Cremo Cream revisited

I did a review of Cremo Cream a number of years ago. It fared pretty well, although I found it more suitable to a cartridge razor than a DE, speculating at the time that the thickness of the cream might be clogging up the blade. I remember that, at the time, I loved the packaging and the coconut smell, but found the shave quality just OK. A few weeks ago, the makers of Cremo Cream asked me to do a follow up review, as the product line has changed and expanded. I was pleased to oblige with the usual warning that I could not be bought with a few samples….that would require substantial money in at least the 4 digit range (hey, this is shaving we’re talking about, not smartphones). They didn’t oblige.

The product line has grown nicely with just the right assortment; the makers of Cremo Cream have wisely avoided flooding it with all the crazy shit that high-end brands go for, like eye cream, firming lotion, toner, and a host of other stuff derived from the junk they sell women. Cremo is a straightforward, useful line with shave cream,  face wash, and moisturizer. I could see a good clean shampoo and body wash in their future, as valuable line extensions that would fit nicely for men’s grooming.

The main differences between the Men’s and Women’s lines is the scent of the shave cream; Bergamot for men and the original Coconut for women.  I liked the original scent and used both in this test series. The Bergamot is very pleasant, as is the Coconut. A nice choice to make on different days (or you could use both, one on each side of your face for a real zing!). The packaging is very distinctive, especially the shave cream, which uses a hefty tube with a good feel to it. Gone is the original red cross, replaced by a crown. Not sure why. Perhaps, the Red Cross complained of brand infringement, or simply having something that signifies a medical emergency might not be creating the best image for a shave cream! I wonder how long the crown will last….perhaps Rolex will complain of brand infringement.

I tend to classify shave products into one of two categories: Modern and Traditional. Modern products tend to be very slick, slippery, and non-drying on the one hand, but they also tend to leave a slight film on the skin on the other. Traditional products tend to be less slick and require a bit more work to get a good lather, but rinse off very cleanly, consistent with their soap base. I use and like both types of products, preferring the Modern when I’m using a cartridge razor; they seem very well mated to each other. I still prefer a good traditional shave soap or cream when using a DE or straight razor. The Modern products are also less drying, a result, I suspect, of the film that is left on the skin. Unlike many who take up traditional shaving, I am not dogmatic. Like good cuisine, I like it all….just because I like Chinese, doesn’t mean I can’t like Greek food equally well. It’s not an either/or situation.

Cremo Cream tends to the Modern, as do the Cremo Wash and the Moisturizer.

The Cremo Wash is effective, although it does leave a hint of film on the skin. On the other hand, it is not at all drying. I would likely appreciate the Cremo Wash more in the colder months where a Canadian Winter will turn your skin into parchment in no time. In the Summer, I prefer a soap as my pre-shave wash because the skin is already pretty oily from the heat and sweat. What I’ve been doing lately, which may sound crazy, is loading up my shaving brush with a good shave soap, and washing my whole face with the brush, prior to reapplying the soap for a shave; a little homemade exfoliation! Works great!

The Shave Cream produces a very nice lather, whether you use a brush or just your fingertips. It loves water and gets very slick. It produces an outstanding shave with a good cartridge razor (my own preference is the Harry’s line; the best of its ilk and close to the DE “feel”). I also used it with a DE and it was fine, although, IMHO, a classic soap or cream still play better with cold steel. I didn’t have the guts to try it with a straight, mainly because I’m still learning and am petrified most of the time. Did I already mention that I really like the scent of Cremo Cream?

The Moisturizer is effective, odourless, goes on easily and dries quickly,  It feels in between a balm and a cream, with a slight milky transparency. It’s a very good product, especially if you insist, as I do, on a scentless moisturizer. Clinique’s M-Lotion, my all-time favourite is just slightly better, but I also like variety and would see Cremo Moisturizer as an excellent alternative. Chinese vs. Greek, remember?

Overall, I was very impressed by the evolution of the Cremo line and its performance. It’s a modern line for the traditional shaver. Hey, that’s not a bad tag line. If you eschew the high-end modern stuff as expensive fluff directed at Metros, but want something that offers a taste of the modern while staying close to traditional values, Cremo is a great offering. Enjoy…I’m off to a good Chinese lunch, all this talk of food has made me hungry!

