Overrated! or Things that never worked for you that others deem necessary.

Great point Aaron. Cushion seems more important for people who don't want a close shave (for whatever reason), but for me extreme slickness is the most important attribute for ensuring a close and comfortable shave.

Great point Aaron. Cushion seems more important for people who don't want a close shave (for whatever reason), but for me extreme slickness is the most important attribute for ensuring a close and comfortable shave.

Feh, I want it ALL!

LOL Freddy . I have to admit that cushion sometimes has a certain luxurious feel to it (especially with soaps like SdM and MdC), but it just doesn't seem to have an impact on the shave itself.

I am very undemanding.

All I want is blood free comfort and ultimate pleasure.

No more. No less.

I am very undemanding.

All I want is blood free comfort and ultimate pleasure.

No more. No less.

Mickey, you are a man after my own heart.

Without cushion (and I think all soaps/creams can be lathered without cushion) I cannot get a good shave regardless of how slick it is. And cushion has never hindered me from obtaining a close shave. I mean really, it's a metal razor up against some suds. That's like man vs train. Train wins all day, everyday.

Cushion is most likely a poor word to use for this. I prefer to think of it as density and the ability for the lather to hold moisture where I need it. A thin, slick lather will still give me weepers, nicks, and irritation (no-low cushion) while a dense lather (high cushion) can give me flawless results.

Interesting perspective SharpSpine! A few months ago I would have agreed with you on that, but two products changed my mind: Czech & Speake and SMN. To me both are much more slick than they are cushiony, and yet for some reason they provide better protection than most everything else. Perhaps it's a different kind of slickness? Both products seem to glide on a sort of film that they spread on the face, ensuring a close shave without weepers (which annoy me).

I've not used C&S (probably won't either as the scents don't strike my fancy). However, I do have some SMN V3. I had no problem getting a dense lather from it. Probably not as dense as say B&M, Bufflehead, & Nuàvia, but still plenty dense. Unlike many other soaps which couldn't get dense even if they lost 100 IQ points.

Hmmm. Maybe I should be more careful with my definitions of "dense" and "cushion". I can see SMN being a bit more dense than some, but it still doesn't seem to create a lot of visual volume (if that makes sense).

"In fact, most often all I use is razor + water with no other product at all, and I get great shaves!"

I trust you are that happy, hirsute fella on the left in your avatar photo, Chris.

Yes, I am the bald guy with the beard in the left of my photo. The other person is my 11 year old daughter.

However, I am not the one that said I get good shaves with just water. The thought actually sends a shiver down my spine...