March 13, 2009 Reader tip: shave w/conditioner
OBOW reader Peter M. shares this on shaving:
“I read the article about shaving with “shaving oil” which takes very little volume and is easy and light to carry. I have not tried shaving oil myself, but I would like to recommend another idea: Hair Conditioner!
Many hotels include shampoo and conditioner, so you usually don’t have to carry any (except for a small emergency reserve, if you think your destination won’t have any). The hair conditioner seems to have both lubricating and hair softening qualities, which makes for a GREAT shave.
I first tried shaving with hair conditioner out of desperation many years ago, and have been so happy with the results that I shave this way all the time, even when not traveling.
Oh, I should mention that I usually shave in the shower, but I think this method would work just fine at a sink.”
I’ve used clear gel hand soap (which I also use for travel laundry) for the same purpose. Olive oil would probably work great too, might give you that Italian look. If you do want to try the oil and you don’t want to mail-order then you might try Shave Secret which is available at Wal-Mart and probably lots of other places.
Reader Comments (13)
Interesting tip. I will try that. This part of the shave secret side makes me suspicious, though:
Shave Secret Shaving Oil, The Best Shave Ever!
Proudly Made in America by English Speaking Americans.
© 2003-2004 USA Kings Crossing Inc., All Rights Reserved
II've tried Shave Secret. It was ok for 5 nights in Vegas, but I didn't like it well enough to use while at home.
However, you must rinse your razor frequently or it will clog up pretty fast.
Great tip!
BTW, I've been using Shave Secret for a couple years now. It was a little strange to get used to, but now I can't shave without it.
My 2 cents ... Shave Secret works ok, but no better than olive oil - which is to say they both work fine, but not the best.
My vote for the best:
1) AVID skinglider for sensitive skin
http://www.trafalgarshop.com/catalog_ts/AVID-skinglider-for-sensitive-skin-15ml-p-16355.html
2) Pacific Shaving Company All Natural Shaving Oil
http://www.trafalgarshop.com/catalog_ts/Pacific-Shaving-Company-All-Natural-Shaving-Oil-15ml-p-16336.html
Both give the best shaves I've ever had (I shave in the shower too...).
Paul
I agree that the Pacific oil is far superior to Shave Secret. I don't believe its just my imagination.
When I travel I've used King of Shaves shaving oil for a few years now. You can buy it a CVS. I'm a shave geek and I use a badger brush and hard soap when I'm at home. The King of Shaves oil gives a pretty good shave, plus it's fast and tiny.
I have found that washing my face with warm water and soap just before shaving with oil makes a HUGE difference in the quality of the shave. I've wanted to try the Pacific Shave Oil, but getting the KoS at CVS is too convenient.
Shave in the shower, you dont need cream or soap or anything else. It may be a little odd at first, but after a few tries youll be able to do it without issue. And in thee end youll spend less time in the bathroom and carry less stuff with you.
My uncle does it, and i had no idea how he never had any shaving cream in his house. I finally gave it a go, to a not great result the first time around... The trick is to stay in the shower (while doing other things) about 5-10 minutes before you use the blade (causes the pores to open and the skin to become pliable).
The only other trick is to learn the feel of your face (if you don't have a shower mirror) to know your shaving your sideburns right.
Now i can go anywhere and shave with only a blade, i never even think about cream or gel. And since your showering, you can wash your face afterwards in lieu of aftershave (though i like aftershave).
try it.
I've been a traveling wet shaver for many years and use the two products with great success, which also packs light and compact.
1) Lucky Tiger Molle shaving cream- used in WWII by the troops and everyday persons since the 1930's. No need of a brush, just put some in your fingers and apply to face and then shave. Close shaves and very easy to use.
2) Proraso cream- use with a small travel shaving brush for incredibly close shaves.
Put either of the above creams in a small screw top plastic container and I can go a week or more with the best shaves possible.
I just found the King of Shaves at CVS - will be able to compare it to both Pacific and Shave Secret.
