For Those Who Have Found Nirvana

I've seen several b/s/t threads where a member is selling off a lot of their den because they found the perfect set-up, and I know that recently there's been a Shaving Nirvana thread polling if members found it with straight's or DE razors, etc.

For those of you who have found your shaving nirvana--not the ideal fantasy but a real set-up that works perfectly for yourself--can you give us the specifics?

I'm always interested when someone finds a routine or a specific tool that works so well they stop looking for something different if not better.

View attachment 117592
Daruma shaving in a boat.

Those who find shaving Nirvana instantly vanish from B&B and also from all our collective memory. So by virtue of the fact you are asking this question leads me to believe neither of us have found Nirvana. Therefore the need to buy more razors and soaps and brushes and so on and so still exists.

I'm still working on that...

I want to reduce my rotation of straights as I find it takes too much time to get back to a few straights...

I will find a way...

Got the brush, don't have the soap, still working on cream, still working with AS... Argh, still in it!

But I'm happy!

Wow. Great topic. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and as you can tell, have not posted in quite some time.

I believe I have found "My Shave". My routine does not vary too much, mostly when I am traveling for work, which is about 25% of my time these days.

My setup/routine:
-Hot shower
-Noxzema in the shower (let it sit for a few minutes)
-As soon as I dry off, I apply Proraso cream to my beard area by hand. Let it sit for at least a minute, two is better.
-Wet my Tweezerman under the faucet, let excess water drain out (no shaking leave it wet)
-Grab the soap of the day (TOBs lavender, Williams, or VDH. Today was Williams)
-Load the brush, and build lather on the face.
-Grab the Gold tech with a Crystal Blade, two passes for a DFS.
-Finish with alum and some AV or Proraso splash.
Done.

When traveling I have been using an Atra with Gillette blades, or a Bic Sensitive. Might even try a Good News by Gillette.

Awesome shave, everyday, very consistent results.

(Watch for my BST threads...I still have a few things to pass on)

You don't know whether you've found Nirvana until you've tried every razor, of all kinds, every blade, every soap / cream, every balm, every cologne and every aftershave, every brush combintation possible. You might have found a combination you like but you'll never know if there is a much better combintation unless you keep looking.


The road is as long as eternity Grasshopper.

kzoo1 said:

Wow. Great topic. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and as you can tell, have not posted in quite some time.

I believe I have found "My Shave". My routine does not vary too much...

Awesome shave, everyday, very consistent results.

Click to expand...

I think there is point in my shave, just like you have described, when I realize that I should consider stopping and do on often occasion; however there are more days that i continue on and invariably know that I probably should have stopped at the last pass, but there was just too much lather in my brush to let go to waste...

Nirvana for me was finding the techniques and skills after shaving incorrectly for decades. I can get a good shave with most any product and equipment. I prefer certain soaps and aftershaves, but at the end of the day it is the man holding the razor.

its the journey, not the destination

asking this question could upset the laws that govern our universe and set in motion forces we cannot image

after wet shaving for 50 years I still find new items, scents, lather, switch DEs and SEs

I implore you; do not imagine reaching a destination, focus on the journey each day
ken

I've reached that point by constant changes in technique. Forgetting scent preferences, allergies and things of that sort, my thinking is that most of the shaving products on the market (new or old) are capable of giving a good shave. I feel they do have their own personalities, however, that may require changes in technique. Ever drive a car that has a gas or brake pedal with a different "feel" than you're accustomed to which requires an adjustment on your part? Same thing. If I don't get a good shave with something new, I make minor technique changes until I do. With rare exceptions, it's worked so far.

I'm not buying any hardware for a bit. Two things influencing that decision, first I'm going back to college and I'm trying to save some money and the second is I really like my long comb new. Nirvana escapes me for now but I like it that way. This journey is more important than the destination. I don't plan on selling everything else off though.

I've found nirvana on a few outstanding shaves but not on a consistent basis.

Like you, I've tried a number of things and would like to pair it down to a few basic items.

I still haven't made up my mind. Once I do, I may conduct a big sell-off myself.

Think i have to agree that the journey is the nirvana, i have swithed to a straight now for four months and have finally gotten to the point where i can shave at a very proficient level but can see where the little nuggets of progress that just seem to drop from the sky randomly will keep this a very interesting and satisfying discipline for a very long time!

klm099 said:

its the journey, not the destination

asking this question could upset the laws that govern our universe and set in motion forces we cannot image

after wet shaving for 50 years I still find new items, scents, lather, switch DEs and SEs

I implore you; do not imagine reaching a destination, focus on the journey each day
ken

Click to expand...

+1 Ken. I couldn't agree more .

Having said that, there are still things that I have found that make my shave a wonderful Zen-like experience. They are as follows:

Night before:
Cleanse face...I used to use the "Desert Essence Facial Wash", but as of last night, I am experimenting with the OCM (Oil Cleansing Method) with so far, very positive results...you can read about this in this thread (my formulation is in post #398).

