Shavekit - a better shave. For less...

In the last couple of weeks I have to say that I have shaved my face even more than normal - a combination of loads of products to try and just the general urge to keep my facial hair looking tidy has spurred me on to really try out a number of different blades, lotions, scrubs and cleansers. You name it, I‘ve probably used it over the last two months. 

Today I’m going to be giving my thoughts on Shavekit, a mail order company who kindly sent me their new five blade razors to try, and try I have, for the last three weeks in fact these babies have been keeping my face free from hair, but how do they stack up against the more mainstream brands like Wilkinson Sword or Gillette? Read on….

So, what do Shavekit say about themselves?

‘We wanted to create a smarter, sharper, simpler way to shave. In short, a modern shave. So we cut out all the fuss. We threw out the old barber's chair, the whisker twiddling, plus the cost and the hassle of shopping in store.

We got rid of the fluff, but kept the quality of a real shave. We just deliver the kit you need, every month. So you can enjoy the perfect shave, every day.’ 

So, for £8.95 a month you receive in the post 5 ceramic-coated carbon steel blades and a cracking rubber grip to attach them to. Yes, it is that simple. So why buy through the post? Well, if your local supermarket is like mine then razor blades are treated more as some form of treasure to be protected and you have to wait around for someone to take them out of a protective cabinet (seriously, has anyone ever been offered hooky razor blades down the pub? Is there a Silk Road type website on the dark web where shadowy figures trade in illicit blades?!?!?). This removes the hassle and each month you can return home to find the blades on the mat ready for action.

The actual grip is really solid in build and the rubber handle makes it incredibly easy to use - there is no danger of losing grip mid shave and taking half of your face off. I see this as a massive plus, particularly if shaving when my hands are going through a bit of a shaky phase (no, not hangover shakes, but the actual tremors I suffer with in my hands). 

When thinking about how I would describe a razor blade I considered a mild rant about when will the addition of blades stop? I had considered patenting a 25 blade razor the size of an iPad as a joke but alas the lazy streak in me won in the end. Instead you’ll be stuck with the dry thoughts - the blades do what they are supposed to, they are, erm…..razor sharp…..see, I said it was dry.

In all seriousness, the shave quality is really good. The open back design means that even longer facial hair is rinsed clear of the blade between strokes and only a mild amount of pressure is required when moving the blade across the face. Following the shaving tips I’ve previously written about here I have to say it was a great finish.

Those irritating bits of hair just under my nose usually result in me cutting myself, but not this time. Being able to grip properly and the excellent cutting action on facial hair meant that I have managed to remain cut free for ages and for this I am truly thankful.

Personally I find these blades on a par with the excellent blades that come with the Cornerstone shaving kits and head and shoulders above premium brands like Gillette. 

Razor blades are not cheap by any stretch of the imagination and I think the blades from Shavekit are great. While I wouldn’t need a monthly delivery of blades Shavekit do have a system where deliveries can be suspended so you receive what you need. A very nice touch.

Cost effective, long lasting (I’m still using the first blade with the same results some four weeks later) and convenient I can’t find any fault (which is rare). Go on, give them a try. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Now for the good bit. The lovely people at Shavekit have provided a nice little voucher code for my readers to use should you decide you want to give the service and blades a try. If you enter the code ‘BEAUTYKINGUK’ when prompted during the order process you will receive 70% off your first order. 

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Ted's Grooming Room - Step 02 Shave Gel

What’s that you say - slapping lots of white stuff over your face is ever so slightly homoerotic? Erm, well unless you fancy looking like a hillbilly or are really into aforementioned look then us blokes have to shave or we really do start to look like cavemen.

Unlike some of the ‘just of out university’ boys in the office I can actually grow a pretty healthy beard and that presents problems as I hate shaving. As I pointed out in an earlier blog post about Gillette Fusion Proglide Shaving Gel, shaving has in the past left me with red blotchy skin and that’s not a look I want to rock to be honest.

Personally, with this hatred of shaving I like to keep a bit of stubble and tend to use a beard trimmer most of the time. On occasion however as part of my job I do actually have to look respectable (before you say it, yes I know, a shock that someone who employ little old me!)

After testing out and writing about Ted Baker’s Grooming Room before, imaginatively starting with Step 01 - Face Scrub I was very keen to try Step 02 - Shave Gel.

Now follows a marketing blurb intermission…..and basically some background on why such a fantastic designer/label/brand such have Ted Baker have expanded into grooming products.

Ted Baker have the offshoot called Ted’s Grooming Room. No it’s not the inappropriate type of grooming, it’s the type of grooming that was very welcome before the advent of the Internet but I digress, probably to the intense displeasure of their PR people who are slapping their foreheads and pulling out their hair. He’s managed to link shaving gel to online grooming!!! 

