Once you find your absolute favorite, what do you do?

[talibeard]

A tough question with no simple answer. When I find a great product I usually buy some more but it depends on what item and how much it costs how much more I am gonna buy.

Razors: 4 favs here and the only one I bought a couple of extras is the humble Lord LP1822 (new type) because it is cheap and available right now. One other fav is a vintage Gladweg and when I come across another one at reasonable cost I will get me a spare. I consider my other favs (Mühle R89 and R41) as too expensive to buy spares and leave them idle in my drawer.

Blades. I have a cultivated RBAD and try anything new that I come across. I have three favs (Lord SS, Souplex and NOS Schick Platinum Plus) but because of all the blades I collected and the fact that I decided 2011 would be the year of using up my 'second class' stuff I doubt I will have one single shave with either of those this year. But with blades also I want to keep a limited rotation in my shaves.

Soap/AS. These are season related for me so I keep a year around collection. Though I have favs for all seasons I will still try new stuff but at a slow pace. First get rid of some stuff that I like less before I am going to buy more is the motto here.

Brushes. I found my favourite in the Vulfix 2189 (boar) and bought me a spare. I won't sell any of my collected brushes (about a dozen) though I gave away some nice badgers in the past. There might come new ones but it will be at a slow pace also. Even though I found a fav a new brush is still a nice item for a birthday whish-list.....

All in all not a straightforward answer, or at least not a simple one, but that is about where I stand right now.

 

[kbuzbee]

So basically my answer is that my answer will change!

I hear ya, buddy! Been there!

Ken

 

[BlackBard]

I already only have one badger brush (EJ BB), one razor (Gillette Slim), one blade (Red Personna), one WH (Thayer's original non-alcohol), one ASB (Nevea Replenishing Balm) and 4 soaps on rotation - although I have been using TOBS lavender exclusively for about 6 weeks, trying to use it up so I can use bowl for the AOS Sandalwood soap I got recently.

Bottom line is that I am almost there, with the exception of soap reduction. I do think the AOS soap is the best I have used, but I still like to use other quality soaps for variety.

 

[Bertrand]

Bonjour

Few mounths ago, I discovered Ogallala stuffs ; and felt in love. Since then, I didn''t use any AS except those. I got rid of creams and soaps. My goal is to have a nice, luxurious but simple and easy to carry shave den, as I'm a traveller.
I spend a lot of time choosing the right product, as I don't like to have in my den something I don't use. For me, my perfect set up has been found : shavemac silvertip 23mm / merkur 33c / IP / jojoba oil as pre shave / ogallala soap / thayers / proraso post shave / ogallala bay rum.
Of course, I have other stuff : coates / Pen's BB SC / proraso etc...but it's never THAT perfect.
Bertrand

 

[Pike]

Bonjour

Few mounths ago, I discovered Ogallala stuffs ; and felt in love. Since then, I didn''t use any AS except those. I got rid of creams and soaps. My goal is to have a nice, luxurious but simple and easy to carry shave den, as I'm a traveller.
I spend a lot of time choosing the right product, as I don't like to have in my den something I don't use. For me, my perfect set up has been found : shavemac silvertip 23mm / merkur 33c / IP / jojoba oil as pre shave / ogallala soap / thayers / proraso post shave / ogallala bay rum.
Of course, I have other stuff : coates / Pen's BB SC / proraso etc...but it's never THAT perfect.
Bertrand

Wow..that's a lot to travel with! I travel weekly quite often....I keep it very simple...Shave stick (palmolive or moos) a red tip, a tiny bottle of spieck AS. and the smallest simpson I have stuck in a toilet paper roll. I do wonder what the hotel cleaning staff thinks when they see the vintage gear on the sink...

 

[Topgumby]

Once you find your absolute favorite, what do you do?

Hoard like a TLC reality show refugee, fill up sandbags and hunker down for the Shavepocalypse.

 

[SRock]

I have a favorite in every category but I use different stuff every day.

