Top Three Picks in Your Rotation

[baba]

My good men...and women.

Please list your current top three picks in any category, or create your own category. Please also list skin type, beard type and how often you shave.

I think this will be a huge help to all of us and perhaps a buying guide for others to use in the future.

Please List Your Top Three Picks in

• Razors
• Blades
• Shave Creams
• After Shaves
  

Kind Regards,

Baba

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My Selections

Beard type
course and dense

Skin type
sensitive, prone to ingrown hairs

I shave 3-5 times a week.

Razor

1. Rolls Razor (viscount model-1950's)
2. Gillette Superspeed- year?
3. Gillette Tech - year?
   
   Blade
   
   1. Feather
   2. Personna (isreali)
   3. Derby
      
      Shave Cream
      
      1. Jack Black Pre Shave Lube
      2. Geo Trumpers Lime shave soap
      3. Kiehl's shave cream
         
         After shave
         
         1. Menscience post shave repair
         2. Jack Black post shave gel
         3. Nivea extreme post shave balm
            

[40boy]

Shave:
Every day / 28 out of 30 days

Beard:
Wiry, swirly mess of grey and black

Skin:
"normal"

Razor:
E&J 86L
Merkur HD
58 TV Special

Blade:
Feather
Iridium
RPIP

Cream:
(More of a soap guy)
MWF
Tabac
Speick

Aftershave Splashes:
Speick
Proraso
Musgo

Brushes:
Rooney 3/1 Super
E&J MBB
Omega Boar

I have other stuff, but I coulld get by just fine with these products only.

[ateace]

Skin type: Fair/sensitive
Beard type: Average to tough
Frequency: 5 to 6 days a week

Razors:
1.) Merkur HD (or any fixed head Merk)
2.) EJ DE86 (black handle)
3.) '64 Super Speed

Blades:
1.) Red pack Personna
2.) Indan Green 7 O'Clocks
3.) Swedes

Creams:
1.) Bigelow / Proraso
2.) Body Shop original formula
3.) Lucky Tiger Molle (winter)

After Shaves:
1.) Nivea Extra Sensitive balm
2.) Vaseline Aloe Fresh (actually a hand/body cream)
3.) tie - Skin Bracer / Alcolado Glacial (summer)

[guitarslinger]

Please List Your Top Three Picks in

• Razors
• Blades
• Shave Creams
• After Shaves
  

my picks (even though I'm more of a soap guy)
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My Selections

Beard type
thick, dark,

Skin type
sensitive, soft, white

I shave 5 times a week.

Razor

1. Merkur 38R
2. Merkur 38C
3. Gillette slim adjustable
   
   Blade
   
   1. Gillette Swede
   2. Polsilver (Russian)
   3. Personna Red
      
      Shave Cream
      
      1. Speick
      2. Proraselo
      3. Florena Sensitive
         
         After shave
         
         1. L'Occitane Cade ASB
         2. Proraso AS Splash
         3. Floid Blue (Italian)
            

[haiti222]

Shave:
Every day / 27 out of 30 days

Beard:
Fairly Coarse

Skin:
normal

Razor:
Schick Krona
Gillette Aluminium Handle Tech
Schick 1980's plain Injector

Blade:
Gillette Bleue NOS (bought from ebay UK..still available)
Gillette Super Blue Blades from 1980's
Schick Injector Blades, mostly NOS


Cream:
TOBS Sandalwood
CO Bigelow/Proraso
Still Auditioning for #3


Aftershave Splashes:
Kananga Water
Diluted Dettol
Trying more normal splashes too, like "Ivory Club"


Brushes:
Gillette Brush Plus Synthetic -yes, the one from the mid-80s repurposed as a straight brush
Kent Boar from their ebay store
Wilkinson

[DonOhio]

Beard type
Average? Not very thick growth but whiskers like wire

Skin type
Average? Not particularly sensitive. Shave the neck area about 4 times a week (have a beard on the face)

Razor
1. Schick Krona
2. Super Adjustable, 3 then 7
3. A Schick injector (test driving different ones now)

Blade
1. Whatever's handy; I've got a canister full of about a dozen different brands from as far back as the '40s. Currently testing out the Personna DE
2. CVS injectors

Shave Soap
1. A grated mix of tallow Avon soaps from the '70s, melted down into my shaving mug
2. Playing around with Every Man Jack shaving cream I got for Christmas

After shave
1. Various vintage Avons and half-assed blends thereof
2. Stephan's (Bay Rum, Island Lime, Spice, Menthol, Osage or Lavender)
3. A mix of Skin Bracer and Lime Sec right after shaving - feels like ice water

[Slivovitz]

Shave frequency. Almost every day. I skip a day only if there's really no time.

