DozenWinks Shave Box

It's back to shaving again, and this time I'm going to be talking and giving my thoughts on DozenWinks Shave Box, a mail order shaving box designed in the hope of bringing back the ritual of traditional British shaving, shaving with a proper razor blade. In the past I've tried the disposable razor box available from Cornerstone (which has an amazing face scrub) and The Real Shaving Company (that seems to have ceased trading) so the opportunity to have a crack at a new box was most welcome, after all, they usually contain everything you need to make shaving as simple and painless as possible.

Dozenwinks allows you the consumer to decide on how often you receive a box. At £29.99 you can decide on whether you receive a new box dependent upon how often you have to manage your mane. Personally as I treat shaving like a chore I would probably need a new box every 12 weeks. 

So what do you get for your cash? Well, the first box comes with a free safety razor and brush, but also inside the box you'll find enough razor blades to keep a prison in shivs for a good year, pre-shave soap, shaving cream and allum sticks should you, like me always nick some part of your face.

Double Edge Safety Razor

The double edged safety razor takes any double edges razor blades, and when you look at the cost of the blades it works out at a fraction of the cost of using disposables. It's a piece of cake to insert and remove the blade and despite having a chunky metal look and feel, it' actually as light as a feather which means that I can sweep across my bearded face removing fuzz effortlessly. 

I've been using a safety razor now for over a year and I have to say I'm impressed with the grip, the fact that it's typically about 80% cheaper than standard cartridges and haven't had one in-grown hair or outbreak of razor burn. 

Razor blades & Matchsticks

My box came with three packs of razor blades, so probably enough to keep me covered for about nine months! They are sharp (er, razor sharp). One gentle swipe across the face and my beard is removed, there is no having to go back over the same spot a few times to get rid of thick hairs as is often the problem for me when using cartridges. It's a personal opinion but I really do prefer the feel of my face after shaving using a safety razor when compared to disposables, there is little to zero stubble, the blades do take your beard back down to the wood.

Shaving Brush

The shaving brush is crafted using a wooden handle paired with high quality bristles to ensure a thick lather. Amongst all other bristle types, this shaving brush will be the kindest to your skin, all the while guaranteeing a smooth and luxurious shave every single day. That's what they say and I agree. I have about ten shaving brushes at home (I think I may be turning into a hoarder) and this sits up there with some pretty expensive contemporaries - the best thing? The bristles don't fall out as you dip it into the shaving cream and spread the lather across your face. It's a gripe I have with brushes, having to pull bristles off your face before you start shaving and thankfully I don't have this problem with the brush in my box.

Shaving cream

In my box came a big tub of sandalwood shaving cream from Taylor of Old Bond Street. I've used their coconut shave cream before and I loved it and again, this stuff is top notch, with one of the manliest fragrances, enough lather to sink a battleship and something of a moisturising effect this stuff lasts and last and lasts.

Pre-Shave Soap
Each shaving kit comes with a premium quality pre-shave soap which will last you the entire time, probably even longer! The one that came with my box did as promised have a strong scent of pine tar (OMG I love that smell). The soap does cleanse skin and help to unblock pores before shaving. I like it, it's not a good as using the volcanic ash based offering from Cornerstone but it's pretty damn close.

Want a shave box that gives you everything you need for a super close shave, with blades that make removing fuzz from your face as easy as 1, 2, 3 then you really should take a closer look at what Dozenwinks can do for you. With options to suit all and a price that won't break the bank (unlike purchasing disposable blades) this box will drop through your door at a time to suit you. Unlike Virgin Media, if you want to cancel your subscription you can do really easily which makes this a great little venture for us the consumer. Well worth a punt. It's a personal thing but given the results after using this box I'm inclined to stick with a safety razor now as shaving is so much easier. Now if you could get some of that volcanic ash face scrub in there I would be incredibly happy.

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Clean shaving: How to prevent a shaving rash

Shaving is an activity that men must perform regularly throughout their lives, yet despite practising it so often, many of us continue to steer clear of a full clean shave through anticipation of a shaving rash (or just because our other halves hate the clean shaven look). The fear of shaving rashes is understandable — the sensation is unbearable, looks terrible, and is difficult to treat once the damage has been done. However, these rashes are entirely preventable.

