Phoenix & Beau "Obsidian" - Shave of The Day & Review

Greetings gents!

Welcome to another post, with another video review of a fantastic soap.  Below is a brief outline of the tools used today.

SOTD 6/8/16
Phoenix & Beau Obsidian, Cadman 26mm Silvertip, RazoRock Bazooka, Astra SP (25), Cold Rinse.
Simply stunning shave, scent to die for, performance that is second to none.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Nanny's Silly Soap "The Beef" First Impressions

Greetings readers!

Today I present my first video to you all.  I was given a sample of Nanny's Silly Soap "The Beef" in Lemon, Basil and Mandarin to test in pre-production.  This sample is a 'tweaked' version, the tweak for which I was not privy to prior to testing.

So, without further ado, here's my first video!  Apologies for the lighting issues in the video, the camera did not play nicely in the bathroom.

I hope you enjoy!  Please comment on the video, subscribe if you like what you see, and definitely check out Nanny's Silly Soap, they are fantastic!

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau 'Spitfire' Soap

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Spitfire - A tallow shaving soap with the apparent ability to bend time.

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:

SCENT:
When the soap was announced, I almost anticipated the profile as it was delivered.  I expected leather, and tobacco, but not so much the gin (juniper).  It makes perfect sense, the sharpness penetrates the smooth leather to bring balance to the profile.  The tobacco is almost a supporting scent to my nose, acting as a mixer if you will.  All in all, it evokes the true spirit that must have existed in the squadrons of pilots who so bravely piloted Reginald Mitchell's masterpiece (Reginald Mitchell is a local hero around these parts, Stoke on Trent).  This is top draw scent profiling, I can see EXACTLY what Kerry was aiming for here.  One thing to note, like many soaps that are a great blend of fragrances, face lathering changes how you perceive them.  Try it, I personally love how it changes this scent, bringing to me, more tobacco to the front.

LATHERABILITY:
I tested this soap with various brushes in both the bowl and on my face, and find this soap to be on par with the rest of the P&B range.  Easy to load, easy to build, and almost foolproof.  It doesn't take long at all to get a bowl or face full of rich, dense lather at all.  Top marks yet again Kerry, guard this soap recipe with your life!

PERFORMANCE:
Excuse the Uncle Albert moment here, but during the war, you needed an airplane that could do it all, and do it all well.  During a shave, you need that too.  This soap (as I've come to expect from P&B) delivers in spades in terms of slickness and in cushion.  The soap allows the blade to glide across the face with almost reckless abandon, it is that good.  I wouldn't of course recommend complacency when using any soap, but you get that level of reassurance that when you're feeling the results of the mess hall from the night before, Spitfire will guide you through the dogfight and safely out the other side.

POST SHAVE:
When you have a great shave, you feel good, and when your skin feels good post shave, you feel even better.  Here we have a soap that delivers that feel, gives that glorious finish that really shouldn't be possible given what your skin has been through. 

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
We traditional wet shavers enjoy our shave.  We enjoy not only the act of shaving, but the ritual and experience that come along with it.  There is an experience to be had here that is very different from other soaps.  Whilst some soaps have the ability to evoke powerful memories, this soap appears to have the ability to bend the space/time continuum.  You're transported to a time gone by when men were men, when you stared death in the face and radioed back to base to 'cancel two late lunches', when Britain was truly Great.  The soap itself is fantastic, the scent nostalgic, the experience?  Magical. 

Shaving Whilst Travelling

Greetings all!

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.

Shave of the Day - A Memorial Shave

Welcome to Sorrell Shaves

Today is a hard day for me, as it marks the sixth anniversary of the day we lost my dad.  He was a great man, who taught me many things, one of which was shaving.

 

I started out at a tender young age, finding whatever razors were around at the time (usually BIC disposables, the horrible orange plastic things) and hacking away at the fuzz emanating from my young face.  When my dad cottoned on, he taught me the ways.  I started out with what I recall being a Gillette Red Tip, only to migrate to a Gillette Sensor Excel, a Gillette Mach 3 and on occasion when I was out of blades, my dads Wilkinson Sword Quattro.

