Wilkinson Sword razor blades added to free gift selection
We recently surveyed our email newsletter subscribers about what they liked and disliked about The Shaving Shack.
One of the topics that our customers mentioned was offering a larger double edge blade selection.
We have taken this feedback on board and have added Wilkinson Sword double edge razor blades to our free gift selection (available on orders over £9.99, exc P&P). Just add these blades to your shopping basket at checkout.
These are quality double edge blades that will fit perfectly into all of the safety razors we sell at The Shaving Shack.
You can also buy two packs of five individually wrapped Wilkinson Sword blades for just £2.99 at The Shaving Shack.
We will be announcing the arrival of a number of other new double edge blade brands in the next few weeks.
Ask Aaron Q/A: The benefits of pre shave oils and creams and some uselful pre shave tips
Posted in Ask Aaron Q & A, Double Edge Shaving, Pre Shave, Shaving Tips | Comments (0)
Robert Marney, from the UK, asks:
“I need help with shaving and wondered if you can make any suggestions to me. I have very course, very thick hair. I use a good quality DE razor and use bluebeards cream but still struggle to remove patches of hair without issues. Can pre-shave oil, or any other preparation help?
Just for the record… Underneath my jawbone and towards my earlobe my hair grows in a strange pattern. No hair grows in the same direction as another! This make shaving really difficult and it’s become nearly impossible to pass this area without tugging/pulling/causing irritation (even with a new blade). I already use super sharp (feather) blades plus I use the old hot flannel technique before shaving. I shave and night and therefore take my time but still cannot achieve the great shave so many others get.”
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Marney,
If you’ve read some of the other Q&A’s you’ll know I value prep very highly. I think if you add a couple of things to your prep along with the hot towel technique you’ll be well on your way to a smoother shave.
First off add a step to your hot towel routine: after your initial session with a hot towel, repeat it with a layer of lather on your face. This layer of lather will further help to soften and fill the hair with moisture making it easier to shave. Second use a pre-shave oil such as the Bluebeard’s Revenge oil or the Taylor of old Bond Street oil. The oil adds another protective layer and holding moisture to the skin and hair.
Lastly you can try adding some of the other pre-shave treatments that are on the market such as the Proraso pre/post cream or the Taylor of Old Bond Street pre-shave gel. The have special moisturizers and other ingredients to help soften the beard and facial skin. Try these steps for a while and see what helps and I’d love to hear back to know what did the trick!
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
Vintage Shaving Company arrives at The Shaving Shack
Posted in Product News, Shaving Creams, Shaving Shack News | Comments (0)
The Shaving Shack is delighted to announce that it is now stocking the very stylish Vintage Shaving Company brand of men’s skincare products.
Vintage Shaving Company is a new men’s grooming brand, bringing together values of tradition, quality and simplicity with the latest technologies in formulations and environmentally considerate componentry.
The high quality components are 100% recyclable, and all papers are ethically sourced from sustainable forests. Everything is made in England.
Previously exclusive to Harrods, this revolutionary men’s grooming line launches on The Shaving Shack with two exciting collections, Trad and Mod.
Trad is the epitome of a classic, traditional men’s fragrance. The barber’s pole design harks back to the days of real gentlemen’s grooming habits, while strikingly refreshing citrus & lavender notes smoothly blend to the woody undertones.
The Mod fragrance is every bit as rebellious as the roundel symbol embellished in its packaging design. Never before have bergamot, lemon and spearmint been blended in a men’s fragrance to such an effect. The enlivening result tones to a heart of floral notes, blending effortlessly to a vanilla and woody base. Rebelliously masculine.
The Shaving Shack is stocking three products from each of the MOD and TRAD range – the exfoliating face wash (150ml), shaving cream (150ml) and the daily face balm (150ml).
Mantic59 presents Sharpologist.com - The start of a new era for the legendary shaving guru
The legendary wet shaving expert, Mantic59, has launched a stylish new website about style, shaving and grooming.
The site, Sharpologist.com, replaces the iconic Mantic59.blogspot.com and aims to achieve one main goal, “to pass on to you what your father didn’t teach you about grooming and style”.
