The Bluebeards Revenge Shaving Cream

I have been traditional DE shaving for some time now and have stuck with the “traditional” creams and soaps. So it was with some trepidation that I ordered and tried the new shaving cream from The Bluebeards Revenge range.  Aesthetically the packaging the pot comes in is very attractive with is “skull and cross bones” (Jolly Roger) motif, unique text font and blue box.

The range is advertised and marketed with the unique selling point that it reduces beard growth due to an addition of Decelerine™, which means less shaving and therefore better for the skin. Personally I do not know or understand the science behind this and I have no idea if any independent research has gone into its development. I used the whole 100ml pot (as I do with all the products I test) and may have noticed a small reduction in beard growth. Was this an actual reduction or was I just because I was looking for it so I found it, to be 100% honest I have no idea.

Leaving the beard reduction aside how did the cream match up to other shaving cream products on the market that I have tried? Well let’s see. The cream itself is quite dense, which allows for either direct application to the brush or a quick scoop with a finger. I personally favored the direct brush application for this cream, gently dabbing and swirling my brush in the cream until all the tips of the brush were covered then bowel lathering. It was great to see how quickly this cream lathered up to a rich smooth lather with minimal bubbles. Once I applied the cream to my face it felt as good as it looked. It gave good coverage and was stable on the face with no dripping or slippage. During the shave the cream gave good amounts of cushioning and slickness allowing for a comfortable shave. The cream retained the moisture well also the warmth from the brush and bowel. My face felt hydrated but not as much as other creams I have tried. I easily got three passes from the lather made in the bowel, which I would estimate came from about an almond size amount of cream.

The scent reminded me of trips to the barbers when I was young, as it has that old barber shop smell. There were also some mild woody undertones to the scent but I could not distinguish what they were. With “the other half test” (asking my wife to smell it) this cream came out very well and my wife loved that scent it gave.

Overall if you consider this cream as just a shaving cream and leave aside the bread growth reduction then it is a very nice easy to use cream that could compete well with more established creams already on the market. For me the bread growth reduction element it what puts me off. I come from a medical background and I’m not too happy with things interfering with my normal body processes unless I understand the way it works. I also have too much hair loss on the top of my head so I don’t want to loose it from my face as well. Above all I love to shave and something that reduces the amount of shaving I do does not appeal to me. I would use this cream again and it could become a regular for me if the added ingredient of Decelerine™ was removed.

Scent Lather Hydration Overall

4/5 5/5 3½/5 12½/15