Shaving Guilty Pleasures

Discussion in 'General Shaving Talk' started by MBShaves17, Aug 27, 2018.

  1. MBShaves17

    MBShaves17 Member

    As we all know there are certain items here that garner almost universal praise and often cult-like status. I’m curious about the other side of that coin. Share, if you’re so inclined, something you like more than you think you should, thought you would, or only admit to in the presence of other like-minded fans. Also, something you wish you liked more than you did, because, darn-it, everyone else does and maybe something is wrong with me. I’ll go first:

    VDH Luxury Soap - I saw the luxury set on clearance at a Target or Walmart, recollection is fuzzy. It was at a price where the shave mug alone was interesting, so I bought it. Shave mug was fine. The clipped-hair boar brush is solid given the price. Though I hear there’s a no-shed lottery I might have won on that. The cheap acrylic brush stand over delivers in practicality. That opening accepts any brush and the height keeps my longer handled brushes off the vanity top. Now for the soap... It’s cheap, mass produced, sold at big boxes for $3.88. For sure, this was to be the soap to break-in brushes, practice lather, de-funk an Omega or Semogue with... But... Dang it if I, up to this point,secretly love it. Not the easiest latherer, but still weekday compatible. The lather is also forgiving. You can under or over hydrate it in a sleepy stupor, and it’s not a disaster. Not the most sophisticated scent, but something unapologetically old school about it. Then there’s the slickness. For a hard soap, it is slick! Oh, and it’s $3.88! For those conscious of ingredient list, it might make you cringe, but it performs like a champ.

    My 1972 black handled super speed. Anything Gilette after 1964 is only justifiable as a birth year razor right? That was my case. No way this will beat my NDC 40s SS, my Red Tip, Blue Tip... Well, I love my , this side of Gillette’s decline, razor. Can’t explain it. If more aggression was what I needed, Red Tip all day, right? If I need mild, it should be Blue tip to the rescue. In between, 40’s SS. Nope, my pedestrian 72 black handle just does it for me.

    What do I want to love more? My Red Tip. I want to be part of that community that loves this legendary,beautiful razor. Alas, I just like her. Still working on it, but she’ll be hard pressed to win that spot in my heart from my 72 SS. Please don’t tell the cool kids.

    Alright, let’s get the dirty laundry out there.
     
  2. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Osage Rub.

    I didn't think I'd like mentholated products until I was PIFed a mostly used up tube of C.O.Bigelow shave cream. Before that crinkled up tube was empty I'd bought the Proraso Green preshave, tubbed soap, and AS. Fully in the cooling Menthol camp it was time to explore other products. Osage Rub and M&L Florida Water applied one after another make a great finish to any mildly scented shave soap.
     
  3. MBShaves17

    MBShaves17 Member

    The 3 for 2 Bigelow deal that runs just about every other week is essential knowledge for all lovers of Proraso and Menthol. I sometimes wonder if Bath and Bodyworks and Proraso know how many Proraso Green tubes aren’t being purchased at $10 because if it.
     
  4. brit

    brit in a box

    #20 gillette small head flare tip rocket. circa 1965.
    (my birthyear razor is an 1967 m-4 black handle ss or slim adjustable.i hardly use them)
    the rocket is my usual daily driver.love my crats and british techs , but the rocket rocks.
    proraso green shave cream in the tube. damn thats good stuff , splash to match.
    rr standard bruce synthetic, go to brush as well. these are the razor /brush/ soap combinations that get the job done ,in a hurry, can t decide, what have you. they just work without issue.
    all the other stuff is for fun ....
     
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  5. MBShaves17

    MBShaves17 Member

    Very nice, but all those are things are universally held in high regard. No one dare speak ill of a rocket! The RR Bruce is also loved. What lesser products do you find yourself enjoying? Something cheap, big box retail, mass market, etc?
     
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  6. MBShaves17

    MBShaves17 Member

    For example, I love my New LC. But if you follow the boards here, that’s to be expected.
     
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  7. SharptoothC

    SharptoothC I bite..........

    I don't feel guilty about anything that I use and like.

    I know Tabac is pretty polarizing, and I really enjoy it. But it is well loved as well so I doubt it counts.

