@@Tictac0095 hey Austin. I have not tried that razor. What I’ve heard, is that people who love it LOVE IT! So it’s very intriguing to me. One of these days 🤠
I've installed a small mirror in my shower so I can shave while showering and is a great experience specially in the winter is super relaxing the shave soap smell permeates the entire bathroom, the warm water makes the skin really soft and the BBS is almost guaranteed. Cheers, Greg.
Hey. Perfect shave. Right out of the shower. Tallow based soap. 2 passes max. Couple drops of jojoba oil as aftershave. Have a good rest of your weekend Sir
I've always shaved before I shower. I've gotten my system down pat with PAA Cube, HC&C Unscented Soap with scent oils, synthetic brush, bowl lather, aftershave and alum. Then after I shower more aftershave/cologne and PAA Unscented Star Jelly. I've exclusively been using my PAA Copper Ascension Twist DOC with a different blade every week and have been able to get a five star shave every time with a one pass with the grain and touchup on my troublesome jaw line and throat. With other razors I might need two or three passes which tend to cause nicks and irritation for me.
Great tips! I would also add, learn what types of razors work for you, lots of guys think they need every DE available on the market, but half of those razors just won’t work with their beard, period. A very vital part of the shave. Have a great weekend brother!!
@@GregTardif 100%! I know for me that’s one of the most important parts of the equation, suffered through a lot of bad shaves before I realized what type of razor geometry my face likes.
My shave for the last year or so: Stirling unscented shave soap, Thayer’s unscented WitchHazel and for a pre shave I just use the protolather from the soap tub. Hot towel before, after first pass then finish with hot towel and finally a cold towel.
The shaving lather IS the Pre-Shave treatment and product. Key is to spend enough time moving the lather on the face and allowing enough contact time (maybe 2 or 3 minutes).
Nice vid! My perfect shave consists of Preshave- Proraso Green Mühle R89 with Wilkinson Sword blade Omega brush with TOBS Peppermint Finish with Alum and Nivea Balm I’ve never tried more aggressive razors
Lots of similarities! I shower after the shave. I tend to use Proraso cream and aftershave quite a bit too. I let alum dry after the shave then wash it off in the shower. Sometimes I’ll switch it up a little and use Arko or Cremo.
Been using the Personna Comfort Coated blades since I went full time DE. Lots of other blades out there that are as good for me. On a cost per blade basis they're all in that same 12-15 cents per blade, most have more packaging and are imported. I rreally like the Med Prep blades but at more than twice the price, they aren't twice as good. Consistency is IMO one of the keys to good shaves. There is nothing wrong with using the same razor, blade, soap/cream, brush, etc on all or most of your shaves. Find a good soap/cream that performs consistently well and you can splash on whatever foo foo juice you want to wear afterwards to let your mood and scent match. I do an interupted shower. Soak my brush and soap, step into the shower, wash hair and face (this is plenty of time to hydrate, I usually use a bar of glycerin soap for my face), step out, do my shave, including a somewhate messy face lather, often getting lots of lather in my ears, then back into the shower to rinse off all traces of lather and scrub my body. It works great for me and ensures I have plenty of hot water for the shave.
Eat lather sucks! Because it can give you like ear pimples (at least I’ve noticed) interrupted shower sounds cool! I dunno that I could pull it off on my current household though
@@GregTardif I've been getting shaving lather in my ears for 40 years and rarely get "ear pimples". Are you talking about on the lobes and other part of the outer ear, or in the ear canal?
Nice video, man! For me, a lot of what you talked about are good components for a great shave. Other tips I would suggest would be a few things. Having a great lathering brush is important, especially if your hair is scruffy. It might be good to have a standard synthetic for a regular shave and a boar brush for when you have that scruff because the "skritchy" feel of a boar can lift flat hairs on your face easily for shaving off. Also, for the majority of my actual shave, I strictly use cold water for my face and blade cleaning as I shave. Reason being is that for the initial lathering and pass, cold water makes your hairs stand up, and having pre-heated skin with soft whiskers exposed to cold water can make hair rise more easily and you can lop those whiskers off better...AND cold water helps with any razorburn or skin issues as you shave since it's refreshing to feel. Finally, your choice of blade is VERY important and no one blade fits all skin types (and might vary for each shave), so it is important to experiment with different blades to see what is right for you. I highly recommend going to places like Razor Emporium and West Coast Shaving to try "blade packs" (like their "Top 10" Blade Pack) and just take time to use a different blade every few shaves and see which ones are smoothest from the first to second or third shave. Once you land on a "perfect" blade or two (or three), buy a nice-sized pack of them and go to town!