Skin, normal, I suppose. Beard, fairly fast growing, straight.

Razors, different than if you asked 3 months ago, will probably be different in another 3 months, but:

1. Schick G1 Injector
2. Gillette New DE
3. Schick Krona DE

DE Blades:

1. Feather
2. Shark
3. Derby

Soaps/Creams

I've bought more than 3 types, but have only used 3.

1. VdH soap
2. Proraso cream
3. Williams soap

Aftershaves, none.

[in the know]

Beard type
Average

Skin type
Average

Frequency
Every day - usually twice a day

Razor
Edwin Jagger DE87
Feather AC DX
Gillette superspeed

Blade
Red Personna
Wilkinson (NOS UK)
Super Iridium

Shave Soap
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Palmolive Stick
L'Occitane Cade

Shave Cream
Erasmic (metal tube)
Palmolive (Euro)
Ingram

Aftershave
D R Harris Pink
Benjamin's Bay Rum
Florida Water

[Muirtach]

Beard type
Coarse, sparse to thick depending on area

Skin type
Hardy. have done a dry straight shave in the desert without major issue. One pass only though

Razor

1. S Pearson and Son's Sheffield wedge
2. J A Henckels quater hollow grind square point
3. Wacker Jungmeister roundpoint
   
   Blade
   
   1. NA
      
      Shave Soaps
      
      1. DR Harris Arlington
      2. Tabac
      3. Proraso
         
         After shave
         
         1. Alt Innsbruk
         2. Clubman Pinaud
         3. Spanish Floid
            

[flylot]

Skin type: Fair/sensitive
Beard type: Average
Frequency: 6 to 7 days a week

Razor (Blade):

Thiers Issard 6/8 Full Hollow
Willkinson 6/8 Full Hollow
Boker 5/8 #101 Injun


SOAPS:

Dr Harris Arlington
Tabac


Aftershave:

Tabac
Pinnaud Clubman
Ogalaga Bay Rum

[TinFish]

Beard thickness: Lighter side of average
Beard type: Wiry grey hair
Frequency: 6 days/wk
Skin: Sensitive, prone to ingrowns

Razors: 1. Merkur Classic 2. 1957 Super Speed 3. 1976 Super Speed

Blades: 1. Derby Extra 2. ASR Personna 3. Feather

Soaps: 1. Tabac 2. MWF 3. Williams

Creams: 1. Clubman Club Lather 2. C.O. Bigelow (Proraso) 3. KMF Lavender

A.S.B. 1. Thayers Witch Hazel 2. Clubman Club Complete 3. Nivea Sensitive Skin

A.S. Splash: 1. Pinaud Clubman 2. Mennen Skin Bracer 3. A.V. Musk

[johsa]

Razors: Futur

Blades: Super Iridium, Feather, Gillette 7 o'clock SharpEdge

Brushes: Rooney 1/2 super, Shavemac 177

Soaps: Arlington, MWF, GFT Limes

Creams: AOS Sandalwood, TOBS Mr Taylor, Musgo Real

Aftershaves: Arlington, Proraso, Floid Blue

[htownmmm]

RAZORS: Lady Gillette(Carolina Blue)
Merkur Barberpoles( Reg and Slant)
Gillette Fatboy

BLADES: Super Iridiums
Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellows
Feathers

SHAVE CREAMS: AOS Lemon and Lavender
C&E Sweet Almond Oil and Nomad(yes,I know that's 4 so far!-so sue me!)
SCS Oakmoss Lavendula

SHAVE SOAPS: Mama Sue's Spicey Lime and Creme Brulee
Honey Sue Sandalwood Vanilla and Bay Rum
Ogallala Bay Rum,Limes,& Peppercorn and Bay Rum & LemonGrass
SCS Bay Rum w/ a Twist(notice how many bay rums are in here? plus, they only count as 1! )

AFTERSHAVES: Aqua Velva
SCS Mediterranean Citrus Splash
Pinaud Clubman Citrus Musk


I am a 48 yo black male(who used to suffer from ingrown hairs,razor rash, and razor bumps-no longer!) w/ coarse, wiry, curly, graying facial hair. The hair(which remains) on my head is coarse and curly. Both areas get shaved 3-4 a week.
Face gets 3-4 passes( 2 wtg, 1 xtg, 1 atg). Head gets 2 passes(1 wtg, 1atg, and blade buffing).

