Welcome all to another installment of my blog and video log! The soap of the day is Proraso Green, a long standing soap in the wet shaving world. Is it worthy of a place in your rotation? Watch the video and see what happens!
SOTD 7/8/16
Hot Towel, Triple M Oil, Proraso Green, RazoRock Monster, RazoRock Bazooka, Astra SP (26), Cold Rinse.
A great shave was had today, you'd not know the blade was 26 days old!
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WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO? Phoenix & Beau Albion Shaving Soap - It's soap that enables you to shave!
APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION: I've been testing Albion over the last 5 days to ensure I get to know it's foibles and idiosyncrasies. For the first two days I bowl lathered, and the second two days, I face lathered. Day 5 I chose my favourite method out of the two to lather...what is it I hear you ask? Well, the video review below will show!
SCENT: Albion was listed as having a predominantly bergamot, lavender and grapefruit profile, with patchouli in there to bind everything together. My initial response to the long slow inhale was wow. This is a very fresh and light scent, ideal for those who prefer a milder scented soap. Upon shaving with Albion for the first time, I was greeted with a very familiar aroma. A split second later I identified it as Earl Grey tea, which makes perfect sense given the presence of bergamot. It is a classy, light, elegant scent, very nice indeed.
LATHERABILITY: As is typical with Phoenix & Beau soaps, Albion lathers with criminal ease. A short 30 second load provides more than enough lather for 5 passes EASILY. I've learned that soaking my Cadman 26mm silvertip, then two gentle shakes provides the PERFECT amount of water to lather a P&B soap without the need for additional water. Rich, creamy lather is produced with this level of water in a bowl. For face lathering however, I suggest starting with less water as the sheer volume of lather created can overwhelm you if you're not prepared for it :D
PERFORMANCE: There is a stylised image of Her Majesty on the lid of Albion, and the performance matches the expectation of a soap more than worthy of a Royal Warrant. Those in Buckingham Palace need to try this soap, it would EASILY earn this accolade. Slick as you like, more protective than a 20 man protective detail, there is no flaw in the performance at all.
POST SHAVE: I'll say it again, a soap that provides a fantastic post shave is paramount for me. Albion does not disappoint. I'm sitting here stroking my face, trying to find a chink in the armour, but am coming up empty handed. I cannot fault the post shave feel at all. Smooth, no dryness, no tightness, nada.
CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
So, what do I think of Albion? Well, it is plain as the nose on my face
that it is a brilliant addition to not only my shave den, but the
product line from Phoenix & Beau. It has a delectable scent,
performance that other soaps can only hope for, and a post shave feel
that leaves you feeling GREAT! After the initial shave, I thought I'd
want a stronger scent, however, like a fine Earl Grey tea, the subtlety
of the aromas is key, for it is meant to be gentle. Give Albion a try,
it is truly fantastic.
Today I videoed my shave to highlight the wonderful MWF, and how to get a cracking lather from it. Is it rocket science or is it best to revert to basics for it? Find out below!
As always, thanks for reading and for watching my recent installments. Please like and subscribe if you find the content helpful or entertaining. Comments and criticism always welcome, every day is a school day!
I've lovingly prepared a video shave of the day
today. All the info is in the video, check it out guys and I'd very
much appreciate your likes and subscribes!
I write this brief article from my hotel room at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole. Why am I here? Well, it's for a conference dedicated to the service desk industry, and how to make it brilliant. But I digress.
Whilst I am away, I still want to shave, so the dilemma is "what on earth does one take to shave whilst travelling?" I say dilemma, it is more torture. Whilst I am essentially a creature of habit, I crave variety in my shave.
Last summer whilst on a short break in Wales, I took a "one size fits all" shaving kit, and it worked well. I took my Merkur 39C, Proraso Green Soap, Wilkinson Sword Brush, balms, creams, alum and a melamine cereal bowl to lather with a cornucopia of items I've since forgotten. Fast forward to this week and I wanted something less bulky over all. So what to take?
I think it is important to consider that you don't want your shave experience to suffer, so take what works well. If you can, leave your lovely ceramic bowls and scuttles behind, and face lather. Bring one quality soap that leaves your skin in a very happy place, that way you may not need a balm or lotion to finish. Do bring a small brush and a single razor, but multiple blades. A synthetic brush is ideal for travel as it is quicker drying. By considering your shaving equipment carefully, you can limit your baggage to a manageable level (I had a single bag to take with me, limited in space).
I have taken with me:
Merkur 39C
Astra Superior Platinum Blades
Phoenix & Beau Citra Royale
Body Shop Synthetic Brush
And that is it. My shave is great, my skin feels superb and my overnight bag still has space for anything I want to bring back with me. Next time you travel, think critically about your shave, you may surprise yourself about what you truly need.