Cross grain does not work well for me on some parts of neck, so my best choices are either with grain or against grain. Later I found that using oblique direction helps.
Yeah if your growth pattern is kinda swirly that could be why. I know Chris Cullen swears by SE razors because of his swirly growth pattern on his neck
@@GregTardif The varying curvatures on my neck make cutting myself more likely for direction across the growth; but then with a mild razor a very SHARP blade, I can stroke against the growth direction on most of my neck with no trouble.
I used to shower after a shave but now find it much more luxurious to have a hot shower first. Perfect shave for me: - wet face - hot wet face cloth over face for a minute or two - Proraso pre-shave cream rubbed into beard (super tingly) - Tabac shave cream whipped into a giant lather right in their ceramic pot and then scrubbed into my beard and painted on my face - Karve Overlander with a Feather blade. Two passes. WTG and XTG - hot water face rinse then icy cold water rinse - alum block wetted with cold water and rubbed on face and then left for a minute while I clean up the sink - cold water rinse - Proraso Red aftershave splashed on face - tiny spritz of Hermes cologne on the back of my neck I have a bunch of blades and razors and soaps and aftershaves, but I'm tempted to do this routine every day. And of course I had to try everything else to discover that these are my favourites.
Yup! You’ve put the work in to find what works best for you. I’m always tweaking stuff but I love trying new razors haha. Thanks for the comprehensive breakdown
.... and yet, I ordered a tub of Henri et Victoria "Cognac and Cuban Cigars" shave soap last night because I had it a few years ago and remember it being fantastic. So maybe I'm just a big liar and don't really know what I like the best. But definitely try the super hot facecloth. It's a nice old school barbershop feeling and probably opens your pores or closes them or something good. 😉
Great video, Greg. I bought one of those collapsible, silicone dog/shave bowls (with the bumps) recently, cos I had to travel. Used it with Proraso (Yellow) cream and a synthetic brush. It is fantastic: whips up a lush, voluminous lather in seconds! They’re cheap as chips (you can buy them as shave bowls or as portable dog bowls), and a certainly worth a try - especially if you use shave creams. Otherwise, I’ll just confirm I’m a pre-shower shaver as well. As I think I may have commented before, I had never seen or heard of anyone shaving AFTER a shower until I started watching YT videos. Go figure. Must be an Australian thing… Cheers. 👍🪒
Thanks so much! I may have to get one of them bowls! I travel frequently and would prefer that over only face lathering (I think) I’m really getting into the pre shower shave. Feels great splashing water on a freshly shaving face. Am I wrong?
@@GregTardif No, you’re absolutely right. I always use a bowl to lather (even when travelling, and even with a cream) because, over the years, I have realised that face lathering irritates my skin - whichever type of brush I use. The scrubbing ain’t good for it. So I bowl lather and limit myself to no more than 3 or 4 relatively gentle swirls on each facet of the face (each cheek and each side of the neck), and then just paint. Also, no swirling (only painting) after the first pass. I can see from your video that your skin is easily irritated too, so maybe give my routine a try. It can’t hurt… can it? Cheers again. 👍🪒
@@GregTardif I would send you one of those bowls buddy but it's cheaper to buy a 2 pack on Amazon, then for me to ship 1. I love the IPA brush. I hope you are enjoying the fanchurian.
It is indeed very hard to quantify Mr Tardif. I really liked the combo you used (no to Personna 🙊) Do give the Parker 78R a try with a Feather - I was amazed. Together with Proraso Red is a great go to - its a really nice trio.
