This could open up a long list. I've used Stirling shave soap and aftershave. Just tried Murphy and McNeil shave soap. Pinaud Clubman classic aftershave. RazoRock alum and a few Razorock soaps. No pre-shave oil. Are you new to wet shaving? I see that you are new to the Shave Den. If you have not please introduce yourself on the Welcome thread. Tells us a little about yourself. This is a great place to be and good folks that are willing to help out.
Lately I've been trying out Cremo shave cream which you just wet and slather on your face. No brush or anything. It works, but I wouldn't say it's without its own problems. It is pretty easy to use, though.
Someone gave me a tub of something similar. I think it is called Brompton and Langley. It got terrible reviews. I really like creating a lather and applying with a brush, so I probably won't ever use it.
What I would say about it is, in a pinch (or a hurry), it'll work. I prefer Prorasso red label by far.
I actually just got off the phone with a rep from Cremo. They have redesigned their shave creams, and the new formula is supposed to be great. The original one is slicker than cow snot, and while brush less, still works great.
I think the main thing is that it works better for a DE where you are moving a little faster, but for straights, it wants to dry out on me at least.
I don't really do anything special. My brush is all I use for preshave and use a decent quality shave soap and that will handle post shave needs. I do use aftershave as long as it doesn't dry out my skin but not all the time. I'd like to add that a decent shaving soap doesn't have to be expensive.
No, I've been shaving with a straight for quite a while. I'm partial to the tallow based soaps over the glycerin-based, not that glycerin is bad. I just prefer to work up a good creamy lather, which works better with a tallow-based soap. After shaving, I use Parker's Alum Block the follow it up with Clubman Bay Rum.
Like many folks that have been wet shaving for a little while my shelf is getting full of software. Most of my shaves are with a DE, but I enjoy using an injector quite often. This month I've been regaining & retraining my open blade skills with a shavette. Mostly I avoid heavy menthol soaps since they can numb skin. Need to feel when the corner of that replaceable DE blade dips! All my soaps still in my rotation are chosen for that slick glide. When using an open blade I hydrate the lather just a little more. After trying a couple preshave oils I'd given up on them. Recently I tested Proraso preshave soap. It's gylcerin based and is applied and left on, lathered over with shave soap. I does give just a little more slickness to the soap. I only have the Green PSS which is mentholated so I haven't tried it with the shavette yet. Got the Red PSS on my shopping list so I can do the full sandalwood scent of the Proraso line. Already have the shave soap & AS. For post shave products I've found I prefer alcohol based splashes. Pinaud products satisfy for their long lasting scents. Vintage Avon can be found cheap at thrift stores and garage sales. Even better is Shulton Old Spice found in the wild at bargain prices. Purchased both AS & Cologne in Leather scent by Old Spice at an estate sale - good stink!
I've tried the Cremo and the Shave Butter by Vander Hagen and find both of them wanting. I also prefer the Proraso in the squeeze bag and in the tub. I occasionally use a puck of William's (best value in shave soap, IMO) in a $1 wide mouth coffee mug from Dollar Tree, believe it or not. Work as good as my $25 mug that was a Christmas gift a few years ago.
