Recomend me a simple wet shave system.

[perpetual dan]

Body Shop do a great shaving cream and using a shaving brush is a nice part of the ritual too.

I used their cream and after shave gel for years. Then they started mucking about with both recipes and packaging. Eventually I got bored with buying a worsening product. Liz Earle do something that's at least as good as the Body Shop stuff used to be, but not cheap.

I'm using a Wilkinson Sword Quattro razor at the moment, which is OK but not special.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Body Shop do a great shaving cream and using a shaving brush is a nice part of the ritual too.

I used their cream and after shave gel for years. Then they started mucking about with both recipes and packaging. Eventually I got bored with buying a worsening product. Liz Earle do something that's at least as good as the Body Shop stuff used to be, but not cheap.

I use Prince for my underarms and legs. Bobb's used it for shaving his face while he's been here and I think he thought it was ok.

[Tewdric]

I've long settled on a Merkur 34C, Feather blades, a Simpsons Perisan Jar 2-Band badger shaving brush and Taylors of Bond St shaving cream.  They do a good after shave balm too.

[LEE]

8 blades a year! do you only shave twice a month? They've lost their edge after about two shaves!!

I tend to shave every other day (maybe every 3 days) because I work from home and can therefore employ a "can't be arsed" approach to shaving.

However, the Mach-3 blades really seem to last a long time and only become an irritation if I use an old blade on substantial growth.  I may start keeping track of how many I use.

[rafletcher]

The stuff you put on your face to soften the bristles is more important than the blade.

I find Tescos multi blade almost as good as the wilkinsons stuff.

Lidle skin moisturiser (Ciel something) is fantastic for softening bristles. Splash on lots of hot water, run moisturiser in, shave.

I'll second Tesco blades - 2 is enough for me!  And King of Shaves gel.

[nicknack]

I use Prince for my underarms and legs. Bobb's used it for shaving his face while he's been here and I think he thought it was ok.

I use that too - with Aldi type razor.

[rogerzilla]

Body Shop do a great shaving cream and using a shaving brush is a nice part of the ritual too.

I used their cream and after shave gel for years. Then they started mucking about with both recipes and packaging. Eventually I got bored with buying a worsening product. Liz Earle do something that's at least as good as the Body Shop stuff used to be, but not cheap.

I use Prince for my underarms and legs. Bobb's used it for shaving his face while he's been here and I think he thought it was ok.

But what do you use for your {#`%${%&`+'${`%&NO CARRIER

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Bobb.

[rogerzilla]

Best answer!

[perpetual dan]

I tend to find that in a pack of multi-blade razors there will be one that is blunt and cuts my face from day one, the others will do a decent job for weeks each.

[Tewdric]

Shaving oil is useful for travelling.

It's better if it's travelling somewhere you're not! ;-)

[henshaw11]

Simple wilkinson/gillette* double edged things - currently on a 60s(?) razor but my father's old razor I used for years till the thread went a few years ago (hmmm...wonder if I can get it helicoiled...)

*or whatever's available, some other manufacturers might be sharper/last longer but I've never been fussed enough to hunt around - I shave at anything between twice a week and twice a month. Actually, the mach 3 things aren't bad but don't work very well with more than several days growth or trying to cut around beard and sideboards (I generally have all three). I've actually got a bag of BIC things I bought mebbe 10 yrs ago in desperation...they're bloody awful

Soap...whatever's in the soap dish - even the rubbish foam stuff we have in our office dispensors -  just making sure it's well-wetted.
My necks actually a bit sensitive to shaving (or used to be, 3 days in a row in my 20's and it'd be raw..), but doesn't seem to get upset with the above.

ISTR the old dual-edged razors being described as one of the first items of the 'throwaway society'..perhaps one day I'll get around to get an open razor, if I convince myself I'm not going to b*gger it up when stropping it

[Mike J]

I only shave about three times a week - but use King of Shaves gel and Gillette Sensor Excel.

