Pinaud Clubman Shaving Products Review

 

Pinaud Clubman Shaving Products Review - Pinaud Clubman After Shave Lotion

My travails with shaving are well known, so I won’t repeat the details. But it does mean that I am always on the lookout for products that make this necessity a little easier. I was re-introduced to Pinaud Clubman products last year. But it’s only in the last month that I have started using some of the shaving products from this heritage brand.

Pinaud Clubman Shaving Products Review - Pinaud Clubman After Shave Lotion

A heritage brand always deserves an intro, so here goes. In 1810, Édouard Pinard founded the perfume and cosmetics company, Ed. Pinaud, in Paris. While the company became famous for its fragrances, its Clubman range of male toiletries became a barbershop staple. The brand was bought by American International Industries in the 1980s. The range now includes everything from bath and body to haircare products.

Pinaud Clubman Shaving Products Review - Pinaud Clubman No Bumps GelFor this Pinaud Clubman shaving products review, I tried the Classic Barber Shave Cream, No Bumps Gel and After Shave Lotion. All of these products are available at Dis-Chem.

“The Clubman range now includes everything from bath and body to haircare products.”

PINAUD CLUBMAN CLASSIC BARBER SHAVE CREAM

I’ve spotted this product in numerous barbershops over the years, so I was keen to see how it performed at home. It claims to offer “the most comfortable, smoothest, closest shave ever… to dramatically reduce dry skin, rashes, nicks and cuts.” As a shaving gel man, it took me a while to get used to the consistency of this cream. But once I had, I could appreciate its old-school quality (complete with classic barbershop fragrance) and how it improves razor glide. R149.95 for 453ml.

Pinaud Clubman Shaving Products Review - Pinaud Clubman Classic Barber Shave Cream

 

“Like many men, I’m familiar with pseudofolliculitis barbae, if we are going to do Latin.”

PINAUD CLUBMAN NO BUMPS GEL

Like many men, I’m familiar with razor bumps and in-grown hairs (pseudofolliculitis barbae, if we are going to do Latin). Pinaud Clubman No Bumps Gel features salicylic acid, which is a pro at dissolving pore-clogging dirt. This helps to prevent in-grown hairs. It also contains healing and hydrating panthenol, a vitamin B-5 derivative. I am happy to report that for the weeks I used this product after shaving, I had no problems with groan-inducing in-growns (apologies, I couldn’t help myself). This product packs a potent-smelling punch when you first open it, so easy does it. R199.95 for 118ml.

Pinaud Clubman Shaving Products Review - Pinaud Clubman No Bumps Gel

PINAUD CLUBMAN AFTER SHAVE LOTION

After shaves have never been my thing. Perhaps because I have experienced really burning ones in the past. For the last part of my Pinaud Clubman shaving products review, I tried Pinaud Clubman After Shave Lotion several times for the sake of research. I love it! After all, it’s an aromatic-fougère classic with a most appealing mix of citrus, herbal and oakmoss notes. As much as I enjoy it on my face, I like it even more splashing it on my body. So this one will be migrating from my shaving products to my fragrance collection. R199.95 for 177ml.

Pinaud Clubman Shaving Products Review - Pinaud Clubman After Shave Lotion

Product Review: Schick Hydro 5

Schick Hydro 5

When a product bags an award, I want to know WHY? and HOW?. So when I saw on Instagram that the Schick Hydro 5 had won Product of the Year in the Male Grooming category, of course, I had to try it out myself.

NOT TO FEAR, THE SCHICK HYDRO 5 IS HERE?

While I am not a certified xyrophobe, the prospect of shaving daily fills me with dread. I share this dread with many other hirsute men. Fortunately, I work in an industry where stubble is not an issue and the ongoing beard trend has given me some relief too.

Shaving dread

THE SHAVING DREAD: What a pain!

As I am not one for a full-on beard, I know that by day five of not shaving, I have crossed the line between hopefully rugged to definitely ragged. And it’s time for the shave…

A FIVE-STAR PERFORMANCE FROM THE SCHICK HYDRO 5?

