Astra Superior Platinum

[Bucephalus]

I generally ditch a blade after 2 or 3 shaves because I don't feel that it is worth stretching out the life of something that cost me between 10 and 20 cents ....

THAT goes completely against my Scots upbringing - "deep pockets, short arms" ! Extracting the urine of course, although your collective points are taken and accepted.

I purchased 2 blades each of 10 brands from tryablade.com and am evaluating, making notes as I go.

Razors themselves is another area I did not consider. More sample packs to be ordered then before switching between my Merkur, EJ, Flare Tip, Big Boy, Slim Adjustable and Black Beauty. Eventually, I'll get there - Heaven = BBS!!
Thanks lads.

 

[alfredus]

Don't know which Merkur you have, but stick to one razor - from this list definitely the EJ.

You can get a perfectly good shave out if it, so until you do so consistently (a week in a row), don't change the razor.

Ditch each blade after 2 shaves. I know your ancestors will turn in their graves, but again: until you get consistently good shaves, don't risk an unknown.

Prep - try this and see how you go: get a good (no garbage in it) high glycerin/olive oil soap (you can always use it as a bath soap later, if this doesn't work for you, so no waste). Wash your face TWICE with it in cold water - make sure you rinse thoroughly after the 2nd time (as it might kill your lather). Face lather (without mashing the boar too much into your face) with cold water and away you go.

Try this for a week and see how you go - definitely ditch the blade after 2 shaves though (this method is tougher on your blades).

 

[Bucephalus]

Thanks alfredus, any particular soap you'd recommend?

 

[alfredus]

I love Occams pre shave soap - but they cost a bit and with shipping in might not be an option...

Recently I have been using a Cyprusian Olive Oil/Argan Oil soap @Lifes a Peach kindly gave me - works a treat as well.

Basically you can use any soap that is made of Glycerine or Olive Oil - just make sure it has not nasties in it (like SLS et.) and I prefer no fragrance oils, just essential oils. My rule of thumb: if any of the ingredients items sounds suspect or you don't know what they are/do - don't use it.

You could of course also ask @khun_diddy for his olive oil soap - that will be my next bar, once the current one is finished...

 

[Bucephalus]

What I know of soaps would fit on a pin-head with room to spare! Would appreciate your thoughts on this one:

KEY INGREDIENT
Organic olive oil
FULL INGREDIENTS
Sodium Palmate (Surfactant), Sodium Palm Kernelate (Surfactant), Aqua (Water) (Solvent/Diluent), Glycerin (Humectant), Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Chloride (Salt) (Viscosity Modifier), Olea europaea (Olive Oil) (Emollient), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Butylphenyl Methylpropional (Fragrance Ingredient), Amyl Cinnamal (Fragrance Ingredient), Hexyl Cinnamal (Fragrance Ingredient), Tetrasodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Tetrasodium Etidronate (Chelating Agent), Citral (Fragrance Ingredient), Citronellol (Fragrance Ingredient), Limonene (Fragrance Ingredient), Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone (Fragrance Ingredient), Geraniol (Fragrance Ingredient), CI 77492 (Colour), CI 77288 (Colour), CI 77499 (Colour).

 

[Bucephalus]

Don't bother answering the above alfredus. There are TOO MANY additives doing the same job;e.g. Surfactant, Fragrance

 

[alfredus]

But besides all the unnecessary things (for this use anyway) - this is a soap made from palm oil (Sodium Palmat) - with all the other oils (including olive) added as an after thought...

You want either a Glycerine soap or an olive oil soap - where olive oil is not the key ingredient but the MAIN ingredient

You could hit up @roger as well - his castile soap would be ideal...

 

[Bucephalus]

Okay mate thanks.