Mantic says he is sad that he had to bring his old site to an end but is looking forward to making Sharpologist.com a leading online destination for shaving tips, product reviews and the latest grooming and style news.
“After using the free Blogger/Blogspot service for five years I decided to ‘bite the bullet’ and get a real website,” he said.
“With the popularity of my shaving videos really starting to ramp up (I now have over 10,000 Youtube subscribers and get about 3000 video views per day!) I just couldn’t get the features and functionality I wanted out of Blogspot. So with the help of some very web-savvy shaving converts–who just happen to work at a full service digital media company – ‘Sharpologist’ is born!”

Mantic is a Youtube sensation
The site, which has the tagline ‘Look sharp. Feel sharp. Be sharp’, will also feature articles from the likes of Craig The Barber, The LeisureGuy and Andy Tarnoff.
American wet shaving guru Mantic is a good friend of The Shaving Shack after taking part in a very successful Question and Answer session with Shaving Shack customers in 2010.
He also produced a video review of The Bluebeards Revenge shave cream for us earlier this year.
Everyone hear at The Shaving Shack would like to wish Mantic all the best with his new venture.
The world’s top 10 shaving creams
Posted in Product Reviews, Shaving Cream Reviews, Shaving Creams | Comments (7)
In today’s market of endless possibilities, one can’t help but feel dizzy when having to choose a shaving cream (or any item for that matter).
After all, when it comes to shaving, making a poor choice is more than a waste of one’s money, it also means a poor shaving experience, which as most shavers know could set the tone for the entire day.
In order to ease the process of finding the most suitable shaving cream for your needs, I’ve created a list of what I consider to be the top 10 shaving creams available on the market today. Please let me know if you agree or disagree with my selection by posting a comment below.
1. Proraso Shaving Cream Tube
The Proraso brand, which comes from the beautiful city of Florence in Italy, is a piece of Italian history which dates back over 100 years. It is considered to be the oldest industrial cosmetic product in Italy, and its unique recipe has been passed down from generation to generation.
The Proraso Shaving Cream Tube contains key ingredients like eucalyptus, menthol and glycerine; Which in turn gives a refreshing, tingly sensation on the skin that lasts long after the shave is over.
However, don’t let the eucalyptus and menthol put you off, this shaving cream doesn’t smell “mediciny” at all, it actually has a nice subtle scent which kind of reminds one of an old school barbershop.
One of the most amazing things about the Proraso Shaving Cream Tube is that a small drop of shaving cream, about the size of a dime could be used up to lather one’s entire face.
It comes in the form of a tube as a container, which is quite unique, and helps one squeeze out even the last drop. Both these facts enable one tube of Proraso Shaving Cream to last for approximately 4-5 months.
The pricing of the Proraso Shaving Cream Tube, is quite surprising, as it is one of the most affordable Shaving Creams available today, with a price of only £6.09 (150ml). This, combined with the fact that the Proraso Shaving Cream is considered one of the best shaving creams in the world (if not the best), almost gives me a sense of guilt whenever I purchase it.
2. Musgo Real Shaving Cream
The Musgo Brand comes to us from an uncommon country in the field of shaving, the country of Portugal. Far from being a new player in the market, Musgo has been around since 1887.
Musgo are considered unequalled in terms of combining lanolin in their shaving products.
Their successful combo of lanolin and glycerin creates a fantastic moisturizing effect which makes it possible to begin the shaving process quicker than almost any other shaving cream in the market without having to settle for the quality of the shave.
Its wonderful fragrance is due to the fact that it contains Patchouli, a herb of the mint family which has been used for centuries in alternative medicine and in perfumes. It is also responsible for the enjoyable cooling down sensation during and after the shave. This, as well as the fact that it contains alcohol could be a downside for those with extremely sensitive skin. However, most individuals with sensitive skin who have tried the Musgo Shaving Cream reported no such issues.
3. Trufitt & Hill 1805 Shaving Cream Bowl
Like the Art of Shaving, the Trufitt & Hill Shaving Cream is glycerin based (which locks and maintains the water and their moisturizing effect). But while the Art of Shaving is relatively a new player (having been founded in 1995), Trufitt & Hill have long stood the test of time having been in operation since 1805, a time when they provided service to all the reigning monarchs of the Victorian Era. They have also recently received a Guiness book world record for being the oldest barber shop still in operation today.
