Merkur 34C voted world’s best razor
The Merkur 34C Heavy Duty Classic has been named the world’s best razor.
The iconic shaving product took first place in the About.com 2011 Readers’ Choice Award for best razor.
Now in its fourth year, the Readers’ Choice Awards honour the world’s best products, features and services across more than a dozen categories, ranging from technology to hobbies to parenting and men’s grooming, as selected by its readers.
The Merkur 34C Heavy Duty Classic beat off competition from the likes of the Gillette Fusion ProGlide, Gillette Mach 3 and Shick Hydro 5 to scoop the coveted award.
“We are not surprised that the Merkur 34C won this very prestigious award. This is one of our best selling razors and is every thing a razor should be. No cartridge razor could ever compete with the quality of the Merkur 34C.
“Sometimes you hold a razor in your hand and it feels just right. The chrome finish 34C is one of those razors. The combination of weight, craftsmanship and looks make it the perfect entry into double-edged razor shaving. A true heavyweight classic!”
In January, About.com’s readers were asked to nominate their favourite grooming products. After a nomination period that saw a flurry of activity, four finalists were chosen in each category. From February 11 through March 8, 2011, readers cast tens of thousands of votes every day via the About.com website.
The Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream took second place in the best shaving cream category, while The Bluebeards Revenge post shave balm finished third in the best aftershave category.
The Bluebeards Revenge shaving cream, our best-selling cream, received nearly 40 per cent of the votes in its category, and was only narrowly beaten by The Art of Shaving, which is owned by Procter & Gamble.
We would like to thank all of our customers and readers who took the time to vote.
Celebs ditch laser hair removal in favour of a razor, reports Daily Mail
Want to know the hottest beauty secret currently sweeping Hollywood? Well according to an article in the Daily Mail today, increasing numbers of actresses are giving up laser hair removal and threading - and picking up their boyfriend’s razor instead.
“Shaving rids the face of that fine fuzz that laser hair removal can’t pick up,” says Kate Somerville, a facialist for some of Hollywood’s most famous names told the British newspaper.
But the Daily Mail claims it’s not a new trick. Apparently, screen sirens such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor shaved their faces for exfoliated, hair-free skin.
But what about stubble? – Asks the newspaper
“It doesn’t grow back thicker or darker,” Kate told them. “That’s an old wives’ tale. Hair growth changes because of hormonal fluctuations.”
The paper even asked London’s A-list cosmetic dermatologist Dr Michael Prager his opinion.
“The shaved area of a man’s skin is younger-looking than the rest of his face because of the constant exfoliation, which stimulates collagen,” he said. “Plus, a fuzz-free face reflects the light.”
So there you have it ladies, the key to a smooth, hair free face is not expensive laser treatment, its investing a poultry sum of £19.99 in a pink Bluebeards Revenge Mach 3 Razor (yes that’s right Pink).
You could even team this with a pink Bluebeards Revenge Pure Badger Shaving Brush and a tub of The Bluebeards Revenge Shaving Cream.
Back in late 2010, we revealed to the world that over 2,000 women had snapped up the hair-delaying shaving cream since its summer launch.
Nick Gibbens, marketing manager at The Shaving Shack, said in November 2010: ”Despite the product being heavily aimed at men with heavy beard growths, we started noticing a quarter of customers buying were women. We presumed at first they were buying for their husbands, but the trend continued and is now accounting for half our sales.
“We have conducted some research into this, and discovered that women have seen their husbands use it, or seen the Decelerine coverage, and realised that if they use it themselves, they can reduce the hair on their bodies by 40% over 60 days too. So, effectively, the ‘World’s Manliest Shaving Product’ has been hijacked by women to reduce the hair growth on their legs, underarms and bikini line!“
This trend has continued into 2011, and we have even seen a new sales spike in the last 10 days.
Soldier’s face ripped off by Lion after shaving stunt goes wrong
I have just been reading The Bluebeards Revenge blog (as I do most Friday afternoons) and came across this one. Not sure what to make of it really but thought I would share it. What do you reckon guys? Is this genuine?