 

 

 

Harry’s

When Mr. Dario, our intrepid New York correspondent, introduced me to Harry’s shave system, I was skeptical.  I’m not much of a cartridge shaver, although in fairness I do use a Schick Hydro 5 and some Kiss My Face brushless cream when I travel. Frankly, hotel showers are not the most conducive to DE shaving not to mention the challenges of travelling carry-on with DE blades (Not!!!).

The appeal of Harry’s is that, at least from the photos, the products have a retro look and just appear very well-made. Well, having just received my starer pack ($15 including 3 blades), I can tell you that the packaging, razor heft and feel, blade design, etc., all have a very high value-for-money presentation. I went for the ivory coloured Truman razor and it has the look and feel of a razor many times its price.

Is there room in the market for yet another cartridge razor? At less than $2 a blade, the real test will be how many shaves I can get. Gillette claims up to 5 weeks of daily use for their Fusion blades, while the forums point to a more realistic 2 weeks (14 shaves). Fusion blades run about $4.50 a piece, so we’ll see if the Harry’s blades really are a good deal. Of course, the quality of the shave will also be of paramount importance. Let you know tomorrow.

Wow…what a blade!

I can think of few technologies that don’t perform better today than they did when I was a kid. Of course, I don’t include foodstuffs in that statement, which are generally quanta shittier in taste than they were even as little as 20 years ago. I’m talking mainly about the products of technology itself: Cars, fridges, watches, airplanes, computers, cellphones, etc. Notice I said “perform”, meaning ease of use, efficacy, accuracy, user friendliness, etc. Unfortunately, what HAS suffered is longevity; everything is cleverly designed to work faultlessly but for a very limited and pre-defined time….also known as planned obsolescence.

Until the last few days, I really couldn’t think of anything that actually worked better in an earlier incarnation. Sure, I love my 42 year old Rolex (bought new for $185 in 1971); it still works well, but has always lost or gained a minute or two every week from new. I recently received a gift of a Swiss Military watch which I’ve been wearing for the last two months while my watch is off for its once-a-decade routine cleaning and lubrication. This $200 watch from Costco keeps faultless time and is waterproof far beyond the limits of my watch. Will it last 40+ years? Of course not. Does it PERFORM better? Doubtlessly.

A few days ago I was reviewing my double-edge blade supply and realized that I was running very low (thanks to turning my son onto DE shaving and his penchant for helping himself to my supplies). I noticed a pack of vintage late 1960’s or early ’70’s Gillette stainless steel blades sitting in the display case that came with my new-old-stock Gillette Fat-Boy razor that I acquired a few years ago on eBay. I couldn’t resist the temptation to try one of these 40-50 year old blades, knowing that it went against every rule of safety and sanitation; even though the blades appear intact in their dispenser, it isn’t sealed in cellophane and someone COULD have used one and replaced it in order to preserve its value.

Nevertheless, I remembered the wise counsel of one of my psychotherapist colleagues. She is a world-class authority on Cognitive Behavior Therapy and deals with a lot of OCD and anxiety cases. She once told me that the key to treating phobias was to transition patients’ thinking from “Unlikely but possible”, to “Possible but unlikely”. I decided that it was very unlikely that these blades had ever been used and loaded one into my trusty E.J. Chatsworth razor.

All I can say is this: I have tried almost every DE blade on the market over the last 6 years, from Russian Sputniks (terrific) to Japanese Feathers (so sharp as to be almost unusable without massive blood loss), but this vintage Gillette DE puts them all to absolute shame! I had a two-day beard growth and even with the first with-the-grain pass, I achieved an almost whisker free face. The second pass produced a BBS result, and the third pass was essentially an irrelevant gesture to habit.

I repeated the shave a day later and the results were even better. If you’re a DE shaver and have never tried one of these, RUN don’t walk to eBay and stock up. These were my two best shaves EVER!

Asses’ milk shaving soap

This isn’t a joke, although it lends itself to plenty of jokes.

It has been said that for its size, Paris isn’t a great wet-shaver’s city. There are very few specialty shops dedicated to wet-shaving, although most pharmacies stock a few products. While I was in Paris a few weeks ago, I heard of a store called Planète Rasoir (Razor Planet). I took a cab to the store, where I found an elegantly laid out shop with a good inventory of shaving and grooming gear. Unfortunately, like everything else in France, it was priced through the roof in multiples of what I would pay on line.