+1, sort of. I've thought I found a favorite in every category only to discover the next best thing on many occasions with one exception... Blades. The only blades I currently have in my den are Gillette 7 O'clock SharpEdge (Yellow). I rotate 12 brushes, about 6 DE's, 3 SE's and 3 Str8's. I also rotate about 40 soaps and creams.

 

[Foyle]

I enjoy trying different creams but I never have more than two or three on hand at any given time. That way each time I use something up I can try something new without going overboard. Musgo will probably always be on hand though.

For razors and blades I have no interest in trying something new. This is where I need to find the one thing that works and stick to it; and I have. My De89L is the only razor I use and after trying different blades I've pretty much settled on Merkurs but that doesn't mean I wont try a pack of different blades sometimes just to see if they will work well. So I guess the DE89L loaded with a Merkur is my optimum combo.

I have only one brush and it will likely be my only brush until it wears out and I need a new one, unless I find a great deal on something some time. I would only probably rotate them then just so one has a chance to dry out. Actually, I do have a second brush. It's a cheap Kent boar that sheds hair like mad so I don't ever use it. It just sits in the drawer.

Honestly, I don't think there is anything wrong with having a selection of brushes and creams and such, it's just not for me. I don't have the budget so it would be irresponsible to amass large amounts of things like that. Especially brushes which are never cheap. If I had more expendable income I think though I would like to have a couple more good brushes. That would be fun.

 

[FL shaver]

I'm pretty much set when it comes to my razor (Merkur 34C), brush (CE Best), and blade (Astra SP - though I still rotate in some leftover blades from my trial phase).

What I will enjoy rotating are my soaps and creams. I have a few that when they are used will not be replaced, but I have more than a handful of great performing products that offer something the others don't, and that I will use for decades to come.

The aftershave stuff is not etched in stone, and I expect I'll have a variety of balms and scents on hand.

 

[StillShaving]

I like having some variety, more in some categories, less in other. I could live with a single DE blade, a few razors and 3/4 brushes. But would want a number of soaps/creams and aftershaves, though when the number of each reaches double digits it is hard to put them to good use.

 

[4myshave]

That's really a very interesting question. I've thought about what are my favourites, but have not put the list down on "paper".

I use a Shavemac D01 24mm Silvertip for Creams. The brush is actually a very dense 26mm, since Shavemac seems to exceed the specs on these brushes. My favourite cream is Coates Tea Tree Limited Edition Cream. I use creams on weekends during the winter.

I use a Simpson Emperor 2 - 2 band for soaps. I just received a new CH 1 - 2 band, and although I've only used it twice, I'm quite sure it will be my new favourite for soaps. Favourite soap is Tabac, which I first used some 30 years ago. However, life's too short to use only one and I also rotate with Cella, Pre de Provence and Mitchell's Wool Fat.

My favourite and most often used DE is a Muhle R41. Again, find it hard to use only one so I also reach for my Pils and occasionally a Gillette New short.

My favourite straight is a TI Silverwing.

For travel I use my Case and either Tabac or Irisch Moos shave sticks.

I have quite a few AS balms. My favourite in winter in Musgo Real; in summer its Bvlgari Aqva.

I have three sons and the products I don't use have been used to entice them into the world of wet shaving. They're quite happy to "test" various soaps and creams with their gifted razors and brushes.

 

[OldSaw]

Hoard like a TLC reality show refugee, fill up sandbags and hunker down for the Shavepocalypse.

That's fine for things with a long shelf life. But what about creams? This is one reason why soap is so much better than cream.

 

[Laney1566]

I recently posted a similar poll in the brush forum and there was a strong consensus there. But this question is more general, covering any and all products you may use.

I know many of us seem to be on this sort of quest to find "the best". Eventually, most folks come to understand this is all about personal preference. But given that, after you've tried a wide variety, you find something that is just "you". The scent, the handle, the feel, the result, whatever applies, it is exactly what you enjoy most.

So do you stay (even mostly) with the best you've found? Or do you prefer the variety of the rotation or maybe changing off regularly keeps your perfect find more "special"?

Just curious because I used to think I was a "variety is nice", kind of guy. And it is. And I'd tried enough things I'd come to the conclusion that there is nothing "perfect". One thing is better in one way, but lacking somewhere else. But these days, I'm finding myself settling into a series of things that, if I don't choose them, I just don't enjoy the shave as much. It's usually fine. Sometimes, really good. But I'm just happier using my favorite items.

