The most luxurious shave a gentleman can have has to be the hot towel shave. Sit back, relax and take in the soothing scents and pure comfort as the hot towel soaks into your skin and beard hairs turning them soft and ripe for an easy shave. This month's box features another new brand with products for a great shave as well as a scented hot towel ritual.
Dear Barber Shaving Biscuit
Dear Barber is a another one of the fantastic new British male grooming brands that have been popping up over the past couple of years. Each of their products have an old-world British feel to them, particularly their “shave biscuit” which comes in a beautifully presented, wooden-styled tub. More of a shaving cream than a biscuit but its performance is first-class; creating a very dense lather that provides a thick layer of protection between your skin and the blade for a comfortable smooth shave every time. Definitely one of the stronger shaving creams out there. It has a very masculine, crisp scent that envelops the senses as you begin to lather it up.
To Use: Takes much more cream than you think so be generous. For the best results we found you should use a slightly damp shaving brush directly on the “biscuit” until it is fully loaded with cream (about 10-15 seconds) and then take it out and build your lather separately in another container, in your hand or directly on your face.
Dear Barber Pre-Shaving Oil
One of the secret weapons in the wet shaver’s arsenal, using a shaving oil underneath your lather creates an extra layer of protection so you can achieve a super close shave completely irritation-free. The Dear Barber shave oil uses a combination of almond, grape seed and tea tree oils to soften the facial hair, allowing the blade to glide through like butter and also leaving the skin feeling conditioned and soft to the touch afterward. Perfectly scented to match the shaving biscuit and great when used as part of a hot towel pre-shave routine.
To use: Apply 4-5 drops into the palm of your hand and massage directly into a well hydrated beard (immediately after showering is ideal). Leave for a full minute to soak in while you build up your shaving lather, apply the lather and shave as normal. For optimum results, once you’ve completed the first pass of the razor, add another couple of drops before re-applying lather and commencing your second pass.
Muhle Waffle Pique Shaving Towel
Muhle are a very well known brand from Germany that have been creating wet shaving products for over 70 years, and still run by the same family. They have a strong reputation for the high quality of their products and their aesthetic design. Their shaving towel is fantastic, we’ve featured it in the past because of its clean look and great performance. Perfect for using as part of a hot towel shave or for drying your face post shave. You always want to use a fresh clean towel when applying to newly shaven skin so you can never have too many of them!
For the days when you really want to enjoy a relaxing shave, nothing quite beats the luxurious experience of a steaming towel left sitting on the face, softening the hairs and perfectly preparing the skin. The square relief structure that gives it the “waffle” texture is made to better absorb water when compared to a regular towel as well as more efficiently retain heat. This means it can sit on your face longer before needing replenishing.
To use: Soak in very hot water for 15 seconds, wring out the excess and then apply to the area to be shaved until it has cooled down. It takes a minimum of 3 minutes for your beard hairs to fully absorb water so you may need to repeat this process 2 or 3 times to reap the full benefit of a softened beard. If your tap isn’t hot enough you can use water from a kettle. Let it cool until it is safe to touch. Common sense alert, please DO NOT apply a scalding hot towel to the skin, always double check it is safe to touch first.
We've written a full post on how to have a hot towel shave for those that want an in-depth guide.
Bonus Tip: Add a few drops of the Dear Barber pre-shave oil into the centre of your towel before you soak it in hot water to get an even more relaxing, aromatherapy-style hot towel experience.
Big Ben Replacement DE Razor Blades
Made in Egypt, these stainless steel blades are coated in PTFE for better razor glide across the skin for that extra smooth shave. They are a relatively sharp blade, well suited for those with thicker hairs. Last 3-7 shaves depending on beard thickness.
Gillette 7 O'Clock Green Replacement DE Razor Blades
Made in Russia as part of the 7 O’Clock range of Gillette blades. These are known as "Gillette Greens" within the wet shaving community to distinguish them from others within the line and are known for giving a consistent, smooth shave. Last 3-7 shaves