TAKEN FROM BLUEBEARDS REVENGE BLOG:
“Britain’s manliest man Sacha Harding is under investigation by West County cops after a marketing stunt that saw a soldier’s face ripped off by a lion.
The pair had been taking part in a shaving challenge at Dartmoor Zoo. The soldier fell against the bars of the lion’s cage during the ‘shave off’. It’s thought that the big cat sprayed him in the eyes with urine, which caused him to fall forward, allowing the lion to attack his head and face. His condition is said to be stable although it is not yet clear whether he is off the critical care lists.
Zoo keepers believe the man’s anxiety levels antagonised the animal. They point out that cats are very sensitive to smell and they believe that the lion decided to spray mark the victim to cover this odour. They also point out that he cut himself while taking part in the challenge which may have triggered a blood lust in this powerful beast.
From left to right - Ben Mee (Dartmoor Zoo owner), Sacha Harding (Britain's Manliest Man) and SAS Soldier (before the shave)
The challenge was being run by ‘The Bluebeards Revenge’ – a shaving cream that is marketed as manly. This was intended to be the first in a series of challenges that would see Sacha Harding take on many different challengers. Now, Health and Safety bosses are checking whether the correct precautions were taken to ensure the stunt was safe. However, the company’s website openly claims to be opposed to ‘over the top health and safety clap trap’. It is expected that this will make it difficult for them to defend their actions.
Sacha Harding during the shave off
Sacha Harding became Britain’s Manliest Man after winning a competition run in the Daily Express. 140,000 people voted the professional rugby player to first place. His prize has been to become the face of the shaving cream. A prize that tonight sees him helping Dartmoor Police with their investigation…“
Today’s modern man puts his family & appearance before big nights out
A new study claims today’s modern man would rather invest time and money refining himself and his lifestyles and putting his family first.
According to the survey, carried out by shaving firm Wilkinson Sword, spending time with family and loved ones tops the list of the modern man’s priorities with 65%.
Grooming and taking care of appearances came in as the second most important priority with 30%. It appears the modern man is now trying to smash the clichés of the lager lout, with drinking coming in third on 16%, followed by gaming (14%), clubbing (11%), and casual sex (8%).
The research of men aged between 25 and 34 also claims “British men are returning to the golden age of their grandfathers in terms of time honoured traditional dress, manners and shaving etiquette”.
Nearly 30% of men feel the best definition of masculinity is ‘a well-mannered man’, followed by ‘a clean shaven man’ (27%), with half of those questioned emphasising that being clean-shaven makes them both look and feel confident.
The study also found that 92% of men buy their own razors, while 71% buy their own skincare products.
The boffins at Wilkinson Sword claim this new trend towards personal grooming can be attributed to the “troubled economic climate of modern times”, as men respond to this “by looking back to smarter, simpler and more secure times”.
“This new breed of man longs for authenticity and craftsmanship, for connoisseurship and chivalry, and looks to an old template of masculinity to find it. His grooming and dressing habits are inspired by and evoke his grandfather – he buys bespoke suits and shirts, savours fine wines and whiskeys, and lists positively Edwardian-sounding traditional pastimes such as shooting, fishing and cycling,” the report said.
Mark Tungate, author of Marketing to Men and Luxury World, sees this new trend as a living act of cultural remembering. “We’ve forgotten how good it feels to be well-groomed” he says, “when I got married I had a manicure, a barbered shave, and then put on a bespoke suit made for the occasion and I felt so sharp. It was like I’d turned into the best possible version of me.”
Karen Williams, Senior Product Manager of Male Systems at Wilkinson Sword, added: “The report findings suggest that young men want to look and feel smarter and healthier, and shaving is a quick and easy way for them to achieve this.”
Wilkinson Sword launched its much-hyped Hyrdo cartridge based razor in the UK back in October of this year. Reports suggest the firm has spent a whopping £20m on marketing the product, covering TV, print and digital advertising.
