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.
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.
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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Choosing an effective shaving cream (Part 2)
In the last article we set the scene where a man may not know where to start when it comes to selecting an appropriate shaving cream that will work in tandem with his skin.
Finding the right one for you is not always that simple, and so it is worth considering what you want and need before scouring the market for suitable wet shaving products.
For those that have particularly sensitive skin, it is necessary to consider shaving creams that offer moisturising properties as one of its benefits.
Even if you do not have skin which is sensitive, these products can still offer a close and smooth shave when you use a quality razor blade. You can also look out for shaving creams which contain fewer chemicals and ingredients which may cause reactions in some people.
If you want to get excellent results from your shaving experience some of the luxury shaving creams on the market are really effective as they can be used to create a rich creamy fragranced lather.
When you have decided on the things you want from the shaving cream, it then comes down to products and ultimately the brand. While it may be the safe option to go with a recognised global brand such as Gillette, you may find that some of the smaller – yet still well-established – brands like Cyril Salter, Taylor of Old Bond Street and DR Harris are certainly worth a look as their shaving creams come highly recommended by experienced wet shavers.
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.
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.
Bluebeards Revenge rated as one of best shaving creams ever
Two respected wet shaving experts have described The Bluebeards Revenge™ as one of finest shaving creams they have ever shaved with.
Jeremy, from Punk Rock Shaving, was full of love for the world’s manliest shaving cream, praising its packaging, consistency, lather, smell, feel and overall performance.
And Jim O’Connell, from GlamMan, was also full of prise for the cream; especially the light-hearted and humorous approach is uses.
'A smalll dollop made enough lather for 4 passes, with PLENTY left over!!' said Jeremy
“The consistency of the cream is just about perfect, solid enough to hold up while being scooped but also soft enough to be scoopable and turned into a lather rapidly. The scent was very classic and not overbearing at all,” said Jeremy.
He added: “I scooped out a small amount (about the size of an almond) and built a lather with my trusty Badger and Blade Essential brush. It was at this point that I was really impressed by the cream - it lathered like a monster, and was very forgiving of the amount of water used. It had a wide ‘sweet spot’. I added water until the cream broke down a bit, and then started over with a clean mug. I made a killer lather with no real effort.”
Jeremy, who admitted that he had fairly sensitive skin, said he thought the cream felt excellent on his face, adding that he suffered no irritation for any of the passes.
The shaving guru went on to say: “It softened the beard quite adequately and the lubrication of the razor was just fine. I felt no dragging.
“On the whole the cream’s performance was at or above any other cream I’ve favoured, and maybe even rivals some soaps in terms of protection.
”After a good 3 pass shave, I pulled a fourth just to see how well the cream could handle being pushed to that limit of protection and lather stability, and came away absolutely satisfied.
”I felt that it was a bit drying on the first shave, but later shaves proved that to be a fluke (possibly due to the extra pass). It left my skin nice and clean feeling, without excessive dryness at all.”
Jermey concluded his review by saying: “In terms of quality, performance, and overall satisfaction, this cream rates as highly as any I’ve used from any of the ‘big houses’.”
According to Jim, The Bluebeards Revenge™ is “hands-down one of the best shave creams” on the market.
He said it scored highly for its texture, glide, and bonus points for its clean, attractive scent and tongue-in-cheek packaging.
”But don’t let the packaging fool you. The Bluebeards Revenge™ is a serious high-quality, paraben free, tough on stubble shave cream,” he concluded.
Which celebrity is ‘man’ enough to shave with The Bluebeards Revenge? You decide
Last week, The Bluebeards Revenge team sent a tub of The Bluebeards Revenge™ to Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.
News of this quickly spread to online forums, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites, including a thread on popular wet shaving forum The Shaving Room.
And speculation is now mounting about which celebrity will next receive a tub of the manliest shaving cream through their letterbox.
Suggestions have included former Cuban president Fidel Castro, former British and Commonwealth shot-put champion Geoff Capes and Huey Morgan, the front man of the British-based, of New York origin, rock/hip hop group Fun Lovin’ Criminals.
