Thursday, May 28, 2015

Welcome to Cobra Country: The Cobra Razors CR1000 2-in-1 Razor

May 28, 2015 0

I suppose the story of Cobra Razors started with a case of RAD (Razor Acquisition Disorder).  But the company’s founder, Chris Coviello, wasn’t intentionally trying to build a razor collection.  Rather, he was in search of a razor that could meet both his head shaving and face shaving needs.

Early Sketch and Whittled Model of the CR1000
After years of looking, Chris settled on two different razors: one for the head and one for the face.  As the story goes, one day he looked at the two razors sitting on the bathroom vanity and thought that there has to be a way to combine the two.  So he began to sketch and make models that would eventually become the Cobra Razors CR1000.

 
Chris Demonstrates How to Use the CR1000

Cobra Razors was founded in 2013, and after close to three years of development the Cobra CR1000 dual use razor was born.  Made in the USA, the CR1000 was designed as a 2-in-1 razor that transforms from a face-shaving razor to a head-shaving razor with the click of a button. With the flick of that button, the CR1000 go from the closed or the “head” position to the open or “face” position (side note: I  think that the open position should be called “strike mode” … I just think it sounds more bad-ass, but that’s just my opinion.)
Open Position of the CR1000 - Personally I Think Calling it the "Strike" Position sounds more bad ass
In the head position the handle of the CR1000 becomes a finger grip for control as the Cobra Blade strikes even the hardest to reach places.  In the Face position, the Cobra Razors CR1000 handle flips out so the razor can be used for shaving the face. 
The CR1000 in Black Pictured with Accessories
The CR1000 includes comes with a Razor Stand, one 4-Blade Cartridge, and one 6-Blade Cartridge. It is available in one of three colors (Clear, Black, and a Lime Green (or Cobra Razors Yellow)) and comes in a uniquely styled Cobra Razors package.

Cobra Razors' Cobra Themed Packaging Pictured with the CR1000 in Clear
The company also offers a line of sundries as well, including 4-blade and 6-blade replacement cartridges, pre-shave glycerin soaps, a Shaving Gel with Aloe, and an Aftershave lotion to help round out the Cobra Razors system.  The philosophy is that Cobra Razors wants to offer a high quality line of products (from pre to post) for an enjoyable shave.
Also available from Cobra Razors: Replacement Blade Cartridges, Shaving Gel, and Aftershave lotion

Have you tried the Cobra Razors CR1000 or any other Cobra Razors product?  Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know.



Friday, May 22, 2015

Shaving Shouldn’t Suck: A Little More on The Strop Shoppe

May 22, 2015 0
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 2007 and beginning to work towards a master’s degree in neuroscience, Kali McLennan wound up working in Information Technology.  However she missed the lab and the experience of creating something from base ingredients.


One of the First Product Photos from The Strop Shoppe
So Kali began making and selling soap.  In 2011, she discovered the wicked_edge subreddit and began working with key members in the community to develop a shaving soap.  After several months of testing and refining formulas, she finally had a soap that provided a great shave.  That product would go on to become The Strop Shoppe Original Formula that we know today.


Some of The Many Scents That The Strop Shoppe Offers

In 2012, The Strop Shoppe was born. While the company doesn’t sell strops, the name was developed to pay homage to the classic craft of wet shaving.   To use a common phrase of theirs: “Shaving Shouldn’t Suck.” The Strop Shoppe hand-crafted shaving soap is available in a number of fragrances, such as Bay Rum, Black Tie, and Teak Wood, and are designed to help one appreciate the pleasure of a shave and doesn’t leave them smelling like chemicals.  Since the company was called The Strop Shoppe, Kali had informed me that at one point the company nearly released a strop but opted against it.  Instead, the company focused on making shaving soaps. The company currently has three formulations:

Original Formula: This is the formulation that started it all.  The Strop Shoppe's Original Formula contains glycerin and is free of animal based products.  Glycerin has strong humectant and emollient properties, which helps to maintain a thick and creamy lather.  It is also a viscous liquid which helps the glide of the razor.


Original Formula Black Tie Shaving Soap
Special Edition Formula:  In a little under a year after the initial release of their Original Formula, The Strop Shoppe developed and released their Special Edition formula, which quickly began to outpace the sales of their Original Formula.  The Special Edition formulation contains tallow, or rendered beef fat, which is a traditional ingredient in many of the oldest shaving soap preparations.    
The Strop Shoppe's Special Edition Shaving Soap in the Date Night Scent
Limited Edition Formula: Not too long after the release of the Special Edition line, The Strop Shoppe unveiled their Limited Edition line;  an extra moisturizing formula with additional cocoa butter, shea butter, and tallow.   This formulation also features lanolin, a waxy substance secreted by wool-bearing animals, to help provide a smoother glide and improved protection.  As the name suggests, The Strop Shoppe Limited Edition soaps are only available for a short time. 