The scent of the 1805 Shaving Cream is considered by many to have the best fragrance of all the shaving creams offered today. This is due to the fact that it is infused with their famous 1805 cologne, which has a fantastic oceanic fragrance.
The Trufitt & Hill Shaving Cream is also known among shavers to give an unusually close shave, which is ultimately the goal of most shavers (knowing the products you’re using were also used by King George III is also nice).
4. Castle Forbes Lime Essential Oil Shaving Cream
The Castle Forbes brand hails from the beautiful country of Scotland, and is named after the famous Forbes Castle built in 1815 by the 17th Lord Forbes, which is still being run and used today by his great-great-great grandson Malcolm Forbes. After deciding to help his wife’s passion for perfumery, Malcolm decided to turn the old dairy near the castle into a perfumery. With the help of their friend and perfumer Andy French, they soon thereafter began offering quality perfumes under the Castle Forbes Brand, as well as Shaving Creams, Aftershaves and Soaps .
The box containing the Lime Essential Oil Shaving Cream has by far one of the most beautiful presentations of a shaving cream I’ve ever come across. The jar is pretty small in height, yet very wide which makes it extremely helpful when you load your brush with cream. Inside the jar you’ll find a very thick cream which has a terrific sweet scent of lime that is claimed by many to have the best fragrance out of all the lime scented shaving creams in the market.
The Castle Forbes Lime Essential Oil Shaving Cream contains many ingredients including glycerin, lime essential oil and coconut acid. It also contains aloe vera to help sooth the skin, and ease the shaving process.
In terms of latherability this cream performs incredibly well. It lathers quickly and creates an extremely thick and rich lather with exceptional cushioning.
What I find most impressive about this product, is that it is able to moisturize the skin in a perfect balance by not leaving the skin completely dry nor over moisturized.
In addition to the Lime Essential Oil, Castle Forbes also offers : Lavender and Cedar & Sandalwood Scented Shaving Creams.
5. Geo.F. Trumper Extract of Limes Soft Shaving Cream
It’s almost impossible to make a complete list of high quality shaving creams without mentioning the Geo. F. Trumper brand.
Geo.F. Trumper has been in the industry for more than 135 years, and is considered by many to offer the best shaving creams in the world.
The jar of the Trumper Extract of Limes Soft Shaving Cream comes inside a pink cardboard box which may sound a bit peculiar at first, as most lime scented shaving creams usually come in green colored packages. The pink color was actually chosen as a replacement for the original color during World War I due to a shortage of green color, and became its trademark ever since.
Inside the jar there’s a nice, foamy light green shaving cream which has a fabulous mild fragrance that resembles citrus. The cream lathers very quickly and builds up to a rich and thick lather which provides great cushioning during the shave and also keeps the skin moisturized longer than most shaving creams.
In addition to this magnificent lime scent Geo.F. Tumper offers six more scents: Almond, Coconut Oil, GFT, Rose, Sandalwood and Violet.
6. All Natural Speick Shaving Cream
The Speick brand is named after the unique ingredient that is present in all their products, known as the Alpine Speick, or Alpine Valerian. An ingredient that can only be found in the high alps of South Austria.
After the Speick is harvested, it is then transported to their factory located in Stuttgart Germany.
The speick plant is the source of the fantastic spicy, yet light fragrance present in all their products. It is also known to have a wonderful effect of calming the nervous system and rejuvenating the mind as well as the body.
The All Natural Speick Shaving Cream is a perfect fit for those who suffer from sensitive skin, as it also contains bees wax which has an amazing natural moisturizing effect that gives one the freedom of not having to constantly relather as it stays on the skin even after several passes with the razor.
The All Natural Speick Shaving Cream is an amazingly affordable product, with a price of £2.48 for a tube containing 75ml, perfect for traveling and carrying during flights.
The only noticeable downside of this product, and I’m nit picking here, is its poor packaging, as
it arrives in a generic red box which does not market very well.
