As a kid, I can remember running around the house, stumbling upon my dad shaving in the bathroom while watching his face, full of shaving cream and always thinking, that was so cool; it often left me wanting to do it, too. He never formally taught me how to whip up a great lather, but with time I developed a reliable technique of my own. Continue reading my latest post on Bevelcode.com.
Posted in Grooming
Tagged Badger Brush, Bevel, Double Edge Safety Razor, Grooming, Imagelogger, Men's grooming, Samsung, Wet Shaving
Ever since I became a father, I haven’t had time for much other than being a father. As a result, my passions have shifted, things that I’m passionate about, have taken a backseat to my new responsibility. Don’t get me wrong, however, I love every minute of it.
Nevertheless, writing about grooming doesn’t seem to want to let me go. I don’t want to let it go either.
I am now a contributing writer for Bevel. If I wasn’t, I’d muster up the time to tell you how great I think this company is. Nevertheless, my first article for them, where I talk about the importance of priming oil, is live. I’ll be writing about shaving and hope you keep up with my posts.
Time is still elusive and I’m burning the midnight oil to write for them and hope to burn some more to get back to blogging here at Fragrantmoments. In the meantime, check me out over at Bevel.
“I love my morning routine, which includes shaving, but I’m wondering how I can cut down on the time I’m spending in the bathroom? Shaving takes the most time?”
Martin – Memphis, TN
A couple of years ago while visiting Shinn Estate Vineyards in Mattituck, NY I was having a conversation at breakfast and grooming was the topic of the moment. When I disclosed I used a badger brush every morning, the looks I received from the gents at the table were priceless. One gent went so far as to say, “What? Where do you find the time?” My reply, “I make time. It’s me time.” I’m sure that tickled him pink inside. But in all seriousness, it’s true. I look at my morning shower, which also includes shaving, as a moment I not only have to myself, but a chance to gather my thoughts for the day. There are however, times when I just need to get it done, pronto.
I find when my blades are their sharpest, I zip through my shave. My first piece of advice then would be to make sure you’re changing your blades often. Some people recommend 5 days, other say sooner. I think you’ll know when it’s time and that’s when you should change them. If you find yourself going over the same areas a few times, it’s time to switch them out.
If you’re using a badger brush, ditch it and use your hands. While the bristles of the brush are good for massaging your face and lifting hairs, if you’re in a hurry, a few seconds count.
This last piece of advice may have the purists shunning me but oh well. For those mornings when you’re really pressed for time and you’re looking in the mirror asking yourself can you get through the day without shaving, go electric. Yep…I said it. Electric is where I started and I’ve never fully turned my back on it. Zip, zip, zip and I’m done. I enjoy the act of shaving a lot but some mornings I just need it to be done and my electric shaver comes in handy.
As always, thanks for the questions. Feel free to drop a line at fm@fragrantmoments.net.
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged details, Double Edge Safety Razor, eshave, Imagelogger, Men's Essentials, Men's grooming, NX1, Razors, Shaving, shaving supplies, Wet Shaving
For a few years now, I’ve watched the men’s grooming category explode. We have more options than ever before and have the internet to thank, in part, for that. Unfortunately retail is still a bit stale but it’s getting there. Social media, however, has helped this fresh crop of brands get their message out there and attract customers. One of those brands is Crown Shaving Company.
One day while jumping around Instagram, I stumbled upon this company and have been a fan ever since. I remember the first time I tried the product, my first reaction was, Canada isn’t so bad. Seriously though, I experienced a silky smooth shave with no irritation and it’s been all good ever since. I try a lot of products but this has stood out and become a brand of choice for me in the morning. Everything from the lather it builds to the easy glide of the razor to the way it coats and protects my face has sold me on the shaving cream. But it doesn’t stop there. They also have an after shave that’s equally impressive and if you require a preshave oil, they have one of the best.
Below is an interview I recently conducted with it’s head honcho, Dino Caracciolo. Give it a read and get familiar. If you haven’t heard of them yet, well, keep your eyes on them.
The men’s grooming category has received a lot of attention in the past few years. So much so I heard someone compare it to what’s happening with microbreweries. It’s clear to see from following you on instagram, however, your roots run deeper than this trend. Please explain how you got started?
There has definitely been a revival of sorts with barbershops popping up everywhere the last several years and what may have seemed a trend is only picking up more steam with old school shops opening all over the globe. I was fortunate to grow up on both sides of the business, beauty salons as well as barbershops. My dad was a barber/hair stylist while my mom was a hair stylist and also provided manicures. I decided at an early age I wanted to be in that biz and by age 18 I completed my 10 months of beauty/barber school and went on to work full time in the family business.
What made you realize the category needed another brand?