I was on the lookout for French-made products, especially soaps and shaving creams. There wasn’t much….Plisson, of course, and a collection of no-brand tins of shaving soap made from Asses’ milk. Yes, you read that right…the milk of donkeys. It was crazy expensive at 35 Euros for a small tin (about 50 bucks with taxes). The sales clerk mentioned that it was made for the store by a private supplier and that it would last for at least a year in daily use. I bought one, hoping it wasn’t I who would turn out to be the ass.

Upon my return to Montreal, I was eager to get some ass (you see, the jokes are inevitable). I tried it. As soon as my Plisson brush touched the soap it burst into the most incredible, thick, slick lather I have ever used. No joke: This may well be the world’s greatest shaving soap. A couple of swirls with the brush and it produces the most copious quantities of rich lather that lasts for 3-5 passes. Unbelievable shave. It puts all my other soaps and creams to shame.

If someone you know is going to Paris, ask them to pick you up a tin. Or just call the store and order one. Pay whatever it costs for shipping. Do it now….move your ass.

Humangear

A few months ago I bought a couple of travel-tube containers (GOTOOB brand) from our local outdoors/camping store. I really loved them and wrote about them here. They are quite ingeniously designed and made from a material that feels comfortable to the hand and easy to squeeze all the liquid or cream from.

The company that makes these, Humangear, must have a social network monitoring function, because I was contacted shortly thereafter asking if I would review the other parts of their line. I said sure, with the caveat that I’m not easily bought by a few freebies (unless of course it’s a Leica or Ferrari), and that the review would be fair and possibly pretty tough.

A selection of other containers followed, and I took some time to test them out in my various business and pleasure travels over the Summer.

I continue to be very impressed. The one-handed opening of the travel tubs (GOTUB) is very handy, and despite this they stay very secure otherwise. The little expandable GOCUP is also very cool; a combined pillbox and drinking cup! Although it’s hard to explain scientifically, I just really like the feel of these containers in the hand. They are soft and flexible and lack the cheap, hard feel of other travel containers. They feel expensive, and they are (relatively speaking). A lifetime warranty takes some of the sting out of the price, although the company has a materials compatibility page for its GOTOOB line, and you should make sure that you avoid any substances that will damage the containers or you.

A 5/5 rating in my book. A must have for any traveler.

Shaving with 4 ounces of beer

I’ve been in Kingston, Ontario for the long-weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving), so blogging has been non-existent. It’s been a while since I did a shaving related post, so thanks to Mr. Dario, here’s a cute photo reportage about how New Yorkers coped with the City’s 1949 water shortage.

I particularly liked the one about the Daily News reporter shaving with 4 ounces of beer:

Another shaving gear cleanup

When I got back into gourmet shaving in 2007, I went a little nuts. I bought hundreds (more likely, thousands) of dollars worth of creams, soaps, brushes, razors, blades, etc.

Even if one shaves daily, there’s no way to go through the dozens of tubs of shave creams and bars of shaving soap that I had accumulated. Mind you, I did use them all, but I couldn’t use them all up! This is less of a problem for the soaps, but a big problem for the creams which seem to dry up and harden over time. Not to mention that the chemicals in these products tend to age and denature, creating who-knows-what byproducts that could be harmful to the skin.

I went through a huge cleanup last year, and today was the second one, throwing out five or six tubs of cream, among them many favorites that had survived Round 1.

My approach these days is a little more mature. I’ll buy one or two creams and soaps, use them up completely and then move on to a replacement. In any case, I find my tastes have narrowed down substantially and I only use maybe 3 creams and 5 soaps.

Go Toob

If you’re a frequent flier, you know that the restrictions on carry-on liquids have been a real pain-in-the-ass (PITA) for the carrying of one’s daily toiletterie needs. It’s hard enough for a man, I can only imagine how tough it must be for women, who carry vast armamentaria of lotions and potions.

My own needs are quite simple: Some shampoo, body wash, shaving cream, after-shave balm. Unfortunately, most of the stuff that I like (fragrance-free) isn’t available in small travel sizes, and I’m stuck trying to download them into cheap, rigid, leaky, weirdly shaped plastic containers that I buy at the drug-store. And getting stuff out of these rigid plastic bottles is often a challenge, especially when you’re down to the last few drops you need to get at on a longer stay.

