Ask Aaron Q&A: Finding the best double edge shaving products - Is it a case of trial and error?
Charles Singleton, from the UK, asks:
“Hi Aaron, it seems to me that double edge shaving is not as clear cut as shaving with my Mach 3! Now I have a wide choice different blades, razors, creams and brushes. Looking at reviews on websites and forums I get confused as to what to choose because when I find something that has a positive review I usually find an equally negative one! Is it just a case of trial and error as I can see this getting expensive?!”
AARON SAYS
“Mr Singleton,
Yes! I agree the many choices and options can be a bit overwhelming. If I can let me offer some products and advice to help get you on your way.
To start with get a good brush such as a Simpsons, Vulfix, Kent or Bluebeards Revenge. This paired with a good cream such as Bluebeards Revenge, Taylor of Old Bond Street, Proraso, Geo. F. Trumper’s and Truefitt & Hill will increase the quality of your shave a lot, even if you decide to keep going with your Mach 3. Should you take the plunge and go with a safety razor the Blue Beard’s Scimitar, Merkur HD, and the Parker 98 or 99R razors will be great ways to start. The most subjective part of wet shaving is the blade. For blades I really suggest you start by buying a single pack of each brand and figure out which rand works best for your face and hair types. Gillette, Merkur, Derby and Israeli made blades are great to start with. I highly suggest waiting on the Feather blades until you gain more experience. They tend to be *cough* VERY unforgiving of student mistakes.
These suggestions should narrow down the choices for you and I hope you enjoy your journey into wet shaving!
Happy 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
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.
Shaving Shack products shortlisted in coveted About.com awards
Three products stocked by The Shaving Shack have been shortlisted in the coveted About.com Readers’ Choice Awards 2011.
The Merkur Heavy Duty Classic has been nominated in the best razor category, while The Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream has made the final four in the best shave cream category.
Another Bluebeards Revenge product, the post shave balm, is shortlisted in the best after-shave product category.
Nick Gibbens, Marketing & PR manger for The Shaving Shack, said: “This is fantastic news. We are delighted that three of our products have been nominated for such prestigious awards.”
You can vote for each at http://menshair.about.com/library/bl-voting.htm. The winners will be announced on Tuesday 15 March.
About.com, which is owned by The New York Times Company, offers information and solutions in the form of 2.8 million handcrafted, original articles – all created by nearly 800 guides across 23 channels.
Bluebeards Revenge releases TV style commercial
The recent debate over the Sky Sports scandal throws up the question, what does it mean to be masculine in today’s society? With the swift resolution of the media issue in question it would appear that, thankfully, outdated prejudices are out, and inclusive personalities are in. But, attitudes aside, what should a manly man look like?
Step forward, Sacha Harding.
Sacha, 27, recently was awarded the title of ‘Britain’s Manliest Man’ after over 250,000 people voted that his boxer’s jawline, and 6’3” toned torso was the perfect masculine physique. Which is useful, as Sacha needs every ounce of strength for his day job of professional rugby player, where he plays for Bedford Blues Rugby Club.
Sacha’s journey to becoming ‘Britain’s Manliest Man’ is unusual, to say the least.
Last year, premium shaving cream, The Bluebeards Revenge put together a photofit of the most rugged elements of the World’s most alpha-males, creating the following face:
Remember Bradiel Buthney?
Sacha Harding shaving with The Bluebeards Revenge. Photo by Mark Hatton
The shaving cream asked for any men who resembled this character to email their photo in, with the top eight being chosen and voted for by the public. Over one million votes were cast, with Sacha coming out on top, crowning him ‘Britain’s Manliest Man’, and making him the face of The Bluebeards Revenge.
Sacha Harding shows off his muscles. Photo by Mark Hatton
This week, Sacha’s debut photoshoot took place in a boxing gym, and the first-look pics reveal that he is the rightful winner of the title of ‘Britain’s Manliest Man’.
The ladies can't resist the smell of The Bluebeards Revenge. Photo by Mark Hatton
More pics of Sacha’s debut photoshoot are available on The Bluebeards Revenge Flickr page.
Photography by Mark Hatton and video produced by Glenn Thyer.
We sell The Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream for £14.99.
An easy step-by-step method for getting the best lather out of shaving cream
Wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger’s simple guide to creating that perfect shaving cream lather
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.
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!
SHOP FOR QUALITY SHAVING CREAMS AT THE SHAVING SHACK
More articles by Aaron Wolfenbarger
The world’s best shaving creams
Three of our luxurious shaving creams have been named as some of the very best on the market.
Dave Alexander, editor of the men’s grooming section on About.com, recently published an article, titled ‘My Picks for the Best Shaving Creams’.
The Bluebeards Revenge, which can reduce beard growth by up to 40 per cent, has been named the world's best shaving cream brand
The Bluebeards Revenge, which can reduce beard growth by up to 40%, topped this coveted list.
