Since I am trying inexpensive razors that provide a very comfortable and very efficient shave, I thought it was time for a return to the RiMei, an inexpensive Chinese razor.
First of course is the prep, and my Omega 20102 is now well broken-in and a pleasure to use. It easily made an extremely nice lather from Phoenix Artisan’s Solstice shaving soap, one of my favorites for its ingredients (and thus its performance and kindness to my skin) and its fragrance.
Ingredients:
Saponified Stearic Acid, Aqua (Water), Saponified Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Saponified Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Saponified Garcinia Indica (Kokum) Seed Butter, Saponified Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Saponified Persea Americana (Avocado) Oil, Sodium Lactate, Glycerin, Fragrance (Essential Oils and/or Fragrance unless Unscented)
Fragrance:
Scent Profile: Sage, Sweetgrass, Cedar, Rose Absolute and Benzoin Resin
Just to be clear, I am writing as a customer who likes the soap, and there is no arrangement or affiliate thing between me and Phoenix Artisan: I buy the products at retail, and I like them.
The RiMei is a nice little razor that once was $2 but I think its price has now drifted up toward $5, at which point it is competing against the Biali BR171, which sells for $6 at Groomatorium Inc. and is a much better razor in terms of materials, build, and feel in the hand. Still, in terms purely of comfort and efficiency, the RiMei is almost as good as the BR171.
The RiMei’s head is of stamped steel, and it bends easily. Thus if you decide to get one, make sure it is shipped in a protective plastic case, as shown at the right. 
The case will usually prevent any bending of the head, even if the case is broken in transit.
I did three passes to a very smooth finish. I got one small nick on the upper lip by setting the razor against my skin at a bad angle, but My Nik Is Sealed stopped it at once. I did get a little MNIS in my mouth, and it is nasty-tasting stuff, but it really gets the job done on a nick.
A good splash of Solstice aftershave, whose ingredients are also good:
Denatured Alcohol, White Sage Hydrosol, Peppermint Hydrosol, Rose H2O, Essential / Fragrance Oils, Resins, Liquid Silk, Aloe Vera, Alum, Absolutes
The day is already off to a good start.
Filed under: Shaving