Shaving rash is caused by excessive friction applied to your skin — it doesn’t help that this friction is facilitated by a razor blade. You must take steps to lubricate your skin to ease this friction. The rash can also be caused by dehydration of the skin after shaving. Your skin will lose natural oils during the shave, and you must replenish these oils to prevent irritation. Of course, learning proper shaving technique is perhaps the most important, and could make a huge difference to your skin and how your facial hair grows in future. Here are some tips for preventing shaving rash before, during, and after your shave.

Preparing to shave

You will experience the best shave if your facial hair is warm and wet. It is a great idea to take advantage of the steam from a bath or shower to prepare your face for shaving, as this will both soften your bristles and lubricate your skin. You could even try making your own facial steam bath, which is a much more effective and direct way to soften your hair and open the pores in your skin. Live Strong has a simple but informative guide on making your own steam bath — just be sure not to wet your face with cold water before shaving, as this will close your pores.

You should also think about exfoliating your skin before shaving. This will get rid of any dead skin cells that would otherwise make shaving more difficult and improve the chances of suffering from razor burn. Use a facial scrub that contains micro particles to comprehensively exfoliate your face, but take care not to scrub too hard as this could be harmful to your skin.

During shaving

It is also extremely important to apply a lubricant to your face to aid the glide of the shaver against your skin. The classic product to use is a shaving foam, but this isn’t ideal as it can often obscure your vision. You would be best served using a transparent gel or oil such as this no-foam shave cream from King of Shaves, so you can manoeuvre your razor with good visibility, even in the more difficult areas.

When shaving, use short, light strokes, making sure to shave in the direction of hair growth, not against it — shaving ‘against the grain’ is one of the most common causes of shaving rash. This short video from Manhood TV gives a great visual demonstration of good shaving practice.

After shaving

If you have suffered any cuts when shaving, it may be wise to use a small amount of rubbing alcohol to disinfect the cuts before applying any products to your face. When your face is clear of all hair and your skin is looking bare and supple, this is when you must think about re-hydration. You must replenish the oils and nutrients that were lost during shaving, and the most effective way to do this is by moisturising your skin.

Take care to choose that right moisturising product for your skin, however, as using the wrong formula could lead to greasy skin. This guide from the skincare experts at E45 contains some handy advice for identifying your skin type and choosing a cream based on that.

Shaving rash is an easily preventable ailment. Following these simple but effective tips will ensure that it is no longer a problem for you. 

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Primal Man Shave Club

UPDATE: September 2016 - it appears that Primal Man are no longer, which is a shame as I did like their service.

Primal Man Shave Club is about getting back to quality shaving - boom, that's pretty much their ethos and this is reflected in the boxes they post to their members. A monthly kit which arrives through your letterbox featuring a range of different products from soaps, aftershaves, razor blades and so on, essentially everything you need for a wet shave and an idea to make it less of a chore and something more fun with new products to test and try out.

Having been asked to give my views on the box, I was delighted at how well packaged everything came, from the outer box where there is no disguising what it is that is inside, to the positioning and well packed items.

Inside this box I have:

• The Razor - a premium Primal Man double edge razor. The razor has a specially grooved handle for maximum grip and provides a wonderfully smooth shaving experience. The Razor has been weighted to perfection and allows you to "let the razor do the work". For me this had an added nostalgia as I first used a safety razor like this to have my first ever shave some..........(gets out a calculator).......twenty five years ago........(holy Jesus I'm old)

• After shave Balm - Made by Institute Karite, a brand I have never come across it is described as being a moisturising balm to relieve and soothe the burning sensations of shaving

• The Brush - Made by Kent (whom are by appointment to Her Majesty The Queen) which is great quality, great for creating lather and designed ergonomically to making using it easy

• Supermax Super Stainless Blades - Helpfully included is a pack of blades that should last you for the entire month, depending on how often you shave

• Shaving Soap - Again made by Kent, this soap is Enriched with a fine fougere fragrance with pine, clove and lavender extracts, on a base of cedardwood, nutmeg, sandalwood, vanilla and musk

• Alum Matchsticks - From The Legends of London, these alum matchsticks are great antibacterial sticks for calming razor burn, closing pores and are really soothing when used

All of this costs just £24.95 per month, though a three month subscription costs £20.95 per month and so on.  A year long subscription is just £16.95 per month and like other subscription boxes it can be cancelled at any time. Free shipping to: England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They do ship internationally but then you are looking at paying £10.50 on top for shipping per box. 

Now, I have used the products in the box and they warrant individual reviews rather than me listing it all down here (so watch out for those), but even the razor was worth buying the box all on it's own. The retail value of the products far exceed what you'll pay (the razor - without any blades is about £45 to buy in the shops). 

