What's Your Favorite Part Of Your Shave Routine?

So what is the best part of your shave? A couple months back, I would have said that it was the aftershave burn when you get a bbs shave. However, now I really have to say that it's making my lather. I always get a little excited when I'm whipping my brush through the puck, anticipating the feel of smooth lather on my face: almsot tantalizing my pores. Boy, I do love a good lather.

So what'll it be?


-Derek



P.S. - a very close second is stropping on my Tony Miller Latigo/Linen strop. It just smells so good...

Hmm. For me it's either the shave itself or applying the lather with my brush. Applying the warm lather is very relaxing to me, especially if the lather smells nice.
Shaving requires my full concentration. While I'm shaving I automatically block out all other random thoughts. It's just me and my blade. It's almost like a meditation for me, so that's quite relaxing and pleasant too.

Hmm. If I had to make a choice I think I'd go for applying the lather :)

I like the feel of the sharp blade as it glides effortlessly over my skin. That little pinch of a nick. The smell of the iron in my blood when I use cold water on my face.


Just kidding.

I like the smells of the soaps and creams and the ritual of choosing one.

A good question! (probably a first here :shrug:)

I love every phase of the shaving routein:
I love stropping
I love the prep
I love making lather
I love applying the lather
I especially love shaving

* Having said all that, I must say I love it the most when I am done and the great feeling I have about what a wonderful shave I just got! :)

Steve

The very second I feel that the razor is sharp and giving a smooth comfortable shave.That and the feeling of lovely warm lather.

For me it has to be that first stroke down my cheek. The feel and sound as the bare skin is exposed from under the lather. It's a zen moment for me.

Lather and aftershave... I'm still working on this "perfectly smooth shave" so the shave itself is sometimes a little lacking still.

Lathering to me is the best part right now.

Shaving XTG. I love the crackling sound the razor makes.

goshawk

I think probably my ATG pass. Although I do enjoy the cold rinse also.

The relaxing feel of the WTG + XTG + ATG + WP when I don't think about anything else.

And the feel and smell of the Geo. F. Trumper AS. – Lime skin food on my BBS face :)

Its a great question, but its almost like asking what is your favorite razor. It depends on the day.


I love the the stropping motion, its almost like fly fishing.
I love the sound of the razor against my face, birds singing in the am
I love the warm lather against my face, sitting in a hot tub after a day of hunting in the cold
I love the splash of after shave, lilac first in bloom

crom

The start of the ATG pass probably, on the neck. The feel and sound when I finally got it right is recreated on a regular basis now. The whole ritual is very satisfying though, start to finish.

Like a few others, my favorite is the first pass down my right cheek after prepping. Nice. And also, as someone mentioned, I like the XTG across my cheeks from side of my mouth toward my ears, the sound of the whiskers going away. Finally, I'd say the feeling of my neck during a shave after I've shaved it. I'm always reminded how unshaven my neck felt in all the prior years of shaving with a disposable and an electric.

Chris L

As an "aficionado", when I can feel BBS skin after I've gone against the grain on my chin is very satisifying.

For the little boy in me, lathering my face is the best part! :D

I do my first passes on my neck, then work my way up. A favorite moment of mine is the feeling of being 100% prepared with the perfect edge off the strop, then the perfect lather waiting hot in my scuttle. It's then I hold the razor (with the Jap grip) to my throat and feel time stop.

Although I do not have many full shaves yet with my straight (specifically XTG & ATG) if I shave in the morning, it is the cool yet stinging of the aftershave splash. If it is the late afternoon shave on the weekend, it would be the glass of Basil Hayden's or Maker's Mark with a nice cigar on the patio after I finish. :)

For me it's the initial sideburn stroke of a freshly stropped blade - always reminds me why I am glad I stumbled into this method of shaving. :)

For me, it's a tie between the planning I go through when I start feeling stubble coming back (I shave once every 3 or so days, so have about a day's worth of planning before I put blade to face). The other winner is the feeling of that first pass, especially my fool's pass on my upper lip followed by ATG on my neck - feels so good to feel that edge sliding over my face and neck, wiping away the stubble and thick lather and leaving that smooth skin behind.

When the lather explodes, you know that moment when it actually becomes creamy beautiful lather, and not a bowl of suds....

Just remembered this morning the pleasure I get from wiping whisker laden lather of the razor and on to the towel. Particularly the ATG pass when they're like dust.

My favorite part is the variety that I have to choose from every day. Depending on my mood, I can decide between a straight or a DE, I don't normally change the designated (5 day) rotation shaving cream or soap, but I've trimmed those down to the ones that work really great for me. Then post shave, depending on my mood, calling on whatever one of those I want, and then for the rest of the day, enjoying the feeling of having started the day off with a great shave.

There is one thing that is constant in my routine, and that is that I have a lifelong addiction to Vitalis Hair Tonic. I've used it since my college days, and the fragrance just "fits". This is one of the things I enjoy most about the grooming process that is centered aroung the shave.

My favorite is my Monday morning shave. I usually don't shave Sat or Sun so my Monday morning shave gets my face truely BBS. That is where I truely enjoy my shave.

My favorite part is applying the lather to my face. I love the feeling of the warmness and the smell is always enjoyable.

XTG is my favorite part - It is usually the XTG that gets me the smoothness I like. than the final towel dry before the AS and than the first AS - love how the skin tightens up. Hours later, the smell of the AS - and feeling a silky smooth face....I gotta go shave :)

andy

I recently bought a badger hair brush. Wow. Now I really love lathering up :D