Your Favorite Minimalist Shave

Here's what I reach for when I "go minimal." Not only is it a bare-bones setup, the shaves are equal or superior to the shaves I get with any of my other razors, blades or products. I'd just stick with this every day but it gets kinda boring.....

Noxzema Original
Gem G-Bar

What's your preferred "minimalist" combo?

Brush, razor, blade, and Arko lathered straight-up in its vintage mug.

The most minimal shave happens with a pre-dinner second shave: Varvatos brushless and a 34C with whatever blade was in there that morning. Rarely happens, though, as it really doesn't take much more to whip up a cream or soap lather.

Williams soap, VDH boar brush and birth year Black Beauty followed with a splash of Aqua Velva.

Speick cream and some witch hazel

La Toja stick, Feather Pop and whatever lotion the hotel gives you in the room.

AA

This is the minimalist setup I use every day:



I have used this setup daily for the past two months and plan to continue doing so. Once in a while I might use a different soap and/or after shave just for grins but will likely return to my normal daily setup (or evolve a new one if I like said different products enough to switch permanently).

Visited my FIL who has extreme perfume allergy

My minimalist setup was a Red Tip + Astra SP + water

Finished up with an alum bar and perfume free lotion

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be ;-)

Gillette New LC + Voskhod. Cella soap.
Semogue 610 boar brush.
Witch hazel or Alum for a/s.

ATT S1 and Proraso

Fatip Piccolo (only razor I use)
Arko
WD 30mm synth brush
Astra SP
Isopropyl Alcohol to finish

I don't have an answer for this yet, but I love the concept. This will be something to work towards achieving!

Hoffritz HD with Astra SP and Arko.

On holiday.
Progress + Lab Blue, PB Brush, Speick Cream. Alum Rub /Rinse Off.

For decades I used only a Tech and canned goo (usually Edge). I've since seen the errors of my ways and now I've got soaps, brushes, balms, etc. and enjoy shaving, instead of it being a chore. That being said, in a pinch I could go back to just the Tech and goo.

Late 60s tech head on MR5 handle or MR1 with maggard v.1 head.
Palmolive stick or arko
Astra SP blade
RazoRock Plissoft synthetic or omega s brush
Aqua velva classic blue.

Every day is a minimalist shave for me. It includes a razor of choice be it DE/SE or straight razor, brush, soap/cream, cold water. Splash face, face lather and go. Post shave is alum followed by an AS.

Bob

I think bananhunden in Post #9 has us all beat......

shave stick
face lather
one pass with touch up

-or-

Barbasol and Bic disposable - it's rare but it does happen

Neil-O said:

For decades I used only a Tech and canned goo (usually Edge). I've since seen the errors of my ways and now I've got soaps, brushes, balms, etc. and enjoy shaving, instead of it being a chore.

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^This

Minimalist describes too much of my shaving history. Minimal knowledge of tools and technique, minimal leverage of products and preparation. I don't think I overdo it, but I don't wish to return to my "old" shaving ways.