Only 3-4 in Colorado, and they opened in the last couple years. Seem smaller than the ones we shopped at in other areas. Still manage to spend some $$$ there though.
Only 3-4 in Colorado, and they opened in the last couple years. Seem smaller than the ones we shopped at in other areas. Still manage to spend some $$$ there though.
Here is a slightly longer post, with inline images.
Yesterday evening I needed a shave, and some party supplies. I thought I was all set for the former, but while at TJ to pick up the latter I noticed the Close Shave kit. For ten bucks, why not? Once I was at home, I decided to risk using it.
Look closely at the hairs at the bottom center and you can see that sawtooth pattern that says "synthetic".
The photos do not show this, but the handle is very cheaply made. The brush wants to float, even loft-down in a small cup. It feels kind of like the Omega 10066 handle, but even lighter. At first I thought it was plastic with a faux wood grain, but it may well be cheap wood. Either way it has a clear coat, which is already cracking and bubbling. The bottom of the handle is a bit rough: not quite flat and roughly finished. Might make a good knot donor for a better handle, if you like the knot.
The tub seems sturdy and looks nice. It is full of a fairly soft soap, possibly a bit more than the labeled 170 grams. Full, mine weighed 230 grams without the lid.
For my shave I soaked the brush in a cup of warm water while I splashed water on my face and throat, then squeezed out the brush and loaded it for about 30 seconds. That was probably a bit long: according to my scale I loaded over 4 grams of soap. Next time I will try to scoop out a gram or two, closer to my usual amount with a cream.
I face-lathered, and I had some trouble with the brush. At 20x51 it is lofty, but the synthetic fibers are quite stiff. The tips feel very soft in a painting motion, but when I tried any splay I was fighting that backbone. It shed exactly one fiber during the shave. Overall it felt very springy, like first Mühle synthetic I used: lathering by Voit.
But after four or five minutes I had an acceptable lather. I could feel the menthol advertised in the ingredients, but not to any extreme. For the shave itself I used an English flat-bottom NEW with a T-series Spoiler blade and a BRW Bull Mastiff handle. I forget how many shaves are on that blade: at least eight, maybe a dozen. Did my usual three passes with good results, no surprises. I had to milk the brush for the third pass, and that core lather was dry enough that I hand-mixed it with extra water. Finished with a shower and applied a pea-sized drop of the balm. I usually use some witch hazel and then a splash, but this balm seemed effective.
It may be too early to rush to judgment, but so far I think the kit is a decent value at the price. The soap or cream may be worth the price on its own, and you get an acceptable balm and a usable brush thrown in gratis.
I always like seeing traditional shaving products in brick & mortars.
+1OK, who else thinks that the color scheme on that soap jar bears a striking resemblance to Tabac?
I finally tried it yesterday. As far as the "soap", this is easily the softest soap I've ever used, its most definitely cream territory. I tried to bowl lather it and I just couldn't get it to lather. I know it comes with a brush and in the directions it says to use a brush, but it was almost like trying to lather up a non-lather cream. I didn't use the brush that came with it, instead I opted for my WD badger. I worked on the lather for a longer than I do most products and it just stayed thin and watery. I decided to use it anyway. I was rather pleased because even though there was hardly any cushion, it was super slick and I got a decent shave out of it. I must say I did really like the AS balm. It has a very nice scent and left my face feeling good. A little goes a long way, only need three drops of the stuff. Its different from other balms I've used, almost a gel like consistency but it worked great. I don't know if I would buy the soap again, I prefer more cushion, but I would buy the balm if it is ever sold separately.
As far as the cream-soap goes, this might be a "use more product" situation. I find I have to use at least two grams, and my water is fairly soft. With harder water or a larger brush I would expect to need even more. That cuts into the value proposition of the stuff, of course.
I never knew they had this product. I will have to try it