It's been about one year since i took delivery of my sparkly shiny Edwin Jagger DE 89 L with the lined handle, and thought i'd like to share with you my experiences thus far.
considering i've been at this for a year now, I only just now FINALLY seem to have got the knack of correct lather consistency across the different brands i've got in the cupboard, using a Feather Blade, so i think it's fair to write up my experieces on my creams and soaps first
Proraso (green and white)
Palmolive Stick (euro/uk)
Palmolive Cream
Erasmic Glycerine Soap (black soap dish)
TOBS Jermyn Street sensitive
Ingrams Lather Menthol Cream
Shiseido non lather cream
I had an old tube of Bronnely non-lather stuff too but the lanolin was causing me too much of a skin reaction to keep using it, and was tricky to get consistency.. pretty good shave closeness but dreadful sore skin for days as my allergy would settle. Extremely nice almond smell though, so i couldnt discount it for anyone else to try.
So - my one year school card for what i'm left using?
Nomatter what i do, if i shave on consecutive days, i get a load of nicks.... I rate everything based on a 3 day stubble growth, looking at a three pass shave.
All my soaps seem to take a lot more water to get the right lather than i remember starting out being happy with ... I'm a lot more confident with gauging how close I am from turning a dry, sticky lather into something perfect... I think i probably still undershoot slightly on the water , but I rarely overshoot to end up with a watery thin and rubbish lather...
The Palmolive Stick is perfect for when i dont go looking for a shave, and am happy with what fate gives me. three passes makes me nervous so i generally stick to two with this one. still not got the facelather technique quite right to allow me to go 'purposefully' against the grain on pass 3 to really control how good a shave i get. instead i just do a textbook two pass lather clearance and leave it there.
Palmolive Cream eliminates the lather problem and gives me an easier shave every time with three passes, but again, i still dont go really looking for BBS with this stuff. it does leave my skin feeling 'Soapy clean' if you know what i mean, but i worry about the blade more than with the products below.
The Proraso Sensitive was a nightmare to figure out but now gives me my best, most favourite shaves, and most importantly , my smoothest. I put this down to familiarity and confidence though. against the grain is no hassle and my water rinse off always proves a happy experience. I have no fear of rubbing water viguorsly across my face, because i know i wont have any sore or sensitive or moisture stripped areas. Its slickness is perfect, It smells really good - a slightly less strong cooling effect than the green tub, and my daughter loves this one the most. my 'go to' soap
The Proraso Green, well, i started off loving this until , uncoincidentally, i figured out the right water to soap ratio for the proraso sensitive. I rarely use the green tub now, unless it's a hot day and want that extra cooling sensation.
But, remembering back 6 months, this was giving me great shaves and was so easy to get to the right consistency. the first soap to really get me doing things consistently better, and the first to remove that rinse-sore feeling.
The Erasmic? Superb smell but i find it quite overpowering now compared to when i first experienced it - very zingy! just used it last night on a two phase shave and ended up with a wonderful kiss goodbye from Mrs Ninja this morning so i guess no complaints from the boss!
it's not as refreshing as the proraso Sensitive though.
Technically, The Shave head does skip a little still when i use Erasmic so maybe it's not as slick as i'd like it to be. One for 'going out' occasions only.
The ingrams is basically EXTREME menthol in a tube - Very chemically in smell and style but only best for two passes - the lather just isnt that great at softening my stubble to allow for a BBS 3 pass shave. I guess if you use this, you'll know what i mean. Two passes and i'm in 'ice-face' heaven though, so i guess it's a definate second choice on the hottest days.
And so I come to the TOBS Jermyn sensitive (black tub) and this is still an enigma to me - it's a soft cream in a soap tub, very nice and abundant smell but again it's a bit like the Ingrams in that i just cant seem to shift all my stubble with it. Repeat passess negate the 'sensitive skin' aspect, and leave me with occasional nicks and a worry that my splash and rub down will feel sore. It's not my favourite despite wanting so hard to love it, instead i merely use it occasionally, like the erasmic.
I also have a tube of Shiseido non lather cream which i think is lovely for a more rapid touch up / 1 phase shave, but is equally at home giving me the full luxury hot towel prepped up 1 hour duration 'power shave' from which i emerge in a cloud of steam and ninja lightning.
this stuff is rather like toothpaste in consistency and my rasor just melts through the stubble.... it's weird, a bit overly chemically but actually a really nice shave every single time to the correct lubing level, and creates a lovely rinse down feeling- it's mega expensive though, so not exactly arguing it's case on all fronts to make me ditch the traditional proraso white tub.