But do you think is manly enough to shave with the beard reducing cream? The guys and girls at The Bluebeards Revenge would love to hear your suggestions, and will send the one with the most mentions a tub of luxury shaving cream.
To take part, simply click here and leave a comment on the article, email [email protected] or post a Tweet on Twitter with @thebluebeards.
And the person with the best suggestion will also win a tub of The Bluebeards Revenge™.
So what are you waiting for?
The Bluebeards Revenge: ‘It’s rich, it’s smooth, and it’s creamy’, says leading style blog
The world’s manliest shaving cream, The Bluebeards Revenge™, has picked up even more positive press.
Leading UK style blog The Fashion Guide was full of praise for the luxurious shaving cream, and especially its unique and cool packaging.
“The first thing we noticed when we received our pot is the packaging – this is going to look impressive on your bathroom shelf. A retro style pot with a silver lid, then a vivid blue label with skull and cross bone graphics – visitors just aren’t going to be able to help screwing off that lid to have a look and a sniff,” said the site.
The style blog was also impressed with the cream’s smell, describing it as “really, really good, clean and sexy”, adding that “you may have to put up with some neck nuzzling I’m afraid”.
The Fashion Guide then tested the feel of the cream and did not come away disappointed.
“It’s rich, it’s smooth, and it’s creamy,” they said. “A small amount in the palm of the hand lathered up really well and went on smoothly with great coverage.”
But what about the quality of the actual shave? Well The Bluebeards Revenge™ did not fail to please; with the site claiming it provided a “great, smooth shave”.
You can read the full review by clicking here.
Leading US men’s magazine praises world’s manliest shaving cream
The Bluebeards Revenge™ luxury shaving cream has been given the thumbs up by a popular US website.
Bullz-Eye, a leading online men’s magazine, was full of praise for the manliest shaving cream on the planet.
Their grooming reviewer started off his review by saying: “Isn’t it cool that products like ‘shaving cream’ are developing and specializing to niche clientele?
“I must say it is the most awesome packaging I’ve ever seen for shaving cream. I mean we are talking a skull and cross bones here my friends.”
He went on to add: “When applying the shaving cream I noticed a subtle soapy smell that made me feel like I was cleaning my face as well. It was easy to apply and the shaves I experienced were smooth and clean.”
The review was also published on American men’s grooming website The BarberShopBlog.com.
The Bluebeards Revenge™ is available exclusively at The Shaving Shack, priced at £14.99.
The Shaving Shack also offers free UK delivery on the luxurious shaving cream if bought as a single item.
Men’s shaving cream reviews – Cyril Salter Luxury Shaving Cream (Indian Sandalwood 165g)
One of our luxurious shaving creams has been given a rave review by a respected American wet shaving expert.
Mike Sandoval, from leading wet shaving website Shaving101.com, was full of praise for The Cyril Salter Indian Sandalwood shaving cream.
The shaving guru started off his review by praising the cream for its soft texture, fine lather and subtle fragrance.
”Whether you lather directly on your face or in a bowl or scuttle, this cream this cream easily whips in to a rich and usable lather without having a tendency to get too thin or require an excessive amount of water to maintain its hydration,” he said.
”The lather held a nice consistency throughout the shave and showed no issues of drying down between passes.
”I found this to be especially good for straight razor shaves, which take a bit longer due to the slower cutting technique.
”The result was a smooth shave that carried the blade easily over my skin and left my face feeling well protected and hydrated at the end of the shave.”
Mike concluded his review, by saying: “While not as exquisite in fragrance as some other shaving creams, Cyril R. Salter Indian Sandalwood shaving cream performs amazingly well given that it retails for a fraction of the price.”
You can read the full Shaving101.com review by clicking here.
The Cyril Salter Indian Sandalwood shaving cream (165g) retails for just £7.99 on the Shaving Shack website.
We also stock shaving creams from The Bluebeards Revenge, DR Harris, Musgo Real, Truefitt & Hill, Proraso and Taylor of Old Bond Street.
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