The new razor claims to introduce “revolutionary” technology, including a gel reservoir to hydrate skin during shaving, and new skin guards to help prevent skin getting trapped between blades.
It will go head-to-head with Gillette’s Fusion ProGlide razor, which launches in the UK in January 2011.
The new Hydro razor comes with either three or five blades, costing £5.99 and £7.99 respectively.
Follow Nick Gibbens on Twitter @nickgibbens
More articles by Nick Gibbens
The History Of Razors
I came across a very interesting article on www.spabeautyschools.com last week and thought I would share it with all our readers.
Titled “The History Of Razors”, the website has also put together a really cool infographic to compliment the story. CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE IT FULL SIZE.
30,000 B.C.
Cavemen get vain. Smart archeological people figure out that the earliest shaving razors were made of flint blades, which started out incredibly sharp, but dulled after use. Yes, cavemen used disposables.
3000 B.C.
Metal mania. Thanks to a lot of metal clanging and banging, copper razors (which make for a more “permanent” solution) make their way into the mainstream… well, if you want to call Egypt and India the mainstream of the B.C. era.
1500 – 1200 B.C.
Designer razors. Leave it to the Scandinavians to bring style to the art of shaving. Razors discovered from this time period were adorned with etchings of cool stuff like horses, and came in cute leather carrying cases. Seriously!
500 B.C.
Alexander the Clean Shaven. Apparently the “great” one was obsessed with having a smooth complexion. Legend has it that he wouldn’t be seen in battle before shaving.
300 B.C.
B.C. Barbershops. A rich Greek businessman, Publicus Ticinius Maenas, decided that he was too rich to shave himself, so he brought over professional barbers from Sicily, and started a fad. In fact, in Rome, a popular 21st birthday ritual included a first-shave party to celebrate adulthood.
50 B.C.
All hail the beardless. Speaking of Rome, Julius Caesar was very into personal grooming, down to plucking stray hairs with tweezers. As they say, when in Rome… shave like the Romans do.
1066 A.D.
Razor trickery. William the Conqueror defeats King Harold in the Battle of Hastings, in some part thanks to his army’s calculated decision to shave their faces and cut their hair to resemble monks. The deception meant that King Harold’s spies underestimated the enemy threat, and the rest is history.
1500
New world barbering. Archeological evidence indicates that the Aztec Indians of North and Central America created razors from volcanic glass. The first hot shave?
1770
The book on shaving. Perhaps it’s no surprise that a Frenchman literally wrote the book on shaving as an art form: The Art of Learning to Shave Oneself (La Pogonotomie). Sort of like a beauty how-to article, the guide may also be the first to introduce the concept of “safety” razor.
1847
Who you calling a hoe? The hoe-shaped razor (resembling the farming tool) that we recognize today can be credited to English inventor William Henson. It’s all about a comfortable grip.
1901
Shave safely. King Camp Gillette (you know, the-best-a-man-can-get guy) teams up with an MIT genius named William Nickerson to perfect the safety razor, complete with double-edged, disposable and replaceable blade. Side note: Isn’t Nickerson a funny name for a guy who wants others to shave without getting nicked?!
1914
The war on facial hair. Gilette’s popularity skyrockets worldwide after he cuts a deal with the U.S. Armed Forces to give every enlisted soldier a safety razor and blades as part of their off-to-war care package. Foreign soldiers are envious, and European sales soar.
1921
Invention intuition. Adapting a military idea for a practical use inspired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jacob Schick to invent a new razor – the Magazine Repeating Razor. Similar to how a magazine clip contains bullets, this razor housed replacement blades right in the handle.
1928
No water required. Schick invents and patents the first electric dry shaver, great for roaring ‘20s men on the go.
1970s
Back to basics. The disposable razor, not popular since the stone ages, makes its way back into mass popularity. Cheap to make and easy to use, all of the major razor manufacturers offer a throwaway option.
