For my entire life, from the time I was eight years old; shaving was a chore for me. I hated it. I ended up with razor burn from every shave. There was no schooling on how to properly shave, I was just given my tools and materials and told to "go forth and prosper" .. or something like that. I was provided with Noxzema foam from a red can and a razor, and let’s face it here... I was eight years old. Who wants to shave when they are eight!
My razor that was provided for me was a Personal Touch cartridge razor. I diligently used that type of razor until I discovered the Venus, we’ll say more than 15 years later. While I had less irritation with the Venus, it was still there. I was always seeking post-shave remedies so that I didn’t have to experience the razor burn that had become an every other day part of my life. No matter what I tried, the irritation was still there, and still uncomfortable.
Imagine for a moment, shaving your face and then immediately having to cover it with denim for the next 10 – 14 hours. Imagine the irritation. That was me, except this was on my legs. I would shave, get ready for school or later, work, and have to put on some type of pant. I grew up in Oklahoma and you sweat rivers. Right down your freshly shaved legs. Major irritation.
I tried everything that I could think of; more pressure, less pressure, shaving more, shaving less. Exfoliating prior to the shave; oils, lotions, Vaseline. The same irritation always occurred. I had resigned myself to the fact that shaving was an unpleasant chore that had to be completed. It is uncomfortable for me to let the hair on my legs grow.
After years of trying, I finally came to a practice that kept most of the irritation away but wasn’t ideal. A woman wants to have smooth and silky legs, and it has nothing to do with men. Sorry! It feels good, it is comfortable .. and it makes you feel like a woman. The man part is a bonus. 
I started shaving every third day in the winter and every other day in the summer. I still had irritation but it wasn’t quite as bad. This turned into my practice for years.
Then one day in May a couple years ago, I discovered what it means to really have a fantastic shave. I found the correct tools; pre and post shave rituals and Folks .. the Heaven’s opened. I became a new wet-shaving enthusiast.
Like me, new wet-shavers are always on the quest for the perfect shave, the perfect materials and tools and it is a valiant quest. When you discover something that finally works, you will search out the "perfect" combo ... no matter the cost or time invested. I was on that road as well; once I found that shaving can feel good, it can make you feel good and it can be enjoyable. Then maturity in the quest sets in and you realize that once you have the right tools, shaving doesn’t require work or thought, it only requires doing. And shaving has to be what is comfortable for you and only you.
I had acquired numerous razors over the months. Twist-to-opens and Injectors mostly, but also experimented with three-piece razors and Adjustables. I would diligently rotate between the razors and each shave was fantastic because there was no irritation. Then, I decided that I didn’t want to have 10 razors to choose from, I wanted one razor that I could pick up, put a blade in it and just shave.
Don’t get me wrong, I think collections are fantastic and in some cases, variety is very much the spice of life. I’m just saying, my personal quest for the perfect shave ended when I found that a DE shave was what I had been missing my entire life. For you, it may be an Injector or an Adjustable. Only you can define your Holy Grail when it comes to shaving.
I have very much settled in on the Lord L6. I had the opportunity to shave with an Edwin Jagger not too long ago, and yes, the shave was nice but it wasn't my L6. It is nice that I am able to shave almost every day now. My legs sing to me they are so happy. I have found brushes that compliment my legs and help me to achieve a close shave with zero irritation, even though my job requires me to wear nylons everyday. And not just nylons, but pants and on most days a lab coat. It gets hot and I do sweat, but I don't worry any longer that my legs will have irritation at the end of the day. In addition to the razor, I have soaps and creams that do not irritate me and post shave remedies that are just fantastic … for me and my quest for the Holy Grail of Shaving.
These days, it is nice to wake up at 0415 and grab my razor, whip up my soap/cream in my favorite mug, get in the shower and shave. After the shave, I can “girl” it up all that I need and let me tell you … there are some days I do just that! I like mixing and matching and combining different scents. I get quite a few compliments at work and some of my staff have preferred combinations. But the foundation really doesn’t change. It’s going to be the same razor, same blades, same four or five brushes and then depending on what I have going on that day … my scent combinations will change.
I hope to get to one brush someday, but for right now I don’t see that happening. I have found my favorites.
So, tell me about you. Have you found your Holy Grail in a razor, brush, cream/soap or pre/post shave ritual?