On now to the rest of my gear
I have two brushes - a synth Body shop one, and a tobs fake badger one. the tobs is my fave but the body shop one is still actually really nice to use, and the smaller head is fun to swish under the nose. i use this BS one doused in hot water as a face prep for when i'm going into Shiseido mode!
i never have enough stubble after 24 hours to warrant a shave - if i go for a 48 cycle then i'm still dangerously close to causing some skin flare up - 3 days seems to fit really well though....
so what then do i feel about my blades when in my 3 day cycle?? I've used Feather, Dorco 301, Wilkinson sword and Derby extra
well...
Feather - no problem on my stubble - i decided to stick with them throughout 2011 after the local turkish barber commented i had really really tough stubble i decided to do a left side / right side face off , and immediately noticed the feather would slice through as opposed to the NEW dorco 301 feeling a lot mor like a hack through. Yes - the feather is good, but i feel like it has a weak aspect in that i always end up with some microstubble on my cheek. WHAT???? yes - you read it here first, the Feather isnt perfect. its a great shave though but i dunno, something about it just wont clean off the very final nanometers of wiry beard from my skin. The 301 ion the other hand makes the shave HARD WORK , dragging and bogging down, but it seems to let me take off every last trace if i go looking for them. If i want to stay safe but still try for a BBS friday night shave, i may just be tempted to go 301 and leave the Feather for when i've got more time to think about avoiding nicks.
The Derby, i think, was a happy medium, and i think i'd rank it better than the 301 - i started off HATING this as too sharp and dreadfully irritating, but then came to love it, i remember the one shave which left me feeling "OMG is THAT what it's meant to really be like?" and feeling very wowed that i hadnt left a bloodbath and got a BBS without the sore water rubdown. But then ran out of them and switched to Feather. I will probably buy some more shortly to trial them again.
The Wilko's?
ummm - forgettable, mediocre, i think they stayed usuably sharp a little longer than the others but were never outstanding against the feathers.. bear in mind that these were completely outstanding compared to a MK3 gillette though and i guess it's easy to be unkind to a good allrounder like the wilko.... but i wont be buying more.
Ok - so onto my pre and post shave stuff...
PRE: I use Proraso sensitive pre cream, and i have to say this stuff feels like it would reduce the lube action under my nose, but i do end up with ace shaves every time i use it - so it cant be bad! i rub it in before making the lather up to let it soak down and treat the stubble, and i think they do cleave off a bit easier as a result.
POST: I use Sainsburys witchazel in a 250 ml bottle. splash rub splash rub and then i'm left loving the smell, the smoothness, how my skin finish has improved over time with this, the lack of redness and how it just complements the Proraso sensitive so well.
I also have an Alum block but i stopped using this really fast after my first few tries with the witchazel. The Alum block is good for tackling a load of nicks over bumpy or dried out skin, but it just doent have the same smoothness after rinsing - definately a more sore rinse down when i use this, as my skin feels a bit squeakier/drier and looking a little blotchy as my pores react to it. it's a good thing to have in the cupboard though, improves my skin and i would recommend everyone trial a block out.
Of course, i ave a styptic pencil for instant bleed-stopping skills.
A lifesaver , especially when planning on wearing a white shirt.
Moisturiser/skin food?
I used Erasmic, Loreal Men Expert (matt), TOBS jermyn, and a few different ones from nivea's men range (especially the very light/runny white bottle sensitive one with alcohol) but now i dont generally bother - the proraso and witchazel just leaves me perfect each time.
And finally, the Shaving tool itself!
Edwin Jagger DE 89 L
It's Amazing - it's cutting angle is so easy to find, loading it is easy so long as you have a fear for blades and remember to be vigilant when screwing.
I think though that when paired with the Feather, and dont get me wrong, for MY circumstance, i cant help thinking that a slightly more mild razor would give me even better results.
A slightly less aggressive razor then the DE89 for xmas, or an adjustable? maybe but this is not something i'm losing sleep over
I used for a time a wilkinson sword black plastic razor as well but it's just too light to use properly - once I used the DE89 , there was no going back.
I also had a cheap chinese TTO but it fell apart quite soon after i bought it - so bought another and it wasnt great on build quality and often nicked me under ANY circumstance.
Thats all my stuff covered apart from my excellent soup bowl from Marks and Spencers... when i bought this, my lathering instantly took a turn for the better and everything started to fall into place. a DEFINATE MUST BUY for all beginners is an adequate lathering bowl.... trust me on this!
ok - so in summary, there's still just so much to take on board, and even doing it two or three times a week since, i still consider myself a total novice...
Outlook for the year ahead?
