Convert Me. . .

I got my Thayers from Amazon, and have found the rose petal with aloe vera suits my skin best. The EJ & Muhle 89 share the same head, so only price and handles will be your eventual decider on which model Santa brings you. The 89 is most definitely not an aggresive shaver, just an exceptionally efficient one. Keep up the restraint and avoid hunting down those pesky stragglers !

JohnnyO. o/
 
Just tried my sample of BBA Post Shave Balm. No exaggeration to say that it was my best DE shave ever so far and the best my face has felt afterwards. Felt like everything I've learned so far about DE shaving all came together at once, and I managed to not irritate the neck area, by just doing 2 light WTG passes and not trying to be too clever! My shaving priority right now is definitely to get avoid chasing BBS, and get an irritation free shave specifically around the neck and let my face heal. If this means only going WTG for a while and shaving only every 2nd or 3rd day, then so be it. Also I've noted from shaving videos about holding the razor towards the end which I believe helps in terms of letting the weight of the razor do the work. I've been holding mine along the length of the handle just like I would have done a c*rt handle so even though I've been trying not to apply pressure, I've probably done so a bit by default in the way I was holding it. It seemed easier than I expected to get through 3 days of stubble holding the razor by the tip alone. Perhaps the weight / balance of an EJ DE89 would help me even more (Santa, are you listening?)

I'm not kidding, compared to the 2 balms I've been using my face feels INCREDIBLE after using BBA PSB. No burning, irritation or itchiness after applying it and it is not greasy and absorbs quite quickly. Once I got over the feeling that I was rubbing chocolate spread onto my face, I soon realised what a superb balm it is! Face has not felt this good in ages. Consider me converted to DE shaving !

Thanks for the recommendation and tip off about the BBA Black Friday promotion.
 
dave79 said:
Just tried my sample of BBA Post Shave Balm. No exaggeration to say that it was my best DE shave ever so far and the best my face has felt afterwards. Felt like everything I've learned so far about DE shaving all came together at once, and I managed to not irritate the neck area, by just doing 2 light WTG passes and not trying to be too clever! My shaving priority right now is definitely to get avoid chasing BBS, and get an irritation free shave specifically around the neck and let my face heal. If this means only going WTG for a while and shaving only every 2nd or 3rd day, then so be it. Also I've noted from shaving videos about holding the razor towards the end which I believe helps in terms of letting the weight of the razor do the work. I've been holding mine along the length of the handle just like I would have done a c*rt handle so even though I've been trying not to apply pressure, I've probably done so a bit by default in the way I was holding it. It seemed easier than I expected to get through 3 days of stubble holding the razor by the tip alone. Perhaps the weight / balance of an EJ DE89 would help me even more (Santa, are you listening?)

I'm not kidding, compared to the 2 balms I've been using my face feels INCREDIBLE after using BBA PSB. No burning, irritation or itchiness after applying it and it is not greasy and absorbs quite quickly. Once I got over the feeling that I was rubbing chocolate spread onto my face, I soon realised what a superb balm it is! Face has not felt this good in ages. Consider me converted to DE shaving !

Thanks for the recommendation and tip off about the BBA Black Friday promotion.
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Get You Some Of That!!!...
..And grateful thanks to @EmmaC and BBA for supplying the sachets:)
 
Bugger! Just when I'm getting the hang of things, I nick the edge of my mouth Sunday and butcher the bottom of my nose today. OUCH! Couldn't believe how long the nose cut bled for, reminds me of years ago when I'd somehow catch my ear whilst cart shaving. Now that did bleed for ages !
 
Quick update : Had my first shave with the EJ DE89 Black Chrome 3D Diamond razor that Santa brought me. First off, it looks awesome. It's like chalk and cheese compared to the WS Classic piece of plastic I've been looking at in the bathroom since starting DE shaving. Suffice to say that post shave I placed this in a draw and can't imagine using it again anytime soon, possibly ever really.

Most importantly, the performance: I know the DE89 is a mild razor, but it felt noticeably more efficient than the WS Classic. I thought that the short handle might bother me, especially after coming from cartridge handles not long ago, but the weight and balance of the EJ felt just right and at no point did it feel too short. It seemed to effortlessly glide through the lather. I did 2 x gentle WTG passes but didn't stick to the plan of stopping there and got one small nick going under the jawline trying to be clever, otherwise it was a superb first shave with this fine razor. I also used the EJ Hydrating Pre-Shave Lotion sample that came with it, it seemed to help but the next shave will be without it so I'll be able to tell more if it really made much difference.

Anyway, the razor change feels like a real step up for me, I can see myself using the DE89 for some time and have even been researching which blades are popular for it. I have some Polsilver SI's en route so will try these alongside the Astra SP's I've used from the start. I have a tuck of Feathers but will leave them sealed for a while longer !
 
Well done Sir. Sounds very positive. A good blade choice for the razor would be either the Voskhod or the Rapira both great smooth blades and well worth the investment of around £7.00 for 100 from Ebay.
Keep it up.
 
Quick update: around 3 months into DE shaving & generally happy with it, using DE89 & Polsilver SI's. BBA shaving cream lathers well & feels like razor glides through it nicely. Trying to minimise irritation is a big thing for me and have learned not to go over an area too many times. BBA post shave balm great afterwards.

Main source of annoyance currently is feeling like I'm not getting a close enough shave under my chin. Hair seems to grow in all manner of directions here and going ATG is not that helpful. I've tried stretching the skin and it doesn't seem to help. I get massively irritated by clothes rubbing against the neck & chin; zips of fleeces, etc, even if I've shaved earlier that day. It's the bane of my life!

Any ideas for getting a closer shave under the chin? Would a more aggressive razor help? Do blades even come into this or is it mainly a combination of hardware & technique?

Thanks
 
dave79 said:
Quick update: around 3 months into DE shaving & generally happy with it, using DE89 & Polsilver SI's. BBA shaving cream lathers well & feels like razor glides through it nicely. Trying to minimise irritation is a big thing for me and have learned not to go over an area too many times. BBA post shave balm great afterwards.

Main source of annoyance currently is feeling like I'm not getting a close enough shave under my chin. Hair seems to grow in all manner of directions here and going ATG is not that helpful. I've tried stretching the skin and it doesn't seem to help. I get massively irritated by clothes rubbing against the neck & chin; zips of fleeces, etc, even if I've shaved earlier that day. It's the bane of my life!

Any ideas for getting a closer shave under the chin? Would a more aggressive razor help? Do blades even come into this or is it mainly a combination of hardware & technique?

Thanks
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Frankly, you're obsessing. See Rule 1. shaving is beard reduction and not beard elimination. ;)
 
You could try Feather blades - they are the sharpest. After three months your technique will surely be good enough.

Or you could try a Muhle R41 Open Comb, which is as aggressive as they come. You only need to buy the head, as it will fit your current handle. (Don't move to a Feather and R41 at the same time - that would be the biggest jump you could make.)

Third option: buy an adjustable, then you can try various settings. You can even use a mild setting on part of your beard and a more aggressive setting where you think you need it.

Muhle Progress (Long or short handled) would be the safe choice, or a vintage Gillette Slim or Fatboy if you can find one at the right price in good condition.
 
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