    Things I haven't bonded with:
    -Badger brushes

    And, to a lesser extent:
    -Boar brushes

    I like my synthetics. I can use a boar, but much prefer the feel and ease (and lack of funk) of synthetics. To be fair, I haven't tried any high end badgers, mostly because I'm too cheap, but the ones I have tried just did not float my boat. At all.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
     
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  8. MBShaves17

    MBShaves17 Member

    Guilty pleasure meant solely idiomatically. No guilt in liking what one likes. I totally get your response. There are certainly polarizing things that are respected; Tabac, Arko, “The Veg”, etc. Some of those are right of passage things in a way.

    There are cheap products also universally respected that I didn’t mention because I didn’t feel were in the spirit of a “guilty pleasure.” Aqua Velva, Clubman A/S, and Noxzema are all in my arsenal.

    I can totally get your take on brushes. I have a very cheap badger and a mid-price point badger. If I extrapolate the difference, I find myself in little hurry to get a very expensive one. Yes, the better one is “better” but diminishing returns are definitely kicking in. I also have to say that my store bought synthetic; Razorock Snowman, at $9.95 gives me, dollar for dollar, ridiculous amount of enjoyment.
     
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  9. brit

    brit in a box

    well i gave the weishi razor to the wife, never actually tried it .still use wilkinson sword soap and brush from time to time...i guess my late 60s cheapy tech,but i rarely use that...and williams.....
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2018
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  10. stingraysrock

    stingraysrock PIF'd away his custom title

    I shave once or twice a year with my Noxzema Lather Shave that I got a few years ago from TSD Secret Santa.

    One day it will be empty and I think I will put the empty tube in a shadow box and hang it in the den.
     
  11. SharptoothC

    SharptoothC I bite..........

    I did think of a couple of things:

    1. Assured $1 dollar store DE razor. I use and enjoy this thing more than I ever believed possible. I get some of my best shaves with it. I know lots of people's have rusted. I got a unicorn. Still going strong after many, many uses.

    2. Derby DE razor from Sally's Beauty Supply. Again, shaves on par with razors costing much more. Yes, it is "aggressive" but that blade gap lets me get a mighty close shave.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
     
  12. brit

    brit in a box

    the rocket i use is the last one of its kind .it has the same head as the black handle super speed which we both like.just heavier...
     
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  13. 178-bplatoon

    178-bplatoon Well-Known Member

    VDH soap is what I started with and used regularly, only buying other soaps because it seemed like I should or I'd be missing out. Then I got some Arko and never looked back. I love my cheap #6 "horsehair?" brush from BestShave.net which seems to have disappeared. I hate it when things change. :)
     
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  14. MBShaves17

    MBShaves17 Member

    Of all the things we do in this hobby, trying different soaps is probably the most rational. I came about VDH the opposite way. I started off with Pre de Provence and Proraso Green Cream. When I had VDH, I didn’t think it was better, but it was definitely more than “half as good.” I just to had to give it a chance.
     
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  15. Dansco

    Dansco Well-Known Member

    I would still class Pinaud Clubman as a guilty pleasure for me... I love it, but my wife said it smelled like "cat urine" and someone at work said it smelled like "nana's house"
     
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  16. MBShaves17

    MBShaves17 Member

    Definitely outside wet shaving circles Clubman is not as loved. Wife says I smell like barbershop. I’ll take that.
     
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  17. brit

    brit in a box

    i guess it would be the wilkinson sword soap tub and wilkinson boar brush. while i have way better stuff, i use these once in a while. i used this while i used carts as well.
     
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  18. MBShaves17

    MBShaves17 Member

    If you, by luck, get an inexpensive boar that isn’t a shedder, they can break in to be serviceable. I’d imagine the Wilkinson boar was probably a notch higher than the VDH. My VDH boar is alright. Nothing to rave about, but gets job done. I use it from time to time.
     
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  19. Dansco

    Dansco Well-Known Member

    The day I was told (in front of many other people) that I smelled like nana's house, I'd have paid for her to say "like a barbershop". Humiliating. Haha
     
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  20. MBShaves17

    MBShaves17 Member

    You’re a true hero to stand by your Clubman after that.
     

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