Thread: Best Shave Preperation ?

I've recently jumped onto the Straight Razor Shaving band wagon, whilst i've picked the Razor I intend to buy, my mind is in a 1000 pieces as to what preperation I should use ?

1) Shave Cream
2) Shave Stick
3) Shave Oil
4) Shave Foam
5) Shave Gel
6) Shave Soap

HELP ! Which is best to shave using a Shavette
Thanks

Never used a Shavette, but you need to make your beard soft and provide lubrication for your skin. This all depends on your face, your own skin and hair characteristics. I like to use goats milk soap on my face then cover that soap with a hot towel. nothing fancy. Worst thing about this is testing different methods until you get one you like can get costly.

I'll make this easy. Use either a quality soap or cream. I know some guys use a stick and seem to like it however for most of us it's a cream or soap. Read some of the posts on the forum for ideas as to which ones to try. I don't know your budget so I won't make suggestions.

+1 on the advice offered in the previous posts. Lather your face with a quality shaving soap or cream.

Then massage it into your face with your fingertips. Apply a warm towel or wash cloth to your face and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. That will soften your whiskers and set your beard up for shaving.

Finally, reapply your shaving lather and shave.

I haven't used a shavette (I don't 'get' them, why not use a straight?), but preparation is not just about the actual shave. I stand firmly by proraso pre-shave cream (it's excellent, in my opinion) and a prefer a cream over a soap, but I haven't really investigated soaps that much.

I'd NEVER use a gel or foam; for me, to do so would be too akin to going back to using a piece of plastic shit to shave with!

For me, in order, are:

1) Musgo Real
2) La Toja cream
3) Speick

It's going to take me YEARS to check out as many soaps and creams as I see are available, I generally buy one new cream or soap a fortnight for a while, have a rest while I get through them, and then start again. I think after maybe a year I'll be able to decide on a favorite cream and a favorite soap, but still keep investigating others.

BTW, I wouldn't use shave oil, I think that's more for a cartridge, for a straight you need cushion, and I guess the same is true for s Shavette.

If there were a single "best way", we'd all be using it.

Get a brush, and a cream or soap. Learn to make lather. Shave immediately after a hot shower.

If lather doesn't soften your beard enough for a comfortable shave, start playing with pre-shaves and oils and double-lathering and hot towels.

You need to figure out what works for you, and the only way to find out is to start simply and experiment.

. Charles

I don't want to hog the thread, but I also want to respond to cpcohen1945's post...

I agree there's no 'best way', we're all individuals with individual tastes. Expanding on that, it's actually not ALL about the technicalities of what works best. I know that sounds odd, but if wrapping your head in a hot towel makes you feel good, do it. If smearing pre-shave oil on makes you feel good, do that. The daily morning ritual has many, many facets. Sometimes we go on a bit about the scientific aspects, and sometimes we go on a bit about scents and the 'feel' of creams and such. Of course there's a middle ground, the shave does need to be somewhat comfortable, but there's so many different aspects that it's got to be about what YOU enjoy. I really like the fact that Lyn always ends his posts with 'have fun', I think that's the key, otherwise we can get a bit 'anal' about the whole deal....

I go for a hot shower. Best thing to start a shave with. And a lot of time. If I am in a hurry, no straight for me.

The main ingredients are.........hot water, more hot water & some more hot water!

I'm more of a DE guy, but I've used both a straight and a shavette. Shavettes are tricky little buggers. They'll bite if you aren't very careful, so you want an absolutely top notch lather and a very steady hand. have some styptic ready just in case, too.

For prep, opinions vary, but most people use 3 main methods, which are not mutually exclusive. They are stearic acid based prep cremes, oils, and 3 minutes of warm water soak. You can use hot towels, showers, or even splashing water on your face before lathering, and reapplying every minute or so for your 3 minutes to wet the beard. For prep cremes, Italian options like Poraso and 3P seem most popular, although a few people use canned foam as a pre shave ( which does seem to work tolerably, but involves leaving nasty chemical crud on your face for 5 minutes). In terms of pre shave oils, I'm not that familiar, to be honest.

Dunno if that helps, but good luck with your shaves.