The wet shaving thread

[asingh]

Today the Palmolive Cream comes up in my rotation. Though would put in some pointers.

This is the standard packaging and the list of ingredients used to make the cream.

Adding a little water, it quickly churns out a good foam.

The cream:
1. Lathers and foams well.
2. Provides could cushioning.
3. Creates a slick under-layer enabling nice razor glide.
4. Has a pleasant smell, which does not linger for long.
5. Post shave, the face is soft and supple.

A good cream to keep in the den.

 

[asingh]

Up next in my rotation is the Blue Stratos cream. This cream has been in the Indian market quite a while. I remember seeing my relatives use it (and the after shave) probably around the late 80's or early 90's. Blue Stratos products were considered a luxury item back then since they were priced a bit more than the usual Old Spice and Godrej line - ups which were the staple in India. Cream has a coconut type of smell (mild) in conjunction with a soapy base.

1. Nice distinct aroma.
2. Does not require too much water.
3. Creates a soft foam and provides adequate glide and cushion.
4. Has mild cooling properties as well as a "cream" base, leaving the face fresh post shave.

I will definitely buy this again. I love the smell, and the user experience is great.

 

[asingh]

Weapon of choice...!

Parker 98R, 3 - piece double edge razor.

Nice and heavy razor. Nickel plated. Probably one of the heaviest razors out there. It is touted to be super aggressive, but I found it to be decent after 10-12 shaves. Guess my initial TTO was far more aggressive. One has to be careful while loading/unloading the blade. I hold the razor in a towel. It did slip once (without a towel), but luckily the guard caught my finger, and not the blade. It did have to alter my style a bit, guess that happens once razors are swapped.

Am happy...!

 

[asingh]

Here is the review for the VI-John Premium, shaving cream. This cream is available for INR 45 for a 91 gm tube. The packaging says that the product contains: Tea Tree Oil. There is also coconut, glycerin, some methyl derivative, lanolin, and Vitamin - E. These ingredients are exactly the same, as the regular version, except the Premium version does not have propylene glucol, and Sodium Hydroxide. This is a cream primarily used by barbers for commercial purposes, and some years back VI-John started to produce/market the cream for singular users. You can see Shah Rukh Khan on the back of the tube. It says on the back: "World's largest selling shaving cream".

I will be using a Parker 98r razor, Gillette Synthetic brush, and Super-Max blade for the review.

I took out a decent amount of the product, and immediately the distinct VI-John smell with a slight menthol base reached my nostrils. It is mild, not extensive, but nice.

Having dipped, the brush once hot water, and dripping it off, I started the lathering process. Within 30-45 seconds it lathered up. But the consistency was really thin. As mentioned, was fluffy.

I added, 3-4 teaspoons of water, and gave it some more action. And it lathered up to a decent substance.

Final verdict:
1. Cream has a nice smell. Pleasing.
2. Sits a bit thin on the face. Not too dense.
3. I let it settle for a few minutes, and it had some cooling properties.
4. Post shave: face was soft and felt well cared-for.

Something to keep, as a work-horse cream. Easily available at most shops, and does not cost much. Does the job well...!

 

[Criminal]

I took out a decent amount of the product,...

do you use that much amount of cream everytime or only this time? i use this much and lather directly on the face:

 

[asingh]

do you use that much amount of cream everytime or only this time? i use this much and lather directly on the face:

I take like 3x squares of yours. I do three passes though, and do not face lather. The rubbing of the bristles gives me red skin and in-grown hair. I paint on the thick lather, and let it set. I used a bit extra this time...!

 

[blr_p]

Got to try a gilette sterling for the first time. have to say its very mild. And when examining the razor with the blade in place its clear that the arc it makes is more gentle than other razors i've used. The more the razor bends the blade the more aggressive. Swordfish's picture illustrates this

The plastic gillette (red one) if you see swordfish's pictures on the last page is more aggressive. Gilette in general is mild, sterling is extra mild. Felt a bit strange under the chin, handle is too long, will try it a few more times. I've gotten used to that plastic one now for several months that i might need to adjust a little bit.

do you use that much amount of cream everytime or only this time?