My shaving experience was actually rather good - a little more concentration was needed as it does have the ability to slash your throat (and I did do some prep using a deep cleansing scrub after showering) but it was really close, in fact I can think of only one shave closer at that was carried out by the amazing Darius at The Legends in Holborn.

Minor irritation (more due to me applying too much pressure on the blade) did occur but the aftershave balm calmed this down brilliantly.

I never pass up the chance to have a play around with an old school shaving kit and I'm really quite teary (no really, honest) at the memories this brought back. This emotional connection combined with the excellent high quality products mean that I will happily be signing up for the Primal Man Shave Club on a longer term basis.

Dexter likes the box as well......

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Cornerstone Shaving Box

If you follow the blog you may have seen my recent post, ‘An Idiots Guide to Shaving’ where I shared some simple advice on how to get that great shave. Where did I get these tips from? Well, the excellent folk over at Cornerstone, a flexible regular distributor of razor blades and men’s shaving supplies. 

The box is starting to look a bit worn after a few months of abuse!

The box before I got stuck in!

Oliver, the founder of the company not only talked me through the perfect shave back in April at the Man Made salon in central London, I was also provided with a full shaving kit so that I could go away and attempt that elusive perfect shave. 

Big smiles all around on my part and after using this now for a month where my face has actually been as hair free as it has been for years I feel that I can give a good run down of the products available, the shaving experience and whether you should be signing yourself or your other half up for a regular delivery.

Cornerstone have a simple philosophy of keeping things simple, yet everything from the box and product design screams understated class, from the clean and fresh face scrub, shave gel and post shave balm to the aluminium razor (you can even have your razor monogrammed with your initials - it‘s the small things that amuse me).

Delivery options couldn’t be clearer and once you have an account set up you can chop and change your options. Personally, as I use the excellent RazorBrite to keep my blades going for much longer I don’t need a regular delivery of blades. Simple, you can remove them and just select the shaving aids. Brilliant.

With no minimum term, free delivery, the ability to suspend or amend how often you receive a box, or simply reduce your order means that you, the consumer are in control of what you get. Another tick in the positive box! 

So, what did I think of my box?

Face Scrub

I have to admit, this is by far the most impressive thing in the box for me. A 100ml tube of the face scrub utilising cedarwood and volcanic sand provides one of the best exfoliating experiences I have ever had. The volcanic sand is perfect as an abrasive while remaining gentle on the skin. 

No bogeys? Check, Ears Clean? Check - you may proceed with photos......

A charcoal grey in colour I couldn’t detect the sand when I squeezed a bit onto my hand initially but as soon as I started to rub into my face you can feel the grains of sand. As it spreads across the face you can after about a minute see the tiny particles of sand. Awesome! 

Fragrance wise it is subtle and not overbearing. Despite giving it a good sniff (to the point some went up my nose) I just couldn’t identify it. Sorry! 

After using this and prior to shaving my face did have that post scrubbed glow, my face felt clean and my pores were well and truly open for business. Top notch stuff in my opinion and on a par at least with one of my personal favourites, Scaramouche & Fandango 'Fs' (face scrub). 

It's the face scrub, not my filthy face that turned the water this colour!

So far, so good.

Shave Gel

The sensitive shave gel comes in a 150ml tube and uses a blend of ginger and eucalyptus. For me, anything that has a base fragrance of eucalyptus is a winner and this is no different - I love the fragrance, especially as the ginger aroma seems to activate as it is massaged into the face. 

Stephen's cold was getting worse and worse.....just kidding.....this is the shave gel

As a lo-lather shave gel you shouldn’t expect a face full of foam, oh no, what you get is very similar to my experience with Rehab London Argan Oil Shave Gel, just a smooth covering of the gel that changes from being quite clear to off white. 

Personally I have found that leaving it for around 60 seconds on the face works great for my face and that lack of lather really does help you when it comes to the actual shave experience. You really don’t need to work hard and the lather/gel doesn’t clog blades, not matter what brand you decide to use.

The Razor + blades

The razor is by far the coolest I’ve ever had, and now with hindsight I wish I had opted to have my initials engraved onto it. It is so lightweight even with a blade attached that you feel like you are playing around with a fencing sword as you swipe across the face. 

The blades are really good, they last for ages and are spaced well so that even the thickest of the thickest hair will rinse off under water as you shave. Excellent in my opinion, and with that erm, razor sharp edge you really don’t have to apply that much pressure to remove those pesky hairs. 

