What was your game changer?

In regards to wet shaving, what one product was a big game changer to your shaving routine?



Did you find a blade that works way better than the others you tried?

Did you find a soap that you can't live without?

Maybe you bought a brush that is the best brush you have ever had............

How about a razor that is your go to?





For me........I have been trying different soaps in the soap sample pass around and I have found a few great soaps that work really well for me. Also, I was working through a sampler of razor blades and finally tried the feather blade.


If I had to pick one thing at this point in my short experience with DE shaving, it would have to be the feather blade. This blade alone has elevated my shaving experience.



How about you?

I feel that way about Feather blades, too. My four vintage razors are all on the milder side, and Feathers are great in each one of them--for me.

Taylor of Old Bond Street Almond was the first cream that really clicked with me--I still use it often.

Can't say there was a single thing. For me, game changes have been trial-and-error and experience (reps).

I'd have to go with trying an open comb razor. I had been shaving for several years with an EJ DE87 razor and Wilkinson Sword blades (when I WAS saving money!) before discovering the B&B. A year or so ago I got a RazoRock Jaws OC razor. Big difference in efficiency. Less passes, closer shave. Earlier this year I got a Fatip Grande which I feel is a tad more aggressive yet performs great with the blades in my rotation. Pretty much all I use these days.

Another couple product related things that really changed for me is that I found I like creams better than soaps, synthetic brushes better than boar or badger and that local drugstore after shave splashes are fine.

As far as my routine goes, prep is the same as always. Shave before shower in the AM. Just hot water, lather, shave, repeat, touch up and rinse. But, I've learned that to really get a grip on certain products, it's best to stick with the same soap or cream, same brush, same razor and like blades for at least a week at a time to get the best out of them. I even do that with AS splashes from time to time.

Right now I feel no need to acquire anything else. I'm tempted from time to time though.
So my go to set up:
Fatip Grande
Astra SP, Personna Red, Rapira LUX, Voskhod (all perform great in the Grande, 7 shaves each)
the four Proraso creams (red, white, blue, green)
RazoRock Disruptor brush
Aqua Velva, Mennen, Barbasol, Pinaud Clubman - depending on mood.

But open comb is the way to go for my 67 year old tough beard.

First shave with a Red Tip.

huskers said:

Maybe you bought a brush that is the best brush you have ever had............

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For me, that would be the Semogue 1305 ...
roughly the same time I got this brush, I switched to face-lathering.
Not on purpose, the two just happened to coincide time-wise.

But with both these changes, there was no looking back.
The 1305 became my go-to and favorite brush for the next 3.5 years,
until it started to get too floppy and didn't hold much water anymore.

Now, the only time I bowl or palm lather is when I'm testing out a new soap,
and I use the Wee Scot for that.

And I've been through maybe 20 brushes since that brush died,
but I haven't found another that comes close to the same face-feel and backbone and latherability of my beloved 1305.

Razors: Frederick Reynolds 13/16 SR | Fatip Piccolo DE | German 4pc Travel Razor
Blade: Lord Super Stainless (I also like the Shark SS and the Lord & Shark Super Chromes. I only like the SC in more agressive razors.) | Feather
Soap: Haslinger has the best cushion I've ever found, and I love cushion.
Brush: Other than synthetics, I like every brush I've ever used.

First was TOBS Peppermint cream. That was as physical experience with a wonderful aroma and cool tingle that yielded a smooth shave.
The second was the ATT razor (Kronos - M1 and R1 plates). I stopped looking at razors. It has great weight, it's machined from solid stainless steel block, and has a great finish. I look at it with the same way I look at the engine on my Softail Slim. It is a great marriage between precision technology and aesthetic.

ciderguy said:

Razors: Frederick Reynolds 13/16 SR | Fatip Piccolo DE | German 4pc Travel Razor
Blade: Lord Super Stainless (I also like the Shark SS and the Lord & Shark Super Chromes. I only like the SC in more agressive razors.) | Feather
Soap: Haslinger has the best cushion I've ever found, and I love cushion.
Brush: Other than synthetics, I like every brush I've ever used.

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So other than the blade material, whats the difference between the Shark SS and Shark Super Chrome?

MpMinNY said:

First was TOBS Peppermint cream. That was as physical experience with a wonderful aroma and cool tingle that yielded a smooth shave.
The second was the ATT razor (Kronos - M1 and R1 plates). I stopped looking at razors. It has great weight, it's machined from solid stainless steel block, and has a great finish. I look at it with the same way I look at the engine on my Softail Slim. It is a great marriage between precision technology and aesthetic.

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That does sound enjoyable. I may have to look into that one.

My game changer when I really got into wet shaving was the Gillette NEW LC & the Polsilver Super Iridium blade! I had tried 15+ other razors and 10+ blades before I found the perfect combo for my face. Now I'm starting all over again with straights.....!!!!!

I've had two aha moments:

1. Razor : Gillette Fatboy - I had this *** chinese razor at first and the thing was super light and the aggression was around 1.5 out of 10. I have fairly sensitive skin and fairly tough beard. To get a good shave I had to abuse my face.
The first time I picked up my Fatboy I knew it was gonna give way better shaves, and I wasn't wrong. My technique improved after that because there was actually enough weight to let the razor do the work.

2. Soap: MWF - I started a thread about the voluminous lather I got from the "Marco method" using the Fat and it looked good to me. Multiple posters disagreed, strongly, including Marco . Using their hints and tips, I get much more out of all my soaps now.

For me, it wasn't really a product, but a technique. Face Lathering was a game changer for me.

Lately though, synthetic brushes have been a game changer. I've scarcely used anything else since I got a couple of current generation synthetics.

TheVez2 said:

For me, it wasn't really a product, but a technique. Face Lathering was a game changer for me.

Lately though, synthetic brushes have been a game changer. I've scarcely used anything else since I got a couple of current generation synthetics.

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What in particular do you like about the Synthetic brushes over the real hair brushes?

I tried a Maggards synthetic brush. Super soft........nice brush.


The major thing I didn't like about it was how much of my lather it soaked up.

I hated having to add another step to my process by trying to get the lather back out of the brush so I could use it.

huskers said:

So other than the blade material, whats the difference between the Shark SS and Shark Super Chrome?

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The Super Chome feels more sharp and seems less forgiving. I easily correct for that in more aggressive razors (because my brain says "no pressure, no pressure, no pressure" as soon as I feel the blade), but I have a bit of an issue with less aggressive DEs such as a Tech where I have less blade feel. I hope to improve, I've only been DE shaving for a few months. (started with SE then went to SR)

For me it was the Shavecraft Tech, aggresive enough for my troubled neck, and smooth once i figured out the technique. BBs with zero irritation and less passes.

huskers said:

What in particular do you like about the Synthetic brushes over the real hair brushes?

Click to expand...

They just feel really good, and for me, make lather a little bit easier/quicker thank other brushes. And they dry faster, so that's a plus.

The price is the biggest factor. You can get the same feel and performance out of a synthetic for a 1/4 of the price of a badger.

for hardware or software, it would be trying an open comb. But the biggest game changer was hearing you folks discuss proper angle and pressure. By the time I started shaving with a DE my dad had already switched to an electric. I didn't get any guidance from him and Trac II soon replaced my Gillette Super 109. Flash forward about 35 years to going back to the very razor I started with and a pack of blades from the drug store. I thought I was doing fine, until I found B&B.

My game changer was starting to shave with a DE

In chronological order

C.O. Bigelow shave cream
Tabac Shave Soap
Merkur 34
Arko
Cadet Open Comb
Mike's Natural Shave Soap
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Soap Commander