Today
Headline-worthy beards. If you’re a celebrity, sporting a beard represents a lifestyle choice. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Conan O’Brien, Joaquin Phoenix – need we say more?
Women Behind the Rise in Sales of World’s ‘Manliest’ Shaving Cream
One of our best-selling brands has reported that women are behind the bumper sales of its hair-delaying shaving cream.
The Bluebeards Revenge™ is unique as it contains a miracle ingredient called ‘Decelerine’, which actually reduces hair growth every time it is used.
The premium cream, dubbed the ‘Most Manly Shaving Product On the Planet’, has been designed for men with heavy beard growth, as it can reduce a man’s stubble by 40% over just 60 days, making it’s far easier for them to shave in the morning.
Nick Gibbens, brand spokesperson, said: ”Despite the product being heavily aimed at men with heavy beard growths, we started noticing a quarter of customers buying were women. We presumed at first they were buying for their husbands, but the trend continued and is now accounting for half our sales.”
He continued: “We have conducted some research into this, and discovered that women have seen their husbands use it, or seen the Decelerine coverage, and realised that if they use it themselves, they can reduce the hair on their bodies by 40% over 60 days too. So, effectively, our ‘World’s Manliest Shaving Product’ has been hijacked by women to reduce the hair growth on their legs, underarms and bikini line!“
The brand revealed over 2,000 women have snapped up its miracle anti-hair product since its summer launch, and the brand has had to source more feminine shaving brushes (which we also sell at The Shaving Shack) as, unlike regular shaving gels, shaving creams require a brush to lather the cream over the skin, and their new female customers complained that traditional brushes were too manly. Female shavers have also indicated that they enjoy the sensation of using the cream with a brush.
Nick added: “Despite having almost every pink shaving brush in the UK, we have today sold out of these as women are snapping them up with almost every purchase of The Bluebeards Revenge™! We’re having extraordinarily good feedback from our female customers, and because of the huge (and completely unexpected!) surge in our new customer base, we’re doing our bit and giving a donation from every sale to breast cancer charities during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”
Another reason for this female beauty phenomenon has been attributed to the new face of The Bluebeards Revenge™, Sacha Harding, who was recently crowned Britain’s manliest man. Sacha, the Bedford Blues rugby star, polled more than 140,000 votes to win a nationwide competition and a lucrative one-year modelling contract with The Bluebeards Revenge™.
The Bluebeards Revenge™ is available to buy from our online shaving shop, priced £14.99. A tub will last approximately 3-5 months.
The Bluebeards Revenge™ shaving cream was initially designed for real men with heavy beard growth like US flint knapper Mike Cook (see video below).
Salvador Dali’s moustache is voted the best ever
Artist Salvador Dali’s distinctive moustache has been crowned the best of all time.
The Spanish surrealist’s twirled ‘tache beat wrestling star Hulk Hogan’s trademark bleach-blonde “handlebar” into second place in a poll conducted for online lifestyle portal MSN Him.
Genius Albert Einstein came third followed by 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietz-sche and screen star Charlie Chaplin.
MSN Him is backing the Movember charity, which is encouraging moustache growth this month. The event last year raised a whopping £26million to fight prostate cancer.
The top 10 moustaches: 1. Salvador Dali (24%) 2. Hulk Hogan (18%) 3. Albert Einstein (13%) 4. Friedrich Nietzsche (12%) 5. Charlie Chaplin (11%) 6. Freddie Mercury (11%) 7. Daley Thompson (4%) 8. Bruce Forsyth (3%) 9. Jimi Hendrix (3%) 10. Ian Botham (1%).
Grow a Mo this Movember
Men’s health is certainly something that has been in the news more and more over the past few years. And in a bid to raise awareness even further, and get people involved with something fun at the same time, gentlemen across the UK have been challenged to grow a moustache in aid of Movember.
This idea was the brainchild of a few guys in Australia back in 2003 to do something positive in the name of men’s health and to bring back the long-forgotten moustache. The plan seems to have worked as now, seven years on it is going from strength to strength with more and more people across the world getting on board every year in raising money for prostate cancer charities.