Great video as always, Greg! Love your sense of humor! All good components to a good shave! I also use witch hazel after a shave in addition to alum or sometimes I just use witch hazel (they do pretty much the same thing, but if I don’t want a burn sometimes I’ll use just witch hazel) and then I usually use a balm before a splash just so I don’t cover up the scent of the splash!
About shaving against the grain being against your religion: Rev. Sylvester Graham lived in the early-mid 1800s, and he had some religious beliefs about the flour used at the time. He thought finely ground white flour was "against the grain" and was against his religion. He believed that dietary changes involving coarse whole grain flour could help young men avoid doing something thought to cause blindness. He invented his own type of coarsely ground floor. You might know him more for his crackers. He invented Graham crackers... and they're evidently good for your eyes. Off topic: wouldn't s'mores be a good scent for a shaving soap?
great video. I am new to this world of Safety blade shaving. I am using either Cremo original or Jack Black Cream. Do you recommend using proraso preshave sensitive with these products? Is it helpful.
I find preshave helpful when i have a few days of growth. If you grow hair quickly though, it may be worth a shot every shave. Also, preshave oil is a good one too
Ever tried the alum block at the beginning of the process? Would you be willing to? I figure if it "tightens" the skin, maybe it would help smooth out the shave. I haven't tried this, and am kind of afraid to.
Alum would interfere with the purpose of the shave-lather. A well-understandable practical purpose of the Alum is to help quickly coagulate and stop the bleeding of small cuts which occurred from a shave.
I have found that the most boring but best shave I have ever had and have is Stirling unscented pre shave oil, Stirling Sheep and Stirling unscented post shave balm. Its not exciting to shave anymore, but man it is hard to argue when I have irritation free shaves!
Nice video Greg and thumbs up on your shaving routine! I liked how you said, "consistent, best shave." We should all be striving for this. I probably make this nearly impossible by using different razors, blades, soaps, etc. You've given me something to think about. Is that a Chisel & Hound brush? If so, is that the v16 Fanchurian knot? And if the answer is yes to both questions...how do you like it? My heart goes pitter patter (thump thump...thump thump) when I look at the Chisel & Hound website.
Thanks for the kudos. Yeah! I feel like I’m always chasing a consistent best shave with every piece of gear…but I think I have too much to do so lol. Yes that is the Chisel & Hound Hazy IPA brush with V16 Fanchurian! I’m super impressed
@@GregTardif I've seen where some fellas will shave with the same software/hardware for Monday through Friday and use the weekend shaves as wild card or themed shave, such as Lather Cather Sunday in the TOST3 world. Today was my third day in a row using the same razor/blade (Fatboy/GSB). I've been trying to improve on using a lighter touch and today was clearly a better result after three days using the same hardware. Be well, Greg!
What your “perfect shave”?
I use the asd2 feather, have you tried it out? And what’s ur opinion on it
@@Tictac0095 hey Austin. I have not tried that razor. What I’ve heard, is that people who love it LOVE IT! So it’s very intriguing to me. One of these days 🤠
Proraso green all the way!
@@GregTardif don’t even try it’s for ladies leg. Terrible Razor.😂
To get a perfect shave just shave once every three days I cannot do good consistent shave on daily basis. Your welcome!
I've installed a small mirror in my shower so I can shave while showering and is a great experience specially in the winter is super relaxing the shave soap smell permeates the entire bathroom, the warm water makes the skin really soft and the BBS is almost guaranteed. Cheers, Greg.
Nice!!! Haven’t tried that in a LONG time
Greg, the master of cosy shaving environment and utensils.
🥰
Hey. Perfect shave. Right out of the shower. Tallow based soap. 2 passes max. Couple drops of jojoba oil as aftershave. Have a good rest of your weekend Sir
Ooo never tried jojoba oil! May have to give it a try. Thanks for watching and have a great weekend too
@@GregTardif Works well for me. It nourishes, moisturizes my skin. 3 drops
I've always shaved before I shower. I've gotten my system down pat with PAA Cube, HC&C Unscented Soap with scent oils, synthetic brush, bowl lather, aftershave and alum. Then after I shower more aftershave/cologne and PAA Unscented Star Jelly. I've exclusively been using my PAA Copper Ascension Twist DOC with a different blade every week and have been able to get a five star shave every time with a one pass with the grain and touchup on my troublesome jaw line and throat. With other razors I might need two or three passes which tend to cause nicks and irritation for me.
Yeah sometimes chasing smoothness with a razor that’s not up to the task can be irritating
@@GregTardif
I see what you did there, lol.
@@chrislj2890 😂
Great tips! I would also add, learn what types of razors work for you, lots of guys think they need every DE available on the market, but half of those razors just won’t work with their beard, period. A very vital part of the shave. Have a great weekend brother!!
Great point yeah! Gotta choose the right razor
@@GregTardif 100%! I know for me that’s one of the most important parts of the equation, suffered through a lot of bad shaves before I realized what type of razor geometry my face likes.
My shave for the last year or so: Stirling unscented shave soap, Thayer’s unscented WitchHazel and for a pre shave I just use the protolather from the soap tub. Hot towel before, after first pass then finish with hot towel and finally a cold towel.
Thayers has great stuff! Nice shave process
The shaving lather IS the Pre-Shave treatment and product. Key is to spend enough time moving the lather on the face and allowing enough contact time (maybe 2 or 3 minutes).
Nice vid! My perfect shave consists of
Preshave- Proraso Green
Mühle R89 with Wilkinson Sword blade
Omega brush with TOBS Peppermint
Finish with Alum and Nivea Balm
I’ve never tried more aggressive razors
Nice Alex! Glad you found what works best for you 👍 that peppermint finish is beautiful
Lots of similarities! I shower after the shave. I tend to use Proraso cream and aftershave quite a bit too. I let alum dry after the shave then wash it off in the shower. Sometimes I’ll switch it up a little and use Arko or Cremo.
Nice! Love cremo and Arko is great too
Been using the Personna Comfort Coated blades since I went full time DE. Lots of other blades out there that are as good for me. On a cost per blade basis they're all in that same 12-15 cents per blade, most have more packaging and are imported. I rreally like the Med Prep blades but at more than twice the price, they aren't twice as good.
Consistency is IMO one of the keys to good shaves. There is nothing wrong with using the same razor, blade, soap/cream, brush, etc on all or most of your shaves. Find a good soap/cream that performs consistently well and you can splash on whatever foo foo juice you want to wear afterwards to let your mood and scent match.
I do an interupted shower. Soak my brush and soap, step into the shower, wash hair and face (this is plenty of time to hydrate, I usually use a bar of glycerin soap for my face), step out, do my shave, including a somewhate messy face lather, often getting lots of lather in my ears, then back into the shower to rinse off all traces of lather and scrub my body. It works great for me and ensures I have plenty of hot water for the shave.
Eat lather sucks! Because it can give you like ear pimples (at least I’ve noticed) interrupted shower sounds cool! I dunno that I could pull it off on my current household though
@@GregTardif I've been getting shaving lather in my ears for 40 years and rarely get "ear pimples". Are you talking about on the lobes and other part of the outer ear, or in the ear canal?
Nice vid Greg!
Thanks Ronnie
Nice video, man! For me, a lot of what you talked about are good components for a great shave. Other tips I would suggest would be a few things. Having a great lathering brush is important, especially if your hair is scruffy. It might be good to have a standard synthetic for a regular shave and a boar brush for when you have that scruff because the "skritchy" feel of a boar can lift flat hairs on your face easily for shaving off. Also, for the majority of my actual shave, I strictly use cold water for my face and blade cleaning as I shave. Reason being is that for the initial lathering and pass, cold water makes your hairs stand up, and having pre-heated skin with soft whiskers exposed to cold water can make hair rise more easily and you can lop those whiskers off better...AND cold water helps with any razorburn or skin issues as you shave since it's refreshing to feel.
Finally, your choice of blade is VERY important and no one blade fits all skin types (and might vary for each shave), so it is important to experiment with different blades to see what is right for you. I highly recommend going to places like Razor Emporium and West Coast Shaving to try "blade packs" (like their "Top 10" Blade Pack) and just take time to use a different blade every few shaves and see which ones are smoothest from the first to second or third shave. Once you land on a "perfect" blade or two (or three), buy a nice-sized pack of them and go to town!