That brings me on to todays shave.  With six years passing, I'd not been able to bring myself to use my dads razor, but it is something left to me and it is something he'd want me to do.  So, with that in mind, this last week I set about obtaining the things I needed to replicate a typical shave of my dads.  I had his razor handle (Wilkinson Sword Quattro), and his old brush (another Wilkinson Sword brush).  He was a regular user of either L'Occitane Cade soap or the Wilkinson Blue Bowl soap.  I had also been left his old L'Occitane bowl but this was beyond use due to corrosion, so I purchased a replacement.  Sadly, the Cade soap has been discontinued, but I had a Wilkinson Blue Bowl soap in my collection already.  I simply put the puck in the L'Occitane bowl, an acceptable hybrid of items.  I purchased Quattro Titanium blades for the first time, £7 for four cartridges!  I remembered well his use of two splashes as I grew up, Brut and Old Spice.  I had the Old Spice in my cupboard too.  I added the Phoenix & Beau Balm as I know he would have sung it's praises highly.

With that, I prepared in my usual manner with a hot towel whilst the brush soaked.  I loaded the brush heavily on the puck as I was going to face lather today.  I took the time to lather whilst I contemplated the vast amount of happy memories, and it felt like my dad was standing there with me, like the first time he showed me how to lather.  I took the razor to my face, and found that the shave passed quickly and without drama.  I performed a two pass shave as my dad taught when I was a youngster, first with, then against the grain.  The razor gave a very good shave, close and smooth.  I did have to load the brush again for the second pass, but this is typical of the small knotted brush.  Once the shave was finished, I performed my cold towel session, then finished with the balm and splash.  A good shave was had today, it was a nice way to remember my dad on this hard day.

Hot Towel, Wilkinson Sword Blue Bowl Soap, Wilkinson Sword Boar, Wilkinson Sword Quattro, Wilkinson Sword Quattro Titanium (1), Cold Towel, Phoenix & Beau Balm, Old Spice

REVIEW - Proraso Green Shaving Soap

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
It's a soft shaving soap, made in Italy.

Proraso Green Soap - Our shaving soap formula undergos a traditional “hot process”. The shaving cream is left to mature in small batches for a period of 10 days in a temperature-controlled room that protects the batches from temperature shifts. During this maturing process, moisture evaporates from the formulation resulting in a solid, concentrated shaving soap; perfect for professional brush application.
COMPONENTS - EUCALYPTUS OIL has a tonifying and purifying effect. MENTHOL has refreshing and revitalizing properties. GLYCERIN encourages a smooth shave, reducing irritation and redness. 

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
I swirl my dampened brush around the pot for about 10-15 seconds, which gives enough soap to make lather for four passes with touch up if needed.  Transfer to your bowl or face and whip up a storm.  It's suited for both bowl and face latherers alike, with no real difference in building.  I actually quite like face lathering Proraso, as you get the cold build up nicely on your face, great for summer.

SCENT:
The scent of Proraso Green is a bit polarising I've found.  The way I interpret the scent is contradictory.  I get fresh menthol vapours with the eucalyptus following quite strongly, but sometimes I find the eucalyptus a little musty smelling.  It's not necessarily a bad thing, just a property of the scent.

LATHERABILITY:
No problems here getting a good lather, but this is a soap that you can easily over water, killing the lather dead.  Add water slowly, literally a few drops at a time to build the ideal lather.

PERFORMANCE:
With Proraso Green, I find the cooling nature of the soap lends itself to seemingly killing irritation.  This is both good and bad as it can give that false sense of security, leading you to add more pressure than is needed.  That said, there is sufficient cushion with a well built lather to see you through a shave, and there is just enough glide to ensure you mow down your whiskers.  It's not the slickest soap I've used, but is more than adequate for all types of shaver.

POST SHAVE:
The cooling sensation offered by the ingredients give that really fresh feel when you've finished a shave.  I do get a bit of tightness, almost like my skin is half a size too small, it's a snug feeling if you will.  I do like to follow up with a balm when I've used Proraso Green to give a bit more moisture that my skin likes.  Again, not a huge downside, but one to be aware of if your skin dries easily.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
The low price point of the product does not indicate a cheap product, rather it indicates that quality products can be available at a bargain price.  I'd recommend this soap for anyone who loves a cold blast in the morning, or loves the scent of pressed eucalyptus leaves.  I took Proraso Green away with me on holiday last year as it is a reliable performer, doesn't take up too much space in your shave bag, and you know you'll get a great shave come rain or shine.  The question is, would I buy it again?  Quite probably yes, as it is a very well priced product, dare I say it punching above it's price point.