The premise is quite simple: grow a Mo (slang for moustache) together with a group of guys every November and raise money for cancers that are affecting men.
There is still time to join in with this excellent way of changing the approach to men’s health by changing your appearance. You just need to begin the 1st of November clean-shaven and use the rest of the month to grow a Mo, all in aid of charity. After all, as the Foundation’s slogan reads: “Every man deserves a little bit of luxury.”
Movember is a commitment that you can get your mates (or Mo Bros) to join in with too over the 30 days, so you won’t be alone in bringing the tache back into fashion. After this time you can go back to your usual immaculate wet shaving routine if you like, resting in the knowledge you have done your bit for the promotion of men’s health issues and had a laugh at the same time.
Bedford Blues rugby star Sacha Harding, the face of leading shaving brand The Bluebeards Revenge, is an official ambassador for Movember.
“It’s that time of year again where I grow a big thick hairy Mo to help raise awareness and funds to help fight prostate cancer,” said Sacha, officially Britain’s manliest man.
“My aim is to raise £10,000 this year and with the help of my team-mates and supporters at Bedford Blues and Bluebeards all over the world, I really think I can meet this target.”
For more information about Movember, visit http://uk.movember.com.
Clean-shaven men have better job prospects, study shows
I read a very interesting article today on SeeJackShop.com that says that well-groomed guys have much better job prospects.
The article cites a survey where 90 per cent of HR professionals said being well groomed is more important than a firm handshake when it comes time for a job interview.
Going for an job interview? Make sure you look smart and professional
“How you look has a direct impact on how you feel, your confidence and self-esteem,” said Mark Jeffries, business consultant, communications expert and author.
“This is as true for guys actively seeking a job as it is for those who are currently employed and seek a competitive advantage. At the same time, seemingly small details, like a clean shave or a great-fitting - but not necessarily expensive suit- send important visual cues to others about your professionalism and confidence.”
That survey, conducted for Milford-based razor maker Schick by US market research company StrategyOne, found that men who shave at least five times a week are having sex 15.5 times per month, compared to 7.8 times for unshaven men.
So men, get out your razors and quick as it would appear that keeping yourself clean-shaven is the key to a successful career and love life.
HeadBlade Unveils Free iPhone App to Shave Heads
HeadBlade has announced that ShaveMyHead, the world’s first mobile app allowing users to give anyone a shaved head, is available on the App Store.
After a decade of serving head-shavers with award-winning grooming products, HeadBlade now makes it possible to give anyone a close cut with the new application for iPhone and iPad.
Take a picture, or use an existing image, then select from ShaveMyHead’s library of scalps to create a sleek new look.
Trying to convince someone to ditch the comb-over? Wonder how Carrot Top or Donald Trump look bald? ShaveMyHead by HeadBlade is the perfect tool. The application includes a color palette to match skin tone, along with a user-friendly interface to customize the photo. Once a ‘shave’ is completed, users can share their picture through email, Twitter or Facebook.
“Shaving your head is a widely accepted grooming choice these days,” said Todd Greene, founder and CEO of HeadBlade. “From guys in the military to the corner office, it’s a distinct style. We know people will have a lot of fun with this app, and it’s also a really useful tool to test out the look before shaving it all off.”
Developed by Styler Design, HeadBlade’s ShaveMyHead App offers the following features:
·Various ‘head’-styles to choose from; pick the head that fits best
·Adjustable color palette to realistically match skin tone
·Customize your image with a range of accessories, including facial hair, glasses, and more
·Share the shave through email, Twitter or Facebook
·Take it all off in real life; get 15% off HeadBlade products purchased through the App
For more information about ShaveMyHead, visit www.HeadBlade.com/iphone
Follow them on Twitter: http://Twitter.com/HeadBlade
Join them on Facebook: http://Facebook.com/HeadBlade
The Shaving Shack sells the HeadBlade Classic Scalp Razor for only £14.95.
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