So would the award-winning Schick Hydro 5 make shaving more bearable and a lot less irritation free? Well, before I tell you about that, let me first list the Schick Hydro 5’s key features (courtesy of the website):

  • A hydrating gel reservoir to deliver hydration throughout the shave and for up to an hour afterwards.
  • Ultra-Glide Blades with advanced skin guards to reduce friction.
  • A flip trimmer for those tricky areas.
  • A newly developed handle for better grip.
Schick Hydro 5

BLADES OF GLORY: Into battle we go…

Over the last three weeks, I have given the Schick Hydro 5 several shaving challenges. A day four of major stubble when I usually shave. A day five of ragged stubble. And a seven-day major growth when I look like I have taken leave of my senses.

Thanks to its hydrating gel reservoir (not a lube strip, the packaging emphasises), the Schick Hydro 5 handled all these shaving tests with impressive ease. When there were some unfinished bits under my nose and near my lips, that’s because I was in a rush to get to work. Slow down, mister…

Schick Hydro 5

SUPER SLICK: The Schick Hydro 5 is up for all challenges.

AND THE PRICE

I still have my Gillette Sensor Excel (sadly discontinued a few years ago) and some blades. This trusty razor didn’t cost me a fortune (under R100 for a five-pack of blades) when it was still on the market. And we know what an expensive business shaving is for us men. The recommended price for the Schick Hydro 5 is R119.99 and R194.95 for a four-pack of blades at my local Dis-Chem. So not cheap, for sure, but it certainly does the job.

Product Review: Philips Series 7000 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver

Main Pic

I don’t enjoy shaving. And can’t remember the last time I shaved on a daily basis. But as I am a hirsute man, I need to do the deed, on average, every four days. By day four of not shaving, I start to walk the line between rugged and ragged. And by day five, what a mess! And we’re not talking a hot mess. It also doesn’t help matters that I have sensitive skin.

I usually use Gillette Sensor Excel blades to do the job. Then during one of my recent tidy-ups, I re-discovered the Philips Series 7000 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver in my grooming product drawers.

How could I have forgotten about this wet and dry electric shaver? It’s specifically designed for men with sensitive skin and comes with a load of nifty features? These include comfort rings with anti-friction micro-bead coating, a GentlePrecision blade system and five-direction DynamicFlex heads for a smooth, trauma-free shave. Plus, it provides 50 minutes of cordless shaving (it takes an hour to charge fully) and there’s a SmartClick beard styler.

My last experience with an electric shaver was with a Braun something-or-other way back in the 1990s. I eventually abandoned it, as it could not deal with the rigours of my stubble. Would the Philips Series 7000 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver fare any better?

My first few shaves with the Philips Series 7000 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver were a failure and I had to finish the job with my Gillette. Not because this Philips is a piece of rubbish, but because a) I didn’t read the instructions properly and b) I gave it the impossible seven-day Richard stubble challenge.

Shaver Other Pic

I must have been in a good mood this morning, because I gave the Philips Series 7000 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver a more reasonable test – four days of stubble growth. While not as dense and tough as a week’s worth, it would still test the shaver’s agility and precision.

At last! The shaver handled my stubble with aplomb, gliding with ease. Sure, I had to finish up under my nose with my Gillette, but overall I was impressed with the Philips Series 7000 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver’s performance. Now I just need to remember the four-day rule when using it in future.

3 tips for buying an electric shaver

* Make sure you buy an electric shaver that suits your lifestyle and your shaving needs. For example, if you prefer to shave at gym before going to work, you will want one that’s light and good to go. Similarly, if you travel frequently, make sure it is travel-friendly. The Philips Series 7000 Wet & Dry Electric Shaver comes with a handy travel lock.

* There are generally two types of electric shavers: rotary (revolving blades) and foil (a thin layer of metal covers the blades). Rotary is best for men who have thick and coarse hair and prefer not to shave every day. Foil is best for men who don’t mind shaving daily and have finer hair.

* An electric shaver isn’t for everyone. If your razor is a top performer, there’s no need to go the electric route.

Shaver Secondary Pic