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau Solaris Tallow Soap

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Solaris Soap - A tallow based soap, that gives exquisite shaves.

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
As I found with the early samples of the P&B tallow soap, this soap loads nice and easy, and gives a lather that is dense, rich, creamy and almost totally void of visible bubbles.  Using any type of shave brush, you can get a quality lather that is a joy to use...read on!

SCENT:
This is the most delicately fragranced so far of all Phoenix & Beau's offerings, but that's not to say it is lacking in scent, only that like a summers meadow, the scent is gentle, almost caressing of your nose.  The strongest note is the bitter lemon, followed by the balancing mint that brings an element of a balmy summers evening, sipping a G&T on the picnic blanket in said meadow.  Very fresh, ideal for a day where you want something slightly cooling.

LATHERABILITY:
As we've come to love (and expect), Solaris lathers up a storm very quickly indeed.  A wet brush taken to the soap brings oodles of prelather that creates this beauty in the bowl:

PERFORMANCE:
Performance is clearly something very important to Phoenix & Beau, as Solaris has all the boxes ticked.  More glide than a figure skater on ice and more cushion that your local DFS (or indeed any other sofa superstore).  I am in no doubt that this is a result of the thorough testing that occurred prior to launch, something I love about the P&B ethos, involve the customer in every stage.

POST SHAVE:
Yes, yes and more yes.  I tried a new razor today (see photo below) and found that even with a fearsome blade, there is no degradation in PSF (post shave finish).  My skin feels exactly like it should.  Top marks again.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
Well well well, a full house of brilliant soaps in the Phoenix & Beau collection.  To be honest, I had no doubt that this would be the case.  The care that goes into making these soaps is evident in every aspect.  This is an ideal soap for someone wanting a fresh scent, amazing performance and unparalleled post shave feel.  I leave you with this photo of what was a glorious shave of the day, brightened indeed by the rays of Solaris.

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau Sanskrit Tallow Soap

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Sanskrit Soap - A tallow based soap, that gives exquisite shaves.

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
As I found with the early samples of the P&B tallow soap, this soap loads nice and easy, and gives a lather that is dense, rich, creamy and almost totally void of visible bubbles.  Using any type of shave brush, you can get a quality lather that is a joy to use...read on!
SCENT:
As I've mentioned to Kerry, I had visions of how Sanskrit would smell in my mind.  The notes mentioned are contained in one of my favourite fragrances, however, Sanskrit manages to do it's own thing, and boy does it do it well.  The dominant scent to me is the lemony zest of the cardamom, with cloves coming through here and there.  The warm, sweet notes of sandalwood peek through on occasion, with the black pepper becoming the soaps parting gift as the scent begins to wane after your shave.  It is certainly a spicy scent, with a nod to scents our grandfathers would likely have been familiar with.  A grand scent indeed.

LATHERABILITY:
We have no issues here, but this is not unsurprising.  A good load produced copious amounts of prelather, which in the bowl translated to ample lather for 5 passes easily.  Built to a wet but not runny lather in almost no time, I found myself yet again with no bubbles, only creamy (in texture and almost in colour) dense lather ready to adorn my waiting face.

PERFORMANCE:
With two of P&B's soaps under my belt, I had set my bar high for this.  I had hoped that I would find the same immense levels of performance in Sanskrit as I had the others.  Well, I am pleased to say that the hope was not in vain.  The performance is there in spades.  Fantastic glide as I've come to expect from Kerry's soaps.  Cushion was spot on again.  I like to be able to just about feel the blade, to know what it is doing, otherwise I feel I might get cocky with the blade and push things too far.  I am allowed to feel the blade, but not too much.  Perfect.

POST SHAVE:
As with the other two P&B soaps, I have found post-shave nirvana here with Sanskrit.  Not dry at all, in fact, quite the opposite, my skin feels like I've applied balms and creams until the cows come home.  Very, VERY good finish.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
My honest opinion?  You'll do well to find a Oxford English Dictionary, look up the word excellence and revel in everything that follows.