I use that amount every time, it produces a rich lather and by the time three/four passes are over the bowl is polished. These creams are cheap enough not to skimp over.

I still find asinghs lather from the last two on the thin side, not used blue stratos or vi-john before. Not seen them for sale in the shops here. Maybe they just do not lather as well. Have seen thinnish (foam is still apparent instead of cream) lather like this when i used Axe & Supermax and its the reason i don't bother with them anymore. Shashave is another which even with a badger brush is difficult to lather up thick and its a designer brand. Great ingredients used just not so good lather. With these kinds of creams you have to content yourself with a smaller amount of lather of thicker consistency than more lather.

so far i've found godrej (red), dettol, yardley and biotique to produce good lathers. Fa, Nivea (when available). Palmolive & Park avenue as close seconds. Old spice is some where in between those two, closer to the first and biotique is the best.

i use this much and lather directly on the face:
View attachment 43491

That's how much i put on my toothbrush

 

[Criminal]

That's how much i put on my toothbrush

isn't toothbrush too small and harsh to be used on the face?

 

[blr_p]

As in when brushing teeth, dentist said ignore those ads where they cover the whole brush, all you need is a small bit.

 

[Criminal]

^^ lol. i was joking

i use just a dab of shaving cream because i end up with too much lather which eventually comes off under its own weight. and then too much lather fills up my nostrils too besides that, i do just two passes.

maybe it's the way i build up lather... i slap the brush on my face just like those daily wage earners slap their paintbrushes while whitewashing.

 

[blr_p]

For what you're doing 1-2 passes, a face lather is fine and you could get away with as little. If you have no complaints then cool.

You said the lather comes off on its own weight, that's a good sign that it isn't thick enough to begin with. filling your nostrils means you got more foam. don't know if there is any way to avoid it with face lathering.

It will come off in big bits when you shave but it should not be falling off on its own weight as you put it. Getting a good lather when face lathering is work, you do it once, take it off have to do it again, easier and preferable if you have a badger brush then one with plastic bristles. When i was at the barber he spent five minutes scrubbing with a boar brush. Fine, it was coming in cold without a bath and that's really a minimum it takes to get the beard wet.

Otherwise a bowl is easier. Whip it up once and its done. Not as exfoliating or as satisfying as a face lather though.

Am not always 100% focused when i shave, there is usually something i'm mulling over, so the added cushion keeps me safe. Alum test tells me it went ok. Alum's become a ritual now. If you find your skin getting irritated then you know to skip a day for the next shave.

asingh try some glycerin with those shaving creams and see whether it makes a difference. Not too confident whether it will make a difference or not.

 

[Criminal]

my brush doesn't rub/exfoliate much because of the way i lather up. and its generally quite thick, almost of the same consistency as spray foam. i switched back to brush and cream recently. i used spray foam for around 4 years.

boar hair brush is difficult to dry so i hardly use it. i keep alum in my kit but i rarely use it. it dries up my face quite badly and i don't get cuts that often. because of this, i've switched to styptic pencil. i bought one in 2008 and it's used only around 5~6 times. the point i am trying to make is that i rarely get any cuts. it happens only when i am not paying attention.

i moved to brush, cream and DE blades as part of an experiment. i was spending way too much money on shaving needs and wanted to check if i can get by with the cheapest (but still good) stuff. so, as part of the experiment, i spent Rs 197 on 19 Aug 2013 to buy DE blades, nylon brush, cream and a straight razor for DE blades. the experiment will end on the day when any of these items finishes or breaks. i shave on alternate days and sometimes daily. within few days, i'll be spending less than Re 1 per shave.

i think the only type of razor i haven't used so far is those 5-blade cartridge ones.