It has also received the highest rating from the German consumer “Oko-Test Magazine” which focuses on authentic tests of natural based products.
7. Omega Shaving Cream
The Omega Shaving Cream belongs to the Pennellificio Omega S.p.a. and is being manufactured for them by Proraso. Most shavers argue about the differences between the Proraso Shaving Cream and the Omega as they are strikingly similar. So what are the differences?.
1. The Omega Shaving Cream is considered more subtle than the Proraso, containing less Eucalyptus.
It also contains Lanolin, which the Proraso does not.
What is Lanolin?
Lanolin is a unique ingredient which is made from the wax taken from sheep’s wool, and is done so without harming the sheep during the process.
It is used medically in order to treat rashes and burns and has an incredible moisturizing effect as it binds the water from escaping the body as well as rejuvenates the skin cells.
2. The pricing of the Omega shaving jar is £4.09 as opposed to the Proraso shaving jar which is 5.69. Both are of course amazingly cheap considering they’re quite possibly the best shaving creams in the world.
I prefer, and also rank the Proraso way above the Omega because I find that the Proraso does its job almost perfectly, and is both time tested and the original.
8. The Gentlemens Refinery “The Standard” Shaving Cream
The Gentlemens Refinery brand was founded by Perry Gastis, who has a rich history of working for both The Art of Shaving as a master barber, and an executive barber for Truefitt & Hill in North America. Needless to say he has the credentials.
Dissatisfied with the use of synthetic additives present in most men’s grooming products, Perry Gastis decided to develop his own line of products, with a focus on using the rarest and finest natural ingredients.
The Gentlemens Refinery “The Standard” Shaving Cream arrives in an elegant black box with silver lettering, which gives it a lavish look. When opening the jar there’s a light “soapy” smell of coconut.
The cream contains glycerin and coconut oil, French lavender oil, sandalwood oil, as well as the unique Ylang Ylang Oil. The Ylang Ylang Oil is a natural moisturizer commonly used in anti-aging treatments.
“The Standard” Shaving Cream is also alcohol and paraben free, which allows it to be more forgiving on the skin.
Overall, “The Standard” Shaving Cream performs quite well and creates an excellent lather lubricating your skin throughout and after the shave. However, I see no added value that could justify its price tag of £17.5, which is nearly triple what the Proraso Shaving Cream Tube costs.
9. The Art of Shaving Shaving Cream - Unscented
The Art of Shaving is currently one of the hottest names in the men’s grooming niche.
They specialize in providing Aromatherapy based, alcohol free products.
While they offer a variety of shaving creams with unique scents, the unscented shaving cream is definitely their best product. It is hypoallergenic which is perfect for men who have sensitive skin and suffer from razor burns, ingrown hairs or simply hate the smell of scented shaving creams in general.
The thick formula contains key ingredients like glycerin (which locks the water and sustains their moisturizing effect), coconut oil and essential oils. It is perfect for handling a thick beard due to the thickness of the foam.
A major downside for the Unscented Shaving Cream, as well as most of the products offered by The Art of Shaving is the high prices. The Unscented Shaving Cream costs around £18, and offers a poor value for the money as it does not surpass its more affordable competitors mentioned above.
10. Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream
Located at the well known Jermyn Street in London, the Taylor of Old Bond Street is a veteran in the field of luxury grooming products for men, with an experience of well over 150 years.
It is considered an alternative to the somewhat expensive Geo.F. Trumper brand, especially when it comes to their Sandalwood Shaving Creams.
Some of the ingredients of The Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream include : Sandalwood, Cedar, Rosemary, Jasmine, Rose and Lavender.
The latherability of the TOBS Sandalwood Shaving Cream is definitely up to par with the Geo.F. Trumper, some would even say it is slightly better, as it gives one of the most durable lathers of almost all the shaving creams offered today.
There are two main reasons for the TOBS Sandalwood Shaving Cream to be ranked lower than the other shaving creams mentioned in this list.
1. The scent of the TOBS Sandalwood Shaving Cream is way too powerful and intrusive, and even if one enjoys the smell of sandalwood, this specific shaving cream tends to bring a somewhat artificial sandalwood scent.