Since the successful launch of Ted’s Grooming Room in three central London locations, the next step for Ted was to develop his own range of Ted’s Grooming Rooms products, catering to all the stylish gentlemen who like things trim and proper. It’s provides a modern take on the traditional Turkish ‘efe’ barbers.

Step 02 - Shave Gel claims to triumph over skin irritation with menthol infused gel with claming Aloe Vera powder to leave skin feeling clear, refreshed and ready for action.

Anything that claims to soothe any skin irritation is a bonus in my book. I’ve used the King of Shaves menthol shaving gel in the past with good results so I expected good things. Was I disappointed?

In a nutshell, no, I was blown away and that wasn’t just from the lovely Aloe Vera fragrance or the fact that the gel wasn’t white at all. As the pictures show it is green in colour - well it looks green to me when on my face.

Two quick pumps of the dispenser and an amount the size of a 50 pence piece is released. Seriously, this is all you need. While it takes a lot of massaging into the face to produce a small amount of white lather the gel before this spreads so easily - it’s like a hot knife through butter.

As the gel is massaged into the face the menthol is released. You know this as it really hits your nose and you can feel it in your eyes. Put too much on and I can guarantee you’ll be in tears, however if you’ve got blocked sinuses, this is the trick.  No word of a lie - I had a blocked nose and breathing this in was like inhaling those menthol rubs you get. Awesome!

As the lather isn’t that thick or rich shaving is a breeze - the razor almost glides across the face and the blades don’t get as clogged as they normally do when using foam or other gels.

After using Step 01 that softened my beard I can hand on heart say I’ve never had an easier shave. In fact, the only way I’m likely to have an easier shave is if someone shaves my face as I lay back and relax.

Sorry competition but this blows the socks off everything I’ve ever tried before and I’m massively impressed.

A 150ml tube and considering how little is needed will last me for months.

Yes, an initial outlay of £8 is expensive in comparison to the competition and in the past I’ve said that I think £8 is too much, but in this case, with the lovely shaving experience, lack of irritation and the length of time there will be before I have to buy another one means that it does actually represent good value for money.

It’s a luxury product that delivers luxury results.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*

*I know I’ve been gushing about the product but I can assure you Ted Baker are not paying me to say any of this.

In the words of Alan Partridge, “kiss my face”.

Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings here. 

If you enjoyed the read why not leave me a comment or follow me on Bloglovin or Twitter using the tabs on the left hand side?

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Gillette Fusion Proglide Shaving Gel

Every time I pick up Gillette Fusion Proglide I have to say I chuckle to myself in a kind of schoolboy way. Probably a reference to first ever seeing a tube of lube called ultra-glide as a kid.

Anyhow I digress; I’m here to give my thoughts on a shaving gel not my adolescence!

Every since entering the world of shaving (and mainly bleeding as a result) I’ve never been a fan. Maybe I’m a sensitive soul (thousands who know me are now laughing themselves to an early hernia), but no matter what I used in my formative years I always ended up with dry skin after shaving, red blotchy marks and usually a face looking more akin to Freddy Krueger than the soft smooth finish I was looking for.

Gillette back in the day offered a few products that really helped - my skin would always feel dry but the red blotchy marks were less noticeable.

Ever since I’ve been hooked. The products and range on offer has expanded and apart from King of Shaves I’ve rarely ventured further, I’ve never needed to.

My current favourite is the Proglide. The marketing blurb says that it “makes it easy to get the look you want”.

The shaving gel comes in a squeezable tube and is ice blue in colour. While a ‘clear’ shaving gel there is clearly a colour. To cover my beard in the gel a squeeze to release a blob about the same size as a 50 pence piece is needed.

As soon as you start to rub the gel in what strikes you immediately is the lack of lather - it’s actually like rubbing hair gel on your face. A bit weird at first, but it is easier to apply and doesn’t seem to disintegrate on contact with water.

A little goes a long way with this, so no need to be over the top. It might not seem like a lot of gel but really, you don’t need it. As the gel is spread a lovely fresh Aloe Vera fragrance fills the room. It adds a kind of clean and sanitised feel to the shaving experience in my opinion.

Personally I let the gel soak in for a few minutes and start to shave. The hairs on my face seem softer and easier to remove and after rinsing off my face my face is beautifully smooth. The acid test for me is the look and feel after about 30 minutes after drying. With Proglide I’ve never been let down.

My face is always smooth and even the morning after shaving there is an absence of dry skin. For the first time in my shaving life (22 years) I don’t get red blotchy skin after shaving. Rejoice people - rejoice.

£4.49 for a 175 ml tube is in my humble opinion well worth it. It will last for weeks if used daily and months if you like to grow a bit of five o’clock shadow now and again.

It stores well if you are a more infrequent shaver and if you fancy chancing your hand at a new brand or a different line of the Gillette range then you should look no further.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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