 

[blr_p]

How well it dries depends how humid it is where you are. My brush comes with a stand so it hangs upside down, all you need is a loop. may help to dry better hanging upside down.

i wash off the alum with cold (tap) water after use, its just to tell how well or not a shave goes. Don't leave it on. Idea is to close the pores once its done, cold water compliments the process.

It starts off with trying to get that Re.1 shave and slowly starts moving into the luxury line, you want to experiment with fancier things. I asked a friend to pick like $100 worth of just shaving soap pucks when he was abroad, he thought i had lost it. You start to eye $80 Rooney fine badger brushes and think why not. You have been warned

Don't bother with 5 blade cartridge because a one pass 5 blade is no match for a 3 pass one blade from different angles. Nobody who buys multi-blades has figured this out yet. Too much effort to do multi-pass, who has time to learn all of this. Gilette is laughing all the way to the bank. There is even an electric version thats more expensive, seen it at Rs.1k and asked the shop guy who buys things like this (!) Thing is visually there is no difference to be 'seen' by others whether you do one pass multi-blade vs multi-pass one blade. It's more of a feel thing. Since lots of people shave just to get presentable this isn't important enough to dwell over.

 

[asingh]

maybe it's the way i build up lather... i slap the brush on my face just like those daily wage earners slap their paintbrushes while whitewashing.

You should try it in a bowl.

Am not always 100% focused when i shave, there is usually something i'm mulling over, so the added cushion keeps me safe. Alum test tells me it went ok. Alum's become a ritual now. If you find your skin getting irritated then you know to skip a day for the next shave.

Yups..alum is really really important...!

asingh try some glycerin with those shaving creams and see whether it makes a difference. Not too confident whether it will make a difference or not.

It hardly made a difference. I think those pictures did not come out well, the lather is quite decent...!



Does anyone have access to Godrej Shaving Round in shops. I would like some shipped to Delhi. I can pay for price + shipping. Also Feather blades.

 

[asingh]

Received these as a PIF from a user at B&B, some weeks ago. Getting time now to use them.

Sahara Q:
Is a good cream, but takes a while to get used to. There is some effort to get the lather going, but in the end it forms to a nice dense substance. Is quite thirsty and does not lather up quick. Glide and cushioning is decent. Has a slight menthol based smell, which is pleasing and feels good early morning.

Denver:
I really loved this cream. It has the novel "musk" scent with a slight woody base which sits aesthetically on the nostril. It has some cooling properties, so I lit it sit a while on my face. Glide is decent but it gives a good cushion if applied on thick. Creating the lather did not take me too long, but I did add a few drops of water after the wet brush was introduced to the fresh product. I really love this cream, but not able to find it up North - India.

 

[soggy316]

I know that this isn't technically about "wet" shaving, but I lack the inclination to create a seperate thread. How good are the entry level phillips beard trimmers (the one's that retail at ~1-2k)? Are the decent and get the job done or are you left with frankenbeards at most settings?

 

[dinjo]

I'm looking to get a electric shaver not for usual shaving purpose but clean up and touch up after the shave any advice[DOUBLEPOST=1416933688][/DOUBLEPOST]Actually I'm looking for trimmer.

 

[soggy316]

so i bought a wahl groomsman. First impression is that is is damn good for the price (~1000), cons are the flimsy attachments, extremely loud noise and the bladte get a bit heated up.

Overall a damn decent product.

 

[asingh]

The Omega 46065:

You get:

1. A Boar brush.
2. Shaving stand. +A tube case. (Side of the box shows the stand).
3. A tub of cream. Which is basically the fabled Proraso but rebranded for Omega.

Nice red handled brush, should make for good shaving. Plus the stand+tube will aid in travelling, even with slightly damp brushes.

 

[booo]

^can you shed some light on proraso? because its available everywhere here in oz.
Also can you guys suggest me some medication/aftershave for my "extremely sensitive" skin? basically, I cant use regular bath soap because it makes skin dry and flaky. I have to apply aftershave almost everyday because I get zits which are probably caused due to razor rash. btw, I use straight edge razor because I dont want to use blades more than once (again infection)