2. The moisturizing effect of the TOBS after the shaving process does not have as much of a lasting experience as some of the other shaving creams in the list, and tends to leave the skin dry at times.
Still, at the end of the day, if you decide to give The Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream a try, you are most likely going to have a very luxurious and affordable shaving experience.
For the price of £7.95, the Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream is a great bargain, especially compared to the Sandalwood Shaving Cream offered by Geo.F. Trumper for £14.
In case Sandalwood is not your cup of tea then you’ll be glad to know that there are eight more scents for this shaving cream including: Almond, Lavender, Rose, Lemon & Lime, Avocado, Eton College, Mr. Taylor and Shaving Shop.
Additionally, Taylor of Old Bond Street offers two shaving creams which are made especially for men with sensitive skin, both parabens free.
Shaving Shack now stocking Edwin Jagger range of luxury shaving products
Posted in Product News, Safety Razors, Shaving Brushes, Shaving Shack News | Comments (0)
The Shaving Shack is delighted to announce that we are now stocking the Edwin Jagger range of luxury shaving and men’s grooming products.
Internationally renowned for exquisite workmanship, Edwin Jagger shaving products are used by discerning wet shavers the world over.
And we have a great range of Edwin Jagger safety razors, Mach3 razors, shaving creams, shaving brushes and shaving sets to choose from.
If you’re a fan of double edge shaving then why not treat yourself to the Edwin Jagger Double Edge Razor DE86 (£21.99) or the Edwin Jagger Double Edge Razor (Bulbous Lined) (£82.99).
Prefer a Mach3 razor? Well you’re in luck as we are also stocking the very stylish Edwin Jagger Mach 3 Razor in Ebony (£27.99) and the beautifully presented Edwin Jagger Mach 3 Razor in Imitation Ivory (£27.99).
Treat your bathroom to the elegance of the Chatsworth range!
The Chatsworth range is understandably a best seller within the premium Edwin Jagger collection.
This imitation ivory brush, filled with hand tied Super Badger grade hair, is an ideal accompaniment to the matching imitation ivory razor. Manufactured in Sheffield from carefully selected, finest quality polyester material.
Another highlight from the Edwin Jagger Chatsworth range is this all-metal brush, filled with hand tied Super Badger grade hair, an ideal accompaniment to the matching all metal razor. Manufactured in Sheffield, this brush is precision engraved with a Barley pattern finished in high quality chrome plate.
You can browse our complete Edwin Jagger range by clicking here.
Ask Aaron Q/A: Tips for shaving those awkward areas - neck, under chin
Posted in Ask Aaron Q & A, Double Edge Shaving, Shaving Tips | Comments (0)
Peter Williams, from the UK, asks:
“We are now into the 4th generation of electric or disposable razor shavers and as such we have never been taught to shave properly with a double blade, as a right of passage with our father as tutor, hence I at least, find it difficult to shave those awkward areas, neck, under chin etc. Any information web sites seem to be sponsored by the large corporations which use the information in order to market their own products. Perhaps you could produce a comprehensive instruction video before all of us recent converts to DE shaving bleed to death.”
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Williams,
Thank you for the suggestion! I have been entertaining the idea of doing a video, and this topic would be a great one to begin with! in the meantime while you are waiting for the video I will suggest a couple of things. Pay careful attention to the blade angle in the areas. It’s easy to change the angle when shaving problem areas without realizing it. Also stretch the skin to make the surface area is as flat as possible. Pull the skin of your neck back and turn you head to shift the skin away from the Adam’s Apple area and to a flatter space. Hope this helps!
Smooth Shaving! Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q/A: Cartridge Razors vs Safety Razors – Which are better?
Posted in Ask Aaron Q & A, Double Edge Shaving, Safety Razors | Comments (0)
Mark Howard, from the UK, asks:
“I’m so tired of the high prices of cassette type blades to the poing that I’m overusing blunt blades! I want to move to double edge razor but is this a backwards step in terms of shaving and blade technology? If double edge razors are so good, how come people moved to the cassette type? I want to believe!!!!”
