Shave setup and experiences

Another ex-lurker, i figured it was probably time to get registered and involved before the B&B brush is released. I've been wet shaving for about 2 months. Like many of you I shaved with a mach3 and gel. Shaving was something I hated to do as it was uncomfortable and always caused bumps under my chin. In looking for a way to avoid the pains of shaving I came across great resources such as B&B and went off to the antique store and came home with a Morley and sons straight razor ($15) that promptly met my 4k/8k norton. Accompanied with a surrey brush and soap My first shave was blood free, smoother than ever, and irritation free. Of course this continued and I ended up buying a gillete fat boy ($18), proraso green, and omega boars hair brush. Can't wait for the B&B brush!

On to some newbish questions to further my wet shaving immersion...

1. I havent found much/any information about my straight razor Morley/ clover brand with black plastic handle and barbers notch. It's HHT sharp but still seems to drag on the hair around my chin. Honed on norton 4k/8k and stropped with diamond paste on leather and chromium oxide on felt.

2. The DE i actually bought for my fiance as she loved the shave I gave her legs with my straight and she couldn't handle the straight safely by herself. I get a great shave with the DE even closer than the straight but with a bit more skin irritation. Shaving with the straight is more enjoyable and comfortable but when I'm looking for the best shave i go with the DE, oh well.

3. I've been using sharps quick dry renegade after shave with good results untill recently. I always get dry skin around this time of year and the Sharps just isnt cutting it. Any suggestions for a replacement?

4. My fiance really appreciates my increased awareness/desire for hygiene and appearance as i wasnt the most well primped engineer in college. When i would go out somewhere nice with her i might put a few drops of my fathers obsession for men (which he never actually wears) on but thats about it. I even wore a stragly goatee just to avoid having to shave my chin. What would you suggest for scents aftershave/cologne etc that are a bit less "traditional" as I am 22 yrs old and my fiance def does not want me to smelll like her grandfather but she doesnt like modern colgnes like polo sport etc.


Here is a quick shot of my paraphernalia and hopefully i'll soon have a nice silvertip brush to replace that boar. Thanks for making this such a great forum!


Edit: just looked up on the crabtree and evelyn site there is a store 10 minutes from here! Whats good to check out there besides the best badger brush (which is going to be tough for me to resist buying while i wait for the B&B)?

Welcome!

Welcome! You raised quite an issue here with your cologne type question! As I'm (almost) 21 I'm really curious what advice you would get

Welcome. C&E Sienna and Nomad shaving creams are good choices.

Randy

Welcome to B&B!

Resistance is futile!



Marty

Welcome! I have almost the same setup as you, minus the straight for now.

Cologne and after shave preferences are all very, very subjective as you might imagine. I prefer Pinaud Clubman A/S but some folks feel like that's too old fashioned. My wife says it makes me smell like an old man.

But I like it, and I'm not old (39). Yet.

Welcome, Sputnick,

Nice gear you have there

Jeff

Welcome to B&B !

For an a/s balm, I'm currently enjoying L'Occitane CADE a/s balm. Good moisturising, and you don't need much. I tend to use it on top of Trumper's Coral Skin food after a shave. It's winter(ish) here in the UK at present, and I've no complaints yet with this stuff

If you want a neutral post shave cream, then I also like King Of Shaves 24/8 balm. Works well for me, and no scent.

A current personal favourite EDT is L'Occitane Eau de L'Occitan EDT spray. I love the scent, and so does my wife. We're both 34, so not exactly ancient. It's not overpowering at all. I also like most of the other scents from L'Occitane, but don't actually own the others as yet. It's only a matter of time though !

Of course, it's all personal opinion, YMMV.

Nivea sensitive skin balm is my go-to aftershave. Not especially exotic -- neutral aroma -- but it keeps my skin in good shape, especially my neck, which sometimes takes a beating when I'm in a hurry in the morning.

Gene.

Great start, so far, Sputz.

How have you managed to avoid buying a dozen more razors?

Ouch: its been tough actually. I think the only real deterent is fear of swmbo... After i picked up the straight and the surrey brush i was hooked and went back to the antiques store with the fiance for a DE. This was actually on the premise that it was for her to use. It worked out very well actually . As it turns out i like the fat boy and got tired of wiping the soap scum off of it that accumulated in the shower (from her use) so i just won the auction for a lady gillete blue star, under $9 Shipped! My razor buying can recommence when the blue star shows up.

Speaking of new acquisitions, Back from C&E where i picked up the ebony handled badger travel brush. They didnt have the standard BBB in stock so i settled for the smaller handled version which works out well because i can still justify getting the B&B brush when its released. Also i asked for a sample of the sandlewood shave cream but she gave me the sienna instead. It smells pretty nice and i got a great shave with the DE but it takes more effort to get a good lather than the proraso and didnt feel quite as slick. As for the brush, well its my FIRST BADGER which is very neat. I expect it to soften up a bit more but performance is really the issue here. The knot is half the size of the omega and the bristles are much shorter but they provided plentiful and consistent lather through all 3-4 passes and dries out in a few minutes after a good shaking.

Of course i couldnt just come home with a new badger brush for myself without something for the lady, she got a tube of the sarawak body wash in a very nice box and gift bag. I am pretty sure my badger brush will fly right under the radar with that little trick! I'll let you know later on.


Thanks for all the other recomendations, i'll do some more research and pick up a few items. My best bet for cologne choices will prob be the decant club, hooray for B&B. I found some neutrogena after shave balm in the drawer that i used after this mornings shave, seems to be keeping the dry skin at bay.

Brush pre/post bloom, this handle is super small in the hand after the omega. Guess i'll have to buy the B&B brush, darn.

Great start, sputnick (what's your name?). I started with a straight, too, then eventually the DE's started to take over.
The decant and sample services here are terrific, and a unique opportunity to try hard to find items without having to shell out a ton of money.

Feel free to ask anything. You'll likely get some good responses.

Jay

Sputnick, you are a wise and learned man. It is all too often that we mistake the source SWMBO's anger as having spent money when, in fact, it is simply that additional money was not spent on her.

Heya Sputnick, welcome to B&B. I am still a noob much like yourself, but I couldn't help giving my 2 cents with your cologne question. I am 23 just out of college and would have to say my fav cologne(and that of my gf) is definitely Bvlgari Aqua! Kinda flowery, kinda sweet. Very elegant but in a manly way! At $30 bucks for 1.7 ozer (www.perfume.com), it might not be the cheapest, but damn the girls love it! I would check it out if I were you.

Been taking quite a serious look at the aftershave/cologne/cream samplers as they seem a fantastic way for me to try out a bunch of products with a minimal outlay. A really great oportunity.

I'll have to stop by macy's with the lady to see if they have some of that Bvlgari Aqua. Kinda flowery, kinda sweet yet in a masculine way sounds like something we'd both be interested in. I find most classic colognes to have a heavy scent that is overwhelming yet most modern varieties to be sickly sweet. Which is why i think i like the obsession. Its light and smooth yet just sweet enough to be pleasant while also providing a great manly stank. When i used to wear it she would love being close to me but wouldnt really notice i was wearing cologne till i mentioned it.

Edit: the name is sean, btw.