[Riggers]

Same for me but, with a slight difference.

Gentleman! I too used to be a King of Shavers user, but no more. A chum said just use a small blob of hair conditioner into the old stubble, and I have to say it works a treat. Damn site cheaper too!

So cast off your King of Shaves, and come across to the wide world of conditioners!

[Jacomus]

Wilkinson Sword Classic Double Edge Razor - Boots does it for me and the blades are easy to find. Any soap or vegetable oil that's to hand.

I also use this razor.

I use Palmolive Shaving Cream that seems to be very widely available and I chop and change between razor blades, but they are easy to come across.

[border-rider]

Partner is happy with Gillette Mach 3 Turbo.

+1.  Buy online for cheaper prices.

Same for me

I've been using Mach 3s for several years.  I shave every day and but the blades last ages.  I do have quite fine & soft hair, though, so maybe the bristle-monsters need something more industrial

[MattH]

Wilkinson Sword Classic Double Edge Razor - Boots does it for me and the blades are easy to find. Any soap or vegetable oil that's to hand.

I really wanted to like that razor, but after three months or so and trials of different blades I gave up and went back to using whatever double bladed Gillette or Wilkinson Sword disposables the shop I was in happened to have on offer. I found that even being very light and very careful, I still ended up with lots of tiny nicks in my face every day.

But as a result of that experiment, I did discover the joys of a shaving brush and dedicated soap - previously having used either normal soap lathered up in my hands or an aerosol of gel. Boots do an inexpensive soap bowl with replaceable tablets that has a screw on lid and is good for travelling.

[Riggers]

Well, I think the one I use (because I suffer shaving rash too) is the Wilkinson turbo something or other with 5 blades and the single battery that vibrates the blades slightly, and that certainly stops: any rash and nicks.

[Cudzoziemiec]

IMO the temperature of the water is important. Really hot water (not scalding hot obv!) softens the bristles nicely and makes a much more pleasant, easier shave.

[AndyK]

IMO the temperature of the water is important. Really hot water (not scalding hot obv!) softens the bristles nicely and makes a much more pleasant, easier shave.

Shaving after a bath or shower is better too.

[Cudzoziemiec]

As long as you can demist the mirror!

[mrcharly-YHT]

Nah, just shave in the shower.

If you are shortsighted like me, you have to stick your nose 4" from the mirror anyway.

If you are shortsighted and shave with a straight razor, do not lean forward to get a better view. The handle of the straight razor sticks forwards 4" and it is not advisable to bump this into the mirror whilst doing that difficult bit under your nose.  This is not a mistake you will make twice.

[AndyK]

As long as you can demist the mirror!

Just rub your finger on a bar of soap and then polish the mirror with it. Demisted.

[Euan Uzami]

Apparently 3 blades in a razor is the optimum number. It was proven in some research. No more, no less. 4 or more is too much, 2 is not enough.
Refuse to participate in the "blade-count arms race". 2 used to be a luxury, now gillette and wilkinson and the like are touting their latest offering with seven blades. They're going to overtake the number of sprockets on a cassette soon, if shimano and campag don't watch their step.

[Tewdric]

Apparently 3 blades in a razor is the optimum number. It was proven in some research.

Presumably funded by Gilette just before launching a three bladed razor?   

Protagonists of single bladed double-edge razors argue that multi-blade razors encourage spots and red bumps, as the first blade yanks each hair out and subsequent blades cut them off.  When the hair is released it has been cut below the outer level of skin and so pops back in quite deep, giving more scope to get blocked in by gunnge and form a spot. 

I have no idea if this is true or not but is sounds plausible, and whilst I used to suffer  lot from red marks on my neck when I used Mach 3s, I don't at all since I changed to double-edge shaving.  I reckon three passes with a sigle blade with a re-lathering each time, is better than one pass with a triple bladed razor.

Given that doble-edged blades cost a fraction of what the multi-bladed cartridge heads do, double-edge shaving is a bit of a no-brainer for me these days.