Bluebeards Revenge video review with straight & safety razor
A leading US wet shaving expert has produced a video review of The Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream, post shave balm and ‘Scimitar’ safety razor.
GeoFatBoy, from Shavenation.com, tested our beard-reducing shaving cream with both the ‘Scimitar’ and the very manly looking Thiers Issard “Spartacus” straight razor.
And according to Geo, the cream provided a “great shave” for both shaving techniques, adding that it smelt good and produces a thick lather. He also praised our post shave balm for its smell and hydrating qualities.
You can watch his full review in the excellent video below.
If you’re interested in the art of wet shaving, Geo’s Youtube channel has a number of great shaving tutorials.
Ask Aaron Q&A: Should you ever have a days rest from shaving to give the skin time to recover?
“Should you ever have a days rest from shaving to give the skin time to recover, from being over shaved?” asks David Parker, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Parker, Thank you for your question! In short, yes! If your skin is burned and irritated from an overly aggressive or bad shave experience I certainly recommend giving it time to rest, regenerate and heal. I don’t think it’s necessary to rest the skin if you are not experiencing problems, but certainly do give it some time to rest if you are experiencing discomfort.
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger? CLICK HERE TO ASK AARON YOUR QUESTION
Ask Aaron Q&A: Any tips you could give about shaving the neck and lower neck area?
“Aaron, Any tips you could give be about shaving the neck and lower neck area? Even after plenty of wetting and preparation, I still get cut. I use Proraso pre and Proraso shaving cream. I use feather blades,a Merkur 38C Barberpole and a Simpsons Chubby shaving brush,” asks David Robin, from the UK.
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Robin, The next toughest area for men to shave after the mustache area is the lower neck and Adam’s Apple area. Since you have good products and a good preparation routine (because good prep is KEY!) try a couple of the following things. Pay special attention to your blade angle, try locking you wrist and moving you arm from the elbow or shoulder. If you aren’t sure of the direction of hair growth, let the hair down in this area grow out for a couple of days. (Over the weekend is great if you don’t work weekends.) Hair growth patterns can change drastically in a short area and going against the grain at the wrong time can cause cuts and skipping. Also try stretching the skin to shift the skin into a flatter surface area.
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger? CLICK HERE TO ASK AARON YOUR QUESTION
Ask Aaron Q&A: Do you have any tips on how to get as close a shave as possible?
“Do you have any tips on how to get as close a shave as possible?” asks Simon Buckland.
AARON SAYS:
“Use quality products that give a smooth, slick shave. If you have not already done so switch to using a safety razor. A safety razor allows you to control the angle of the blade giving you as close a shave as you want. Shave in three passes; first going with the direction of hair growth, the next going across, and the last going against the direction of hair growth. This will give you the closest shave for an incredibly smooth feeling.”
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger? CLICK HERE TO ASK AARON YOUR QUESTION
An easy step-by-step method for getting lather out of shaving cream
One of the most popular wet shaving items is shaving cream. Long a standard of lather making material it is good for the face creating a smooth, slick shave. However, it sometimes can be tricky to lather. Here I hope to give you an easy method that will consistently give you thick, creamy lather from shaving cream.
Use a quality shaving cream like The Bluebeards Revenge
First gather the materials together; I recommend getting a shaving brush, shaving cream, and a sturdy ceramic bowl to whip up the lather in. While showering soak the brush and bowl in warm water. This will help get the bowl hot and prepare the brush for creating lather.
¨ Once ready take about an almond size dollop or an inch long squeeze from a tube and drop it into the empty warm bowl.
¨ Remove the brush from the warm water and gently shake the excess water out of the brush.
¨ Swirl the brush into the cream to start the lather. At this point it will be too thick and cling to the bowl.
¨ Add to the bowl a few drops of water and swirl again. Also use some pumping stokes to help distribute the cream into the core of the brush, where the mixing “magic” happens.
¨ Continue to add a few drops of water every few seconds until lots of lather appears.
¨ When ready, the cream will look like whipped cream or beaten egg whites, creating soft peaks.
There you have it! It may take a couple of times practicing this method to not overshoot the amount of water, making the lather thin and runny. However I am confident by using this method you will be able to generate lots of lather in no time! Until next time, Happy Shaving!
More articles by Aaron Wolfenbarger
Ask the Shaving Expert: Aaron Wolfenbarger
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger?
