DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

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highdrytoast
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DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by highdrytoast »

Thought I'd take a minute or two to share my thoughts on DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave. I suffer from sensitive skin and have been using GFT's Coral Skin Food as a pre-shave and aftershave. It's worked well for me with GFT's coconut shaving cream but now that the weather has turned warmer I find the Skin Food a bit heavy and the scent, which for me lasts much longer than that of most aftershaves, too warm. I've used DRH's Arlington aftershave before and enjoyed the scent and found it very cooling. When I saw the Arlington pre-shave, I thought I would give it a try. Unfortunately, I didn't bother to find out what DRH consider a pre-shave. Minus the glycerin, the ingredients are exactly the same and listed in the same order as those in the Arlington aftershave. Trust me when I say that using an aftershave as a pre-shave is a big no-no for someone with sensitive skin. I have the angry red patches on my face to prove it. My skin will be fine in a day or two. The real disappointment is that DRH would put out such an inferior product. I'll take the charitable view and assume that it was an honest mistake and not an attempt, from the basest of commercial motives, to cash in on the popularity of their other Arlington products.
bernards66
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by bernards66 »

Sorry to hear it but, who knows? Certainly the choice of aftershave type is highly personal so perhaps Harris's really believes that adding the glycerine made this an appropriate pre-shave product. Personally I've never found any 'pre-shave' formulation to be the least bit helpful including Trumper's Skin Foods so it's hard for me to compare them. With aftershave products some gents love those heavy aftershave balms ( which so many companies offer these days ) but I can't stand them. However, I also can't use the classic high alcohol content 'aftershaves' either so there are only a very few products in the middle, as it were, that really work for me. If there is such an individual reaction to aftershave products I suspect that it may be 'different strokes for different folks' when it comes to 'pre-shaves' as well.
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Flash G
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by Flash G »

I just finished my bottle of DRH pre-shave. I also did't find it had much effect as an pre-shave and used it as an aftershave. On my bottle it said that it was beneficial for electric shavers. I wouldn't know how that works as I binned my electric shaver when I started wet shaving :)
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by Squire »

Hard to say, my first guess would be the scent but you've used the aftershave successfully so apparently that's not the cause. Perhaps the designers intended this for electric shaver users.
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jww
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by jww »

You may want to try Limes skin food for the warmer months. I always have a supply of all three variants of skin food and switch them out based on the weather outdoors. I find the Limes to be brilliant in the late spring and summer and fancy the sandalwood in the deep, dark winter months. Unlike you, I actually find the Coral is good anytime of the year. ymmv.
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highdrytoast
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by highdrytoast »

To clarify, the glyercin is in the aftershave and not in the pre-shave. I assumed that pre-shaves were oil-based, with Skin Food being sui generis. I'd be interested to know if there are other pre-shaves that are simply aftershaves without the glycerin and if anybody finds them satisfactory. As for the Arlington pre-shave being beneficial for electric shavers, that isn't on my bottle, the packaging, the website of the supplier or DRH's website. Of course, wet shavers probably wouldn't buy it if it was. I can't help but find this a bit shoddy.
bernards66
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by bernards66 »

That is indeed rather odd. Alcohol based 'pre-shave' products ( William's Lectric Shave was the best known ) have been around for electric shaver users for decades and this Harris's stuff does seem to be more in that genre. But no where does it suggest it for such a use so I dunno. A supposed 'pre-shave' that is simply alcohol, water, and scent certainly does seem less than pointless. The electric shaver stuff was supposed to clean off some of the skin oil and 'dry out' the whiskers because electric shavers work better on dry unlubricated whiskers. But regarding wet shaving it seems to make no sense at all.
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by Squire »

Senseless, pointless and profitable.
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EL Alamein
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by EL Alamein »

highdrytoast wrote:Thought I'd take a minute or two to share my thoughts on DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave. I suffer from sensitive skin and have been using GFT's Coral Skin Food as a pre-shave and aftershave. It's worked well for me with GFT's coconut shaving cream but now that the weather has turned warmer I find the Skin Food a bit heavy and the scent, which for me lasts much longer than that of most aftershaves, too warm. I've used DRH's Arlington aftershave before and enjoyed the scent and found it very cooling. When I saw the Arlington pre-shave, I thought I would give it a try. Unfortunately, I didn't bother to find out what DRH consider a pre-shave. Minus the glycerin, the ingredients are exactly the same and listed in the same order as those in the Arlington aftershave. Trust me when I say that using an aftershave as a pre-shave is a big no-no for someone with sensitive skin. I have the angry red patches on my face to prove it. My skin will be fine in a day or two. The real disappointment is that DRH would put out such an inferior product. I'll take the charitable view and assume that it was an honest mistake and not an attempt, from the basest of commercial motives, to cash in on the popularity of their other Arlington products.
Arlington is a citrus oil heavy scent. It is most likely that the citrus oils are the cause for your irritation with this but that is just a guess.

I agree with trying the Trumpers Limes Skin Food - get the sample instead of a whole bottle. If Trumpers still uses real citrus oil in it then that will tell. If not, it will most likely be extremely fleeting in scent and thus should satisfy your needs. If so, you know what to avoid in your search for a satisfactory preshave.

I, like others, don't see the need for a preshave as I've sampled many over the years. Proper lather will be all you need. YMMV.

Chris
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by Squire »

My idea of preshave liquid is coffee.
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Tinman
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by Tinman »

Yes. Coffee.

I also haven't found any pre-shave to make any difference in the actual shave. However, similar to the above use of the DRH, I do sometime use an old jar of Proraso pre-shave for a cooling aftershave.
brothers
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by brothers »

Seems that when I use anything as a pre-shave, it's water. I occasionally splash some water on the whiskers and try to wait a few seconds, and other times, I might even hold a soaked washcloth on the whiskers. It seems to work pretty good. If I forget it, things usually work out just about as well. Can't really tell, to be honest.
Gary

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gsgo
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by gsgo »

I have tried a few different pre shave treatments and have to say that while results will naturally vary for everyone I have had the best results from Proraso. I now have both the green and white versions and have to say I enjoy using both and feel it does help to set up a better shave. How much better, hard to say, but I do feel some difference which I like.

I generally use them suited up with other Proraso products which by the way have just appeared at a brand new super Walgreens that just opened in the Wrigley Building here in Chicago.
Good shaving,

Gary
brothers
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by brothers »

I admit I haven't tried the Proraso pre/post. I should change that.
Gary

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pausted
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Re: DRH's Arlington Pre-Shave: A Review

Post by pausted »

I have three products that I use as pre shaves: 3P pre shave cream, Cornhuskers lotion and Noxema Moisturizing cleansing cream. I use the Noxema on most days. All three work for me and I'm not sure I could pick one as a favorite over any other. The tub of Noxema is just handy on the counter. I do know that after experimentation, I get a better shave when using one of these products vs. not using one. I probably won't replace the 3P because it is much more expensive than the others and really doesn't perform any better for me.
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Basil
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