When I was a student picking a shaving cream was always a fairly simple affair. Go to the supermarket, fill my basket with beer and add any special offer toiletries which would fit next to said beer. This inevitably lead to three years of switching between varieties of Tesco’s own brand and Gillette. This suited me fine as it got the job done. So the idea of reviewing a shaving cream seemed odd. To what extent the gel had helped me avoid rocking the small bits of bloody toilet paper stuck on the face look, I wasn't too sure. But there seems to be a little more to it than that.
+Rehab London’s range includes a variety of men’s grooming products which focus on providing natural products with a rock ‘n’ roll edge. The Men’s Cold Turkey Saving Gel fits into this model nicely boasting 95% naturally derived ingredients along with no DEAs, parabens, SLSs, sulfates or silicones. Now for the beginners amongst us, these chemicals cause premature aging and irritation of the skin, not ideal for the modern man.
Not only this but this shaving formula boasts the coveted natural ingredient Argan Oil. A little bit of research shows that Argan Oil is the David Beckham of the natural skincare ingredients. Having burst onto the cosmetics scene some time since 2009, the Mexican government (where this ingredient is grown) is now having to plan for increased production. Its claimed that Argan Oil works as one of nature’s most effective natural moisturisers helping to rejuvenate and repair the skin preventing blotchy red skin and the aging effect of stress and sunlight. On top of this the Aloe Vera and witch hazel add further moisturising benefits to your skin, but also leave the gel with a eucalyptus-esque smell. This is all nice in theory, but does it really work? Until this week I had always seen shaving as similar to bumping into an ex; a painful event to finished as quickly as possible, and if there’s no bleeding it’s an added bonus. However, +Rehab London’s gel has bumped shaving up a couple of ranks in terms of enjoyable activities during my morning routine. The refreshing gel makes your morning shave a much more pleasant experience leaving your skin feeling clean and irritation free. Another nice touch is the menthol crystals. After you rinse your face these crystals leave a cool, minty sensation on the face. But critically, after just a week +Rehab have really done what the promise on the tin (or squeezable tube). My skin is smoother to the touch, looks healthier and feels lighter. I never thought high end shaving cream would be for me, but with will old(er) age and (less im)maturity the appeal and benefits of the men’s grooming world are starting to reveal themselves. +Rehab London’s Cold Turkey Shaving Gel has been a great introduction.
- Guest Post by Jake