Aaron Wolfenbarger
Called a modern Renaissance Man by many, Aaron has many interests including music, science, theology, his family, camping, backpacking, style, grooming, and of course wet-shaving. His love of wet shaving began as a teenager when he was gifted a brush, mug, and soap set for his birthday. He can be found on many online wet-shaving and men’s forums and on Twitter as @KiltedShaver.
Aaron is here to answer your questions, which might include:
How do you get rid of shaving rash?
What are the pros and cons of blade shaving?
What should I look for in choosing a razor?
Which is the best shaving direction – with the hair growth or against it?
What are razor bumps?
How many times can I use one blade?
How to not cut yourself while shaving
How to stop bleeding from shaving nicks
Will shaving daily make my hair grow thicker?
Please note that we can’t guarantee that all questions will be answered. Questions that are answered will be published on this blog in the ‘Ask Aaaron Q & A’ section, so please bookmark this page.
CLICK HERE TO ASK AARON YOUR QUESTION
Wet shaving hints & tips for that smooth, close shave
As mentioned previously I don’t see myself as a wet-shaving expert. But like anyone learning a new skill or way of doing something I did make mistakes and learn from them. So here are simply some pointers which I found worked for me. Naturally, and you’ll see this said on all the shaving sites and forums, your-mileage-may-vary. What worked for me might not work for you, just try things out and see for yourself.
Don’t be stingy with your soap or cream. Particularly at the beginning I found it’s better to have leftover lather than poor quality lather through not using enough cream or soap. So keep swirling your brush on the soap for a full thirty seconds, try a dollop of cream larger than the recommended “almond-sized” amount. If using a stick of soap be generous as you rub it over your stubble, go against the grain so your bristles pick-up a good layer. You can always scale it back afterwards.
Using a quality shaving cream is the key to a great shave
Face-lathering is my preferred method of generating a good lather. I tried bowl-lathering and found I got airy, light lather that disappeared inside the brush and had to be squeezed out to be of any use. Swirling my brush on the soap or putting a dollop of cream inside the brush and then lathering directly to my face gave me better, faster and more consistent results.
When working out which blade works best for you try the same blade in different razors. I found this out when testing Crystal-brand blades. In my Lord razor with its Merkur-style head the blade was just average; decent results but not particularly smooth. In my Gillette slim adjustable razor it turned into the smoothest blade I’d tried up to that point.
Listen to your face. When I first got into shaving with a DE razor I was so pleased that I could shave across and against the grain of my stubble that I became obsessed with trying to get closer and closer. This just lead to redness and irritation. I now know that on my neck and my moustache going against the grain is just not possible. I’ve therefore not experienced that holy grail of wet-shavers, the BBS (babies’-bottom-smooth) shave. But that doesn’t matter, because I can still get close and comfortable shaves just going across the grain in those areas. Besides, I’ll have to do it all over again the next morning, so why risk the irritation.
Badger hair brushes are regarded as the best
Try different brushes. I started with boar, but found that a badger brush gave me better results and was more enjoyable. If you’ve only known boar, try badger, and vice-versa. You can always revert back to your original choice.
When I first got my badger brush it went through its initial shedding stage that most new brushes do, but then continued to lose a hair every-other shave. I was soaking it in the sink in the same hot water I used to heat-up my face cloth. I then read that some folk used warm water and only soaked their brushes up-to the base of the bristles, saying that submerging the brush in hot water loosened the glue used to hold the bristles in place. I tried this and found that it worked; my brush has now stopped losing a hair here and a hair there.
Take advice, read the reviews but go with what works for you. Many on the forums say that Feather blades are very sharp but quite a rough blade to use, I happen agree with this. Many also say though that Supermax-super-stainless blades (blue packaging) are very poor blades, I happen to disagree with this. Many say that a lack of bristle density in a brush is a bad thing. I happen to prefer a floppier, less densely-filled brush that splays on my face as I lather. Don’t be put off by what the majority think if what works for you is different.
More articles by Richard Wall
How to make a great shaving lather
For many people who don’t make the time to prepare when shaving, they may not be getting the most out of the experience. The application of the shave cream to work up a lather is, in fact, an important part of the wet shaving process and should not be taken lightly.
If you put a bit more thought into this, you can perfect your shaving performance and get the close shave you desire. You need to start by looking at your pre-shave preparations.
The Bluebeards Revenge lather after twenty minutes - Photo taken from Wet-shavers.com
By working the lather into your face you can offer your face protection from the razor and the lubrication allows the blade to glide smoothly across the skin. Once you get this right, you will also notice your skin looks great as the lather moisturises and exfoliates the skin.