Feather plus maybe I'll try out the much-recommended Astra blade to see if it works for me
maybe i'll be looking this xmas for a slightly less aggressive razor then the DE89 i use.. Merkur mothership ? Maybe! or perhaps a stainless steel masterpiece like the feather SS
Aside from that, maybe i'll try out some more TOBS until i really settle into my niche
Happy Shaving!
considering i've been at this for a year now, I only just now FINALLY seem to have got the knack of correct lather consistency across the different brands i've got in the cupboard, using a Feather Blade, so i think it's fair to write up my experieces on my creams and soaps first
Proraso (green and white)
Palmolive Stick (euro/uk)
Palmolive Cream
Erasmic Glycerine Soap (black soap dish)
TOBS Jermyn Street sensitive
Ingrams Lather Menthol Cream
Shiseido non lather cream
I had an old tube of Bronnely non-lather stuff too but the lanolin was causing me too much of a skin reaction to keep using it, and was tricky to get consistency.. pretty good shave closeness but dreadful sore skin for days as my allergy would settle. Extremely nice almond smell though, so i couldnt discount it for anyone else to try.
So - my one year school card for what i'm left using?
Nomatter what i do, if i shave on consecutive days, i get a load of nicks.... I rate everything based on a 3 day stubble growth, looking at a three pass shave.
All my soaps seem to take a lot more water to get the right lather than i remember starting out being happy with ... I'm a lot more confident with gauging how close I am from turning a dry, sticky lather into something perfect... I think i probably still undershoot slightly on the water , but I rarely overshoot to end up with a watery thin and rubbish lather...
The Palmolive Stick is perfect for when i dont go looking for a shave, and am happy with what fate gives me. three passes makes me nervous so i generally stick to two with this one. still not got the facelather technique quite right to allow me to go 'purposefully' against the grain on pass 3 to really control how good a shave i get. instead i just do a textbook two pass lather clearance and leave it there.
Palmolive Cream eliminates the lather problem and gives me an easier shave every time with three passes, but again, i still dont go really looking for BBS with this stuff. it does leave my skin feeling 'Soapy clean' if you know what i mean, but i worry about the blade more than with the products below.
The Proraso Sensitive was a nightmare to figure out but now gives me my best, most favourite shaves, and most importantly , my smoothest. I put this down to familiarity and confidence though. against the grain is no hassle and my water rinse off always proves a happy experience. I have no fear of rubbing water viguorsly across my face, because i know i wont have any sore or sensitive or moisture stripped areas. Its slickness is perfect, It smells really good - a slightly less strong cooling effect than the green tub, and my daughter loves this one the most. my 'go to' soap
The Proraso Green, well, i started off loving this until , uncoincidentally, i figured out the right water to soap ratio for the proraso sensitive. I rarely use the green tub now, unless it's a hot day and want that extra cooling sensation.
But, remembering back 6 months, this was giving me great shaves and was so easy to get to the right consistency. the first soap to really get me doing things consistently better, and the first to remove that rinse-sore feeling.
The Erasmic? Superb smell but i find it quite overpowering now compared to when i first experienced it - very zingy! just used it last night on a two phase shave and ended up with a wonderful kiss goodbye from Mrs Ninja this morning so i guess no complaints from the boss!
it's not as refreshing as the proraso Sensitive though.
Technically, The Shave head does skip a little still when i use Erasmic so maybe it's not as slick as i'd like it to be. One for 'going out' occasions only.
The ingrams is basically EXTREME menthol in a tube - Very chemically in smell and style but only best for two passes - the lather just isnt that great at softening my stubble to allow for a BBS 3 pass shave. I guess if you use this, you'll know what i mean. Two passes and i'm in 'ice-face' heaven though, so i guess it's a definate second choice on the hottest days.
And so I come to the TOBS Jermyn sensitive (black tub) and this is still an enigma to me - it's a soft cream in a soap tub, very nice and abundant smell but again it's a bit like the Ingrams in that i just cant seem to shift all my stubble with it. Repeat passess negate the 'sensitive skin' aspect, and leave me with occasional nicks and a worry that my splash and rub down will feel sore. It's not my favourite despite wanting so hard to love it, instead i merely use it occasionally, like the erasmic.
I also have a tube of Shiseido non lather cream which i think is lovely for a more rapid touch up / 1 phase shave, but is equally at home giving me the full luxury hot towel prepped up 1 hour duration 'power shave' from which i emerge in a cloud of steam and ninja lightning.
this stuff is rather like toothpaste in consistency and my rasor just melts through the stubble.... it's weird, a bit overly chemically but actually a really nice shave every single time to the correct lubing level, and creates a lovely rinse down feeling- it's mega expensive though, so not exactly arguing it's case on all fronts to make me ditch the traditional proraso white tub.
