Razors
I finally got utterly fed up of getting ripped off by Gillette, and have reverted to the old style Double Edge safety razor, complete with shaving brush and soap.
It is brilliant, takes a little longer, mostly through fear, but it delivers a far better shave and is a bit of an event in the morning now if you like a bit of self indulgent pampering involving very sharp objects. And Wifey loves it so I get more kisses, wins all round. To scared to give a straight razor a go though.
( Jimocles I post therefore it is, Fri 5 Nov 2010, 3:19, 7 replies)

I've resorted to these too.
Those multi-bladed things get clogged up within a couple of swipes of my ginger stubble. Safety razors never get clogged and you don't have to worry about forking out a fiver on the wrong kind of heads as they're all the same. If you're traveling around the world then they're pretty universal too.
Might try a proper cut-throat razor next year.
( Zuowan, Fri 5 Nov 2010, 8:48, closed)

Ditto
I finally depleted my gigantic stockpile of Mach3 blades earlier this year so invested in a Merkur HD. It took a bit of getting used to but for me the big advantage is that my skin is pathetically sensitive and the safety razor doesn't irritate it as much.

I ditched the shaving foam years ago and have been using a shaving brush + soap since, which also helps. It also make shaving itself more pleasant, rather than the painful chore that it was before.
( reallywittyname veraciously conspues lexiphanicism on, Fri 5 Nov 2010, 10:03, closed)

Soap
Can you recommend a good soap? I too suffer from skin as sensitive as a poetry-loving teenager and I'm tempted to go the Merkur route.
( Scrumper, Fri 5 Nov 2010, 14:39, closed)

I'm using some comoy soap seems pretty good,and aftershave balm is a must got some nivia stuff that does the trick nicely
( Jimocles I post therefore it is, Sat 6 Nov 2010, 2:46, closed)

Not a soap recommendation
You know those alum crystal deodorants? Once you've shaved, wipe one over your wet face and that will keep down the bacteria that's often the cause of shaving rash. I started doing this a couple of weeks ago and it seems to work for me.
( SteamedCleaner, Sun 7 Nov 2010, 5:09, closed)

Taylor of Old Bond Street
I use the Sandalwood one but they do a bunch of different kinds, costs about £7 for a tub but it lasts ages.
( reallywittyname veraciously conspues lexiphanicism on, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 13:17, closed)

Ta very much smooth-skinned chaps
Plenty to try. Mrs. S has her Christmas shopping list sorted now as well.
( Scrumper, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 18:09, closed)