I just finished my first shave with a badger hair brush, old fashioned shave cream, and a safty razor. I actually enjoyed shaving this morning. It took me much longer than usual (about 20 minutes) but it is Sat so I had the time to do it. Taking that much time was actually nice. I was able to relax and have some time to myself.
The shave cream was amazingly different from the stuff in the can which I now think should be called shaving foam. There is nothing creamy about the canned stuff. I used a cream from a company called Proraso (I think). It comes in a tube like toothpaste. It produces a lather that is truely creamy and thick.
I bought and inexpensive badger hair brush. This was the weak link in my shave, but it was not bad. I think this is a case where you get what you pay for (up to a point). Eventually I will invest in a better brush, but for now thus will work. I paid $15 for this one, but I have seen brushes for as much as $800. I think a $40 brush will be fine for me. My brush made a decent lather, but it was a little scratchy, but not much. As I get my technique down I will be able to get a better lather I am sure.
My razon glided over my skin with with next to no friction. Had I not heard the whiskers being cut I never would have believed it was happening. I lathered and shaved three times which fon my reading is normal. On many things I have read they all say the goal is beard reduction not elimination. After my third pass I washed up and applied after shave lotion. When I felt my beard it was the closest shave I had ever gotten. There were a few spots I could have done better, but they are no worse then a regular shave with my fusion.
A major plus is that my wife LOVED the smell. The cream really does smell great. The tube cost about $10, but a little goes a long way. The tube is about 1.5 times the size of a toothpaste tube and you use a dollop about the size of an almond so it will last a long time.
I think with practice I can get my shave down to 10 minutes. Until I do I will reserve this method for the weekends. The whole think really did feel luxorious from the slow relaxed pace to the physical feeling to the smell. I highly recommend trying this if it sounds interesting to you.