Most shaves are followed with an alum block and w/h after the warm water splash and cold water splash. then a balm is applied followed by a splash depending on my mood or the scent I'm using. Hope this helps.


marty

Hope this helps

[Matt P]

Beard type
Tough and Dark (think Homer Simpson after I shave)

Skin type
Average to sensitive on my neck

Frequency
6 days per week

Razor
Super Speed 1948
Slim Adjustable on 5
Gillette Big boy open comb

Blade
Feather

Shave Soap
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Arko
Tabac

Shave Cream
Proraso

Aftershave
Osage Rub + choices below
AV Musk
Proraso
Old Spice (Shulton till I run out)

[brianw]

Beard type
Thick, wiry gray

Skin type
sensitive, soft, white

I shave 7 times a week.

Razor

1. Shick 1940's injector, Gem 1912
2. Gillette Old Double Ring
3. 100 + year old Solingen str8 (grandfathers)

Blade
1. Israeli Crystals
2. Gem Stainless

Shave Cream/Soap
1. Gentlemens Best Soap and Cream
2. Tabac
3. KMF vanilla

After shave
1. Ivy Club OS
2. PVIBR
3. AV Ice Blue

and Witch hazel of course

[scott69]

Beard Type:
coarse

Skin:
slightly sensitive

I usually shave 4X per week (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)

Razor:
Edwin Jagger DE-87

Blade:
Red Pack Personnas

Shaving Soap:
VDH Deluxe

Aftershave:
Mennen's Skin Bracer
Aqua Velva

I have various othe razors, blades etc. but these are my absolute favorites. I'm not a rotation person.

[DunEdinRanger]

Beard Type: Coarse, thick and fast growing.

Skin: Sensitive

Razors.

1. Merkur Barber Pole Slant Bar
2. Merkur Futur
3. Merkur HD Slant Bar
4. Gem 1912 SE
5. Merkur Barber Pole Open Comb

Blades.

1. Astra Superior Platinum
2. Red Pack Personnas
3. Derby

Creams

1. Truefitt & Hill Grafton
2. Taylor of Old Bond Street Eton College
3. Taylor of Old Bond Street St. James

Soaps

1. Mama Bears Brut
2. My Time Bath & Body "Old School"
3. Prairie Creations Cherry Almond

After Shaves

1. Clubman, by Pinaud
2. Mosswood, by Boosters
3. Clubman Virgin Isles Bay Rum by Pinaud

[markb]

Top Three Picks in

Razors

• Merkur Futur
• Bull Mastiff
• Merkur 34G

Blades

• Israeli Personna
• Israeli Personna
• Israeli Personna

Shave Soaps

• Tabac
• Mitchell's Wool Fat
• Creed Green Irish Tweed

Shave Creams

• Speick
• CO Bigelow / Proraso
• Musgo Real

After Shaves

• Pinaud Clubman
• Booster's Jickey
• Booster's Aquarius

Colognes

• Yves Saint Laurent M7 Fresh
• Creed Green Irish Tweed
• Bulgari Pour Homme

[azmark]

Every morning shaver with normal skin.

Razors (straights):
Grah & Plumacher 6/8 "GOTTA" #120 Round Point
Ges. Geschutzt "Bismarck" 9/16 Round Point
Edaco 6/8 Fancy Edge


Shaving Soaps:
L'Occitane
Creed
MWF

Aftershave:
Pinaud Club Man
Floid's Vigoroso (Spain)
Aqua Velva Blue

Shave Cream:
La Toja
Santa Maria Novella
Musgo Real

Cologne:
Polo Original
L'Occitane-Vetyver
L'Occitane -Eau Des 4 Voleurs

[baba]

Wow, at some point I will try and compile all this info into something we can all use as reference.

Keep your top three picks coming!