Thank you for watching, and I am pretty happy with that pick -- it's really an excellent soap in every respect! Ok, it's costly, that's a downside, but maybe the price comes down if we ALL buy some??
Michael, Thank you so much for your excellent reviews! I completely agree with you about the Wholly Kaw Fougere Mania - It’s an amazing soap! Happy New Year and I look forward to seeing your videos in 2020!
Perfectly constructed and informative video as ever. Looking forward to the regular Sunday night post in 2020. Thank-you once again Michael and have a Happy New Year.
Hi Michael- Great year-end review for 2019; thank you! What a wonderful range of products to have been able to use and to be able to bring to us in your weekly videos. I would also like to offer a huge thank you for the wonderful content on your channel! The time and effort involved with this during the course of any given week must be substantial. It is greatly appreciated and anticipated each and every week! Wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year and all the best in 2020! Best regards, as always!
I will continue to use all kinds of products, that keeps it fun for me and hopefully for you as well. Thank you for your very kind words and your support, it means a great deal and I hope you will continue to enjoy the channel in 2020!
As a SE injector blade enthusiast, I couldn’t agree more with your comment about Supply’s success on Shark Tank and I hope they are able to close a deal with Robert. I’m looking forward to Supply’s new offerings in 2020. Happy 2020 to all!
I never thought that not blooming would work but I've been doing it for a few days now and WOW the lather is so much better. Thanks so much for this challenge
Happy New Year to you and your family Michael. I remember that distillery tour you mentioned and how several people took it more than once. Bahahahaha. I'm looking forward to seeing what 2020 has in store for us. The roaring 20's is back. 🍻
Oh, those people had already been to a number of other tours, let's just say that they did not look too steady on the stairs :-) Let's see what 2020 brings, like you I have high hopes!
Fantastic year end review Michael! I’d like to wish you a very Happy New Year and I’m looking forward to more great videos from you in 2020! All the best!
Nice year in review Michael👍 Such a vast array of products to sift through, do reviews on, experience results and hopefully not be compromised by the use of😉 You're lucky enough, having a YT channel, to be "gifted" so many products to use and review. It's great you can show us in a real world way how the chosen items work for you and maybe your viewers/subscribers as well👌 Now, the one constant in an ever changing world was omitted in this video, I'm appalled you failed to mention the almighty, one and only item you use more regularly than any other: The Captain's Choice soap puck and cream holding, brush loading, magic making, LATHER bowl😁 It should have gotten at least an honorable mention... Happy New Year to you and yours. See ya in 2020. Enjoy!
The bowl gets second billing in the credits :-) I am indeed very lucky to get so many things gifted to me, and I try to keep that generosity going with the giveaways -- and I would expect to see those continue in 2020! Some of the things I bought myself I passed on as soon as I had used them, like the Mike's -- that found a new forever home!
I enjoyed your year in review video Michael. Looking forward to what you will be doing in 2020, and for watching the Bloom War😁 Happy New Year to You and your family!
Yet another enjoyable trip down memory lane for 2019 Michael! It's good to have a reminder of the new trends and brands we have seen within the year in traditional wet shaving. I must say Michael, one DE razor I was hoping might have come your way and review on your channel was the Russian, Homelike Shaving "Start" razor (preferably the full kit with all the available plates that come with the kit). If not mistaken, this razor was first launched summer, late summer, perhaps even early autumn 2019 and it has had *quite* the *positive* reception by any one who's tried it on UTube -- including myself, having bought it some 6-8 weeks ago. Like yourself Michael, I have liked, and still v. much like, the Karve razor. So, I fully understand why you'd have the Karve razor as your favourite razor for 2019. I'm not sure I like the looks of the Karve with the red plate (I have and like the 'pedestrian' brass Karve), nevertheless the Karve razor as a geometry in all of its incarnations is superb. But, but...ever since I've tried and used this Homelike Shaving "Start" razor, I could say that by a fraction of an inch I find this Russian razor perhaps even above the Karve. This Russian razor has to be tried for one to fully experience what it is all about. The price of the full "Start" razor kit is very competitive, and it exclusively retails from Russia. (I confess, I had my worries but the whole purchase experience was simply flawless.) I'm surprised the makers of this razor haven't yet sent you the "Start" to review. All the best to you Michael, your nearest & dearest, for 2020. (homelikeshaving.ru)
I have not heard from them, but remember every "free" review razor is a lost sale, so i would imagine they would share out a very limited number to people who they expect to have the biggest influence on purchasers - I don't know if I would include myself in that group! I may well buy a set this year, though, I do really like the look of the razor, and I am a fan of the modular razor offering. As for the Karve, I am a sucker for the red and black look, sorry!!