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau 'Citra Royale' Tallow Soap

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Citra Royale Soap - A tallow based soap, that gives exquisite shaves.

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
As I found with the early samples of the P&B tallow soap, this soap loads nice and easy, and gives a lather that is dense, rich, creamy and almost totally void of visible bubbles.  Using any type of shave brush, you can get a quality lather that is a joy to use...read on!

SCENT:
In the pot, the scent is a fresh, punchy citrus scent, with a woody undertone that invigorates the senses. Ideal for a morning shave where you need that perky lift.  When mixing your lather in the bowl, the sweet burst of lime that comes through really lifts your spirits, with the woody balance of the cedar and litsea cubeba coming through to balance the scent perfectly.  On the face, the scent is there, but not too much to become imposing or unpleasant, enough so you know it is there and catch your attention.  Very nice indeed.

LATHERABILITY:
We have no issues here.  The new pots in which the soap comes are nice and wide, allowing for very easy loading.  Once in the bowl, the lather becomes very elastic quickly, and with the addition of water, expands and becomes almost like chewing gum.  I'm a light loader as I don't like to waste a good product, a 10-15 second load gives me enough lather for 3 passes and easily enough for two more plus touch up.  A very simple soap to lather.

PERFORMANCE:
I had some amazing results from the early sample of the unscented soap, and my understanding is that the base recipe is the same.  This did indeed translate to the same performance here.  Glide for days, and just the right amount of cushion from the blade in my Merkur 39C.  There is more than enough glide to perform blade buffing on my heaviest growth, as well as allowing the blade to slide effortlessly over my problem areas below the jawline without so much as a whisker of a problem.

POST SHAVE:
This was the highlight area of the test samples, and I am pleased to announce that this has not diminished in the slightest when it comes to the production soaps.  I like to finish my shave with a cold towel and nothing else, Citra Royale allows this perfectly.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
In short, this is one amazing soap.  It performs how a soap should (other manufacturers take note!), smells divine and is VERY good value for money.  For the small price of £10.95 you get the highest performing soap I've ever used, with a scent that wakens the senses in the best possible way.

Traditional Shaving Saves You Money?

Welcome to the latest installment of Sorrell Shaves!

Today we discuss the topic of the cost of shaving.  We've all seen the astronomical prices of modern cartridges, and the ever increasing presence of batteries in your razor, leading to yet more cost and buzzing objects in the bathroom.  Take note, not even your toothbrush really NEEDS batteries.  A razor sure doesn't.  Anyhow, I digress.

With a little research you can see that razor blades for DE razors are vastly cheaper than cartridges.  Yes, an actual DE razor could well cost much more than your average Mach 6.5 mk3 buzzer-equipped Super Razor (you can get some budget models south of £20), and a puck of soap is likely more than your average can of ectoplasm (sorry, shave gel), but stick with traditional wet shaving and you can start to see some savings.

From experience, one Mach 3 cartridge would last me two shaves before pulling more than your average Lothario on a Friday night.  A can of shave gel would last a couple of months tops.  Working this out over the course of a year, you come to a grand total of £317.05.  Quite a cost for keeping the whiskers away from ones face.

Now, based on experience with DE shaving, the cost is lower, quite a bit lower.  £96.39 to be precise (based on my most durable blades, 4 pucks of soap, a Merkur 39C razor and a simple but effective brush).  For the first year, you're looking at a saving of 69.6%!  Modern cartridge shaving is over THREE times the cost of traditional shaving if you will.  Quite impressive isn't it?

Now, you could of course achieve these savings if you can avoid the rabbit holes and acquisition tendencies we all suffer from.  What do I mean?  Well it is simple.  Once you try one quality item, your mind wonders what else is out there to try.  This curiosity leads to one more soap, or one more razor, or indeed one more brush.  The savings can quite simply vanish into thin air, or even cost you more than cartridge shaving.  By the time you've been through various soaps and razors to find your ideal combinations, those savings could well be clawed back...but it will take the patience of a Saint, the will power of...well, someone with an awful lot of will power to not buy more in the search of perfection.

In short, if you are strong willed, or indeed trying your hardest to reduce your costs, you CAN save money, but in the long run, you WILL get tempted.  I will leave you with this one simple meme that all of us can relate to, especially internally when we're explaining away yet another purchase.