Safety razor shaving product reviews are few and far between these days. Because of my razor blade experiment, I haven’t had too much time to try out new products. But don’t worry, I only have two and a half more weeks left, and then a ton of backlogged reviews to get cracking on.
I think it was about two months ago when I opened my newest box from Wet Shave Club and saw Death staring back at me. I gazed upon a gold tin featuring the haunting image of the Grim Reaper holding a straight razor in place of his normal scythe. Immediately, I thought to myself, “If you’re going to package your shaving soap in a container this badass, your soap better be badass too.” I had to find out. Is The Blades Grim “Smolder” shaving soap as impressive as its packaging?
The first thing I needed to know was right in front of me on the label, the ingredients. Very minimal and very clean. So far I was off to a good start. Then I opened the tin and was immediately hooked. You all know I’m a sucker for scents, and The Blades Grim nailed this one! They describe the scent as “a warm and toasty mix of orange peel, mandarin, coriander leaves, star anise and Venezuelan tonka.” To me it smells like a sweet charcoal barbecue wood, like cherry, burnt down to nothing but ashes, still infusing the entire backyard with its sweet smokiness. Just beautiful. This is a smoky fragrance that works perfectly in summer.
If you’ve used the Satin Tip brush before, you know how much lather it holds without even looking like it.
Lather building with this shaving soap couldn’t be easier. I have found that to really get the lather working, using a shaving brush that holds a ton of water works best. I have gotten the best results with my Satin Tip synthetic brush and my Wet Shaving Products “Prince” Silvertip. These brushes hold enough water to really get this soap cranking.
The performance in this soap is truly wonderful. I get incredibly close shaves, as the slickness in this soap is top-notch. I don’t think I would describe it as heavily cushioned, but there’s enough protection, provided I use the right pressure and blade angles. Post-shave, this soap keeps working too. The smell lingers all day, something I really enjoy. It’s not enough to overpower any cologne or fragrance, but just enough to pick up a hint here and there. Additionally, thanks to the simple ingredients, my face feels incredible after using this shaving soap. The moisturizing and protection are just right for my skin.
So to come back to my original question: is The Blades Grim “Smolder” shaving soap as badass as its packaging? Absolutely. I love using this soap, and when I’m not I look forward to the next time. I highly recommend this soap. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on wet shaving, men’s style, this blog, or anything else that strikes your fancy.
Regards,