The new Bamboo handle razor by Bull Dog
Bull Dog is a British brand that has gradually been making its way in to the Canadian Market over the last couple of years. About a year ago, I came across their product offering at my local pharmacy and decided to give them a try. I was impressed. Read that review here. In the last 2-3 months I have seen a much larger product selection, among which was a novel cartridge razor with a bamboo handle. In a effort of moving away from plastic, Bull Dog figured that bamboo was a worthy alternative to explore. Up front, we concur!
The razor is nice looking and appears to be robust. The cassette houses 5 blades. Over the last 3-4 years I have gradually moved away from cassette blades razors in favor of the double edge safety razor, but I am no snob and this endeavor is certainly worth trying out. This little video is my unboxing.
As per the above unboxing of the Bull Dog bamboo razor and companion shave gel & moisturizer, the first shave test was done this morning. Here are the highlights.
The job at hand was some 4-5 days worth of growth. Coming out of the shower, I left the moisture on my face to help smooth my beard for the shave process. I poured about the size of a nickel of the shave gel and applied it to my mug. First off it sticks nicely and feels good. I made sure to have the shave area well covered and the gel became a bit wither during this phase. It is very thick and feels like its offering perfect insulation. Full points for this half of the job. You can also feel a good amount of lubrication. Full point for the second half of the job. Onto the shave!
As mentioned in my unboxing, this razor has a good weight and is very comfortable to hold. The size (weight and length) of the handle is perfect. The bamboo feels nice. Overall the razor moves very well and the head has excellent angling making for a trouble-free job. Having switched to a more traditional way of shaving some 4-5 years ago with the safety razor, this razor is almost a foreigner to my face, but I am pleased to report that it was very comfortable and shaved quite efficiently.
Since I was shaving off lots of growth I became concerned with rinsing the razor in between passes. The razor blade arrangement being tight, the gel and heard mess was a tad more resilient to rinse out than what I am use too, but it wasn’t impossible. Using hot water and some pressure the shave residue came out and the blades were cleaned.
I should mention that the shave gel as a nice and tamed green tea like scent. There is also a very faith element of cooling sensation happening in the background. Perfectly comfortable and enjoyable.
Having finished the shave, I rinsed the left over with a wash cloth and was impressed with the results. An impeccable shave. This bring us to the final touch with the Bull Dog moisturizer which in this instances act as the after shave balm. I pored perhaps the size of a dime and applied it loosely. The balm goes in very nicely and is absorbed by the skin quickly leaving no unpleasant greasy or sticky feeling. In fact I have been checking my mug out repeatedly today and am surprised by the smoothness of the shave and how the product are making my mug feel.
TEST STAGE:
- State: Out of the shower
- Razor: Bull Dog Bamboo handle
- Blade: Bull Bog cassette
- Pre-Shave: None
- Shaving Gel: Bull Dog
- After-Shave: Bull Dog Moisturizer
Since Bull Dog specializes in skin care there should be no surprise that they do this very well. But considering the price point ($12) for the 3 products, they are pretty much the only player on the field offering this kind of game. Yes, you can get a razor and some products at this price point, but not as smooth.
So there you have it gents, the Bull Dog razor intro kit is a total pleaser. I am even contemplating putting my safety razor to the side until I get through the shaving gel and balm.
Stay slick!
For your shopping reference – In Canada, you can find Bull Dog products at Shoppers Drug Mart (Pharmaprix in Quebec) and Walmart.