Converting my husband and canned cream anecdote:

[FaintlyM]

I just started with a DE, one shave so far. In the spirit of possibly converting my husband in the future, if you were using a cartridge razor on your face would a good shave soap give you a better shave than the canned gel/foamy stuff?

Now the anecdote: My husband (I know there's a cute acronymthingy but I don't remember it) did a body building show last year for which he/we shaved his body. I did much of it using a cartridge razor and canned goo. I had a razor in one hand, the clean hand, and the other stayed covered in goo the whole time. It took at least 30 minutes to finish legs, chest/belly, and back. I didn't notice till the next day but the "goo hand" was so dry and gross that microfiber cleaning cloths kept sticking to it. And it took several days for the skin to get back to my normal level of dryness. It was bad. At the time I just thought, "next time I'll wear gloves". But not till last night did it register that it just can't be a good idea to put that stuff on your face every day.

[Commander Quan]

A good soap can certainly give a better shave, and definitely can be less drying than the canned gels. In fact that was one of the immediate things I noticed when I switched from Edge Gel to soaps and creams. If he doesn't want to go all the way to using a brush and soap right away even a brushless cream like Kiss My Face can be better than the gels.

[The Kiwi]

I just started with a DE, one shave so far. In the spirit of possibly converting my husband in the future, if you were using a cartridge razor on your face would a good shave soap give you a better shave than the canned gel/foamy stuff?

Now the anecdote: My husband (I know there's a cute acronymthingy but I don't remember it) did a body building show last year for which he/we shaved his body. I did much of it using a cartridge razor and canned goo. I had a razor in one hand, the clean hand, and the other stayed covered in goo the whole time. It took at least 30 minutes to finish legs, chest/belly, and back. I didn't notice till the next day but the "goo hand" was so dry and gross that microfiber cleaning cloths kept sticking to it. And it took several days for the skin to get back to my normal level of dryness. It was bad. At the time I just thought, "next time I'll wear gloves". But not till last night did it register that it just can't be a good idea to put that stuff on your face every day.

There have always, or almost always, been a variety of canned products, although at the very beginning there was normally only two kinds per brand: Regular and Menthol. As a young teen, I used ordinary bar soap once a week, on Sundays, to shave with. A very few years later, at 17, I started using canned foam products, and tried several. My best recollection for that long ago is that it probably was Noxzema Shave Cream / Foam. It was 55 years ago.

During the 60s to 80s, I used either shaving soap and a brush, or shaving cream in a tube, with the latter being what I reached for more and more often. From 1993 to 2011, I used cartridges and canned Edge, the Sensitive skin formula (Orange Lid). However, I kept a shaving mug with soap in it on hand to shave with if needing a proper "good shave". My shaving routine was altered, but not given up, just abbreviated. These days, if you need something to shave with using a canned product, Barbasol makes three varieties, all better than the average canned products. They have the Menthol, Regular, and Sensitive.

I'm sure a great many of us in here would like to hear (read) your naming of the product that created such a dry skin reaction for your hand.

[N2theBreech]

+1.

With the caveat that it may take a day or two for his lather making skills to produce good lather. Once he's used it for a while, I think he'll see difference. I did. Especially if he uses witch hazel as an after shave. Good stuff.

[cameraflier]

My wife converted me. She gave me an AoS kit for Christmas, telling me she loved the smell. Of course I took the hint and started using it with my cart shaves. AoS creams are a gateway for many.

I occasionallly remind her that my little addiction is all her fault. She just laughs. (This from the lady who stole my MdC. I think she had a plan all along.)

[polardude1983]

Better creams, soaps, or brushless creams will not jut result in a better shave, but will also be better for the body.

[Mick R]

My wife would happily see me go back to using a cart head razor and a bar of soap to shave in the shower. She hates it that I take the extra five minutes out of the shower and shaving (even though it would have taken only slightly less to be shaving in the shower the way I did anyway). However, I've noticed the difference in my own face since I changed over to a proper shaving method, and now there is no going back. She's had years to get used to it, but we still see the occassionally begrudgement happen :whistling:.


Mick

[smalltank]

my wife knows my wet shaving hobby keeps me "sane" :adoration:..honing in my spare time really feels therapeutic

[FaintlyM]

I'm all for the caveman spending more time on grooming. So maybe I'll look for something coconutty....he likes that smell. The soaps on mama bear that come in lidded tubs.....do you swirl your brush right in the tub and then put the lid back on when you're done?

[Mick R]

In short. Yup!


Mick

[Rengrave]

My wife would happily see me go back to using a cart head razor and a bar of soap to shave in the shower. She hates it that I take the extra five minutes out of the shower and shaving (even though it would have taken only slightly less to be shaving in the shower the way I did anyway). However, I've noticed the difference in my own face since I changed over to a proper shaving method, and now there is no going back. She's had years to get used to it, but we still see the occassionally begrudgement happen :whistling:.


Mick

Why? :confused1

[cameraflier]

IMO: start him with a cream and a brush. If he's not the adventurous type, pick a latherless cream (as mentioned above). Creams generally are harder to mess-up really badly.

[celestino]

A good soap can certainly give a better shave, and definitely can be less drying than the canned gels. In fact that was one of the immediate things I noticed when I switched from Edge Gel to soaps and creams. If he doesn't want to go all the way to using a brush and soap right away even a brushless cream like Kiss My Face can be better than the gels.

+1 You should immediately get him to stop using that canned goop!

