Going on two years now of wet shaving. I've tried multiple aftershaves (AS), a few Shaving Soaps (SS), a few Shaving Creams (SC)(true shaving creams come in a tube BTW, foam or gel comes in a can). But I've settled into, pretty much, a routine. Nearly every day, I use Tabac Shaving Soap lathered with my inexpensive badger brush and use three passes with my Merkur Progress with a Derby blade. After shave is usually cool water followed by either Pinaud Clubman or Pinuad Bay Rum.

The initial expense of all of this was daunting:

1. Merkur Progress Double Edge Safety Razor -- $55
2. 200 Derby Double Edge razor blades -- $16
3. Badger Brush -- Tweezerman -- $15
4. Tabac Shaving Soap (with dish) -- $18
5. Pinaud Bay Rum -- $9

Heck that's $113 for shaving gear!!!

But, it has been very economical since the initial outlay of funds. Since the initial purchase, over two years ago, I've bought:

1. No additional razors --- $0
2. No additional blades (still have enough @ 1 blade per week for another year+ --- $0
3. No additional brush (still going strong) --- $0
4. Six additional soap pucks (they last me about 4 months) --- $8 each/ $48
5. Pinaud Clubman, Bay Rum, AS --- $18

Hmm.... that's now $177. But, as I break it down, that's $7.38 per month. When compared to what most men are using which is Gillette's current hotseller which goes for $2 - $4 per cartridge and some Edge gel which goes for $5 per can. With using two cartridges and a can of gel every month even before you add in the aftershaves, you come to $11 per month. The further I go into this, the more I enjoy (as opposed to hate) shaving and the more economical it

SWMBO argued at first about the expense but now (even though eye serum costs $20 per half ounce!!!!) but now has realized that she likes the way I smell, the way my face feels and most important how I now feel about what I used to abhor.