Day of:
1. Do OCM (unlike the night before, without hot towel)

2. Take a Hot shower...this will facilitate the action of the OCM. Absolutely a wonderful feeling

3. Prep beard:

• Lemon - rub some lemon onto face for 1 minute (good exfoliation and conditioning) and rinse off.
• Rub some Stephan's Conditioning Smooth shave creme...just rub onto beard with fingers (this doesn't form lather) and leave for 2-3 minutes

4. Make uberlather - I make mine in a bowl and since I like my lather warm, I use a Hot Pot Express to keep the lather warm throughout the whole shave. I use shave creme + Mama Bear soap + Glycerin. I whip this into the consistency and moisture that I like...nice and thick.

5. Strop razor - whatever razor I decide to use goes through a regimen of ~50 laps on linen and ~60 laps on leather (both the night before and right before my shave)

6. Wash off the Stephan's smooth creme and work the lather into my beard for a good 2 minutes.

7. Proceed to shave - 1x WTG, 1x XTG, and 1x ATG.
Note: The oils from the OCM method keep skin moisturized and soft during the shaves.

8. Rinse face thoroughly with warm followed by cold water

9. Thayer's Witch Hazel toner followed by your favorite ASB (no alcohol) and moisturizer

10. Ready to tackle the day

This regimen is a "fluid" experiment that keeps evolving...this is part of the journey that makes it fun. Experimenting with different str8, cremes/soaps (or combination of), face preps, AS etc...I will never be bored nor wish to settle for just one routine.

As our skin ages, its chemistry, and as a result, its needs change too...we need to keep up with this ever changing flux to keep our skin as healthy as possible.

I have some favorites ( '40s Superspeed with an Iridium blade MWF, Speick ASL and I'm sure to get a fantastic shave) but enjoy some variety and really enjoy trying new things. I doubt that I can get a "better" shave than the set-up above but I'll sure have fun trying.

Good thread. This is easy and YES I did go thru a process which included a veeeerrry nicely prepared straight. Here is where I landed and boy am I happy. Perfect squeaky shaves everyday.
1. Shower
2. Hot soak woolfat soap with brush in bowl or another soap from a real nice gal here makes here own xxoo.
3. Lather on face with a pretty dry brush...it's still smokin' hot when I'm lathering
4. Go to town with a Feather Stainless DE and Feather Blade. I'm a two pass guy WTG and ATG and I'm done.

Too Tall said:

....
4. Go to town with a Feather Stainless DE and Feather Blade. I'm a two pass guy WTG and ATG and I'm done.

Click to expand...

yeah, that feather is one smooth shaver....

Well,here is what gives me the best shaves.I take forever to shave so this might not be for anyone that is under a time restraint.
1.soak 28mm silver tip brush
2.hot towel on face
2.wash face with nutrigina facial cream cleanser
3.exfoliate with a Paula's choice fruit exfoliate
4.hot towel again
5.apply secret shave or shave oil
6.shake out brush
7.mix lather with tabula rasa or santa maria novella or P160 or T&H Trafagar
8.splash hot water on face
9.use English Parat or SS Red Tip or just regular silver tip SS
10. New Iridium blade
11.shave with the grain
12.hot towel again
13.reapply secret shave or shave oil or witch hazel
14.splash hot water on face
15.shave across the grain
16.hot towel again
17.apply witch hazel only this time
18.shave across the grain from chin to ear
19.hot towel again
20.apply withc hazel
21.shave against the grain
22.hot water splash followed by cold water
23.apply razor rock allum
24.brush teeth,clean brush to let allum do its work
25.apply witch hazel and let soak in
26.apply face food and let soak in
27.apply Thayers aftershave splash or gentlemens best
28.then mix a small amount of cheap aftershave balm with a small amount of Corn huskers lotion and let soak in.
29.apply Paul Mitchells tea trea hair and body moisturer

And I am done and feeling fine.

Paul

Too Tall said:

Good thread. This is easy and YES I did go thru a process which included a veeeerrry nicely prepared straight. Here is where I landed and boy am I happy. Perfect squeaky shaves everyday.
1. Shower
2. Hot soak woolfat soap with brush in bowl or another soap from a real nice gal here makes here own xxoo.
3. Lather on face with a pretty dry brush...it's still smokin' hot when I'm lathering
4. Go to town with a Feather Stainless DE and Feather Blade. I'm a two pass guy WTG and ATG and I'm done.

Click to expand...

Pretty much the same, here. I've just about settled on the Feather SS, Feather blades, MWF, and the Rooney Beehive. There are hundreds of other combinations to try, but these are plenty good.

I'll likely sort through the den and sell off a lot of stuff I'm not using in the next few weeks.

Lately, for me, and this is about the last ten months or so, maybe a year, I have been on a steady regiment with my Gillette Toggle, or my Merkur slant, loaded with feathers, using either Proraso, or Tabac, and either Italian Floid, Aqua Velva, or Tabac, some times Musgo Real.

I like the journey also. Started with str8s and loved them...moved to DE and SE razors and loved them likewise. Currently I am using a Feather AC and it is taking a bit more practice then I had anticipated....but the eventual success "it's easy now" is the journey that keeps me trying new things.