[Mick R]

Why? :confused1


Because, apparently, I take too long in the bathroom. In a way she has a point. However, I do only take the time once in the day. She takes two trips. One to shower before going out to the kitchen, and making herself breakfast, and then after breakfast she returns to get ready for the rest of the day. I just go in there, complete all my toiletry needs in one go, and march out, ready for what the day may bring.
I am a stay at home dad and she goes to the city to work. I make allowance for that by allowing her to get up and attend to her needs, with the request that she wake me when she is done. She is up at 5AM, and I at 5.30AM when she comes out from the shower. I am out of the bathroom by 6.10AM and she returns to the bathroom until 6.25AM before leaving at 6.30AM.
My total time is 40 minutes, hers is a total of 55 minutes. By ladies standards I think she does quite well, but she really...Really wants that extra 10 minutes from 6AM. I can just tell...:tooth:



Mick

[rxonmymind]

I have a lot of respect for bodybuilding. My brother in law lives who lives with us is a uber certified trainer and treats his body as a temple. Watches what he eats and is what I would consider an amateur body builder. I posed the question to him in converting him and I told him " you watch your calories religiously, avoid fast food, count ingredients, read ingredients and like fresh foods right". He said yes. So I.said would you eat a can of spaghetti or prefer fresh before competing? " He answered fresh of course. So I said you'd eat nothing canned before competing so why would you use a can on your body? I laughed as he just looked at me. He laughed too. He is now a DE user.


Besides there are soaps with Shea butter, lanolin, coconut oils, and a host of other goodies in the shaving world that are zo much better for your skin.

[brother cavefish]

good soaps and creams are the best i will never go back to shaving foam, gave that up 17+ years ago

[Rushman2112]

I've been back to wet shaving for about 11 months now after almost 30 years with a leccy razor, and in that time I have always used "proper" shaving soap or cream and a brush. Recently I had a one-night trip to Jakarta and thought may be just take a shave set from the lounge at Changi which includes a small can of goo. What harm could it do? What rubbish. Sticky, messy, greasy. Awful stuff. Never again.

[Rob72]

I haven't tried cremes yet, but would agree, they are probably easier to get started with. Probably the cheapest, best bang-for-the-buck, starters with soap are the Van Der Hagen sets at WalMart. I'm probably missing out on a, "whole new experience",:rolleyes: but I've stuck with the $1.50 VDH soap. I have a distinctly diminished sense of smell, which is part of the lack of interest, but purely from comfort and ease of use, VDH is great for me.

IIRC, Nieva shaving creme is also at WallyWorld, and possibly Proraso.

[TankCommander1554]

As a relatively new wet shaver, I can say for sure that a good soap really adds to my skin's smoothness and the enjoyment of my shave. You can't go wrong with some of the artisan soaps like MB, QCS, Mike's, etc.

[sigthorson]

I'm sure a great many of us in here would like to hear (read) your naming of the product that created such a dry skin reaction for your hand.

+1

[FaintlyM]

I don't remember for sure but it might have been Egde gel stuff. I kind of remember thinking it was cool how the gel turned foamy in my hand. I'll ask the husband and see if he remembers. It was a year ago.

[Go West Young Man]

You can get excellent BBS shaves from cartridges..... IF you use good product and good technique.
So I vote that yes, switching from gel to soaps/creams will by itself significantly improve his shave.

[Amzimbo]

I'm all for the caveman spending more time on grooming. So maybe I'll look for something coconutty....he likes that smell. The soaps on mama bear that come in lidded tubs.....do you swirl your brush right in the tub and then put the lid back on when you're done?

You might want to try Trumpers coconut cream. You can get a tube to start with if you aren't sure he'll go for it. Great scent and an outstanding shaving cream (better, much, than Trumpers soap, IMO). Brush choices are endless, but youdont have to spend a fortune to get a good beginner's badger.

[Texas]

You might want to try Trumpers coconut cream. You can get a tube to start with if you aren't sure he'll go for it. Great scent and an outstanding shaving cream (better, much, than Trumpers soap, IMO). Brush choices are endless, but youdont have to spend a fortune to get a good beginner's badger.
+1. Go with quality soaps/creams. But if you have to use goo from a can, Barbasol Yellow is good. I use it on occasion or in a hurry.

[PugslyCat]

I just started with a DE, one shave so far. In the spirit of possibly converting my husband in the future, if you were using a cartridge razor on your face would a good shave soap give you a better shave than the canned gel/foamy stuff?
Yes. The soap tends to provide more lubrication, or slickness than the foam does.



But not till last night did it register that it just can't be a good idea to put that stuff on your face every day.
I had a similar but opposite revelation. When I realized how much better my face was doing with real soap instead of canned foam I got to thinking that using cold process bath soap instead of manufactured soaps, detergent bars actually, would be a good way to go.

[PugslyCat]

The soaps on mama bear that come in lidded tubs.....do you swirl your brush right in the tub and then put the lid back on when you're done?
That's exactly what you do with them. They work very well for traveling. Mama Bear shaving soap is available in the plastic tubs, or in wooden bowls if you want to dress things up a bit. The same scents are available in bath bars.

[rossvtaylor]

I've switched completely to puck soap, sticks, or shave creams (travel) for facial shaving. And I don't have any body shaving experience to use as a base of comparison. BUT, I will say that the shave cream/gel in the orange tube from Trader Joes was quite nice. I used it on my face, before switching to wet shaving last year, and my wife still uses only that for her legs. Give it a go, if you've got a TJs nearby. Cheap, smells nice, non-irritating, and works great.