Hello from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I've been a lurker for a while, mostly reading up on the reviews of various creams and expensive fragrances, but decided to get into the business of replying here and then for a bit. Why not become a member of a forum in the Netherlands, I hear you ask---well, there isn't any.
I've been wetshaving for 18 years now, although it's only been the last few months that I've actually enjoyed myself. This was due to vastly improved technique thanks to forums like this one, and the discovery of nicely smelling shaving products so that I'm not limited to what supermarkets and drugstores pick out for me any longer. I've already passed through the phase in which I had to try any cream or soap I could lay my hands on; nowadays I will only purchase a brand after sampling it, and then only if it comes in both a cream (or soap) and an aftershave or edt.
Now for the most sacriligeous part of my introduction: I use neither DE nor straight. I use M3Power blades, but have abandoned the silly vibrating handle. However, I apply many of the techniques found in DE shaving with very good results: my blades last quite long, I shave regularly, I am BBS at the end of it, and there's no razor burn or bumps whatsoever. I did try a DE the other day, but decided I'll pay the Gillette tax for a while longer. Not because the second shave was bad (the first was very painful for reasons I've not been able to ascertain) but simply because it will take many months of practice to get the DE skills up at an equal level. I'm too lazy to put in the time at the moment, and lucky that I don't need to either, both in shave quality as well as financially.
That's all.
I've been wetshaving for 18 years now, although it's only been the last few months that I've actually enjoyed myself. This was due to vastly improved technique thanks to forums like this one, and the discovery of nicely smelling shaving products so that I'm not limited to what supermarkets and drugstores pick out for me any longer. I've already passed through the phase in which I had to try any cream or soap I could lay my hands on; nowadays I will only purchase a brand after sampling it, and then only if it comes in both a cream (or soap) and an aftershave or edt.
Now for the most sacriligeous part of my introduction: I use neither DE nor straight. I use M3Power blades, but have abandoned the silly vibrating handle. However, I apply many of the techniques found in DE shaving with very good results: my blades last quite long, I shave regularly, I am BBS at the end of it, and there's no razor burn or bumps whatsoever. I did try a DE the other day, but decided I'll pay the Gillette tax for a while longer. Not because the second shave was bad (the first was very painful for reasons I've not been able to ascertain) but simply because it will take many months of practice to get the DE skills up at an equal level. I'm too lazy to put in the time at the moment, and lucky that I don't need to either, both in shave quality as well as financially.
That's all.