Two New Limited Edition Scents Recently Released: Solsetio and Peche
I asked the company if there was anything new on the horizon; anything that The Strop Shoppe fans could look forward to. I was rather pleased to hear that the company is getting ready to release two new soap fragrances and are in the final stages of developing an aftershave, called Formula 221B. This new aftershave has been in development for months and has been inspired by the company’s Baker Street scent.  So fans of the Baker Street scented soaps can look forward to a complementing aftershave fragrance with Formula 
221B.
A New Product Coming Coon ... The Strop Shoppe's Formula 221B Aftershave
Have you tried The Strop Shoppe shaving Soaps?  Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know what your favorite scent is.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Classic Bio-Pure Comfort Shaving: Elvado Products

May 12, 2015 0
Elvado started after John Carinci, the President and Founder of Bioplanet (manufacturer of Elvado products), had what he calls a “natural skincare epiphany.” He was inspired to create a high quality, bio-safe skincare line that didn’t utilize the synthetic chemicals contained in many skin and body care products.
Founder John Carinci: perhaps at the moment of the "natural skincare epiphany"
Elvado takes its name from the town of El Vado, New Mexico. “El Vado was once a thriving railroad and lumber center, but now lies at the bottom of El Vado Lake”[1].  Spanish for “The Crossing,” Elvado embodies the spirit of the pioneers who traveled great distances to seek a better way of life for their families. 

Like the pioneers of its namesake, Elvado sought to create a better way of shaving by developing what they call Bio-Pure Shaving products using organic and vegan ingredients.  Elvado shaving soaps and aftershave balms are Certified Vegan and have been carefully formulated using quality Organic and Natural Botanical ingredients.

Elvado Aftershave Balms - 72% organic blend
After being in development since early 2012, the Elvado line launched in September of 2013 with an Herbal Blend Aftershave balm along with six different scents of shaving soap: Madera Almond, Key Lime, Bay Breeze, Pacific Mist, Malabar Spice, and MoBay Rum.   Though, over time, Elvado pruned down their scent offering to a few core varieties: bay rum, fragrance free, and a lime mint blend.   

I asked John what his favorite Elvado scent was.  It was the bay rum followed by the lime mint, and then the almond.  Even though the company does not currently produce an almond scent,  perhaps  we may see that return one day.  John also alluded to the possibility of Elvado seasonal scents.  So, I suppose time will tell what other fragrances we could be seeing in the future.
 

Elvado Bio-Pure Shave formulations are loaded with African Shea Butter that is especially healing and hydrating for skin.  Elvado products are made with natural herbal extracts, pure essential oils and are not tested on animals and do not contain animal products.
 

Shaving Soap:
The Classic Shaving Soaps provide a rich, creamy lather that lubricates your beard and leaves your skin feeling ultra-smooth. As of this writing, there are three scents available: West Indies Bay Rum, Wild Mint Lime, and Fragrance Free.

Elvado line of Shaving Soap
For me, I found the soap to product a light, fluffy, meringue-like lather.  From some posts I’ve seen in forums and blogs, some like the fluffiness and some do not.  Personally I didn’t mind it and I found the soap to have a nice slickness to it.

I ran my badger brush under the tap hot water for a few seconds, shook out some of the excess, and swirled it over the soap for about 20 to 30 seconds.  Once loaded, I face lathered and found that I had more than enough for my two pass (WTG and ATG) face shave.  Though, as with most things wet shaving … Your mileage may vary (YMMV).

Fluffy, meringue-like lather of the Elvado Fragrance Free Shave Soap
Aftershave Balm
The aftershave balm is described as a light hydrating, anti-aging formulation that is a 72% organic blend designed to be fast-absorbing and non-greasy. Personally, I found that the Elvado aftershave balm didn’t leave a greasy residue on my head or face. To my nose, the Bay Rum scent seemed to last longer than the Wild Mint Lime. This is just my perception (again … YMMV). 

West Indies Bay Rum Aftershave Balm
However, as with most post shave lotions that I have experienced, it had more of what I would call a soothing quality rather than a bracing one of a splash the sting of some other after shave balms.  I like it, particularly the bay rum scent. Though I would personally opt to use a splash first and then apply it as more of a moisturizing post shave lotion.

As far as what’s in the making at Elvado, John had informed me that we could look possibly forward to a shaving cream, pre-shave lube, after shave splash, beard oil, and maybe even a few other items … though I didn’t get too many specifics.  I know the company used to produce a shave stick. I suppose for now I can only speculate that the Elvado Shave stick may one day return.  Again … only time will tell.


Would you like to see a return of the Elvado Shave Stick? What is your favorite Elvado fragrance?  Feel free to leave a comment below to let us know.

[1] http://newmexicohistory.org/multimedia/audios/el-vado-nm