I've tried shaving in the shower without cream or gel, and with conditioner. I've also tried several brands of shave oil. But my beard is just too coarse for that. It leaves my skin hypersensitive such that even a small bit of sweating or physical activity makes my neck feel like it's on fire.
I now have 2 options for travel kit. The first is a Gillette Sensor Excel with some Proraso shave cream in a small Nalgene container. The Proraso is highly concentrated, so a tablespoon of the stuff will last almost a week. I've also used Kiss My Face cream which is just as concentrated, but not mentholated like Proraso. I leave the shave brush at home. I can get a good enough lather just massaging the Proraso into my wet beard by hand. The whole kit weighs in at no more than 4 ozs.
The other option is my electric rechargeable Panasonic 8109S shaver. On it's own it's almost 7 ozs, and the included AC adapter to charge it is about the same, almost doubling the weight. It has an internal Lithium Ion battery, and it's charging current is rated at around 5V. On a full charge, it's good for about 4-8 shaves depending on the duration and closeness I need. Unfortunately Panasonic uses some proprietary connection for the charging port on the shaver. So I cut the cable and put a female mini USB connector on it. Now I can charge the shaver using a USB charger or a USB port on my laptop computer.
So when I'm going on a leisure trip, I tend to take the razor, and when going on fast-paced trips or trips where I might need to erase a 5-o'clock shadow, I take the electric shaver for it's convenience and ability to do touch-ups at any time and at any place without the hassle of wet shaving.
Well, the idea behind shaving with conditioner is that you don't have to take any product along. Thus you are getting closer to liquid free travel and you are reducing weight.
Proraso has an excellent reputation. Did you try the Tabac shave soap from Germany? It's great. Comes in a big block in a beautiful opal glass bowl and as a refill for that bowl. But it also comes in a handy small stick for travel. You can cut any soap to size or grate it and then fill and press it in a contact lens container.
The best electric razor I found for travel is the Philips Arcitec series. It is lightweight and the charge is good for probably 15 to 20 shaves. Not kidding you.
My new Panasonic 8243 ($70 as a refurb which works great) gives about 12-13 shaves on one charge. Weight is comparable to the Philips but the shave is even better. Both stay under 200g. However, if you want to take the charger of the Philips which is at the same time its carrying case (at least that's smart) you can easily add 150g. The Panny charger is tiny. Probably around 70g. The Philips is also a bit bulkier but if you take off the shave head for travel it stores like a charm and nothing beats it for battery life. It is also very easy on the skin but the shave does take twice as long as with the Panny.
Thanks for the tip on Tabac. I've been thinking about giving a cake of shave soap a try, so I just ordered the Tabac with the bowl from Amazon. I use Rogaine, so I'm afraid I'll never be free of liquids, otherwise I would've tried the solid shave soap a long time ago.
Have you weighed your Panasonic charger? Mine's very small and feels light, but weighs in it a surprising 150g.
I wish I was getting 12-13 shaves per charge out of my Panasonic shaver. The manual claims that the 8109s can do that many, but it just isn't so for me. But since I cut the end of the cable off of the charger and replaced it with the USB connector, I don't have to bring the charger along, so it's not really an issue any more.
Speaking of USB, I bought a couple of Apple iPhone USB chargers for $2.50 each off of eBay. They're great because they deliver a full 1A @ 5V, and weigh only 19g. It fully charges the Panasonic in about 30-40 minutes, not to mention my phone in just over an hour.
That's really creative with the USB. I didn't even know one could do that. Kudos! I did weigh the charger but don't remember the exact weight. I might have posted it once on FT or Razor Rap but right now gotta catch a flight. No time to look.
The Tabac stuff is really nice and the glass bowl is very special. You don't need much. I swirl the wet brush over the soap for five or seven seconds, then I build up the lather in a bowl that is sitting in hot water. You'll have to experiment a little in terms of water quantity on the brush, so don't give up if you don't get good results right away.