Great share here! Yeah the backbone in a boar brush is great for getting those hairs going. I have a 70/30 hybrid badger boar brush I like a lot
Cross grain does not work well for me on some parts of neck, so my best choices are either with grain or against grain. Later I found that using oblique direction helps.
Yeah if your growth pattern is kinda swirly that could be why. I know Chris Cullen swears by SE razors because of his swirly growth pattern on his neck
@@GregTardif The varying curvatures on my neck make cutting myself more likely for direction across the growth; but then with a mild razor a very SHARP blade, I can stroke against the growth direction on most of my neck with no trouble.
Cool! Thanks for that
Proraso green in the summer, proraso blue in the winter and proraso red in between 😅
Awesome one dude!
Thanks buddy boy!!
For me it's feather and Personna blades, with Perma sharp coming in third.
Sweet
I used to shower after a shave but now find it much more luxurious to have a hot shower first.
Perfect shave for me:
- wet face
- hot wet face cloth over face for a minute or two
- Proraso pre-shave cream rubbed into beard (super tingly)
- Tabac shave cream whipped into a giant lather right in their ceramic pot and then scrubbed into my beard and painted on my face
- Karve Overlander with a Feather blade. Two passes. WTG and XTG
- hot water face rinse then icy cold water rinse
- alum block wetted with cold water and rubbed on face and then left for a minute while I clean up the sink
- cold water rinse
- Proraso Red aftershave splashed on face
- tiny spritz of Hermes cologne on the back of my neck
I have a bunch of blades and razors and soaps and aftershaves, but I'm tempted to do this routine every day. And of course I had to try everything else to discover that these are my favourites.
Yup! You’ve put the work in to find what works best for you. I’m always tweaking stuff but I love trying new razors haha. Thanks for the comprehensive breakdown
.... and yet, I ordered a tub of Henri et Victoria "Cognac and Cuban Cigars" shave soap last night because I had it a few years ago and remember it being fantastic. So maybe I'm just a big liar and don't really know what I like the best. But definitely try the super hot facecloth. It's a nice old school barbershop feeling and probably opens your pores or closes them or something good. 😉
Thanks for the tips Tony. I agree, you’re a liar 😂😂 (kidding). We’re all just chasing the dragon
I think that if you have sensitive skin then bowl lathering is the way to go. That was a cool brush though; is that Miller Lite in the handle? 😜
Thank you for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Great video, Greg. I bought one of those collapsible, silicone dog/shave bowls (with the bumps) recently, cos I had to travel. Used it with Proraso (Yellow) cream and a synthetic brush. It is fantastic: whips up a lush, voluminous lather in seconds! They’re cheap as chips (you can buy them as shave bowls or as portable dog bowls), and a certainly worth a try - especially if you use shave creams. Otherwise, I’ll just confirm I’m a pre-shower shaver as well. As I think I may have commented before, I had never seen or heard of anyone shaving AFTER a shower until I started watching YT videos. Go figure. Must be an Australian thing… Cheers. 👍🪒
Thanks so much! I may have to get one of them bowls! I travel frequently and would prefer that over only face lathering (I think) I’m really getting into the pre shower shave. Feels great splashing water on a freshly shaving face. Am I wrong?
@@GregTardif No, you’re absolutely right. I always use a bowl to lather (even when travelling, and even with a cream) because, over the years, I have realised that face lathering irritates my skin - whichever type of brush I use. The scrubbing ain’t good for it. So I bowl lather and limit myself to no more than 3 or 4 relatively gentle swirls on each facet of the face (each cheek and each side of the neck), and then just paint. Also, no swirling (only painting) after the first pass. I can see from your video that your skin is easily irritated too, so maybe give my routine a try. It can’t hurt… can it? Cheers again. 👍🪒
@@GregTardif I would send you one of those bowls buddy but it's cheaper to buy a 2 pack on Amazon, then for me to ship 1. I love the IPA brush. I hope you are enjoying the fanchurian.