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Howard, Your have a good question! Thanks for asking! In short, yes it is a step back, but technological advances do not always make things better! The first patents for “safety razors” came out in the late 1800′s. What we recognize today as a safety razor today became patented in 1907 (if I recall correctly).
That makes this technology over 100 years old! Cartridge or cassette type blades have only been in production for the past 40 years, since the 60′s. The problem with Cassette blades is that they were designed to give a large average percentage of men a good shave. Note, not a great shave. The blades rest above the skin, so they rely on the process of historesis to give a smooth shave, unfortunately this cause more problems than it solves! Razor burn (from too much pressure and not enough lubrication), razor bumps and ingrown hairs. Plus lots of pulling and tugging (which it is designed to do!).
Safety razors have a blade that rides right next to or on the surface of the skin, providing a smooth clean shave. It does take some technique to learn, but it time you will have no nicks, cuts, or razor burn. All this to say, it might be a step back technologically, but switching to a safety razor will provide you a much closer and better shave.
If you have any questions about how to start, or what products to use, please read through the blog, or contact me again for more information! I’d be more than happy to help.
Smooth shaving!
Aaron”
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger?
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Ask Aaron Q/A: Oily skin and spots after shaving
Posted in Ask Aaron Q & A, Double Edge Shaving, Post Shave, Razor burn, rash & bumps, Shaving Tips | Comments (0)
Jason Hearne, from the UK, asks:
“I’m about to switch to DE shaving and have now set my heart on the Merkur HD as my first step away from 5 blade plastic monsters. My question though is about my skin type. At 30 I still suffer from oily teenage skin that’s prone to clogged pores and spots (if I don’t shave regularly). What I wanted to know was what is likely to be the best soap/cream for my shave and what balms you’d suggest to keep the grease away post shave? Here’s hoping you can help. ”
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Hearne,
The first thing I would suggest is to use a daily cleanser/face wash. This will help you to remove the excess oils that our skin can produce and also eliminate dirt, which can cause the acne and blackheads. Using a cleanser consistently will help PRE-shave. For the shave itself most available soaps and creams will do just, fine just avoid products containing lanolin. Lanolin can aggravate some skin types. For a POST-shave solution use a light balm (some being The Bluebeard’s Revenge, Taylor of Old Bond Street, and Proraso). You can also lighten a balm by keeping your face moist after rinsing and applying a small amount of the balm. This helps thin and spread the balm. I hope this helps!
Smooth Shaving (and skin!)
Aaron”
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Ask Aaron Q/A: How do I prevent bleeding on the lower neck?
Posted in Ask Aaron Q & A, Double Edge Shaving, Shaving Tips | Comments (0)
Derrick Rutherford, from the UK, asks:
“I have just started DE shaving, using a Edwin Jagger DE razor with Derby blades, Proraso pre and post shave on all three passes as well as plenty water, Proraso shave cream, alum block and then Prorasso pre and post shave again and then Proraso after shave balm. I do two passes down with gravity and then one across ,the problem is I still get bleeding on the lower neck and red blotches as well. I only shave every two days because of this, but, I absolutely LOVE it and will not go back to Gillette cartridges, but, I want to shave daily as it is a real pleasure. I dont put too much pressure on the razor, I let the weight of it do the work, Please help, A convert.”
AARON SAYS
“Mr. Rutherford,
It’s hard to say exactly what might be going on but let’s see about a few things. Do make sure that your razor angle is good, especially on the neck. The proper angle, which depend on the razor, should be somewhere around 30 degrees. Keeping the angle is hard on the neck area so try locking your wrist and you shave and let your arm do the work. Another thing to check would be the blade. Derby blade work for many men but the might not be your best match. Do try several other blades seeing which best match your skin and hair type. The best way to this is to buy a blade sampler and work your way through the differing blades. Another thing I would check would be the direction of hair growth. Make sure you’re shaving with, then across, then against the direction or grain. If you follow those steps I think you’ll find much easier shaving and less irritation.
Happy Shaving!
Aaron”
Do you have any burning questions you would like ask our wet shaving expert Aaron Wolfenbarger?
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