My advice to newbies is to get 15-20 blades of one type, and whatever razor, brush and soap looks cool. Then, master it!
Course the way that is pronounced here in Boston(but not by me), people may as well call it "Grandmother"( comes out "grammuh")
Can ONLY speak about Mentolado Vigoroso and Blue. The MV is VERY powdery with a nice menthol kick. The Blue has no menthol, but is a terrific Barbershop scent.
Why?!?! Why does one's multi-quote queue get cleared out after a certain period of time?!?! Great shaves today, Gentlemen!
I'll jump in on the razor aspect, as I think everything about blades that needs to be said has been. When it comes to choosing a first razor I have no problem with recommending the EJ 89. The reason? It's an easy recommendation for a razor that works and looks cool at the same time. While I personally prefer vintage and do think that a Tech or Super Speed is a better option, not every newbie knows enough to go hunting for one on eBay. The EJ 89 is a better choice than a Weishi (VDH, etc.) because it does have a larger gap and is heavier to help them learn to avoid pressure. I want to add my two cents worth to the "mild vs. aggressive" argument with newbies. A razor that is too aggressive can do more harm in the beginning than one that is too mild, IMHO. My first rule in 2015 started with the 1918 Old Type. It took exactly five days for me to seriously consider giving up this nonsense and going back to Dollar Shave Club. My face was raw, it was horrible to shave and I just didn't think I could take it. However, I switched on day 6 to my Aristocrat which had been offered for sale on another forum to me, and immediately recovered my interest and spent the rest of the 30 days with that. (Voskhod blades, Proraso soap, Omega Pro 48 brush). On the other hand, when I first started shaving with traditional gear I used a VDH razor and wasn't convinced I could ever get my face smooth enough to beat the carts. I think both ends are too extreme. Too aggressive - they might give up out of pain. Too mild - they might give up out of frustration. I would never NOT recommend a more aggressive razor, but to start I might temper my enthusiasm for them by recommending something in the middle. EJ89l, Merkur HD, Super Speed, Aristocrat, or even an adjustable that they can find a setting that suits them and use that for 30 days then progress from there. Ultimately, though, whatever razor they settle on - and blade - and soap and brush - it's the 30 days that makes a newbie into a true expert. Discuss.
Doing a lot of heavy lifting at work this year (figuratively, not literally), and am just worn out. I have decided to revert to easy DE shaving for a bit. No learning, no straights, no focus, no concentration. Now with all this talk of smelling like a worker in a French brothel, I decided to shave with B&M Night Music. I’ve never been near a French brothel nor the ladies of the evening who inhabit one, but this soap kinda seems like it exudes that kind of vibe. Not sure if I like it or not. With B&M, you gotta get out of your comfort zone to really appreciate some of the scents. Not sure if I’m there or not on this one.
I told Natalia to follow along on the thread and kill multi-quotes. We'll never hit 20,000 posts if we don't control them. JUST KIDDING!!!!! I suspect it has to do with a time limit in posting, but I really don't know.
