When you take a ‘Bluebeard’s Revenge’ in hand, you soon understand why the brand was shortlisted for the prestigious ‘Best Packaging of the Year’ award. The first thing you notice about the ‘Bluebeard’s Revenge’ suite of shaving products is the wonderful iconic skull and Crossbones logo displayed prominently on all the individual components of the shaving set. The silver and white symbol of the pirates flag set on a dark blue background looks good even before you unpackage anything and the “Not for Girls” warning in red adds a nice humorous touch to the packaging too.
The range of shaving products claims it is a “luxury shaving range designed for real men” and reminds us that “The perfect shave requires the perfect tools for the job”. With two days stubble to tackle I couldn’t wait to test it out for real.
The shaving cream comes in a 100ml tin with the skull and crossbones imprinted on a silver lid. The white cream smells clean and fresh. It can be used with or without a brush but the recommendation on the tin is to use a brush so that’s what I did. The Bluebeard’s Revenge brush, again embossed with the logo, is a delight to use with a contoured wooden handle and beautifully soft bristles. After warming the bristles slightly in warm water then dabbing it into the shaving cream it feels good on the skin. The brush description claims it ‘coats every bristle’ and after a few strokes down the face and chin this is certainly true. The cream applies itself to the skin smoothly and evenly and is best left for a few moments to settle.
The Bluebeard’s Revenge ‘Cut-Throat’ Shavette, like everything else in the range, comes in the same dark blue with logo and sits easily in the hand. It uses replaceable, disposable blades which are easy to fit and are eye-wateringly sharp. The shavette glides over the shaving cream evenly and does a smart and efficient job of removing bristles effortlessly. Be careful not to press too hard until you get used to the feel of the blades though or you are liable to nick the skin.
After wiping away any excess cream the shave reveals a very smooth skin with all but the most stubborn bristles left for individual attention.
After the bristles have been dealt with the “Post Shave Balm” is a sheer joy. With a fresh, clean and rather distinctive smell it cools and moisturises the face instantly. With a wide range of ingredients including virginania, aloe vera, aqua and leaf extracts it is the perfect balm to follow a very close shave and leaves the face feeling beautifully smooth.
I waited twenty minutes before trying the Bluebeard’s revenge ‘After Shave Cologne’ – an award-nominated product in the best new male fragrance category – which has a subtle fragrance in the bottle that opens out after a few minutes on the skin. The packaging is great and promises that the scent smells ‘totally delicious to both the user and the fairer sex’ – as well as a warning not to drink it because a ’40 year old cognac tastes better. Very true!
The cologne is actually very pleasant to wear. Not too overpowering and more ‘fresh’ than ‘complex’. The only slight downside is that the neck of the bottle is quite wide and it’s hard to tip a little of the After Shave into the palm of your hand without a deluge pouring out.
So the verdict? Yes I like it. Normally a shave is something to deal with urgently every morning before rushing off to the office but the Bluebeard’s Revenge range somehow encourages a slower, more refined approach. The products work well together and look good together on a shelf. Most importantly though, they do the job efficiently and effectively. The razor and cream deal effectively with the most stubborn of bristles and the balm and cologne finish the job nicely. Would I recommend it? Most definitely!
Full range of Bluebeard’s revenge products is available through the network of stockists or directly from their website .
Review by Joe St Clair
