Big help needed!

Hello all again :)

The videos are really magnificent, we have watched the first four (chronological order as suggested). Yes, funny, and really informative. And Mr Spiral is hooked! I think it was the scenes of effortless shaving, lack of face being ripped off, and not a rash in sight!!! So, thank you Mr Mantic and all those who pointed the videos out :)

Next Mr Spiral perused the Connaught shaving website (of his own volition I might add... success!) and decided he rather likes the look of the Merkur range, most notably the 34C, 38C and 43C (I love the 43C). Thoughts please gentlemen?! I will definately email Connaughts as suggested and ask his advice but I now have some models I can point to, if you think they are decent choices for a beginner.

Finally Mr S declared that he will join the forum once he gets his new present!

So next stop is a trip to buy the palmolive, witchhazel, and balm so he can get used to the new technique with his disposables. I have to confess that before I joined this forum, I bought a boar hair shaving brush (very cheaply)to go in his Christmas box. I didn't have a clue what I was getting so it's probably not much good, but maybe it will do for the next three weeks to practise with? He will definately get the recommended Vulfix 404.

boar hair brush from ebay

Thanks guys for all your help, this forum is absolutely brilliant!
 
Charlotte,

Good work there! The merkurs you mentioned are all closed comb (which is what you want for a starter), so those would be fine. (and yes they're nice!)
Let him practice with the cheap boar brush, maybe get some cream/soft soap (instead or) as well as hard soap, it's easier to lather. The palmolive is good too.

The palmolive ones are great for lather, but they don't have that "luxury" smell you'd get from other soaps. (which you'd keep for x-mas)

As I said earlier, just lend him a bowl from the kitchen, it's what I've been using since forever..
(something that retains heat is preferable, so no stainless steel one)

I've added 3 "samples" of Nanny's to the Jiffy bag (3 ziplocks, enough for 1-2 shaves each), Citrus Zinger, Patchouli & Lavender.
The samples look small, and you'll have to scrape the little bags to get it out, but it'll give you an idea.

Will be posted tomorrow.

Good luck! I'm sure we'll see HWMOY sometime around :D

Cheers,

Max
 
That boar may well work OK especially with soaps :)

Just a note but the Vulfix 404 which Paul sells at Connnaught is the Boar (bristle) version, while the 404 Badger/Bristle Mix which people are referring to is the one available from Diamond edge. The boar version is still a good brush but I understand the mix version is better.

If ordering from Connaught add in one of the cheap alum blocks, at £1.95 its not dear. Its an astringent with anti bacterial qualities and I find that its an important part of my post shave regime. He might get on with it, he might not but if he wants to try it later the postage is more than the item! The cheap ones are a bit rough initially but that goes after a few rubs, and its all the same stuff.

There are plenty of permutations and combinations and while many like to treat themselves to expensive high end products, most of the traditional products available on the high street are excellent, Boots own brand stuff for example is great.

Does he use aftershave? Before I joined this forum I assumed aftershave was just fragrance, where as it actually closes pores, disinfects and good ones have ingredients to help the skin (like caster oil, glycerine etc) I'm a big fan of Old Spice Whitewater the fragrance is "nice enough" but it I find really suits my face which is the important thing.

The tricky thing is finding the perfect combination(s), as has been said stick with one basic setup initially then trial and error will take him to the best combination, for him.
 
Congrats on getting Mr. S 's interest Charlotte, haven't you done well ! As a graduate of some 4 decades of attending skin clinics & saying hello to dermatologists I believe that Mr. S may well find that his general skin condition improves as he continues on this endlesss shaving journey. Depending on finances I've found by trial & error that a pre shave as well as an after shave balm are good for me. I use Trumper's Skin food before and after shaving as the glycerine is gr8 for rehydrating the skin. It is expensive (although a bottle lasts ages) and I do understand that skins are such indiviual organs that what suits one isn't always suitable for another.

Looking forward to updates from the spiral household !