“Could there be anything better than the classics like Truefitt & Hill and Geo. F. Trumpers? When it comes to shaving cream, the British really know their stuff - I use the traditional shave lathers almost exclusively in my morning ritual and The Bluebeards Revenge is now one of my ‘must-haves’,” said Dave.
“This product takes the traditional shaving cream and throws in a little science for an outstanding shave.”
Taylor of Old Bond Street Mr. Taylor’s shaving cream brand took third place, while Truefitt and Hill 1805 finished in a respectable seventh.
”Since 1854, Taylor of Old Bond Street has been churning out some of the best men’s shaving products in the world and this product is no exception,” said Dave.
”The rich lather and excellent lubrication will give you one of the best shaves you’ve had. The fragrance of this one is amazing, too, with notes of lavender, bergamont, and geranium - it’s rich and leathery. Good stuff!”
The American men’s grooming expert was also full of praise for the Truefitt and Hill 1805 shaving cream.
He said: “Truefitt & Hill has been in the barbering business for over 200 years, so you can imagine they know a thing or two about shaving. In fact, they’ve been operating a barbershop on St. James Street in London since 1805.
”Their 1805 Shaving Cream creates a rich, luxurious lather and has plenty of great lubrication for a close, smooth shave. While their most popular 1805 Shaving Cream has a very clean, fresh fragrance, their Lavender Shaving Cream is one of my personal favourites with it’s rich, earthy fragrance. This product works well with or without a shaving brush.”
You can read his full article by clicking here.
Los Angeles’ leading barbershop giving a traditional cut-throat shave using Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream
In this traditional shaving documentary, Vinnie Morey and Trent Magnano talk about how their unique Hollywood barbershop (The Proper Barbershop), a blend of modern art, street culture blended with the traditional and old-fashioned, was born.
They discuss their open razor technique using Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream and how a traditional shave is “one of the last things a man can do to really enjoy a service that is not a manicure and pedicure you can do with your wife”.
The Proper Barbershop was created by Vinnie and Trent as a way of bringing back the classic old-fashioned barbershop to the modern world.
Vinnie and Trent are both very decorated barbers with a driving passion and true respect for the art and tradition of their craft.
“We both realised that there was a huge gap in the Los Angeles men’s grooming community,” said Vinnie. “In our view, too many men have never been to or even seen a real traditional barbershop!
The Proper Barbershop is located on 7950 3rd St. Los Angeles
“With that in mind, we decided to build a barbershop that has never been seen before. It was the most beautiful marriage of modern art, street culture blended with the traditional, old-fashioned barbershop. In that moment, The Proper was born!”
The Proper Barbershop is located on 7950 3rd St. Los Angeles.
“Come in today for a hot towel shave and a real barber’s haircut, and make sure to enjoy our fun-loving, easy-going atmosphere while you’re here,” added Vinnie.
“Relax with an X-Box, watch a funny movie, and have a cold beer in our back lounge. We set out to create the last true safe house for a man to come and enjoy being a man.”
Bluebeards Revenge described as one of the best shaving creams ever
Dave Alexander, grooming editor for About.com, has described The Bluebeards Revenge as a “must-have” product and one of the “best shaving creams” he has ever used.
”This product takes the traditional shaving cream and throws in a little science for a truly outstanding shave,” says the American grooming legend.
About.com is one of the leading web portals
Dave, who has been About.com’s Guide to Men’s Hair since 2008, praised the fragrance for being “clean and light”, adding that “the product performed exceptionally well - among the best I’ve ever tried”.
“The Bluebeards Revenge can be used right out of the jar without a shaving brush. Of course, I highly recommend using one for maximum effectiveness and lather. In my tests, I tried the product both with and without a brush and the performance and lather were similar,” he explained.
Dave Alexander has been About.com's Guide to Men's Hair since 2008
”I enjoy the ritual of shaving, so I used the product with a brush and my trusty double-edge razor. The results were amazing,” added Dave, a licensed master stylist who has been cutting men’s hair for nearly two decades and has trained barbers and stylists across the USA.
Dave described the lather as “rich and creamy”, adding that it “held up during my entire shave”.
”The product left my skin smooth and moisturized to the point I didn’t really feel the need to use a separate moisturizer afterward. I also got an excellent, irritation free shave using The Bluebeard’s Revenge,” Dave Alexander, About.com.
“The cream created a very slick surface on my skin and I experienced no razor drag at all,” he said. “The shave was incredibly close and I got an excellent shave with just one pass of the razor - not something that happens all that often with other shave creams I’ve tried.
”The product left my skin smooth and moisturized to the point I didn’t really feel the need to use a separate moisturizer afterward. I also got an excellent, irritation free shave using The Bluebeard’s Revenge.”
But would Dave recommend the Bluebeards to his readers? “Absolutely. The performance was on par with some of the best shave creams I’ve tried (in fact, it now tops that list),” he said.