Post Shave Balm

Personally this was the weakest of the box for me but that is not to say it isn’t good - after all, I have been mightily impressed with my Cornerstone box, so much so that it has taken me nearly 8 weeks to truly commit my feelings about the product to the blog - I really wanted to give the entire set a good road test.

After using the products I didn’t have any irritation prior to using the balm so I can’t really comment on it’s soothing properties, but it did leave my face feeling soft and smooth. The fragrance is fairly subtle so no danger of over-powering any cologne or aftershave.

I am delighted that I have had the opportunity to try the Cornerstone range - not only did I meet some thoroughly lovely people from the company, I have been shaving properly ever since and have done so without leaving my face in need of bandages/my body requiring a blood transfusion! 

The fact that you can alter, amend and suspend deliveries is the clincher for me, and with everything above in mind there is nothing much more for me to say. 

Impressed, that’s me - seriously, give them a go.

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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. 

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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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RazorBrite - For blades that go on and on....

RazorBrite will always be a bit special to me, after all it was the first PR sample sent to yours truly after setting up this little blog over twelve months ago. Yes, I know I like to test things over time but I genuinely thought I had written about this already and it wasn’t until the weekend that I realised the original post, written way back in March 2014 was indeed still sat there. Sorry guys! 

This blade has been going for months and is still really sharp

If like me you are tighter than a fishes bum yet have to shave on a regular basis then you will know that the cost of blades is simply a form of blatant daylight robbery. I honestly can’t remember a time when I bought blades and didn't feel as though I was being brutally violated. 

They are expensive here in the United Kingdom. Now I’m not sure if the cost is just a very British thing, but paying nearly £15 for four blades that used to last for two, maybe three shaves at a time seems excessive. 

So, RazorBrite, it’s a fluid solution system (i.e. a dipping pot and bottle of the liquid) that they say can extend the life of a razor blade by up to twenty times, yes, twenty times. That would save me, and any other shaver a fortune, particularly as a 150ml kit costs only £12.

So, what are the exact claims being made, after all, extending the life of a blade up to twenty times is quite bold. 

‘Whether you dispose of your razor blades daily, weekly or monthly, RazorBrite extends the life of all popular brands of razor blades including Gillette Fusion and Wilkinson Sword by up to 20 times.

RazorBrite offers fantastic savings on the cost of your shaving bill, and it works with both men’s and women’s shaving products. Why spend so much money on replacement razor blades when a single RazorBrite Kit will maintain a pack of blades for the whole year?

A single kit, containing a 150 ml bottle of RazorBrite solution and a small dipping container (with full instructions), is all you need to stop buying replacement razor blades for the next 12 months, offering considerable cost savings.

Does RazorBrite mean your shave will take considerably longer? No! The process is very simple, and adds no more than 30 seconds to your shaving time.

Once you’ve tried RazorBrite, it will quickly become an essential part of your grooming kit.’

I followed the steps below (ripped off directly from the RazorBrite website):

Step 1: Shave as normal.

Step 2: Rinse blade in cold water and shake off surplus.

Step 3: Move blade around in the RazorBrite solution (in dipping container) and shake off surplus.

Step 4: Store as normal to dry.

The entire process was incredibly quick. I have to say that I hardly notice my use of Razor Brite now, it has just become part of the routine when shaving. It has however saved me a fortune. A pack of four blades has now lasted for nearly twelve months and they are still gliding through the hair on my face as and when required.

The first time I used this I didn’t see much difference, but after swilling the blade around in the solution the second time is was obvious that the residue and product build up on the blade was being removed. It’s actually really cool when you see the scum coming off. 

The solution removes the crystal build up on the blade. It isn’t visible to the naked eye but I have found that the solution seems to unclog blades so quickly it is sometimes better than using warm water when shaving.

Despite using this on my blades (the strong chemical aroma suggests it may be a bit rough on skin), when using the right pre and post shave products there is no irritation to my skin. That for me is a massive plus and it was something that had originally played on my mind when deciding whether or not to use it.

I have been using RazorBrite for over a year and my original 150ml bottle of the solution has about a third left. It does represent excellent value for money and has saved me £155 over the time I have used it. You can’t argue with savings like that.

Suitable for male and female blades this is one of those products that looks a bit dull but are hugely functional. It deserves more love, and far more exposure as it really is something any shaver should have to hand. The claim of extending life by up to twenty times seems to be about on the money for me.

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