Greetings all! Sometime last year I bought a generic DE from Hong Kong that I saw posted on a deal website. It had good reviews on Amazon so I bought it. It's been sitting in my medicine cabinet unused for months until I somehow wandered onto this forum and after trolling around for a while decided it was time to 'pamper' myself. I've been using a Braun electric lately that, I have to admit gives me a very good shave, but I just like the idea of a shave being an "experience" not something I have to do. ( I can't go a day without shaving for work, my beard just grows to fast). I've been using that cheap razor for the past week, I had bought Astra's and some TOBS, and really enjoy my 'ritual'. I do though, as I have read, have to get the technique down. My Edwin Jagger De86bl was delivered today so I'm excited about tomorrows shave figuring that my $4 razor is probably not the best to start with. I will admit that I have been cheating. My neck has always had trouble with ATG shaving using razors, so I've been using the Braun after my shave to get rid of the stubble until I figure this all out. All in all I look forward to learning what I can from all of you already here.
Well I got my Edwin Jagger De86bl and I have to say what a difference from my cheap Hong Kong razor. As soon as I opened the box and saw the design of the Jagger I realized how cheaply, and badly, made the Hong Kong was. It went right into the trash. The shave with the Jagger was effortless feeling. I'm glad I took the advice from the forums here and chose it as a good first 'real' DE.
Here is the advice I received when I started with a DE and so I freely give it to new users. The most important things in shaving are, your skin and technique. All other things fall in line behind those two things and to support them. Since the skin is a given fixed item, the next major item is technique. It is called THE 30 DAY RULE. THE 30 DAY RULE is as follows: Find a razor, then a blade that will not cause issues with your skin (that may take a few different blades in a sampler pack to find a suitable choice or it maybe the first out of the gate) and select a soap or cream that is easy to generate good lather. Once you find those, and it may take a couple of weeks to find this combination, order a quantity of that blade, enough for 30 days, and then spend 30 days using nothing else until you build up your technique. (Note that only one brand blade is used for 30 days after each blade in the sampler pack is tested to make the decision on the blade brand to use for 30 days.) The 30 day clock starts when you have the right blade for you. After 30 days, change one and only one variable and work for another week then change another after another week. At that point you should be able to make better decisions because your technique is now in place. This will help you to avoid buying too much gear and stuff too soon without having the technique down to enjoy it all. Cheers. Welcome to the Den. We know you'll fit right in. So grab yourself a comfy chair, and give our threads a spin! Burma Shave
Welcome! Make sure to check out Pasteur's Pharmacy. Wet shave Heaven!!!! they have 2 locations in the city. one @ 34th St. between Madison and Lex, the second is on Lex & 61st? they have everything you could ask for, and you get to touch, smell, feel, and see everything. It's better than ordering online and wondering...
I just visited Pasteur's again today and if this place was not awesome enough, they have added Catie's Bubbles, Chisled Face, Crown King, Omega S Brushes, Le Pere Lucien, Panna Crema, I Colonali, The Phoenix Double OCC Razor from P.A.A., Crown King Brushes and Saponificio Varesino including the 75th Anniversary Soap and the Aftershave to their already incredible arsenal of products. Simply Awesome Place!
