Friday 26th April 2019 PM
Pre-shave:- Warm rinse / Nivea Sensitive Face Wash / Proraso Red pre-shave cream
Brush:- Executive Shaving Company Medium Jock Synthetic
Soap/Cream:- Executive Shaving Company Natural cream
Razor/Blade:- OneBlade Genesis / Feather SE Hi-Stainless
Post-shave:- Thayers Cucumber / Xtro Mare aftershave / Bart's Bergamot and Vanilla balm
The OneBlade Genesis arrived today. After the razor getting a good clean and soak I pressed on with the shave. As it was the Executive Shaving Company that was my first experience with wet shaving, and them being the only UK supplier of this razor, I thought I'd mainly use their products this evening - brush and cream.
Ok, first things first. The packaging for this razor is excellent. The leather box and red stitching lets you know that quality is inside. Likewise, the interior packaging is precision made. The razor and stand are snuggly and securely held in place with quality cut padding. This is great, but I couldn't help thinking yeah cool....but does it make it shave any better?
Examining the razor itself it is well engineered. It looks good, feels good and the stand only supports its impressive appearance. Loading the blade is a piece of piss. I know lots of users feel cheated as there is only one blade that fits this razor, though some are managing to doctor other blades to fit. All I'll say is the Feather blade clicked securely into place with little effort.
Now onto the shave. This was a tried and tested road I followed with my usual pre-shave and a good lathering of ES Natural cream. Using the razor on my 1st WTG pass took me straight back to cartridge shaving but without any sign of irritation. More pressure than usual is required to allow the pivoting head to move, but all thoughts of blade angle were gone. Yes I found a little spot that gave me a weeper during the first pass, but that was gone by the time I reached my 3rd ATG pass.
Washing up after my final pass the finish was phenomenal. The biggest difference was around my neck. Soft and smoother than glass. I have only achieve this level of smoothness after a near perfect shave when using SE or DE razors.
Splashing on the Xtro aftershave there was a very slight burn, more fresh than uncomfortable.
My first experience with this razor is really positive. The finish is fantastic.
There a downside however. There is no skill needed whatsoever with this razor....and I mean none. If this was your introduction to the world of wet shaving you'd think it was the easiest and most straightforward shave ever. I enjoy the experience of shaving, the challenge, the learning, the variation between razors and blades, but this razor can be used straight out the box with good results. I'm not convinced this is the direction I want to go but by God the result for next to no effort is good. It something I'll ponder over during the next few weeks as I continue with the Genesis.
The final thing, and elephant in the room is the cost. Just over £300 brand new. Is it worth it? No, not in my opinion. The lifetime warranty tells you the manufacturer knows the razor is a winner, but the price tag and limitation to one overpriced blade is, again in my opinion, limiting what could covert lots of cartridge users.
I'll continue with this razor and keep you updated.
Have a great night and weekend folks! [emoji1303]