knives or a Tommy gun's I think they will have them on display so you can handle them.

Please note, unlike your normal cartridge razors, these razors are top heavy. It takes a bit of practice to be able to shave well, quickly and not cut yourself. Since the weight is at the top, you need less overall pressure to shave. Also I would really recommend that you sign up for one of those razor blade clubs, that way you have a large selection of blades to try. Not all razor blades are the same. I use feather because I read they are really good but aggressive blades. I had no idea what that meant. It just means you gotta be careful. My SO kept going "i see you cut yourself again" for a good 3 months. While I learned how to shave with both the razor and the blade combination. The razor itself will come with a blade, and the others you will have to try on your own. Looking back, I should have signed up for a "gift box" of blades to try a couple of brands instead of just going "I'll just use Feather because the internet said it was good."

Good Luck.

Also not using alcohol based aftershave and shaving foam has been great for my face. I use shaving soap, and some baby oil.

You can get the Merkur 180 for pretty cheap over at Amazon. This Tweezerman brush is a cheap but capable item that's good for beginners. You'll want some soap or shaving cream, Col Conk/Proraso are popular soaps and Proraso is the go-to cream. Blade preference varies from person to person; some blades irritate some people's skin, some aren't quite sharp enough, etc. You'll have to learn as you go. It's generally agreed that Feather blades are super sharp, so you may want to stay away from those until you're more used to DE shaving. You'll also need a stand because your brush has to hang bristles down while drying; I've got the Col Conk one and it works well, but I've seen ones that work just as well made from wire clothes hangers so that's the way you want to go on a budget.

Get a safety razor and a box of 100 blades for like $30 will last you a few years if you shave like twice a week. A straight razor is too expensive IMO, they are like 200 dollars and you have to strop them. Get something like this with a blade sampler pack. I think Feather is the best blade but people have many different opinions on blades. A sampler pack will help you choose what you like the best. As always, check out /r/wicked_edge as well.

Itchiness from irritation/razor burn? Or ingrown hairs?
If it's the former, that's a pretty easy fix: Use a super sharp blade and I love using hair conditioner for my legs. I never get irritation now that I use conditioner. I use a pretty green brand (Giovanni tea tree conditioner), so there's no residue/silicone-y feeling after I rinse it off.

[I use this razor $13] (https://www.amazon.com/BIack-Friday-Sale-Butterfly-Stainless/dp/B01AFF8BVO/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1511667940&sr=8-5&keywords=double+edge+razor+blade+butterfly) and bought a [pack of 100 single replacement blades for $10] (https://www.amazon.com/Astra-Platinum-Double-Safety-Blades/dp/B001QY8QXM/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1511667924&sr=8-3&keywords=double%2Bedge%2Brazor%2Bblade&th=1). Super cheap and effective. I use a fresh, sharp blade every 1-3 uses depending on what I want to shave. If you have a sharp razor each time, the blade just cuts through the hair and glides across the skin. A dull blade will tug and pull, leave micro tears.

I think you'll find you hit a point of severe diminishing returns past the $25-30 price point. That seems to be the "sweet spot" for value, as you can get the unequivocally excellent Edwin Jagger DE89 (which by the way uses the same head as Muhle). For slightly less, you can get the pretty good Maggard MR5, which packs a solid stainless steel handle for $25.

Notwithstanding a slant razor, which isn't much more expensive, I think one of the above-mentioned razors will perform admirably for 99% of the population. Honestly the difference between a $30 EJ and a $70 Standard or Weber is probably so small that I'd recommend you take your savings and spend it on a nice soap and brush.

Honestly if you want a good, modern starter razor, even though it may not be a popular opinion with the "experts" these days, is the Feather Popular. https://www.amazon.com/Feather-Double-Edge-Shaving-Razor/dp/B003YJ70NY/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1481176769&sr=8-1&keywords=popular+safety+razor
I have given about 15 or so of these to friends, and family over the years. It has swayed most, all but 2 so far, to start wet shaving. As others have stated, you should definitely get some nice soap, and a brush to really appreciate the shave quality. A cheap Omega boar brush, and some awesome, but inexpensive Palmolive for Men classic shave stick is what I usually include with my starter kit gifts.

