Newbie needing some answers??

[damezguy]

hey im 16 and been wet shaving for about 2 weeks now. i have quite alot of facial hair and need to shave every day. i use disposable gilette razors at the moment and first answer i need, which permenant razor should i get within the range of 20 pounds? also i have this nuage shave oil i bought from asda for cheap two days ago and dont really understand it. prior to it i used regular gilette shaving foam and used gilette aftershave balm but i might try the oil when i shave in a bit. what is the difference? it says use on own or with shaving gel. why is this? thanks for any answers.

[Tywno]

Hi Damezguy,

Welcome to the forum. My advice is you should buy a Merkur 34C razor for about 22 pounds and a few packs of blades. I cannot really tell you which blades you should get because that's heavily dependant on personal preference. But a pack of 10 blades usually costs between 1,5 and 3 pounds, about the same price as one multiblade cartridge. So when you buy your razor order a few different brands of blades with it. But wait with experimenting until you've gotten used to using the razor with one type of blade.
Also watch Mantic59's video's on youtube to get you started. Shaving with a double edge isn't difficult but requires more skill than raking a Mach 3 across your face. Please read the Shave Clinic & Newbie Check-in on this forum for additional information.

As for your question about the shaving oil, you can use it as is or apply a shaving gel/foam/soap lather/cream lather over it. The point of the oil is to further soften your facial hair for a smooth shave. I could tell you more about the shaving routine, but there is ample information about that on this forum.

If you have any specific questions don't hesitate to ask us.

[BartFromBelgium]

Hi there from across the Channel.

I'll let the oil part of your question be handled by someone who knows his stuff regarding oils.

I'm slightly guessing you want something different from a 'modern' razor (after all, this is B&B ). For 20£ I bet there are a lot of DE safety razors that can be bought. Perhaps you can even check out the Buy/Sell/Trade section of B&B.
Now before you jump right in and buy the first DE razor that falls within price range, please take a moment to do some "research" on that specific razor, a good place would be the review section of B&B.

On a personal note, I would recommend a Gillette Tech DE Razor, since they are nice and gentle shavers to start with. (well, I still use them as my personal favourite, but that's up to you)
If you are unsure what blades you should use, I'ld suggest to go ahead an try a sample pack which can be bought online, or ask a fellow UK member for a couple of blades from different brands, so that you can make your choice and settle with a brand of blades which you're comfortable with.

I'm sure a lot of other, longtime members will have many additions to the things I just told you.

Greetings,

[Mooncalf]

Water is your friend. When I'm using oils, I wet my face and hands with hot water first, put a few drops of oil on my hands, then spread over my beard. During the shave, add more water as required to keep the face wet.

While I do use oil alone when I'm in a hurry (faster than lathering up soap), I don't tend to use it very often. Some people use the oil first, then lather up soaps or creams on top (hence why it's sometimes called pre-shave oil).

All the shaving gear tends to be quite personal, so I won't be foolish enough to suppose I could recommend a permanent razor for anyone but myself (though some might insist the Merkur HD could be it). I'd say start with a Weishi razor and Dorco ST-301 blades (or Derby if you can't find Dorco), and move on from there as time/money/interest permits. Same goes for the brush; Start with any natural (boar) bristle, and later move up to various badger grades if the mood strikes.

Technique is more important than equipment, but driving a nice car is always fun! Enjoy the ride!

[OneRand]

Good starter Gillette would be a tech or superspeed, or even an adjustable with low setting, like a slim adjustable.

A number on sale now in BST in your range

[oxcrew]

Agree with what these guys have been saying. Ultimately whatever you can get will be the best at the time and any of the gillette adjustables as long as you don't go to wild with them or a merkur hd would be a good fit. Just make sure you take it slow.

[crankymoose]

Welcome to B&B,

The Gillette superspeeds are relatively mild shavers and excellent for a first razor, you could pick up a used one in the bst forum.

Here is a thread with a lot of helpful links to get you started, and I also recommend viewing Mantics youtube shaving videos

good luck and enjoy