Cartridge vs DE



It started as a random add-on buy with some shaving cream....and just grew from there. Easy done, as any TSR member will tell you.
 


I may just try some in the future, do they make your skin feel better than normal soap? I feel like it dries my skin.
 
I am trying to spend little or nothing this year, save for a few birthday and Christmas purchases. In fact even the birthday ones were all deodorant/shower gel/shampoo, except for 10 Rainbow blades to try out and some aftershave samples. I'm not sure how good that sounds now that it's written down but before I wrote it I thought I had it in check!
 
Well I must be one of the few here that haven't splashed a lot of cash on shaving since starting at the end of August. I started with an EJ89 plus EJ badger brush, Proraso pre shave & a few blades. Then got some Feathers but swapped them for Supermax Blue Diamond as I wasn't sorted technique wise.
Got made redundant in Oct so that put a stop to any other buying until I get another job. As soon as that's sorted I want to try a shavette and really fancy a Feather AC SS & that will be my next buy.
Overall for me at the moment it's probably about equal money wise, but no contest from comfort & enjoyment, DE wins hands down!
 
I think a lot of the initial spending for me was my trying to figure out the best combination, razor, blade, brush, soap/cream etc.! In the first 6 months of DE shaving I spent about £500 mostly on razors, aftershaves, and a sterling silver shave soap stick holder! I don't know when I'll ever "break even" on that by saving money spent on cartridges, maybe in 20 years?

I've now calmed down and realised that "hay I can afford it at the moment", but if I ever find myself on my uppers I know I can rely on my already bought EJ Badger Brush and Merkur 38C. And for cheap consumables I get a great shave from an Astra SP (10p each), Palmolive Stick (50p each) and Superdrug Forest Fresh aftershave (£2.50 each). (I would be willing to breach the overdraft to get the Proraso Pre/Post though!)

P
 
Except for the razors and blades you haven't overspent at all. It's much better to use a brush and cream when shaving with cartridges (stay away from the canned foam/gel) IMO.
 
The good thing with DE razors and brushes is you can always sell them on if you need to so at least you get some money back so it's not as expensive as it seems. Cartridges are just thrown away so 100% is gone, I'll never throw my EJ away, it would either be sold or passed to one of my sons.
 
Burgundy said:
Vinny - I could do with your advice. What's a decent foam? I see Proraso and La Toja do it (any experience?) but I also remember you talking about Noxcema?
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Noxema in the sky blue tin (menthol) or the yellow tin (coccoa butter) are really outstanding for foams. The yellow one is as slick as well lathered tallow soap such as tabac or Palmolive ... it leaves your hands shiny when you rub it in ... if that makes sense?

Proraso in the Green and Red tins come pretty close to both respectively.

Haven't tried La Toja, but have dabbled with Barbasol.

Barbasol won't be knocking the others off the top spot any time soon.
 
Foam isn't really my thing but Noxzema does work well (tried white and blue versions). Recommended it to a mate who now swears by it (and not in the "what the f#£@ is this s%/# ?" sense)
 
Good stuff. I know there's a chemist in the next town over where I'm sure I've seen the cocoa butter Noxczema on the shelves; a travel size Proraso foam may sneak into my next Gifts and Care order. Thanks!
 
I've got a can of Noxzema (the cocoa butter version) but I've only used it a couple of times. As canned foam goes, it's in a different class to the other run of the mill stuff (if that's your thing). Before taking up the brush once more I always used King of Shaves 'Alpha Gel' which performs well and I would have no reservations in recommending it.
 
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