> FYI, I shave probably every other day and get 3-4 shaves out of each blade.

I finally figured out that I can get away with only shaving once a week.

I'm a slow beard-grower and it's mostly a goatee, so by the end of the week I have a nice, attractive, and even stubble like the ones that some men work to get the right balance of. I look best with either that stubble or fully shaved, from there my beard starts getting patchy until it's long, and then when it's long it just poofs out and goes everywhere.

I also can use a blade three times before I need to dispose of it.

SO, a single DE blade lasts me three weeks, which means if I ever get through all these sample blades I bought (I have a favorite so far, Shark Super Chrome), I can buy a pack of 100 for 16.99, that's 17 dollars for 300 weeks...

... in other words, seventeen dollars for six years. In fact, that investment is on a long enough time scale I'm wondering I shouldn't just buy a smaller pack because I don't know what my lifestyle will be like six years from now.

Not bad at all, just overpriced. You can get a 50 pack of Feathers on Amazon for just $15.

Tryablade.com is good because you can buy razors individually or in 5 packs, or try a bunch in a sample pack. Every person's preferences are different, so see what works best for you. I found that Personna Reds are my favorite blades.

The nice thing about DE shaving is that blades are all around pretty cheap. Even if you treat yourself to the most expensive blades money can buy, you'll still only be spending like $.80 for a week's worth of shaves.

The lowest cost option is the Lord L6 at $12.75 but I have to disclose that this is a razor that will require replacement eventually as it's known to break over time.

Then there's the Edwin Jagger DE8x series. They all have the same head, but the differences in prices reflect the difference in the handles. I bought mine at the link I provided, and it was ~$36 and took 6 days to be shipped from England to California. This razor is high enough quality, it will last a lifetime.

The next bump up in both quality and price would have to go to either the Weber ARC, or the Weber DLC. both are $70, and solid stainless steel. Razors of similar quality and materials normally sell for twice that much. Great value. and... great razors! Our resident expert Leisureguy says his ARC gives him his best shave of any of his razors.

U/Trooze knows what’s up.

Go slow, and take your time. You’ll get faster as you do it more, rushing is when you hurt yourself. Shave after you shower. The hot water will soften you’re facial hair, and washing your face will get the gunk of your skin, allowing for an easier job.

Razors are hella expensive. I found an old-style safety razor like this one for ten bucks at an antique shop and bought 100 blades for it for $10 on amazon. The new ones are mostly expensive gimmicks. The old safety razor works just as well, and is easier to work in my mind, since there’s weight to it.

Invest in some quality aftershave. Back when I was clean-shaven, I found an Old Spice one I liked. It smelled nice, and made the razor burn go away.

Also, if your facial hair is thin, or patchy, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, I couldn’t grow a full beard till I was almost 30. Lots of dudes can’t ever grow a lumberjack beard. Remember though, with facial hair, it’s kind of an all or nothing thing. Half-stache’s don’t look great, so think long and hard about growing stuff out.

You’ll be fine.

My fiance uses a double-edged safety razor (the old-fashioned style) and I have found that it is the best shave I have ever had. I had to relearn how to shave at first, because I was used to pressing down hard with my old Venus because I was lazy about buying replacement heads (and they are expensive!). Just let the weight of the razor drag across your skin and don't apply any extra pressure (it's metal and pretty solid). You can buy a safety razor for about $30 on Amazon and replacement razor blades are maybe $0.50 each, so overall the savings will add up. Plus, close shave! I haven't purchased my own yet but this one has really good reviews amazon link

edit to add: I also love using Sliquid brand shaving creme (honeydew cucumber scent is delicious!). Their lube is also awesome.

I shave with a top of the line Edwin Jagger 89L that cost me something like $30 (& $10 for Badger brush and soap) due to the fact i have a dense wiry beard that goes in every direction that normal cartridge/disposable/electric shavers won't shift, especially on the neck area.