JohnnyO. ;) /
 
Jeltz said:
I'm a big fan of Old Spice Whitewater the fragrance is "nice enough" but it I find really suits my face which is the important thing.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. It just seems to work well and the fragrance is not exactly subtle but I do like it. Much cheaper than the 'proper' aftershaves.
 
Pig Cat said:
Jeltz said:
I'm a big fan of Old Spice Whitewater the fragrance is "nice enough" but it I find really suits my face which is the important thing.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. It just seems to work well and the fragrance is not exactly subtle but I do like it. Much cheaper than the 'proper' aftershaves.
Click to expand...


Wouldn't you just know that P/Cat would prefer an "Improper" unguent with which to annoint his jowls ! And this had been such a polite thread.

JohnnyO. :lol:
 
JohnnyO said:
Wouldn't you just know that P/Cat would prefer an "Improper" unguent with which to annoint his jowls !
Click to expand...

Look, it's not just my preference. I get regular feedback from all the honeys in my life. If I'm out on the town with a girl on each arm then I know my pheromones are being given an extra helping hand, and they love it! :cool:



< I think that's convinced them once and for all that I'm not a complete loser >
 
Hi i started with a merkur 38R (same as the 38c but with a red handle). I found that coupled with a red personna blade i immediately got a very enjoyable experience. The technique is way different to using cartridge razors and takes quite a while to complete the shave if done correctly. Don't rush, its all about enjoying the experience. My first few shaves took me nearly an hour. But i had no nicks or cuts or irritation. After about 3 months it now takes me about 30mins, But that is 30mins of complete indulgence. Imagine how much you enjoy a facial. The other thing is not to shave every day initially. this gives the face time to recover and gives stubble to cut. My face will only allow me shave every other day much to my disappointment :lol: . Take your time don't rush, follow the videos and success is almost a given.
 
Hi all!

Thanks for all the support on here.... I thought you'd all like an update :)

Well, I was all set to go and buy a nice safety razoe from Connaught, but we were looking at the for sale section and Mr Spiral spotted a little vintage Gillette number being sold by FrenchBlade.

So, it came today along with the blades (thank you!) and some shaving cream samples. I had the boar brush from Ebay (it doesn't seem at all bad).

Mr Spiral has just whipped up his first lather, fitted a blade, and come back after a few minutes beautifully clean shaven, smelling divine, big grin on face and not a nick in sight!

He just said, and I quote:
'It's the best shave I ever had.... it didn't feel as if I was shaving at all' and on sitting back down just now 'Ooh that was a nice shave!'

After checking I wasn't dreaming, I think Christmas just came early to us both!

Okay, he'll ne along later to join the forum I am assured!

Kind Regards to all

Charlotte

P.S. I don't know what to buy him for Christmas now!!!!
 
Aftershaves and mens eau de C/T/P's are the easy bit (he might find santa delivers him one or two ;))...

The whole face shaving thing was just beyond me though (I'm pleased to say!). Without your help I would have been lost!

Nanny's shaving creams smell wonderful (and lather up beautifully, I saw), by the way.
 
Heh, another one of Max's victims. He sold me my first vintage razor a few weeks back. I ma still working through the blades he sent me. Rather loving the sharks actually but thats a different topic.

Glad things are working out for your bloke w. There is something really special about a really clean shave and I know mrs pirate won't let me anywhere near her if I have stubble.....

If you nip down to superdrugs they currently have a both gillette and wilkinson after shave balm's on a half price deal at the moment, (£2.50 or so i think). The wilkinson stuff is rather good in my opinion. It will take the edge off any burn mr W gets while experimenting with blades and technique.
 
I personally find the boots own freshwood aftershave balm a brilliant fix after a rough shave when experimenting with new blades (I only started DE shaving recently, so the balm has had quite a few outings :lol: ) I am glad that another victim of the disposable has been saved, I was in a similar situation to Mr S before DE shaving, and had resigned myself to the fact that shaving was the devil's own work. I hope that Mr S gets equally good results from the rest of his shaves as he did from his first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom