I've been here for about a year now and learned tons from everyone here. So, I thought I'd throw out something that has really made my shaves better over time. It's how to test a new product. I first got this piece of advice from Leisureguy's book. He says basically to try a new product for a week and then go a week without it. It's pretty simple and has allowed me to decide if a product is actually helping me get a better shave. Trying a product once doesn't really give you enough data to decide and sometimes problems can take time to manifest. A product you used yesterday could be the cause of a problem you're seeing today. Those are a couple reasons I like the one-week rule of thumb. Here are a couple examples of how this has helped me... Pre-shave oil: When I was pretty new at this, I tried pre-shave oil and it did seem to give my skin some extra protection. After my technique improved, I tried skipping the PSO for a week and noticed no difference in my shave. No need to use a product if it doesn't do anything for you right? Prep: I tried a couple brands of conditioner for prep and found one that did a really good job of softening my beard. It made shaving much more comfortable and my blades lasted longer but the downside was that it was expensive. So I kept experimenting and after a week of using Axe Chilled face wash, I found it softened my whiskers just as well as the conditioner. Axe is cheaper and I love menthol so I got another nice improvement in my shaves. Alum: This is one product where a week or more of use really makes a difference. The first time you use it, it might sting like crazy and make your face all red. You might be tempted to throw it in the garbage. But alum gives great feedback on your shave. If you're getting a lot of stinging, you're probably using pressure or making too many passes with not enough protection. When you can rub the alum on and not feel the stinging, you're doing it right Alum has really helped make my face clearer too. I tend to have slightly oily skin and alum will help that but you won't notice the difference for a little while. That's true for a lot of products too. So try the one-week rule of thumb and see if it makes your shaves better.
Brian, I agree with this approach to shaving gear, although two weeks for me is a pretty brief time. Part of the problem for me is I have too many variables as I'm constantly rotating in razors, blades, brushes, soaps, creams, aftershaves and balms. But there is merit to getting to know a product by consecutive usage, no doubt. By limiting my choices down in a particular category (razors, for example), then perhaps I'd have a clearer evaluation on the merits of a particular product. Conversely, over an extended use time I have gotten a pretty good feel and opinion of products as they pop up into the rotation. Additionally, I have fresh recall of, let's say, a shaving soap I used only yesterday compared to a new soap I'm using today ("Boy, this one doesn't lather or feel as nice as yesterday's"); or how one razor shaves versus yesterday's or the previous day's shave.
That's a solid plan for evaluating products. I do pretty much the same, although I find 3 or 4 days with and without is sufficient for most products. Came to the same conclusion regarding pre-shave oil using this methodology.
I try the 60 shave test. Which for me is 30 days. Example. PSO, never used it until I came to this site. Since I've been here I've used every time. What a difference it's made. YMMV of course! The beauty of shaving is.. If you screw up today, no worries your whiskers will be back tomorrow.
When testing a new razor or blade i shave half my face with each one. I also use alcohol aftershave (pinaud) in place of alum for feedback.
I just started something new for me: using a soap or cream for ten shaves before I evaluate it. At least three shaves have to be in a row. I'm trying this after taking with a soap maker who suggested that it takes at least three shaves for a face to get used to a new soap, especially if it's very different from the previous. For example, tallow to vegan. It has been hard not to change it up, and I'm only on day four! I think this will help me really decide if I like a product and why or why not. Ymmv
New Soap Pucks: It definitely takes me a week or 2 "break-in period" to fully appreciate a new puck. Some say it is one's face that adapts, but I think the puck itself transforms with use. Pre-Shave Oils: I too found them less and less useful as my technique advanced, eventually stopping its use altogether. Then, 2 or so years later, I used it out of curiosity and got the richest lather imaginable. So now I use it to occasionally boost my lather, get extra conditioning in the dry winter months, and to lessen the affects of using a worn or marginal blade. It is cheap to make, and it is still worth keeping it around.