First time DE - Buying everything at once - Please critique my shopping cart!

Hello Badger & Blade! I'm finally ready to step away from my Schick Quattro and can of blue/green chemical shaving gel. I'm excited but also nervous about this first big purchase. I have known for a while that I wanted to switch to wet shaving so I asked for Amazon gift cards for Christmas in order to help get started. I have $75 in cards so hopefully I can get just about everything I need. I have looked through quite a few reviews on B&B and have tried to go for the most popular products that are labeled as 'newbie friendly.' With that said, I would really appreciate it if you more experienced guys could look over my shopping cart and let me know how it looks. I will be buying most of the items with my Amazon gift card but am willing to look elsewhere if necessary. Thanks!



Once again, any feedback is greatly appreciated - thanks for taking the time to read through this!

Great startup.
Personally I would get a best badger from Frank shaving and change from cream to soap Tabac/Haslinger/ Arko. I'm sure you read about these.
Razor, balm and blade is great choices. I would recommend you to buy less than 100 blades in the beginning. Make it 10-20 and get two kinds. For comparison. (Not everyone will agree with me about this)
Whatever choice you make I'm sure it will be good!
Good luck

It looks like you've got a good kit for starters ... you could do a little better on some of the prices if you bought from dedicated wet-shaving vendors rather than Amazon, but if you've got $75 worth of Amazon gift cards to spend it looks like you've made good choices.

My only suggestions would be to substitute a 12-pack of Arko for the Maca Root cream ... I found that Maca Root is a terrific performer but I thought the smell was hideous. (Then again, a lot of people say the same thing about Arko.)

The Omega brush line has a reputation for being a great knot in a cheap handle. If you can live with that, so be it. But for about $3 more you could get the B&B Essential Boar Brush from WSC. It gives you the performance of the Omega knot combined with one of the best brush handles out there.

Welcome to B&B ... and Happy Shaving!

wolftiger said:

Great startup.
Personally I would get a best badger from Frank shaving and change from cream to soap Tabac/Haslinger/ Arko. I'm sure you read about these.
Razor, balm and blade is great choices. I would recommend you to buy less than 100 blades in the beginning. Make it 10-20 and get two kinds. For comparison. (Not everyone will agree with me about this)
Whatever choice you make I'm sure it will be good!
Good luck

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+1 ... a Blade Sampler pack is a rite of passage around here. No matter what reviews you read about any razors or blades and combinations thereof, you have to do your own experiments and decide for yourself what works best for you and your beard.

That's a great new set up as others have already said here. I realized after my setup that I would change some stuff but its all down to personal preference not one being better than the other. If you don't like the blades you can always exchange them here on the great blade exchange. As others have said a trial pack of blades is best but I found the price was not worth while, might as well get 100 for the same price as 20 trial blades. It's the shipping that kills you.

Hello and welcome. Great to have you here on B&B. If you are going to CVS, add a classic aftershave splash like Aqua Velva Ice Blue.

Bullgoose shaving is having a 15% off for Presidents' Day sale. You might find some nice blade sample packs at a great price.

DC_MPA said:

Bullgoose shaving is having a 15% off for Presidents' Day sale. You might find some nice blade sample packs at a great price.

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+1

I love aftershave balms. Sometimes I use them stand alone, sometimes I splash Aftershave (with alcohol) over the top to build fragrance and to cause the balm to dry faster. Oh, and if you don't like the blade sampler option another blade I've liked as much as Persona's are Astra SP. However you do it, have at least two different blades from different manufacturers. This will give you the ability to differentiate and compare.

+1

DC_MPA said:

Bullgoose shaving is having a 15% off for Presidents' Day sale. You might find some nice blade sample packs at a great price.

Click to expand...

I know you are trying to stick to amazon, but The Body Shop is having a sale right now where it is buy three get three free or buy two get one free. The sale runs through tomorrow. I know I am planning on stopping by a store to check it out. I am seriously considering purchasing some. I have only tired Kiss My Face so far. I am sure you will find something in the future to use your amazon cards on.

Some additions I would add to the list: WH and a styptic pencil. I have not used the cream you are buying but everything looks fine. And, welcome to B&B.

Welcome to the forum !!

Your brush choice is great IMO. I have that brush and love it. The Macca Root cream is good, I have it as well and like it. I can't comment on your razor choice since I haven't used one. I would avoid a large blade order for a while(months), but you can always trade them. Welcome to B&B and don't get too worried about trying to master DE in a hurry. Enjoy the journey!

dpm802 said:

It looks like you've got a good kit for starters ... you could do a little better on some of the prices if you bought from dedicated wet-shaving vendors rather than Amazon, but if you've got $75 worth of Amazon gift cards to spend it looks like you've made good choices.

My only suggestions would be to substitute a 12-pack of Arko for the Maca Root cream ... I found that Maca Root is a terrific performer but I thought the smell was hideous. (Then again, a lot of people say the same thing about Arko.)

The Omega brush line has a reputation for being a great knot in a cheap handle. If you can live with that, so be it. But for about $3 more you could get the B&B Essential Boar Brush from WSC. It gives you the performance of the Omega knot combined with one of the best brush handles out there.

Welcome to B&B ... and Happy Shaving!

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The 10005 has a solid wood handle, not the usual hollow plastic.

Excellent basket! I've had all you are thinking of ordering except for the balm. I discovered many years ago that all balms clog up my skin and I end up with whiteheads. The 34C is a great razor, the Omega brush is a solid choice, the Maca Root cream is very good and Persona blades are almost always a good choice. Happy shaving!

Welcome to B&B

Nice choices for start up tools

If you have not already done so, stop into the Hall of Fame and tell everyone a little about yourself

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forumdisplay.php/30-Hall-of-Famee

If the persona blades are the ones in the blue box you have the right ones

Looks like you're good to go and stocked up for a long while.

stovepipe699 said:

The 10005 has a solid wood handle, not the usual hollow plastic.

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Aaaah, OK. Thanks for the clarification. I was wondering why the price was so high. I've never paid a lot of attention to the Omega model numbers, so I don't know which is which by heart like I do with Semogues or Simpsons.

But I still think an extra $3 for a B&B Essential would be a good investment.

Welcome aboard Carbo...my only advice is what has been stated before....Get a blade sample pack. I hope the ones that you got work out for you, but if they don't, don't give up; in that case, get the sampler pack.