Hi Michael, Thank you for sharing your 2019 experiences! 😊 It is always fun to see what you’re able to share with us and this year I will of course keep on watching your video’s 😉. Thank you again by helping me the other day by mail, giving some advice on the blades to use. I’m quite far in my search and already got a great short list 😊. I wish you all the best for 2020!! 😊 , groetjes vanuit Nederland! Stefan
Aw gee wiz, you mean I gotta wait til next year to see another video.....oh yah its new years eve. Try an fool me will ya. So happy new year Michael, its going to be a good one. Have fun.🍷😊
Thank you Michael for a great year of videos and for your generosity throughout the year. I missed last year's maggard meet up and I'm bummed to hear you won't be able to make it this year. Hopefully I can meet you again at one of the other meet ups. Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year to you and your family. Thanks again
You are very welcome, and I hope we will meet again at the Maggards meetup in 2021 - that's not TOO far off (grin)!! All the best to you and yours in 2020, and keep on smiling!
I wish my arm could stretch from here into your bathroom and tip all the water out of that container... Happy New Year to you, and let's see how much blooming you are still doing this time next year :-)
Tremendous video and year, Michael!! I feel like I need to get a tub of Icarus soap and aftershave toner in the Weinstrasse scent immediately now!! On a side note, it may help in the bloom wars to initiate messages and comments to those folk who carry out such treacherous actions with the words, “OK, Bloomer.”
"Ok, Bloomer!" I need to practice that with a wry smile... Weinstrasse is just so good, you get this hit of sweet white grape which then blends into a deeper fruit scent on top of the warm woods and musk -- I love it.
I’ve always enjoyed your videos and value your input on the various products you’ve used. I doubt that I’ll ever find your top pick for a DE blade. Can you give us your top pick for a blade that is more easily obtained? Keep those videos coming. Happy new year!
I had to check the price for Fougère Mania - you were not kidding about it being expensive - $29.99 at Maggards. Happy new year to you and your family.
With you 100%, and I am going to demonstrate a better option for using your soap as a pre-shave -- easy and ZERO reason to soak your soap in hot water!!
Thank you for showing me that vegan wet shaving doesn’t have to sacrifice anything in quality or performance. Have to snag a proper synthetic before I upgrade my beginner razor.
Hi Michael, thanks for all the tips! I have one question for you - neck irritation has been a huge trouble for me for the past few years. I switched to straight razors two months ago, developed my technique, bought all proraso stuff and alum and watched so many videos on youtube and read too many articles on the topic. Currently I have a pre-shave routine and after-shave routine as well and I throw the blades away right after each shave in order to avoid irritation. However, my problem still remains. Do you have any tips on how to beat this problem? Thanks so much!!!
There are a couple thing to try. 1. Stop using the alum every day, if you are. It is quite drying and might be having a negative impact on your skin. 2. Let the hair on your neck grow out for a few days and really take a careful look at how the hair grows. You may find that the pattern is *not* what you think it is, and you may well be causing yourself irritation based on your shave pattern. 3. If you do discover that the hair pattern is in fact different, then try ONLY shaving WTG on your neck for the next little while and see if the irritation stops. If it does, add in a gentle across the grain pass, and watch to see what happens. If that goes well, end with an against the grain pass. In every case, remember to be gentle yet firm when shaving, try to avoid any unnecessary pressure in that area. 4. I would recommend a better soap or cream. I know people love Proraso, but I have never really been that impressed with it, and the fact of the matter is that you can get *much* better soaps or creams now for just a bit more, but with a significant jump in lather quality. If that does not work, ping me at michael.freedberg@outlook.com and I can offer some more advice!
Hey Michael, when was the Louisville meetup? We’re talking about Louisville KY right? I live here in Louisville and never heard about a shaving meetup in my own town! I traveled to the Maggard meetup back in June and would have loved to attend one here. Where did you find out about the Louisville meetup? I’d love to keep an eye out for it if there is another one in 2020.
September last year? It was organized via the Reddit group in /r/Wetshaving, which is likely where it will start again this year! I really enjoyed Louisville, quite a nice place - lots to do, good food, apparently a distillery here and there?? Maybe we will see each other there next year!
Hi Michael have you thought about doing a cold water shave video by shaving a whole week and telling us about it? Would love your thoughts in it? If you already have done it then my apologies.
I have never done a full week's worth of cold water shaves, mostly because I really love hot water!! I will save this for the hot summer months, but yes, I will give this a go, thanks for the suggestion!
You are dead to me. What happens if you just drip a bit of water on the soap, load a bit with *some gentle pressure*, drip a bit of water, keep loading, and so on? I just don't see why any good soap needs to be dissolved in water before it will lather!!
