I used to get irritation and infections often while using shaving cream. One day I ran out of shaving cream and just shaved with hot water alone. I shaved like that for about a week before I finally got to the store to buy more shaving cream.

I quickly realized that shaving cream is kind of pointless. I got a better shave with just hot water, and if I was gentle enough and used cold water to rinse afterwards, I never got irritation. Shaving cream was like a 25% chance I'd have mild irritation that day. So why am I spending all this money on shaving cream?!

And no, I didn't have an allergy to shaving cream. It was minor skin irritation in certain spots, not swelling and itchiness everywhere the shaving cream touched me.

I exclusively shave with just hot water now. I haven't bought shaving cream in over 2 decades and my face is still smooth and blemish-free.

I agree on the good razor, though. I've tried a variety from cheap ones, expensive ones, old-fashioned ones, straight-razors, and electric razors. In the 30 years I've been shaving, the best razor I've ever had was the Gillette Mach 3. I've been using it almost exclusively for ages now.

I'm actually worried what will happen if they ever stop making them. I have a box stockpiled with their razor heads just so I have a supply to last me a year or so. Although I'm retired now and shave less often, so it might last me about 5 years now.

...and a shaving brush. It gets the lather into the hairs so much better than just applying by hand.