Who here is a minimalist

[PGHChris]

I don't know if I'd call it "minimalist", per se, but I'm around the 6 month mark myself and this is what I've found:

No matter how enamored I am with a certain product, I always want(ed) to get another different option simply because there is so much to try and you never know how much you will like something until you try it. That being said, I have made a "den" of sorts out of an old grain drawer and hung it in my bathroom next to the medicine cabinet. I made a stand in that den that can hang three razors and fit one more laying on its side. I've decided that I want to keep only one straight safety bar, one open comb, one slant, and one adjustable razor in my den. Furthermore, I'm considering just buying safety bar, OC, and slant heads for my iKon handle and basically having a 3-in-1 razor and an adjustable in my stable. Now, I may switch which brand of any type of razor around, but personally, I think only having one of each is plenty for me. This goes for the rest of the "den" as well - I will only keep what I can fit in it. Aftershaves, soaps/creams, and brushes all have their place and what I have in the den will be what I have period. The exceptions will be keeping a small stock of different soaps and blades, simply because there are still so many of those to try and they are consumable. Would I call this minimalist? No, probably not. But I would not really call it a collection either. Keeping such a large number of items on hand that I can't remember how a product performed by the time it comes back around in the rotation is not for me. Nor is forgetting that there are items that I have not even tried after months of owning them. In my short time I can say that both of those scenarios have happened a few times to me. As always, YMMV, and who knows what my thoughts on "minimalism" will be another six months down the road; just my two-cents.

 

[kevdogg329]

I have been DE shaving 2 months now.

I have pretty much content with what I have in my rotation:

Razors - (5) RazoRock Mission (most used), Gillette Rubie, 2 Superspeeds(one family heirloom, one from PIF) one travel Jungie (Junkie)
Blades - (about 250) 100 Astra SP, 120 Dorco 301, and other sample blades from trades Blades are my biggest AD. Always willing to acquire more when possible.
Brush - (1) Sengome boar from PIF with a kitchen bowl to lather in
Soap - (4) VDH puck, VDH Frankensoao, Cornel Conk Line, Bay run (All via PIF)
AS - (3) Aqua Velva (Glass) AFTA Lotion for dry skin days, and Brut from 2004
Stypic Pencil (used often as an alum block)

I also have a straight froma PIF that needs to be rescaled and honed when I get time/patience to do so.

On my list to try someday:
Adjustable razor (Slim, Fatboy, Black Beauty, Futur)
Feather AS-D2
Arko, Cella, RazoRock soap
Badger Brush
different Aftershaves
Alum Block

 

[TacticalPanda]

I keep particular razors if I, for whatever reason, think they're really cool or if they're really hard to find. I found a New Improved locally for not much and although I get better shaves from my NEWs, I won't get rid of it because it was one of the first vintage razors I found in the wild. Other than things like that, I get rid of most razors I know that I won't use. I don't have a ton of TTOs anymore because they don't work nearly as well for me as a Tech or NEW.

 

[Atalk]

I am haven't embraced "shaving minimalism" quite yet but I am slowly but surely steering toward that direction. I am not sure that I will ever reach minimalism nirvana but I have at least come to the realization that I have way too much stuff --- primarily in the soaps/creams category. I have pretty much stopped buying stuff to start whittling down my den.

 

[Mick]

I have one of everything (or so it seems to SWMBO)

BUT.....

I only use one razor, blade, brush, soap/cream, and after shave at a time

AND.....

That is as close to minimalist as I will ever come

 

[Bflotom2]

My problem is minimalist $$ not shaving minimalist. So much to try, so little $$

 

[nuclearblast]

I keep particular razors if I, for whatever reason, think they're really cool or if they're really hard to find. I found a New Improved locally for not much and although I get better shaves from my NEWs, I won't get rid of it because it was one of the first vintage razors I found in the wild. Other than things like that, I get rid of most razors I know that I won't use. I don't have a ton of TTOs anymore because they don't work nearly as well for me as a Tech or NEW.

Funny... I always find a "reason" to keep all the razors I buy. Even though I start to realize I am becoming too partial and some of them don't see much action. Still... I like to see them around.

