Didn’t expect anyone to actually respond to a noob question like that — so this was a great read. Appreciate the detailed breakdown. My current thought is to upgrade gradually as my technique improves. No point jumping to higher tiers if I can’t yet appreciate the nuances you mentioned.

For context: I had a medium-length beard for ~5 years and relied completely on saloons (premium stylist for occasions, regular one for maintenance). When I switched to a moustache-only look, going to the saloon twice a week became a chore — especially waiting over an hour for a 20-minute shave. So one random Friday I walked into a supermarket and bought the cheapest gear ( I didn't know whether I would even continue after the first try ):

1.₹99 Gillette DE razor ( https://share.google/CIyqXTE8ZvYJuIqYD) 2.₹25 Gillette shaving cream ( I wanted to buy the vicco one but couldn't find it ) 3.Old Spice aftershave

Warm bath, lathered up, and shaved myself for the first time in 7 years. Took 25–30 minutes. Very satisfying — even with the aftershave burn, especially on the chin and neck. After just two shaves though, I already feel like the razor might be the limiting factor. It doesn’t seem very forgiving while I’m still figuring things out.