After years behind the chair I suddenly began to develop adverse reactions to many of the products found in the shop. This became so bad that I eventually had to stop working behind the chair and I took on a management roll. In the mid 2000 I began having reactions to the shave creams and lotions I was using. Unable to find a brand that had ingredients I wasn’t allergic to and all the while being packaged for a man, proved to be quite a task so I set out to work with a formulator and develop something I could use. There were plenty of brands out there but I knew that a lot of guys wanted a better product without the frilly unisex packaging. I also knew that my barbering experience would come in handy and would also be a good selling point. After a few years of research and formulation testing Crown Shaving Co. was introduced in 2010. At this point I was back behind the chair, I would use these products on my customers and the feedback was very positive.
One of the things that drew me to Crown Shaving Co. was its imagery and overt masculinity. Your tag line is “For Vagabonds, Gentlemen and Ruffians.” Explain why you felt this was the right direction?
I believe all men can relate to our tag-line. Each man has within them a little vagabond, gentleman and ruffian. I wanted this brand to appeal to all men and I think we nailed that. I recently received an email from a gent in his late 60’s. He wanted to tell me how much he loved the products and how at different points in his life, he has been each of those, a vagabond, a gentleman and a ruffian.
What would you say is the biggest myth about men and their relationship to grooming?
The biggest myth about men in regards to grooming seems to be that its only the metro-sexual male that enjoys it. I don’t know where that term came from or why but I can tell you that every man out there enjoys good pampering. They only have to try it once, sit in a classic barber chair, get a good haircut, some good conversation and maybe even a manicure and it will become something you make time for and look forward to.
What’s next for Crown Shaving Co.?
Crown will continue to grow slowly. I have had the opportunity for distribution as well as several partnership opportunities but I feel it is still in the early stages of a growing category in the men’s grooming market and I prefer to be hands on for the time being working closely with my network of retail partners. As far as new products, we will be launching our roll on cologne as well as a body powder in 2015.
For a list of where to find Crown Shaving Co, log onto their site to see where they can be found online and stores near you.
Now that we’re in the thick of summer, shaving can be a real chore…umm add to that grooming in general. While we’re taking off layers of clothing, the last thing we want to do is put on extra lotions, etc. I recently gave Dove Men Care Expert Shave Smoothing Shave Cream a test run and out the gate, it felt incredibly light against my skin – a win for the brutal summer months.
The Dove Men Care Expert Shave Cream is a partnership between Dove and leading barbers and dermatologists. It’s been formulated to give shavers adequate moisture, protect the skin and provide a smooth glide. Sound familiar, you bet. Does it deliver, indeed it does.
The first thing that caught my attention about the shave cream was it’s scent. It’s beautifully masculine without being being overly bravado. It smells like you’d want to smell all day. Next, the cream does produce a very good lather but it felt more foamy rather than creamy. I like a good lather and with just a tap into the shave cream, you can work up a good one. The more I worked it in, the frothier it became. The best part, and I suspect most men will appreciate this, it didn’t weigh down my face; it barely felt like it was there. In the summer time, that’s a beautiful thing.
On some occasions while testing the shave cream, I felt like it could have produced more glide. Some of the best shave creams I’ve used, after the first pass, while there maybe little visible shave cream left on my face, what remains is a slick enough surface that allows my razor to glide with ease. That’s usually when I run my hand cross grain to find spots I missed. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big deal. You can always reapply more shave cream with what’s left over on your badger brush and doing so with this shave cream gave me the extra glide needed for subsequent passes.
Overall, the shave cream performs well. Even with its scent, which could be an issue for some, my face never felt dry.The collaborators also know a thing or two about packaging. My wife commented that it looks high end. It’s very well done.
Dove Men Care Expert Shave Cream – 150ML – $21.99
Just the other day some friends were having a good laugh about As Seen On TV commercials. Somehow they always exaggerate the problem, e.g., her knife is so dull it flies out of her hand or her colander just doesn’t work the way it used to. My wife usually gets a kick out of them barking at the TV, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” One As Seen On TV commercial that couldn’t be more spot on is the one for the Microtouch One Classic Safety Razor.
With the boom the men’s grooming sector is receiving, this couldn’t have come at a better time. For the young man looking to take up traditional shaving, his choices could be overwhelming. And with the some of the sexy marketing companies are employing, he could end up spending more than he needs to before he actually knows what he’s doing. The Microtouch One Classic Safety Razor is $19.99 and it is exactly what he needs.
For this very attainable price, you receive a double edge safety razor and a generous amount of razor blades. The one I was sent came with the stand pictured above as well. The instrument itself is a twist to open constructed razor, which is very easy to use (that was actually the design of my first safety razor). It also has a good weight to it and an excellent grip, both important qualities when looking for a good razor. As for the shave, I was impressed. It handled just as well as the safety razor I use everyday. The blades provided are by Dorco and while they aren’t the sharpest, for someone just getting into traditional shaving, it’s a good place to start.
Overall, the Microtouch One Classic Safety Razor is an excellent option for anyone looking to get into traditional shaving. Good craftsmanship along with good weight and excellent grip makes it hard to beat at that price.
Disclosure: This review is based on a sample I was sent. My opinions are, however, my own.
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