 

[lmill999]

I'm at the 6 month mark and I'm starting to find what really works for me. I don't have that urge to try everything I see. I've settled on one razor and 2 brushes. I have about 10 soaps that I'm working through but so far only 3 have really stood out to me. I still have more testing to do, though. For now, I've bought just about everything I want to try. It's a lot of stuff and it's going to take me a while to work through it all. I actually like the actual art of shaving more than I did when I first started, though.

 

[PugslyCat]

Initially I was binging on products while trying to find the perfect combination for me, because as you know, YMMV. I never found the perfect combination, but they were all pretty darned good, so settled for what I had.

I've got a couple of shelves in the closet stacked with soaps, creams, aftershaves, and mugs. I've got a drawer of various razor blades and a dozen razors. Actually out on the counter I've got one razor, one open pack of blades, one brush, 1-2 soaps and 1-2 aftershaves. I pretty much alternate the two soaps until gone and randomly grab the next pack of blades from the drawer.

 

[bluefeather312]

I'm a couple of months into this obsession and I can eventually see myself going minimalist with regard to razor and blade, however, I seem to be seeking out a variety of AS lotions and balms. Too many great scents out there to go minimalist IMO.

 

[OC513]

I have been using a brush and puck of soap for about 10 years but with a cart razor, moved over to a DE in November '13. I have since found my perfect set up and use that every time I shave. Same EVERYTHING (R89, Muhle Silvertip, Polsilver SI, MWF and Thayers Alcohol Free) Only thing that changes is the aftershave but now that I've tried Speick that may become my go to.

 

[Mick]

I should say that for over 40 years I shaved with the same razor, same brand of blade, same brand of shaving soap, and the same brush every single day

I suppose that makes me a reverse minimalist

This is the the set up that I used from the early 70's until a few years ago when I found B&B.

 

[viru_s]

I have an unbranded straight razor, a 1000k/4000k oil stone, I use an old belt or newspaper as my strop, Use about 3 or 4 creams in rotation and always use an Old Spice AS. A broken coffee mug serves as my lather mug. The pics I have posted on Newbie thread.

 

[Dblwmy]

I think I'm going minimalist each time I buy one more razor. It's an addiction.

 

[SpikedLemon]

Not sure how multiple razors, soaps and brushes still constitute "minimalist" but I guess it's all relative.

 

[Major Guns]

I consider myself a minimalist in the sense I don't stock up on a variety of creams, brushes, razors, etc.. I use 1 brush (WD silvertip 24/48), I own 1 cream (TOBS Sandalwood), 1 DE razor (EJ 89), 1 aftershave (Clubman Pinaud) and a total of about 100 blades (Feather, Med Preps and Astra). Whenever I'm about to run out of something, I'll buy more of it. If I'm feeling lucky (this is where reviews on this forum come to play!), occasionally I'll try something new. If the new product I try is better than stuff I normally use, I'll switch to it indefinitely.

There are a few things on my wishlist though!

 

[Geoffo]

Well done. I'm headed that way

Plenty of threads for those with huge shave dens but this is for those few that keep it simple.

I have a 23c razor, tub of TOBS Avocado, random boar brush and 10 pack of feather blades. That's all I have and will have until I run out of soap or need more blades.

 

[burntime]

I was a minimalist until i stumbled into here...
for the past 25 years or so I used my grandfathers old WS Classic (a very cheap DE, they cost less than £10 new even now), his old brush, and a palmolive soap stick.

then the Classic broke and i discovered this place when i started to look for a replacement razor, i now have a straight (that was a bad buy), a shavette, a Tech, a new brush, several different soaps, a selection of brands of blade, and i am looking to try out an Open Comb DE next time i have some spare change.
I have even bought a stand for my brush!

its all extravagance though, i wouldn't be unhappy if i had to go back to basics.

 

[Rob_pisky81]

I am a mins minimalist in most regards I use one of everything and my intention is to only use one of everything. I have 4 razors once I find which one does the best for me the others will likely be stored away or possibly a gift to a hopeful convert.

 

[shave/brush]

Right now I have 12 razors, (gave away and sold several.) and 4 brushes, (also gave several away.) but I am always trying to decide which razor and brush are my favorite. The one I would take to the moon with me. Every time I think I know the one I like best I'll use a different one and change my mind.
Right now it's my Joris razor and my Muhle STF brush that have the lead. This might be it.