They are in my sig but to expound...

I've tried straights, a feather AC, 5-6 DEs (and, of course, electrics and carts, back in the day). Once I tried a Feather AS, I never looked back. Haven't touched another razor since. I may someday, but I love the shave I get every single day with this razor.

Blades. Tried a dozen or so. Thought I might settle on Feathers but they are just a touch harsh for me. Once I tried Med Prep Personas... This is my blade. Smooth, comfortable, close, sharp... Really really nice.

Soap, I must own 30 different soaps. Almost all of them are good to great. But nothing matches AOS, for me. If I'm not using it, I want to be. So why use anything else? I like the scents. I love the performance. It leaves my face feeling amazing.

Brush, this was my most recent decision. Like soaps, I own a wide variety of brushes from many of the top names we all know. I've come to the understanding I like larger brushes. Initially I decided on larger knots. Later, I decided on taller lofts as well. Two of my early brushes actually met these requirements, the BLK12 and Shavemac 227XXL. But the Kent isn't quite stiff enough for the size and the Shavemac is a touch "clunky" so I kept looking. Recently I found a Polo 14 on BST (thanks Mike!) and I think my brush search is over. The size, the feel, the handle, the lather. It's one amazing brush. I really don't ever want to use anything else.

AS splash/ASB, haven't really settled on anything here (and I may never, I pick them based mostly on my mood that day) but 90% of the time it's something from Pinaud followed by an AOS balm. That combination offers a variety of scents and leaves my skin clean and smooth/soft.

So where are you in your journey? If you find a perfect thing (not just good, but WAY better than anything else you've ever tried) do you still keep using your other things too? Or do they rarely see the light of day?

I'm going to give this combination 6 mo to a year but given how I feel right now, there may be a lot of things showing up on BST after that. I mean, just because they aren't my favorites, doesn't mean they won't be yours, right?

Ken

All that to say your obsessive compulsive just like the rest of us

 

[kbuzbee]

All that to say your obsessive compulsive just like the rest of us

You are so much more susynct my friend!

I have to admit though, I feel the OC dying big time. I am just so happy where I am right now. Will it last? Who can say? But everything in shaving land is rosy for me. It's a weird feeling, to be honest.

I used to read every thread with a constant "oh, gotta try that!" mentality that just isn't there anymore. I don't care how many people say you gotta get some Cella or Tabac (okay, I actually have some Tabac, back in the cupboard somewhere, but you know what I mean) it doesn't move the needle. I'm AOS and that's that. If I want a brief fling somewhere, there are 20 other soaps just begging to be used. Same with brushes, razors etc. But I don't hear their voices anymore.

The really strange thing is where, on the spectrum, I settled. In no advice thread will you read that to be really happy face lathering, get a Polo 14 and some AOS soap. Granted, the guys that do use a PL14 (does anyone else claim it as their main, go to bush?) freely admit it's great in that realm, but it's never a recommendation. You rarely even see anything larger than an 8 discussed, let alone recommended. Usually you'll see a Rooney 1/1 or a Chubby 1, maybe a Duke 2 or an Emillion 1. And I get that. I can't see ever recommending someone else try what I enjoy. I figure it must just be me. But that's fine. I'm happy with it!

So, I'm where I never expected to be. Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this. Seems like most have, to some degree, but not quite so across the board as I have.

Thanks guys,

Ken

 

[diverdoug]

I am of the thinking that variety is the spice of life.

 

[flight567]

use it

 

[KDGage]

I'm still early in the process, but I've envision finding "the razor", "the blade", and "the brush," but I don't think I will ever stick to one soap, cream or AS. Who knows, maybe after I've been at it a few years, I'll have a change of heart.

 

[Hawkeye5]

Lay in a life time supply.

Original Coates cream, gone. Gillette Swedes, gone. Woods of Windsor tallow soap, gone. Get the picture?

I'm snake bit. Every favorite I've ever had is either gone or reformulated.