On now to the rest of my gear
I have two brushes - a synth Body shop one, and a tobs fake badger one. the tobs is my fave but the body shop one is still actually really nice to use, and the smaller head is fun to swish under the nose. i use this BS one doused in hot water as a face prep for when i'm going into Shiseido mode!
i never have enough stubble after 24 hours to warrant a shave - if i go for a 48 cycle then i'm still dangerously close to causing some skin flare up - 3 days seems to fit really well though....
so what then do i feel about my blades when in my 3 day cycle?? I've used Feather, Dorco 301, Wilkinson sword and Derby extra
well...
Feather - no problem on my stubble - i decided to stick with them throughout 2011 after the local turkish barber commented i had really really tough stubble i decided to do a left side / right side face off , and immediately noticed the feather would slice through as opposed to the NEW dorco 301 feeling a lot mor like a hack through. Yes - the feather is good, but i feel like it has a weak aspect in that i always end up with some microstubble on my cheek. WHAT???? yes - you read it here first, the Feather isnt perfect. its a great shave though but i dunno, something about it just wont clean off the very final nanometers of wiry beard from my skin. The 301 ion the other hand makes the shave HARD WORK , dragging and bogging down, but it seems to let me take off every last trace if i go looking for them. If i want to stay safe but still try for a BBS friday night shave, i may just be tempted to go 301 and leave the Feather for when i've got more time to think about avoiding nicks.
The Derby, i think, was a happy medium, and i think i'd rank it better than the 301 - i started off HATING this as too sharp and dreadfully irritating, but then came to love it, i remember the one shave which left me feeling "OMG is THAT what it's meant to really be like?" and feeling very wowed that i hadnt left a bloodbath and got a BBS without the sore water rubdown. But then ran out of them and switched to Feather. I will probably buy some more shortly to trial them again.
The Wilko's?
ummm - forgettable, mediocre, i think they stayed usuably sharp a little longer than the others but were never outstanding against the feathers.. bear in mind that these were completely outstanding compared to a MK3 gillette though and i guess it's easy to be unkind to a good allrounder like the wilko.... but i wont be buying more.
Ok - so onto my pre and post shave stuff...
PRE: I use Proraso sensitive pre cream, and i have to say this stuff feels like it would reduce the lube action under my nose, but i do end up with ace shaves every time i use it - so it cant be bad! i rub it in before making the lather up to let it soak down and treat the stubble, and i think they do cleave off a bit easier as a result.
POST: I use Sainsburys witchazel in a 250 ml bottle. splash rub splash rub and then i'm left loving the smell, the smoothness, how my skin finish has improved over time with this, the lack of redness and how it just complements the Proraso sensitive so well.
I also have an Alum block but i stopped using this really fast after my first few tries with the witchazel. The Alum block is good for tackling a load of nicks over bumpy or dried out skin, but it just doent have the same smoothness after rinsing - definately a more sore rinse down when i use this, as my skin feels a bit squeakier/drier and looking a little blotchy as my pores react to it. it's a good thing to have in the cupboard though, improves my skin and i would recommend everyone trial a block out.
Of course, i ave a styptic pencil for instant bleed-stopping skills.
A lifesaver , especially when planning on wearing a white shirt.
Moisturiser/skin food?
I used Erasmic, Loreal Men Expert (matt), TOBS jermyn, and a few different ones from nivea's men range (especially the very light/runny white bottle sensitive one with alcohol) but now i dont generally bother - the proraso and witchazel just leaves me perfect each time.
And finally, the Shaving tool itself!
Edwin Jagger DE 89 L
It's Amazing - it's cutting angle is so easy to find, loading it is easy so long as you have a fear for blades and remember to be vigilant when screwing.
I think though that when paired with the Feather, and dont get me wrong, for MY circumstance, i cant help thinking that a slightly more mild razor would give me even better results.
A slightly less aggressive razor then the DE89 for xmas, or an adjustable? maybe but this is not something i'm losing sleep over
I used for a time a wilkinson sword black plastic razor as well but it's just too light to use properly - once I used the DE89 , there was no going back.
I also had a cheap chinese TTO but it fell apart quite soon after i bought it - so bought another and it wasnt great on build quality and often nicked me under ANY circumstance.
Thats all my stuff covered apart from my excellent soup bowl from Marks and Spencers... when i bought this, my lathering instantly took a turn for the better and everything started to fall into place. a DEFINATE MUST BUY for all beginners is an adequate lathering bowl.... trust me on this!
ok - so in summary, there's still just so much to take on board, and even doing it two or three times a week since, i still consider myself a total novice...
Outlook for the year ahead?
Feather plus maybe I'll try out the much-recommended Astra blade to see if it works for me
maybe i'll be looking this xmas for a slightly less aggressive razor then the DE89 i use.. Merkur mothership ? Maybe! or perhaps a stainless steel masterpiece like the feather SS
Aside from that, maybe i'll try out some more TOBS until i really settle into my niche
Happy Shaving!
