Here we are, the last shave day of 2018 is here. It has been a great year of shaves, meeting other great folks in the wet shaving community and I had the opportunity to try a bunch of new gear this year. It is time for the yearly post of my favourite shaving items of 2018. These aren’t necessarily released in 2018, they are just the products I love the most in my den. Some of these items were new purchases, others trades and even a few PIFs along the way. All of them have a special place in my den.
Soap – Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements – Black Bot
A tough choice off the top as I have many fantastic soaps in the den. For me, this guy is the top. Performance wise it may not be the best base but it is damn good in my books, and scent wise, this is full on 60s musk. An homage to black belt cologne/aftershave of that era, this is a fantastic throwback scent. I absolutely love it and it is unique among scents in my den, I highly recommend picking it up.
Honorable mentions: Like Grandpa Wild Rose, Barrister & Mann Gotique Fougere, Martin de Candre Fougere
Aftershave – Stonefield Shaving Company – Three Six & Charlie
Another tough choice in the den. I probably have as many aftershaves as I do shaving soaps at this point. I’m happy to report a fellow Canadian artisan wins out on this one. Johnathan at Stonefield Shaving Company offers a variety of shaving products in his online store but he also features a few of his own namesake. This Three Six & Charlie was new this year and it is an absolutely stunning scent. Bergamot, Irish Tweed, Coffee, and Pipe Tobacco. Everything blends into a really nice take on a tobacco scent. The performance is also fantastic on this non-alcohol based splash.
Honorable mentions: RazoRock Tuscan Oud, Aneja Vetiver, Barrister & Mann Gotique Fougere
Razor – Karve Christopher Bradley
This one was a clear winner in my den this year. The Karve CB is a fantastic razor. Full brass CNC machined construction makes this razor a stunner to look at and I get the most amazing shaves with this guy. Even sub par blades give me decent shaves when paired with this razor. I wait longingly for the stainless steel version.
Honorable mentions: Yaqi Mellon, Ever-Ready 1912, Merkur 37c
Brush – Paragon Plisson Synthetic
This category was a two horse race. It came down to this and my Spiffo Two Band Badger. In the end, function wins out. This larger knot makes for short work of any lather and the handle is extremely comfortable in the hand. With a natural wood handle, it is also a standout in the looks department. I reach for this one whenever trying a new soap as I consistently get the best results.
Honorable mentions: Spiffo Two-Band Badger
Blade – Rapira Platinum Lux
I tend to not cycle thru a bunch of different blades now that I have found my few favourites. The Platinum Lux gets pulled the most. I get consistently smooth shaves with this blade.
Honorable mentions: Gillette Wilkinson Sword, Astra Green, Voskhod
Bowl – Thirsty Badger Lather Bowl
OK, I’ll toot my own horn on this one. My wife knocked it out of the park this year for us making some stunning products. This one looked so good and worked so well that I had to keep it for myself. Looking forward to all the new things she has on the horizon for us this year.
So that’s it, my favourites of 2018. How about you, what were your favourites this year?