“Great performance, cool packaging, paraben-free. What’s not to love?”
You can read his full review by clicking here.
Review of The Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream
After using this cream for a number of months, I thought the time was right to add my two cents to the mass of reviews and discussion already surrounding this new entrant into the world of shaving creams.
To date, the creams I’ve shaved with have included ones by Proraso, Speick, Taylor of old Bond St, Cyril Salter and the Body Shop. Now I’ve enjoyed all of those creams, they all have their own unique qualities, but amongst that list it would probably be agreed that the Taylor and Salter creams were the high-end products. The ones that rise slightly above the others: in terms of scent, performance and that little extra luxury factor. They’re the creams you might choose for your weekend shaves when you have more time to pamper yourself, or the ones to splash out on as gifts or presents.
Well, I can now confidently say that the Bluebeards Revenge cream competes easily with those two ‘high-end’ creams and is fast becoming a favourite. It’s a very thick, dense cream which lathers easily and like the Taylor and Salter creams has a very wide margin in terms of how much water you can add to it. Some creams you add just a little too much water to and they become watery and ineffective, which can prove frustrating for the beginner looking to learn his or her lathering technique. With Bluebeards though you really have to go overboard with the water before you start to see a runny lather, making it perfect for those just starting out in the world of wet-shaving. Its density also means that it’ll last you a very long time.
I used this cream with my Muhle best-badger brush and my Omega boar, both times achieving a thick, lubricating layer of lather that stayed good for the entire shave and left my skin feeling smooth and clean. In terms of moisturising I find that with my dry skin I always have to use some sort of aftershave balm, with whatever soap or cream I’m using. I certainly didn’t feel any tautness or dryness when using this cream though, so I could see others having no need for any additional balm.
Overall then this is a very high-quality cream, which catches the eye and the curiosity with the boldness of its statements and presentation, then wins you over with its alluring scent and top-notch performance. An excellent cream I’d highly recommend. Richard Wall
The scent of the cream is very nice: warm and spicy yet quite mellow at the same time. I can certainly see what Bluebeards mean when they describe it as ‘barbershop with a modern twist’. The strength of the scent is I’d say about average: you get a good whiff of it whilst shaving and it lingers a little in the bathroom after you’re finished, but it doesn’t dominate a room like Tabac or a strong sandalwood scent does.
In terms of its claims to reduce beard growth using the ingredient decelerine I’d have to study and use the cream over a concerted period of time before coming to any conclusions. So far I’ve just added the Bluebeards to my rotation of soaps and creams, so can’t say with any certainty whether it does reduce the stubble. But there are plenty of reports singing decelerine’s praises, so I guess it’s working for some folk out there.
The packaging of Bluebeards is certainly eye-catching. With the skull and crossbones and bright blue background this is definitely the first one your eye would be drawn to in a line-up of creams, particularly when pitted against the more traditional products with their conservative and classic designs. Personally I prefer the more classic, traditional approach to packaging, but that’s just me. The tub does though have an advantage over its rivals in terms of being smaller, and therefore easier to include in your travel bag. Plus being all plastic it’s easy to recycle when you eventually do manage to empty it.
Overall then this is a very high-quality cream, which catches the eye and the curiosity with the boldness of its statements and presentation, then wins you over with its alluring scent and top-notch performance. An excellent cream I’d highly recommend.
More articles by Richard Wall
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Video review of Goodfella Safety Razor & Bluebeards Revenge
Shaving enthusiast Rob Crawford has produced a shaving video review of the Goodfella Safety Razor and The Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream.
The Kiwi was full of praise for both luxurious products, describing the razor as “amazingly contemporary”.
Rob said: ”After years of being at my wits end using the overpriced, over engineered and highly marketed ‘cartridge’ razor packs I was finally liberated from the shackles of razor burn and pain thanks to Andrew James and his amazingly contemporary New Zealand made and designed Goodfella DE Safety Razor.
“The Goodfella design is a contemporary masterpiece which pays homage to the safety razors’ clean style looks from the old days. Its worth noting that the overall feel of the razor and all its three components are very well balanced and smooth, something of which it actually gives with each pass when you shave.
“The weight and feel of the razor in ones hand is also something to behold. You feel like you own the blade and with each pass, you can get the most amazing smooth, non-irritative pass imaginable.”
He concluded his review by saying: “The Goodfella has taken my shaving experience from something I wished I never had to do, to something I cannot wait to do.”
You can read his full Goodfella review by clicking here (and for those who dislike cartridge razor systems its well worth a read).
Rob has also been using The Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream. He says the cream smells great and lathers up really quickly. “Its perfect, I’m converted,” says Rob.
You can watch The Bluebeards Revenge review in the Youtube video above.
The Goodfella Safety Razor is priced at £59.99 on The Shaving Shack website, while The Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream is available to buy at £14.99.
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