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The best razor in terms of price/performance ratio

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A shaving brush with a black synthetic knot and a long aluminum handle with thick, stubby fins on the lower portioin stand next to a tub of shaving soap whose label bears a fantastical of image of a woman with closed eyes and pursed lips whose hair is an Afro tangle of intertwined branches. From a hole in her forehead the head of an owl peeks out. Next is a tall narrow amber-glass bottle with a black cap and a green label with a cask lying on its side, a spigot in its head, and grape plants beside it. The label says "Cognac Aftershave." In front is a plastic DE slant razor of pale orange.

The soap today is Arianna & Evans Peaches & Cognac shaving soap in their Kaizen formula. The scent is pleasant, though I could not distinguish all the notes in the description, which reads “Bergamot Lemon, 2 wonderful, but uniquely different Peach notes, Orange Blossom, Cognac, Tobacco Absolute, Mimosa, Leather, Vanilla, Dried Fruits, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Himalayan Cedar.” Maybe there’s too much going on, though the net result is pleasant. The lather was good, thanks in part to the excellent RazoRock 400 brush. Kaizen’s ingredients list:

Stearic Acid, Beef Tallow, Aqua, Goats Milk, Potassium Hydroxide,  Kokum Butter, Shea Butter, Castor Oil, Cocoa Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Manteca, Aloe Juice, Avocado Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Apricot Kernal Seed Oil, Lanolin, Agave, Slippery Elm, Sodium Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Silk Amino Acid, Tussah Silk, Marshmallow Root.

The star of the shave, however, was the Phoenix Artisan double-slant razor, which comes in a variety of colors, some of which have glow-in-the-dark capability, something most razors lack. The one in the photo is the El Fantasma “Naranja” (and it does glow in the dark), which is out of stock. However, the identical razor, except for the color of the plastic, is available as the Phantom Blue or the Creatura, neither of which glow in the dark. The price for this spectacularly good razor? US$27. That’s a low price for exceptionally high performance, and the comfort and efficiency of this razor is at least as good as my best slants.

The online catalog entry quotes me (with my permission), but I received nothing in return. I paid full retail for the razors. I’m just a regular customer, but I am enthusiastic about this razor for its great comfort and its exceptional efficiency. The quote:

“…this razor, a plastic double slant from Phoenix Artisan, is one of the best razors I have: extremely comfortable and extremely efficient, it glides effortlessly through the thickest stubble, meeting no resistance and causing no problems, nor even the threat of a problem. The one I have is the Phantom Blue. I liked it so much that I ordered two spares and also ordered one for The Son. The price — US$27 — is an incredible bargain given the razor’s feel and performance.”~ Leisureguy (Michael Ham), Author of Leisureguy’s Guide to Gourmet Shaving: Shaving Made Enjoyable 

I stand by those remarks. As in my earlier posts using this razor, I recommend it highly. It is plastic and thus light in weight, but it’s also a (double) slant, so it cuts easily and works best with a light touch, thus its light weight is no problem; it is, in fact, an advantage, because it helps in keeping the pressure light. 

Three passes left my face totally smooth, and a splash of Tallow + Steel’s Cognac aftershave finished the job and launched the week. This is a good aftershave lotion:

Organic Witch Hazel + Organic Aloe Vera + Water + Organic Glycerin + Organic Quillaja Extract + Organic Rose Hydrosol + Organic Calendula Hydrosol + Alcohol + Organic Willow Bark Extract + Organic Cucumber Extract + Organic Licorice Root Extract + Organic Rosemary Extract + Leuconostoc / Radish Root Ferment Filtrate + Lactobacillus + Coconut Fruit Extract + Natural Fragrance (Botanical Extracts)

The tea this morning is Murchie’s London Afternoon: “Fragrant rose petals are interwoven with smoky Lapsang Souchong, sweetened with creamy vanilla and a touch of bright bergamot.”


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