@@howardparonto3 thanks Howard! It’s the thought that counts! The fanchurian is a beast!!! Loving it
Which Persona blade are you referring to as loving? (Love your videos btw)
It is indeed very hard to quantify Mr Tardif. I really liked the combo you used (no to Personna 🙊) Do give the Parker 78R a try with a Feather - I was amazed. Together with Proraso Red is a great go to - its a really nice trio.
Sweet!
Great video as always, Greg! Love your sense of humor! All good components to a good shave! I also use witch hazel after a shave in addition to alum or sometimes I just use witch hazel (they do pretty much the same thing, but if I don’t want a burn sometimes I’ll use just witch hazel) and then I usually use a balm before a splash just so I don’t cover up the scent of the splash!
Good tips there!
About shaving against the grain being against your religion:
Rev. Sylvester Graham lived in the early-mid 1800s, and he had some religious beliefs about the flour used at the time. He thought finely ground white flour was "against the grain" and was against his religion. He believed that dietary changes involving coarse whole grain flour could help young men avoid doing something thought to cause blindness. He invented his own type of coarsely ground floor.
You might know him more for his crackers. He invented Graham crackers... and they're evidently good for your eyes.
Off topic: wouldn't s'mores be a good scent for a shaving soap?
Oooo thanks for the history lesson! S’mores might be a good one! As long as it’s Smokey and not a ton of chocolate maybe?
Is that a Pina Colada handled brush?
Good eye! It’s actually a “hazy ipa” brush handle from chisel and hound
great video. I am new to this world of Safety blade shaving. I am using either Cremo original or Jack Black Cream. Do you recommend using proraso preshave sensitive with these products? Is it helpful.
I find preshave helpful when i have a few days of growth. If you grow hair quickly though, it may be worth a shot every shave. Also, preshave oil is a good one too
Ever tried the alum block at the beginning of the process? Would you be willing to? I figure if it "tightens" the skin, maybe it would help smooth out the shave. I haven't tried this, and am kind of afraid to.
I’m afraid too as well. It dries it out as well
Alum would interfere with the purpose of the shave-lather. A well-understandable practical purpose of the Alum is to help quickly coagulate and stop the bleeding of small cuts which occurred from a shave.
I have found that the most boring but best shave I have ever had and have is Stirling unscented pre shave oil, Stirling Sheep and Stirling unscented post shave balm. Its not exciting to shave anymore, but man it is hard to argue when I have irritation free shaves!
Nice Nathan! Thanks for sharing
I’m just here for the dollop sound! 💨 👀😬
Lol!!! I laughed when I played it back while editing
@@GregTardif It’s a keeper! 😂
Perfect is in 3 days shaving.
What happens in three days?
Do you mean, three successive days doing a shave session, or three days of hair growth in waiting to do a shave?
Or taking three days to complete one shave?
@@Bryan_Harding That choice is less practical.
@@10floz30minutes That it is!
Nice video Greg and thumbs up on your shaving routine! I liked how you said, "consistent, best shave." We should all be striving for this. I probably make this nearly impossible by using different razors, blades, soaps, etc. You've given me something to think about.
Is that a Chisel & Hound brush? If so, is that the v16 Fanchurian knot? And if the answer is yes to both questions...how do you like it? My heart goes pitter patter (thump thump...thump thump) when I look at the Chisel & Hound website.
Thanks for the kudos. Yeah! I feel like I’m always chasing a consistent best shave with every piece of gear…but I think I have too much to do so lol. Yes that is the Chisel & Hound Hazy IPA brush with V16 Fanchurian! I’m super impressed
@@GregTardif I've seen where some fellas will shave with the same software/hardware for Monday through Friday and use the weekend shaves as wild card or themed shave, such as Lather Cather Sunday in the TOST3 world. Today was my third day in a row using the same razor/blade (Fatboy/GSB). I've been trying to improve on using a lighter touch and today was clearly a better result after three days using the same hardware. Be well, Greg!
A shave after watching your videos and like 3 hotdogs. BBS every time.
This. Is. The. Way.