Yesterday, I was at our local kayaking and outdoors store, Base Camp. These are terrific people. It’s a small store but renown for having the top-of-the-line equipment in every category they support. We’ve bought four kayaks from them over the years, as well as a host of accessories. But it’s not about the equipment, it’s about the service. The staff is highly knowledgeable and tremendously helpful. Last week I bought a roof rack for the kayaks and yesterday the Thule bike accessories. In each case the staff (yesterday it was the owner) spent hours installing everything for me…no charge.

While I was at the store, I noticed something called Go Toobs. These are plastic containers with a soft body and a solid, wide, leak-proof, drip-proof cap. And get a load of the suction cup on the medium size, that allows you to stick it to the shower stall wall if there’s no shelf! Ingenious. I bought the only two they had left and plan to order a couple more. This is a real Cool Tool! Can’t wait to try them out on my next trip. There are a million ideas waiting for discovery out there. You just have to look at those small daily frustrations that you go through, to find them.

Razorpit test day 11 – Redux

I took my 11th shave with the same DE blade on Monday, a Wilkinson Sword treated with the Razorpit blade “sharpener” (it doesn’t really sharpen, but rather cleans the blade of accumulated skin cells, hair, soap scum, etc.).

The 10th shave had been a revelation; I had flipped the blade over and “stropped” it on both sides, providing a truly marvelous shave. But unfortunately, it didn’t endure. By the 11th shave the blade was pretty much done for; a spectacular performance by the way, doubling the useful life of a DE blade is no small accomplishment.

So, here’s my completely anecdotal and unscientific redux of the Razorpit: It works. The science of it makes little sense, in that you aren’t really stropping the blade (unless you flip it over for each shave), nor are you fully cleaning it, since the dirt on the underside of the blade doesn’t get touched in the normal cleaning process (again, unless you are ready to flip the blade over each time). But it really does work; I got great shaves all the way to the end and more than doubled the useful life of the blade.

The Razorpit web site claims that you can get up to 6 times the shaves from a single razor, but they are referring to the multi-blade cartridge razors and I can’t comment on that claim since I only shave DE.

For the DE shaver, of course, the question becomes, why would I want to do this?

My DE blades cost around a quarter. There are more expensive ones like the Japanese Feathers running around 50 cents. A Razorpit costs about 30 bucks, with which I can buy an additional 120 blades or about 3 year’s worth at my shaving pace (I shave on average every 2 days and replace the blade every third shave). So, I’m not sure that the savings is worth the extra clutter in my shower, nor the extra time it takes to clean the blade. But that’s me.

If you are environmentally obsessed and want to prevent every morsel of waste from entering the environment (steel does break down quickly though), the environmental argument might be compelling. And after the 3 year break-even point, well, the Razorpit will save you money (unless you drop it and it breaks).

Overall, this is an excellent product that does what it claims. The economies for a cartridge saver might be really worth it at the price of those suckers and if the Razorpit can really produce 150 shaves from one blade. I’d love to try it, but can’t stand the thought of shaving with a Fusion or Hydro 5 for almost a year. Besides….the lubricating strip certainly wouldn’t last the 150 shaves, so not sure if it would be as effective without it.

Razorpit shave test days 9 & 10

I had shave #9 in the Razorpit test series last Tuesday, just before leaving for Vancouver. The blade felt pretty well done, at about the same level as an untreated blade at around day 5. Still, 9 shaves is almost double the lifespan of the blade; pretty good in my book.

This afternoon, getting ready to go for dinner at a friend’s, I jumped into the shower, forgetting to put a fresh blade in my E.J. Chatsworth razor. The day 9 blade was still there. Too late to switch blades and not looking forward to getting cut, I gave the blade a few strokes on the Razorpit, took it out of the razor, flipped it over, and put it back in, giving it a final few Razorpit swipes on the other side (sort of like stropping a straight-edge on an old-fashioned leather strop).

The blade was transformed! It felt like a day 2 shave with an untreated blade. Smooth as silk. I got a beautiful BBS shave, and I think this baby may even have a few more shaves left on it. Can you imagine getting 12-15 great shaves on a single DE blade????

I think the Razorpit guys need to revise their recommendations. Why not flip the blade over each time and give it a good cleaning/ersatz stropping with each shave?