On soap/shaving foam -- absolutely. I asked an old-timey barber what his product of choice was and he answered "soap after a shower", in awe, as if what I was asking him some obvious question. Sure enough, it worked fantastically and I haven't stopped since. I use a DE and beyond that first month of slice and dice and coagulant markers, it's been smooth sailing since.

You don't even need soap. Your stubble will be saturated and easily shaveable immediately after the shower.

My problem was with the fogged up mirror after a shower. I tried some 'solutions' (spraying mirror with a fog proofing liquid, separate showering room etc) but eventually went back to shaving before showering

Antifog coatings from any scuba supply shop help, but one really effective method is just to aim a hair dryer at the spot you need clear. Not only does it get rid of fogging there, it prevents new condensation from forming because of the residual heat.

This. I shave with water and a mach-3. Have used this technique for over 25 years. Can't think of a time when I've had razor burn. I can't recall the last time I cut myself either. I even go against the grain at the end (people who witness this seems to cringe). I hate shaving and do it once every week or two though. I'm blessed to have very slow growing face hair. My blades last a really long time because they're almost never used.

Doesn't work at all with an electric razor. If I forget to shave and take a shower, I can forget to shave that morning.

Best time to shave!

I rarely use anything. And to be frank, when I do it is a small drop of hair conditioner.

This is just the audiophile’s “tube amplifiers have a warmer sound” of the shaving world.

I mean, no one is telling you to stop, but I wouldn’t chalk up your recommendations to anything more just preferences.

It’s just another hobby. Some people love scotch, others coffee and some people getting the best shave experience.

If I loved scotch and someone said “yuck, I don’t like it” I wouldn’t somehow assume they were living their life incorrectly or missing out, they just don’t like it.

There's a difference. Tube amplifiers are objectively less accurate at reproduction and can be hideously expensive. DE razors take more skill/effort, but produce indistinguishable results (i.e. a smooth face) for a fraction of the price. Cartridge razors are a convenience, but you pay for that convenience.

> Most of us are used to chemical gel's or foams.

Much better than these and shaving soap / brush, is Somerset's Shaving Oil[1]. King of Shaves do a shaving oil too, but it's nowhere near as good. Not affiliated, I just love the stuff.

You can use it with shaving soap too, but I just use it on its own.

At one point I was worried the company might go under so I bought a big box of it just in case. It's not a great business model as one little bottle lasts months. You only use 3 drops per shave.

[1] https://www.somersets.com/(X(1)S(hrhdq4w0o12w1qjoh0myxyml))/...

Ok, your comment just convinced me to give my DE another go. For the last few months I've been using cheap plastic 2-blade disposables because they're cheap enough, and easier to use than the nice razor I've been ignoring. Just ordered some oil and balm from that site.

ALSO: That order page is a breath of fresh air. As soon as I added one item to my "cart", I was presented with their full list of SKUs, enough info to know which is which, and a quantity box next to each. So simple. I wish more ecommerce sites did stuff like this.

I am on my second Panasonic (Matsushita) foil razor, and I will never use anything else.

The blades seem to be immortal, and they commonly last 5-10 years until the batteries fail. There are no regular consumables; the blades are never replaced.

I had used Norelco foil razors previous to this, and the foils would break after wear and slash my face, easily drawing blood. Neither of my Panasonic razors has ever done this.

I normally shave right after waking up, no shaving cream, lotion or sundry lubricant. If someone with extremely sensitive skin cannot do this, the shaver is waterproof.

This one looks close to my current model.

https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-Electric-ES8103S-Nanotech-F...

OneBlade type razors are kind of a nice compromise for me. They have a single replaceable blade but also a pivoting style head. The shave if pretty amazing compared to any cartridge razor I've tried and the blade just snaps in and out of place so isn't any more difficult to change out than a cartridge.

Agree on the soaps + badger hair brush (or even synthetic for those who care).

I shave thrice a week (head and face) and the Proraso brand has been a lifesaver.

Have never managed to learn to use the DE razors :/

another option is to avoid th problem all together, I plan on getting laser hair removal on my face because I just hate shaving that much

Alternately just keep a beard and trim it with a 20 dollar buzzer occasionally.

I thought this, grew one, and found it more of a pain to maintain than shaving was. Flaky skin, itchy, and a lot of work to stop those things. Plus I still had to shave/buzz around it to make it neat. Shaving is a lot less hassle. I use a DR razor, have for years.

I don't understand how people end up like this. As if it's normal for your skin to just flake off if you let your hair grow naturally.

If your body is falling apart without constant cosmetics, you probably have an issue that needs addressing. Maybe something in your diet or something in your soap or I don't know what, but spontaneous skin issues are not normal at all.

I've just got dry skin mate, I'd hardly categorise it as my body falling apart. I also use zero cosmetics. No issues here.

Your skin naturally flakes as it replenishes itself (I think it's called the skin cycle), it was getting caught in my beard, I'm lazy I can't be bothered with that. Plus when it gets long you have to cut it straight, right pain in the arse. A lot less hassle shaving.

I would pay good money for a way to rid my muzzle and neck of hair. Unfortunately, the results I've seen from laser removal just leave things lighter, not gone.