200 Derby blades (each giving 4 shaves on average), used every other day for $15 - gives me 5 years worth of blades!
All purchased from Amazon


Recently i forgot my shaving kit on a vacation trip, so I bought a cheapo Gilette double edged razor for $5, a tube of Ingram shaving Lather for $2.50 and a Boarbristle shaving brush for another $3) at a local drugstore.

I had an unopened pack of Derby blades in my washbag, so i used them with the Gilette.

The results were as good, if not better than the top of the range luxury DE blade kit.

So it's down to shaving technique and blade quality - the cheapo razor, lather and brush (lather whipped up in a wide cappuccino mug)


If you're really budget conscious, and don't like the plasticky feel of the Gillette razor, try the Egyptian made Lord LP 8122 for around $5-10. This is a great metal razor, comparable to the high-end european metal EJ/Merkur models. The finish may not be as perfect as the chromed EJ/Merkur models, but that's only cosmetic and won't affect the performance


Derby or Astra are excellent budget razor blades.
I'd recommend badgerhair brushes over boar-hair, as it feels a lot nicer and doesn't get bent out of shape. Still whips up and applies the lather just as well.

For an outlay of $30, you too could be shaving with no additional costs for 2 years or more, depending on your beard growth.
($5 Lord LP 8122 + $15 Derby blades + $2.50 tube shaving soap + $5 badger-hair brush + $2 cappuccino mug)

Then in that case if you want to up the ante of gift giving, (i ordered all my supplies on Amazon since i have Amazon student and 2 day free shipping) but i also ordered a stand. Like you can build your own kit really nicely and then arrange it for him as a surprise!

Razor

Blades

Badger brush

Stand

Shaving cream, my favorite

And as for a cup to mix the shaving cream? Don't bother buying one just use a short mug it's much easier

Also, think about it this way, when you are using a regular 4 bladed razor you need to go over each spot at least 2 times right? That's as if 8 individual razors went over that spot. With a single blade you usually get every hair in one pass but sometimes you need 2-3 but still, 2-3 is less that the original 4 so you're regardless way less likely to get razor burn

Here you go

Edwin Jagger De89lbl Double Edge Safety Razor Chrome Plated Lined Detail

Dovo Stainless Steel blade BLACK Handle Shavette Straight Razor Uses Replaceable DE Blades and a Brut Styptic Pencil you're going to need it

Edwin Jagger Razor Stand for Double Edged Razor or Colonel Conk Evernice Model 775 Chrome Safety Razor Stand

Double Edge Safety Razor Blade Variety Pack - 100 Blades! and/or 115 BEST Blade Sampler FEATHER SHARK ASTRA BLUEBIRD LORD GILLETTE

Edwin Jagger 1ej946sds Traditional English Best Badger Hair Shaving Brush Faux Ebony With Black Drip Stand

Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream Bowl, 5.3-Ounce

Proraso Shaving Cream 5.2 oz (147 g)

Bloc Osma Natural Alum Block

Ogallala Bay Rum Bonanza Sampler!

And just use a kitchen bowl to make the lather.

Edit : Made an Amazon List

I figure it's only right of me to explain where I purchased everything!

As much as I would like to say that I picked up everything in the picture at a luxury grooming shop off Jermyn Street in London, it's all actually from Amazon. The razor, stand, and bowl were purchased together as a part of this gift set, though since I had no intention of using the included brush or soap, I probably should've purchased them separately.

Speaking of brushes, the brush is a Parker in 100% silvertip badger, which can be found here. As I mentioned in another comment in this post, the brush is a great deal; it's not only cheaper than most other silvertip brushes, but it makes a great lather to boot. Matches the set, too!

As the picture shows, I'm using Proraso shaving cream and aftershave, although I recently picked up some Edwin Jagger aloe aftershave as well. Both smell fantastic, the latter being my preference.

Not show in the picture are Feather razor blades and a styptic pencil, although I intend to switch to alum soon.

And you guys said doing this would be cheaper than using cartridges... ;)