In the Wicked Edge subreddit, one of the frequent post types is the Mail Call. It’s where the community members share their recent acquisitions (typically received by mail or other package delivery because there are so few brick and mortar stores that sell a wide range of double-edge or specialty shaving products.
This is my latest mail call post. I’ve never ordered from Maggard Razors, a shop in Michigan, but I follow them and have signed up for their email updates. And about a week ago, I got an email that offered 15% off samples of soaps, aftershaves, pre-shaves and the like.
Samples are very popular. Let’s start with that. It’s an inexpensive way to try out a soap, aftershave, pre-shave, or other software without having to buy a full tub of soap or larger bottle of an aftershave balm. It’s cheaper and almost risk free–if you don’t like something, you’ve only got a 1/4 oz jar that you can either finish or just get rid of. A little jar of product usually lasts 2-4 shaves.
But because they’re popular, they’re also frequently out of stock. And if you’re me and looking primarily for unscented products, those are in stock very rarely.
To their credit, Maggard was prepared. Almost everything that I looked at was in stock for this sale, and several of the unscented or items I had been looking to try was available. And just to make it clear, shops like Maggard’s and Razor Emporium and the like make their own sample containers–they just use the full size product and scoop or pour it into the sample containers and then print labels for the lids. So supply is not an issue with the manufacturer, but with the retailers themselves. But because of the discount and availability, I jumped on the deal and got 17 samples for about $60.
I’ve expanded my Proraso collection. I’ve been fully prepared to buy the full-size Proraso blue protective products (aloe vera & Vitamin E formulation), because I just think that will work well for me and be another Proraso product that I can use. But they were in the sample stock, so I picked up the pre-shave, aftershave balm, and cream (Proraso doesn’t offer the blue formulation in the soap form factor, just a cream in a tube), so I can try them out. Also, while I was there, I picked up samples of the Proraso green (menthol & eucalyptus) shaving cream and pre-post shave. There wasn’t a sample of the balm available. I’m pretty sure I experienced the Proraso green cream and after shave splash when I had the shavette shave earlier this year. The smell was familiar.
There’s one odd little soap that was a limited production run from Barrister and Mann, it’s 42 shave soap, designed as an homage to The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy. It’s an interesting and complex fragrance, and it isn’t really a hard soap–it’s kind of a cream soap, or as some call it, a “croap” (seriously).
I’ve also really wanted to try Cella products. Cella is another old Italian shaving products manufacturer, established, I believe, in 1899, so they predate Proraso by almost a decade. So I picked up a sample of the aloe vera shaving cream.
Edwin Jagger is a big name in shaving. They’re based in Sheffield, England, have been around since 1988, and make almost everything for shaving, from razors, razor handles, and brushes, to soaps, pre-shave, after shave, and other products. The only thing they don’t seem to make are razor blades. I grabbed samples of their aloe vera shaving cream, pre shave lotion, and moisturizing aftershave lotion.
Also British, I got a sample of the unscented organic Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream. They’re also a favorite among posters online.
A very popular brand in the subreddit is Zingari Man. Based in Indiana, they make a range or bath soaps, shaving soaps, lotions, balms, and other shaving and grooming software. They’re one of the brands that I wonder if their products are really that good to be that popular, or if the branding is a substantial part of the draw. Guess I’ll find out, because I got their unscented soap, sego balm, and aftershave serum. And yes, after ordering, I did look to see what the difference between a sego balm and aftershave serum is. The sego balm is thicker and usually has tallow and other ingredients for a longer-lasting moisturization effect.
That’s about the size of it. Everything is tucked away in the shaving toolbox, as shown above, along with the alum block and three previous samples I got a while back from Razor Emporium.
I’m anxious to dig into these, and I’m not sure where I’ll start, though I’m leaning toward a Proraso blue Sunday instead of the white. Stay tuned and see what I think!
