Just curious how many people have found their go-to shaving stuff. It seems many people here are on a constant improvement quest.
For myself:
I love face lathering. I get a much better result than from a bowl.
Related to that, the right brush really helps. I just got a Maggard sythetic, and it's amazing.
I still haven't found the perfect DE razor. My Van der Hagen is a bit too mild. My Cadet open comb is good, but gives me razor burn. The Cadet safety bar doesn't cut as close, is better than the VdH, but still leaves a bit of a burn.
I like shaving sticks a lot. Creams aren't bad, either. I haven't tried a puck.
Van der Hagen blades are junk.
Astra Superior Platinum blades have been great in all three razors I've used them in.
I tried Thayers witch hazel. It's ok, but I think I prefer Old Spice. In fact, I've yet to find an aftershave that works better than Old Spice for me. (I've tried Brut, Skin Bracer, and a few dollar store generics).
Have you settled on what works and doesn't work for you?