The process should begin with the use of a badger brush as this type of shaving brush can get the best results. Choose the brush carefully for a more luxurious and softer feel on the skin. Also, be sure to select shaving soap that allows for a moister and richer lather. This does three things; moisturises your face, lubricates the beard and softens it, giving it the best preparation for the shaving experience.
If you have followed the advice so far, you will have gathered all you need to make a good lather which is ideal for getting the most out of wet shaving.
The next stage is to run the hot water, getting it as hot as you possibly can. If you have bought a decent badger brush that holds moisture well then you will find that as you turn the brush slowly in the water, it absorbs and holds plenty of water.
Making a great lather is the key to an enjoyable shave
After this you need to use the tips of the badger brush to permeate the ends with the shaving soap. A lot of force does not need to be applied here, so only do this until lather starts to form in the soap mug.
There is not much more you need to do now until you begin the shaving process. First, you just need to check that the badger brush is warm and full of water and soap, and that your face is still warm and lubricated. If this is the case you can now apply the soap using just the tips of the brush in an unhurried circular motion on the facial area.
As you start to build the lather, the soap is worked deeper into your skin, achieving what you wanted at the outset: a clean face that is exfoliated and protected from the razor blade. Make sure you work the lather evenly on the face to get the best shaving preparation.
If you follow these tips for a good lather technique you can get a much closer and better shave, plus you reduce the need to spend your hard earned money on an excess of other shaving products. However, a pre-shave moisturiser may still be required and a quality aftershave.
Skincare and shaving tips for students going to university
When you go off to university for the first time there are many things filling your head, such as what to take with you, whether you will instantly make friends other students in your halls of residence as well as other important stuff. However, there is one area that is often neglected – and this could be the difference between having total confidence in yourself or not – and that is to ensure you look after your skin and facial hair while you are away.
Look good for the start of University
At home it is easy to get into a shaving routine, but in the day to day life of a student this is an area that can soon be ignored. Many students don’t shave while at uni because of the hassle associated with it, leaving the facial hair to grow and grow until it becomes unbearable. However, by ignoring your skincare needs, this can often result in irritable skin and the onset of acne.
For those who are already affected by acne, devoting the time needed for wet shaving can be very rewarding in the long term as it can help you to maintain healthy skin. Instead of oily skin, which actually encourages the formation of acne, by taking a more careful approach to grooming, you will soon be able to notice the changes, with clear looking skin.
You can also prevent razor burn to your face by shaving in the right way. Once you get on top of things by wet shaving after a shower and gently massaging the lather onto the face using a badger brush, giving your face the moisture it needs, these good habits should yield effective results. Just make sure you leave enough time to shave each day and you will look and feel great for the day ahead.
And if you don’t have an effective razor already, you could invest in an affordable shaving set which will give you all you need for a smooth, close and luxurious shaving experience. These stylish products for real men are becoming ever popular as they offer traditional shaving, but with a modern look. So, be sure to consider your grooming needs when going away to uni, the effort you put into this will certainly be rewarded by how you look and feel after a wet shave.
Choosing an effective shaving cream (Part 1)
The trick when looking for a shaving cream to use in your daily wet shaving routine is to find a product that will work well with your skin. This formula may not be as easy as it sounds though, as a person’s face is individual to them and so what works great for one man may not be suitable for another.
We will now be looking at how best to go about finding a shaving cream that proves to be effective and makes the whole wet shaving process much more pleasurable and enjoyable, leaving your skin feeling fresh and looking good too.
There are plenty of good quality shaving creams on the market - Photo by scottfeldstein
With so much choice on the market, it is hard to identify a suitable men’s shaving cream without a bit of old-fashioned trial and error. However, this can cost money – and a lot of it too – so it is certainly worth narrowing it down a little first before taking the plunge.
Instead of going into things blindly, trying out every product under the sun, the following is what you should look out for.
Firstly, it is recommended that those with sensitive skin should opt for a moisturising shaving cream. This is also a major pointer for those who struggle with razor burn as keeping the skin moist when wet shaving is essential.
No matter what products you eventually decide to go with, don’t ever give in to the temptation to just use regular soap. This is a big no-no as it will only dry out your skin even more, unless it is a specialist shaving soap, and will most definitely not result in a closer shave.
We will publish part 2 on Tuesday, so please check back.
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