Happy Easter. Sunday morning.

My travel set-up.

Barbasol Arctic Chill
Personna blade (USA)
Gillette Ball-End Tech razor
Cold water
Family Dollar Spice

For a fine DFS!

Beautiful shave! A two pass with touch-up with the personna blade found at a 99 cent store, the second time I ever used a personna and it felt smoother using Barbasol. Family Dollar Spice was a nice and clean finish for such a simple shave of comfort and meditation.

Aces!

Axe Chilled face wash
Shave Secret oil
Barbasol Arctic Chill
Edwin Jagger DE89 razor
Astra Stainless Platinum blade
Witch Hazel
Family Dollar Spice

For a DFS+!

Traveling at the moment, can’t write much but to say the Barbasol, Astra and Jagger gave me a heavenly shave!

I think I’m going to decide on the Astra SP as the blade I’ll buy in bulk.

Friday morning. Good Friday day.

Axe Chilled face wash
Barbasol (Aloe)
Van Der Hagen Boar Brush
Gillette Goal Stainless (2)
Edwin Jagger DE89 (first use)
Witch Hazel
Pinaud Clubman Special Reserve

A TGIF Friday BBS!

I decided to use my new Edwin Jagger razor for the first time today (I waited a month). Wow, what a first class shave! Just slightly more aggressive than my vintage Gillette Ball-End Tech but still forgiving and easy to use. My second day with the Gillette Goal Stainless was another smooth and sharp shave. It was a smooth three passes (only two passes on lip) and touch-up using Blade Buffing technique, which was successful except for two minor weepers on the neck (wasn’t fully hydrated in that area). The bleeding stopped quickly with cold water. My face feels cool and refreshed after the shave, exfoliated in a gentle manner. I am happy to have a slightly more aggressive razor that can get me to BBS more effortlessly.

I once again tried Barbasol and confirmed that yesterday’s success wasn’t a fluke. I just added a little more water with a damp boar brush, and stirred the cream in my stainless steel mug. I applied to my face like I would my own lather. I will bring Barbasol on my trip this weekend, and go back to my Van Der Hagen soap on Monday.

Aces!

Thursday morning.

Axe Chilled face wash
Barbasol (Aloe)
Van Der Hagen Boar Brush
Gillette Goal Stainless (1)
Gillette Ball-End Tech razor
Witch Hazel
Pinaud Clubman AF

For a DFS! Wow it feels particularly refreshing this morning.

Today’s shave was wonderfully comfortable with the amazing Gillette Goal blade. I love all the Gillette blades I’ve tried, and the Goal blade (made in India) was no exception. It was sharp and smooth as silk. I only needed a two pass with touch-ups for a DFS, and could’ve gone for a BBS if I had more time.

My trusty Barbasol Aloe is back after a month hiatus from my rotation. I was getting tired of mixing the lather each morning, my right arm is weak (the right side of my body is weak) and after mixing lather my arm was not up to holding the angle at certain times during the shave. So, Barbasol was an interesting experiment after making my own lather for a month. It saved my arm tremendously. I did the same prep, and hydrated before each pass and touch-up. Used my boar brush to work it into my whiskers. I have to say it worked better than my own lather (I’m a newbie) so the consistency was a welcome element to each pass of my shave.

I like having both options so I’m very happy the Barbasol experiment was a success.

Wednesday morning.

Axe Chilled face wash
Prosaso Pre-Shave Cream
Van Der Hagen SS
Van Der Hagen Boar Brush
Bluebird blade (2)
Gillette Ball-End Tech razor
Witch Hazel
Family Dollar Spice
Nivea post-shave balm

A fine comfortable DFS!

The second day with the Bluebird blade was a great one. Very smooth and comfortable shave! A three pass with minimal touch-up and my face sings.

I learned my lesson from the past few days and strove to take it easy on my neck, I decided to leave the neck as a DFS and I’m glad I did. I feel like a million bucks.

Tuesday morning.

Axe Chilled face wash
Prosaso Pre-Shave Cream
Van Der Hagen SS
Van Der Hagen Boar Brush
Bluebird blade
Gillette Gold Tech razor
Witch Hazel
Captain’s Choice Bay Rum
Nivea post-shave balm

A BBS!

