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I can grow a full beard/stache (basically complete face starting at my eyeballs and fully connecting to my chest and the full circumference of my neck). Basically the complete Duck Dynasty ensemble of hair from the shoulders up. All 4 of my grandparents had full heads of hair to their last days, and my parents show no signs of thinning approaching 70. If I'm not kidding myself too much, in 2 months, I could look like a Civil War general.
I have tried every single name-brand disposable and replaceable-head razor there is. I've done DSC and Harrys. I've bought several electrics over the years when I see a legit new technology that might be different than other "legit new technologies" that have been rebranding themselves for a century. I bought a Merkur safety-razor and 100pk of blades that I gave a solid chance for a whole month. My face looked like a turkey-burger after 2 weeks.
Basically, I am a ******* grizzly bear, and I will be a Mach3 guy for the rest of my life. Mach3 factory regulars... not the turbo or "sensitive" ------ry and not the generic knockoffs. It's the only razor that works for me. I swap blades every Monday morning because I'll need to carve through 3 full days of stumps. One blade lasts me all week.
Gillette fusion are the only ones that work for me. I can use one blade for a month, 6 weeks, 2 months or more if I strop it regularly on a pair of jeans. I shave in the shower, and for the longest time I've just been using conditioner instead of any time of shave cream/gel because a) it's cheaper b) it worked and c) it worked better than the dedicated products. The gels / creams were too slippery. I find having a bit of drag on the blade from the lubricating product gives me a much better shave with a much lower chance of cutting myself.
Recently however I've started using Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Shave Cream. It works, and has the right viscosity and provides the bit of drag I like. When I travel I'll still use conditioner because it's one less thing to pack.
Pro tip - there's no difference between any of the fusion blades. Get whichever is cheapest, they all work on all the handles.
Dorco / Dollar Shave Club blades suck ***. They clog up with hair and can't be rinsed out. They last about two shaves. If anyone wants a bunch for free, let me know and I'll address them to you and throw them in the trash.
I've got a merkur safety, some proraso in a tube, a badger hair brush, and some astra superior platinum blades. **** works great. I cut myself zero times and it's not 17 dollars when I need more blades. each blade is less than ten cents.
And when I do cut myself, one dab with a damp styptic pencil, some light screaming, and it's done bleeding.
I've got a merkur safety, some proraso in a tube, a badger hair brush, and some astra superior platinum blades. **** works great. I cut myself zero times and it's not 17 dollars when I need more blades. each blade is less than ten cents.
I have a very similar setup. Gillette Fatboy, Proraso in a can, Astra superior platinum blades. I don't have to press on the razor at all to shave; I just hold it loose in my hand, let gravity do the work, and it gives a shave that's the equal of any modern triple-blade job that I've tried. The razor is from my grandfather, who bought it in the 1950s.
Not my razor, but identical:
Edit: I just looked it up - this razor sold for $1.95. It's hard to believe that something so cheap is still working perfectly nearly 60 years later. Adjusted for inflation, that's $16.43 today.
No one uses Feather blades? That was my preferred. Have a Merkur safety razor, the green Proraso in a tube, and a cheapo brush. Never bother with the styptic pencil.
At this point, though, I go super low maintenance. About once I week I use the clippers with a 000 blade and #2 guard and trim the beard back. Then use an old pair of clipper that don't pinch to take the neck and cheeks down to stubble. Then the Merkur with just a bit of soap to address the few stray whiskers on my upper cheeks.
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