Pre-shave: Dr Bronners Peppermint Soap
Lather: LEA shave stick
Brush: Omega #50014 Boar Bristle Travel Brush
Razor: Merkur 985CL open comb travel razor with a fresh Lord blade
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, miniature alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: N/A
Pre-shave: Dr Bronners Peppermint Soap
Lather: Arko shaving stick
Brush: Omega #10048 Boar Bristle
Razor: German Bakelite Slant with a Lord Cool blade
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Factory Balm and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Lavender
Lather: Derby Lavender cream
Brush: Omega #10048 Boar Bristle
Razor: GEM Micromatic Clug Pruf with a GEM SE blade
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Factory Oil and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
To quote myself from a post I made over at my favourite shave forum:
If the brush whips up a good lather and it feels okay on your skin, then it’s a good enough brush in my book – a more expensive brush will feel better / last longer / look better, but it won’t shave better.
With that in mind, here is my current brush collection minus my travel brush* and shaving-at-work brush** (click the pictures to make them bigger). None of these are budget breakers, and all of them makes great lather and feels great-to-good on my face.
*) A lovely Omega 50014 boar
**) An okayish Body Shop synthetic
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Peppermint
Lather: Mike’s Mixed
Brush: Omega #10048 boar brush
Razor: Yuma razor with a Super-Max Stainless
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Thayers Original Witch Hazel with aloe vera
Beard care: Big Red Beard Factory Oil and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Derby Lavender Cream
Brush: Omega #50014 travel boar
Razor: Gillette 1918 “Khaki” Old Type with a Perma-Sharp
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard