A tip for those who are going to Italy this summer: Proraso is a rather basic brand which you can find in almost every supermarket for very cheap. I always bring four or five cans of shaving cream with me from Italy.
I couldn't agree more regarding using traditional shaving methods. I've used a 1960s Gillette heavy metal razor for around 25 years (I'm 47) for double edged blades (I use Wilkinson Sword). The razor belonged to my grandfather and shows the longevity and reliability of such items. Plus, it really does make you feel like a gentleman, especially knowing who it belonged to. 😊
Ah, Proraso is a really nice option, I actually use most of their products, preferably the "white" line of products for mildness and less skin irritation. After trying probably most blades on the market I've come to gravitate to *Mühle* blades, for me they offer the best balance between the mild feeling of, say *Astra* blades and the insane sharpness (honestly too aggressive for my taste) of *Feather* and the like. I prefer a rub with the alum stone as a finish (without really cutting myself most of the time) - it just feels very nice. As for fragrances the vast majority of my choices are beyond 20,- because I've almost completed my move from EdTs to EdPs... but Quorum is still here, it's only EdT concentration but it packs a punch like an EdP. (It's actually there at all on a recomendation from this here channel😺) Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
I thought in the past you used Reuzel shaving cream.🤔 So you prefer stainless blades over platinum like Feathers. I’m still a Old Spice man wife loves it. Price is right.
I like two products, one German and one Dutch. One is a suncream called PIGMENTAN which has been around for more than a hundred years. Ironically it has been used by miners which seems a bit odd: mining and suncream. But it is a deeply nourishing cream which is particularly suitable if your skin has been exposed to the elements. It really makes your skin mellow. And then there's PUROL, a Dutch skin cream and another heritage brand - and also used by miners! It's particularly useful if you've got irritable skin. It's fairly cheap and you can get it anywhere at a Dutch chemist's.
I purchased a Wilkinson Sword double edge razor following this video for £13, it was on offer in Waitrose and looks identical to the Gillette one. I used it for the first time this evening, I had to stop and change over to my Harry’s razor due too many shaving cuts. I’m guessing my confidence with the safety razor will come. I do find the cartridge razors offer a very close shave and easy to use, the downside is the cost.
I’ve recently discovered a range of soaps & deodorants made here in Ireland called The Black Stuff, all hand made from natural ingredients. My current favourites are Irish Mountain Rain which smells of lemongrass and sage, and their signature soap, Black Stout , which smells of honey, stout, fir and cedar wood. At £6 for a handmade bar of soap and £10 for a deodorant they’re incredibly good value . The Executive Shaving Citrus Kiss shaving soap is as great as the matching balm.
I have used or use several of these products and they are great. Taylor’s shaving cream’s are great 👍🏼 I use Witch hazel as aftershave and aloe ‘creme’ 99% as closure to my shaving ritual. Both products are easily found for under 20£
Nice assortment of products for the facial care. I prefer to use Stirling products for shaving over ToBS, they provide more slickness during the shave. I've used the Proraso white preshave, but since Barbasol came out with the shaving cream in the tube, that is my primary preshave product. The King C Gillette is a great beginner razor, I changed out the handle due to it slipping in my hand. I use a lotion from Walmart for my balm and you can get a large pump container for about 3$ USD. Have a great day Ash and keep up the hard work
Excellent suggestions. My only additional tip or comment would be for anyone getting into traditional shaving is that you should try different razor blades to see what works for you with your skin, and similarly try different soaps/creams to see what scent you prefer and what company you prefer. There are a world of options on both blade and soap to explore, which is part of what makes this sort of shaving a pleasure.
One other thing I would point out is be careful letting your other half try your toiletries. My girlfriend forgot some of hers on a holiday and now only uses my male moisturisers as they are far less greasy and more matte than the female ones.
cool tip the dice just put one in my bathroom , next to the razor ,when in my 20 was using a gilett m3 with nivea fome ,, and since my 40 i have start using a straight edge with removable blade , and a safety when i am in ury and use the proraso line from preshave to sope to after shave ,
Great collection. Just a few points from an even older campaigner - deodorant masks the smell, anti-perspirant reduces sweating, and by FAR the best shaving experience I had was upgrading from a shaving foam to a shaving oil, or in fact just baby oil. So vastly superior as it lubricates the blade. You might as well just lather soap if you're using foam. I shaved in the shower, so washing off the oil was easy. I don't shave anymore.
Speick for my shaving soap, a 1964 Gillette Fatboy razor for the shave, then either 4711,Proraso,Tabac, or Old Spice after shave. Definitely going to check out Reuzel.
Good morning sirs. There is a few products their that I myself use, out of the range ,Taylors of Bond Street Shaving cream is a must and one day I will visit their shop. A long leisurely shower and wet shave, looking after the skin ,at the weekends or on Bank Holidays, helps to start the day right.
Good morning, sir. I've recently purchased L'Oréal moisturiser and it's very good. I definitely felt the difference on my face. I'll be purchasing again.
A good list of things, I'm also a bit of a budget guy so I like videos like this. The only place I would diverge is the razor, a good straight razor might cost more on the initial outlay, but once you have the maintenance pinned down it'll last at least as long as you do.
Granted, once you have the sharpening down a straight razor is extremely accurate - I mostly use mine for contours and the area right under the nose because a safety razor would be a danger there with it's false edge ready to cut straight into the nose🙀 . I have invested into a layered steel, fancy golden edged Solingen steel blade but this really is just my love for blades at work... nothing necessary. (I have red-damacened functional longswords... I'm *that* kind of a nutcase 😹) Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
@@RaoulKunz1 I'm more a function over form kinda guy, but it's the differences that make us interesting 🤣 That said, I do like some of the nice looking dublducks.
Hello there. I've decided a couple of years ago that it's time to switch up my game and start building a proper wardrobe. I started with shoes and now I think I'm good on that front. Having watched your clips and a couple of others, now I want to start going for a couple of blazers/sport jackets and then 2-3 suits. NOW, I haven't seen a clip on this on the channel(maybe there's one and I haven't found it yet), but could you please make a clip in the future advising what brands to look for? I think I know the basics for what to look for regarding the quality, but if there's some hiding gems like I've got for the shoes with Sanders and Grenson(never heard of them before watching you) it would be very much appreciated. I will do it properly and pay the full price on a suit, so I can have someone take my measurements correctly, but after, I want to do what I've done with the shoes and go for the treasure find 😊. I focused on Loake 1880 and a couple of Grenson and I've got a couple of nice finds.
I loved this video thanks Ash - it was right up my street. I have been looking for an exfoliator and will happily take your advice. I often use creams etc but find I end up forgetting. I’d be interested in getting the pre shave cream as well the after foam. I love the idea of DE shaving and like the process of lathering up with my badgers brush I just find it too time consuming in the morning. I often revert back to my Gillette cartridge to allow me to shave in the shower as I struggle doing this with a DE. I’ll be turning 45 in July, and have always been well known for my fragrances and hair styling etc. I am pleased to have found your channel which is allowing me to grow old gracefully but more importantly, stylish. All the best. Russ
Great video as ever Ash. I struggled with deodorants ruining my shirts for ages and now use an Aluminium free product from Old Spice. Reuzel shave cream is also excellent and I think you have showcased this before.
Thank you for this. Proraso does have some very nice shaving products. Love the menthol Eucalyptus pre shave and shaving balm. Really nice on a summer day. Safety razors are the way to go; it’s a great morning ritual! Take care!
Thank you for introducing Proraso and Taylor of old bond street. I decided to get those items when I was purchasing more feather razor blades. I got a Proraso set of pre and after-shave, shave cream and lavender Taylor shave cream. The pre-shave actually feels amazing and The lather of Taylor is pretty thick and fast. I haven't found any good shaving products besides my razor and blades but these creams make me look forward to shave on how they make my face feel more clean, I shave around 42 hours when a stubble is more visible. I'm more of a mustache guy but on occasion, I go clean-shaven.I wanted a beard but due to genetics when I did it was itchy and don't look that good on me so that gave me a good reason to shave. I wish I knew about Proraso and Taylor before,.
Executive Shaving do a really good selection of double edge blades as a sample pack to help you find the one that suits your skin the best. I just cannot use feathers but a carbon steel blade called Treet is a great sharp but forgiving blade for sensitive skin, good enough for three shaves before replacing as they dull a little quicker. I visited Taylors of Old Bond St at their Jermyn St store last week, simply wonderful and highly recommended to visit if you're near Piccadilly. I had a good visit of all the shops you showed on your video of your visit - simply wonderful. The Valet is a fabulous store to get your Saphir polish from too!
Here in the USA we’ve got a very old house that’s our equivalent to Trumper’s, Taylor’s, etc. - Caswell Massey. They make a creat shave cream scented with their Number Six - the cologne used by George Washington. Any American viewers you have might want to check out their Jockey Club, a lilac after-shave used by JFK, great for a spring day, and Tricorn, a sandalwood, spice and vanilla mixture used by Cole Porter and suitable for autumn. Quorum is a great daily scent for business wear - Its combination of leather, tobacco and woods makes me feel like Connery in his tweed jacket driving through the Alps. For evening, Givenchy Gentleman, and for casual, Yatagan. Great story about Cool Water. If it smells like Creed’s Green Irish Tweed, that’s because the perfumer jumped ship and sold the formula to Davidoff in an act of industrial espionage. If Creed got ripped off they deserved it, because their prices have been ripping off the public for years. That’s karma, baby.
CW is indeed a very close scent to GIT for pocket money in comparison. I like the sound of Caswell Massey - I will try and pick some up when I'm in the States next month.
@@TheChapsGuide They’ve got a store in New York City. Back when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s I used their scents almost exclusively as a matter of pure snobbery, but back then there wasn’t much else to choose from. I was also a big fan of the original MEM English Leather, but that was when it smelled like purple sage and saddle soap, not moldy hay and lighter fluid.
The products in loving at the moment & might be a little over budget is LizEarle their shaving cream is the best I've ever used a tiny amount creates an amazing lather
Morning Sir As a moisturising cream may I suggest Superdrug Vitamin E cream? It soothes instantly and is readily àbsoŕbed,also thè cost is only £5.49 fòr 475ml. Regards Peckham Phil
Ash I use a store brand exfoliate that is made by St Ives I also have trouble with under arm deodorants. Some give me a rash. I use arm and hammer stick as it is very mild. Cheers Ron
Ash, thank you for the video. In this day and age a chap specially of our age has to be aware of parabens and sulfates. These products you are listing appear to be just low price items. Do you know if they are or not? If they are not would you compile such a list? Here in the U.S. for example Jack Black is just one of the many brands that caters to men that use natural products. Thank you.
I've been using oil to shave with for about 4 or 5 years now. For about 15 Euro, a small bottle will last you about 3 to 7 months depending on how often you shave. No rash and being that you are already using oil, your skin feels great and moisturised after your shave. I use either the king of shaves or Bull Dog beard oil. After a hot shower, I do not dry my face. I apply a few drops of the oil on my hands, then massage it into my face. I let it sit on the skin for a couple of minutes at the very most and away I go. After using it once, I never went back to creams.
@@TheChapsGuide Traveling for work is why I tried it and I never went back. I "love" the ritual of soap and lather I must admit, there is something calming and cathartic about it. For me though, that oil is a winner and the right price too ;-) Great videos Ash, I enjoy each one. Regards from Malta.
I use Speick Men's after shave lotion, shaving soap and after shave balm. The name comes from the Speik plant (spica celtica), which mainly grows in the Alps. The scent of the products is unmistakable. The after shave lotion is priced here in Germany between 7 and 10 € and is definitely worth the money.
When it comes to the St Ives Apricot Scrub, I've tried to use it for years. It always, without fail, makes my forehead break out like I'm a teenager again. I suspect despite my best efforts I'm using too much pressure against my skin and abrasing my face rather than exfoliating. I've read things saying to keep with it for up to three months, but is that really worth it, or should I switch to a purely chemical exfoliant? On the other hand, I've only switched to being clean-shaven in the last few weeks, and I've discovered that the King C. Gillette safety razor is available at the local Walgreens. I've already bought it along with some Thayers Witch Hazel, and intend to switch to it in June after wearing out the last of my cartridge razors. For cream, I discovered that Barbasol 1919 is available at Wegmans locally, and it's even helped with the cartridge razors, considering beforehand I only used warm water.
Good day to you sir I am an avid viewer and long time watcher of your channel and I would like to say I do class myself as a chap and in the same vein as you I do enjoy finding trinkets and treasures whilst fueling my frugal nature .. in connection with this I have been on the hunt for an alternative to a pocket square holder I have seen them go upwards of £12 for a set of 5 so I said is there a way I can do it for cheaper... So I have come up with a design that not only does the job but is simple and comes in a little over 20 pence per holder obviously depending on where you acquire relevant hardware. and I was wondering if I would be able to send you some to review. And set up a picture based tutorial so that other gentlemen may take advantage of making their own pocket square holders .yours faithfully Scott Banks
Mate I know you're basically a 'professional RU-vidr' now and you're just doing what works best to maximise views, but the reason I subscribed to your channel is that it isn't like every other male grooming channel with clickbait titles, "10 best grooming products" and endless videos where you just repeat the same advice over and over again. Please don't turn into Gentlemen's Gazette or one of those other crap clickbait channels...
Thanks Ash. When using the double edge safety razor as your travel razor how do you solve the issues of regulations concerning razor blades? Do you check in or do you purchase new razor blades at the destination?
I actually use both those methods. When flying I use the opportunity to buy & try new blades at my destination if taking only hand luggage, or if checking luggage I pack in my suitcase. Works well for me.
Take your time, don’t rush. Maybe choose a more utilitarian blade, when I first started DE shaving I used Derby blades. Often use Feathers now with no cuts or knicks 👍🏻 Keep at it you will get there!
@@Philipk65 A tip when shaving is to use one or two shave strokes and not to just do several repeat strokes after you clear away the lather. Start with one stroke pass then just reapply lather and you can do this several times. First pass do very short strokes that just clean the hair back in a rough fashion.
made in the far east, is that a nice way to say it’s made in china? haha I just bought some TOBS shaving cream because of you but not purposely, I bought the same other twice 🤦♂️
I used a double edge razor for a while in my early 20's (now early 50's). Worked really well but I got over confident one morning and took a chunk out of my chin. I went Gilette cartridge after that but as I only shave three times a month maybe (never been a heavy beard guy) the cost isnt an issue. I could go back, just need to remember to not rush.