Decided to try the Bluebird this morning. Was hoping it would be a cheaper option over the Silver Blue, I’m not sure yet but it is certainly sharp, and I don’t want to judge until the second day with it. First shave with a new blade usually a little rough. Got three weepers on my neck, without even knowing until splashing cold water on my face! It’s sharp! I’m betting tomorrow the shave will feel smoother.

Three pass with touch-ups. Feel my technique was not up to par, the touch-up went on too long again. But I am surprised I have no irritation hours later.
Just a raw feeling on the neck. Love the witch hazel and Nivea creme.

Monday morning.

Axe Chilled face wash
Prosaso Pre-Shave Cream
Van Der Hagen SS
Van Der Hagen Boar Brush
Personna blade (USA made, found at dollar store)
Gillette Gold Tech razor
Witch Hazel
“Family Dollar” Old Spice AF
Nivea post-shave balm

For a BBS!

This morning I used a Personna for the first time, the version made in the USA, found at drugstores or dollar stores. I researched the blade, and it is not a Personna Lab or Med blade. But I’ve heard good reviews on the drugstore version so I was eager to give it a try. Mostly because it’s cheap and I have a dollar store that carries them.

I did a traditional three pass shave with touch-ups. The blade was smooth, sharp, and comfortable—I was glad—but got overzealous during the touch-up and got a weeper and light irritation on my jaw line near my chin. I used Blade Buffing technique and again, it did wonders for my neck and chin. In comparison with the Gillette Silver Blue it took longer to get the stubble cut and I buffed too many times. I got a BBS but with a price that comes with overdoing it.

However, hours later, my face feels great, comfortable with the scent of Family Dollar aftershave, which I LOVE. I smell like my grandpa who lived in the town of Isle, Minnesota. The witch hazel and Nivea balm soothed my skin so I can enjoy the BBS shave. Tomorrow I’m going to try the Bluebird blade I think, we’ll see.

Aces!

Sunday morning.

Prosaso Pre-Shave Cream
Van Der Hagen SS
Van Der Hagen Boar Brush
Gillette Silver Blue (4)
Gillette Gold Tech razor
Cold water splash
Witch hazel splash

All for a fine DFS! Face feels cool like early spring!

I shaved so close yesterday that I didn’t have much to shave this morning, so I meant to do two passes, but I ended with three and much time devoted to touch-ups. This my fourth day with the Blue Silver, again, a wonderful smooth shave, but starting to loose the edge a little, hence the extra time today. However, the shave was nearly a BBS with no irritation or burn. A fine shave!

Saturday morning. More time!

Prosaso Pre-Shave Cream
Van Der Hagen SS
Van Der Hagen Boar Brush
Gillette Silver Blue (2)
Gillette Gold Tech razor
Cold water splash
Gillette AF

For a wonderful BBS!

Second day with the amazing Silver Blue, three passes with touch-ups using Buffing Blade technique, and had a shave out of a dream!

My wife said its the closest shave yet!

Friday morning.

Prosaso Pre-Shave Cream
Van Der Hagen SS
Van Der Hagen Boar Brush
Gillette Silver Blue (1)
Gillette Gold Tech razor
Cold water splash
Pinaud Clubman’s AF

For a wonderful DFS!

This was my first day with the Gillette Silver Blue blade, and what a blade it is! The smoothest, sharpest shave I’ve yet experienced, no nicks, weepers, irritation or burn. First, I stropped the blade on my palm six times each side. I then lathered and basically shaved with a two-pass and touch-up. The blade was so sharp that’s all I needed. My cheeks’ stubble usually takes many passes and touch-ups, but this blade only needed north and south and they were done. For touch-up I used Blade Buffing technique in a diagonal ATG direction, and wow, this blade buffs like a dream. The diagonal ATG approach is really working well and it’s now one of my moves. I didn’t go directly ATG under my chin, only diagonal. Still, the Gillette Silver Blue cut through that stubble like butter. My neck was smooth after a north and south pass and light diagonal buffing. I could’ve went a third pass on my neck but I wanted to avoid any kind of irritation. I was very happy with a smooth DFS. My face is happy with less passes so I will keep on experimenting with less. I think I’m ready to try a feather soon. First, I want to try more Russian blades.

Aces!