The Art of Shaving The 4 Elements of the Perfect Shave Starter Kit

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List Price: $54.70
Sale Price: $25.00
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OK folks, this is a relatively low quality starter kit from a really decent company. The Art of Shaving products in general are really nice, albeit a tad pricey. This small kit gives you a nice sample of an entire line of shaving products that work nicely together. The full sized items will cost you about $75 $100 total.

The included brush is a "toss away" quality brush. This is not just my opinion, but a quote from the manager at an Art of Shaving store. My advice is to get some samples from a department store, then purchase the Art of Shaving shave cream (wow! a great product) here on Amazon, plus either the Tweezerman Badger Brush for $15 or a Best Badger Brush from Crabtree & Evelyn for $35.

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Even though a set looked exactly like on a picture bare in mind that the box is about the size of a paperback, and it weighs about the same. All the bottles are realy tiny, they look like a one time use products, the once you receive for free with your purchase, and the brush quality is not what I expected from this company. If you are looking for a present you will feel rather embarassed to give it.

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This review is coming from a guy who hates shaving because of the serious problems with razor burn and ingrown hairs. I have tried every razor under the sun except for the single blade safety razors including 3 or 4 different brands/types of electric razors. I have also tried various shave creams and aftershave lotions/creams. I purchased this set from a local retailer after hearing some good reviews from other folks. Overall, I have to say the products are impressive.

I was a little concerned about the small size of the products in comparison to the $25 price tag, but wanted to try these out before getting the full-size kit for $100. As far as the size goes, it is small, but you don't need much product at a time to get the effect. I am on my 5th shave using it and I am only about half way through the shave oil (5 pumps is enough for me and my rough and coarse beard). I found that a small dab of the shave cream (maybe the size of an M&M candy) was plenty for lathering up twice. Same goes for the after-shave balm; 4 or 5 pumps is plenty for my face and neck. The size of these products is a good way to give the product line a shot for several days. The brush has nice bristles, but doesn't hold up very well. I pull 4 or 5 off of my face every time I lather up. Go ahead and plan on getting a better brush if you keep using the products (although the shave cream can be used without a brush, but heck, the brush just makes the whole process so much more enjoyable).

Product performance is pretty impressive. Unlike what another reviewer said, the shave oil is probably the most important part of the process, especially if you have sensitive skin and coarse hair like I do. The oil has made a world of difference and the salesman I purchased my kit from suggested that if I didn't buy any of the other products at least buy the pre-shave oil. He was right. The shave cream is great. As I mentioned above, a little goes a long way and works up to a great lather. The aftershave balm is nice and creamy, absorbs quickly, and is not greasy or oily. I use the sandalwood essence but smelled the others and I find the scent to be nice and subtle without being overpowering.

Finally, for these products to work, you need a quality razor and learn how to use it properly. This is essential for those who have problems with razor burn and ingrown hairs. I have used a Gillette Fusion and a Schick Hydro with these products and my verdict: Gillette has a better marketing campaign, but Schick has a far superior razor. The Schick razor has a lot more heft and a better feel, which makes it easier for me to shave my face without using too much pressure, which is recommended by the Art of Shaving literature. I also like how Schick has little protection bars that do seem to help protect the skin a bit. Today, for the first time in years, my face and neck are free of razor burn.

Summary: If you are one of those people who can shave with water and a dull disposable razor with no ill effects, you really don't need to invest in these products. If you are like me and shaving is an ordeal that you must endure, then I suggest these as a step towards ending your suffering. Why 4 stars and not 5? Primarily due to the cheapo brush. It would be a nice touch if they had included a full-size brush in case one decides to continue the products so they would not have to buy another one later on, especially since their products are pricey and undoubtedly priced at a premium.

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This stuff is the best thing to ever happen to me. For a guy that gets razor bump like crazy this stuff sure comes in handy. I came across west shaving and decided to give that a shot rather than spend money on expensive razor bump products and must say that you have everything to get the perfect shave in this kit. I will also like to add that the shaving cream is a bit expensive , BUT you use so little it's unbelievable , all you have to do is semi dip the brush into it and you are good for a great shave and can re-apply a few times over. I must say that the pre shave oil smells a bit funky and the badger brush smells odd at first since it is animal hair as well as any brush for that matter but you will not be dissapointed!!! I will NEVER go back to the Gillette canned stuff!

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I was a bit skeptical about these products but had the opportunity to visit a store in Chicago and tried the samples first. The best part of the store sample is the $25 off coupon for the full size kit which makes the entire deal worthwhile. The brush is a 2 year brush and yes a few hairs do come off but that is to be expected. The entire process results in a fantastic shave. If you have a rather aggressive beard you will benefit from this greatly, I shave daily in the shower. The shave oil helps the blade move over your face easier and is key in the process. The shave cream seems expensive but when you consider that you use no more than a pea size amount on the brush and have more than enough foam for two shaves, its important to note that dipping the brush in the container is not recommended due to possible contamination of the product. I expect this shave cream to last around 8 months which is a great value for $22. Since I shave in the shower I put the shave oil is a small pump bottle and need to find a squeeze bottle for the shave cream to use in the shower. The unscented after shave is the best that I have ever used and is not greasy at all and makes your face feel great. My only complaint is that it has no sun screen in it. I continue to use olay facial cream for a general purpose facial moisturizer usually in the evening. I'm currently using a razor that I bought at Costco American Razor M5 Magnum which is a great razor for the price...$20 for 20 cartridges. I have some issues around my nose with the 5 blade razors, so I will likely switch back to the Mach 3 when these are used up. I recommend that if you have a store near by that you have them demo the products for you and get a free sample to try out, which comes with the oil, shave cream and after shave. It will be enough for a few shaves. The gentlemen that I spoke to at the location in the Northbridge Mall (Michigan Ave in Chicago) were extremely helpful. Do yourself a favor a get these products, you will notice after a week that your face feels and looks great.

Update: Have seen some reviews about the full sized kits brush not being of high quality. I have been using the brush that came in the kit since August and at first a few hairs did come out but that has since stopped. Mine is working and holding up fine. Take my advice and get the sample coupon before purchasing the full kit if you can. I just purchased another bottle of the after-shave, yes it was $41 at Nordstroms but it's worth every penny. I love it!!