The Bluebeard's Revenge Luxury Shaving Cream

RRP: £14.50
available from: The Shaving Shack, Safetyrazors.co.uk, Elm House Products Ltd

--What does the promo say?--
"Designed by a real life Blue Beard who was bored to death with being a Desperate Dan look-alike, The Bluebeards Revenge™ is a paraben free, premium quality shaving cream with added ingredients to specifically combat tough stubble. It has been formulated to our unique specification in one of the UK's premier male cosmetics laboratories who are renowned experts in the field of shaving cream."

 --Packaging--
The shiny blue box combines a white skull and crossbones with a somehow still classy-looking jar that comes with a silver-effect screw top lid. A shaving brush is also included, and the whole ensemble is easy to use. The Bluebeard's Revenge reports that girls have been making up an ever-increasing percentage of their customer base, so the female contingent may wish to skip the use of the brush, but the male tester on this side says that the brush is easy to use and is even a bit of a novelty in an age where most men don't reach for the shaving brush automatically.

--Application--
An almond-sized blob should cover your whole face (for gents), so an even smaller amount is required for ladies who are looking to get rid of persistent unwanted facial, underarm and bikini line hair. Shave off as normal with hot water and a decent razor.

--Appearance--
A pearlescent white, thick luxurious cream that should appeal to everyone. It's quite stiff, too, implying that it is a bit more heavy-duty, going beyond the airy-fairyness of your average shaving foam or face cream. No visible residue is left on the skin after use.

--Scent--
Quite masculine, staying true to The Bluebeard's Revenge's word that it conjures images of a traditional barbershop with a modern twist. I suspect some vetiver in there, although the ingredients list gives nothing away save the inclusion of aloe vera. Possibly too masculine to truly appeal to girls - if I were working at The Bluebeard's Revenge, I would seriously consider putting out a version of the cream that uses the same technology but has a different smell - perhaps something more neutral or something that uses essential oils such as lavender or lemon that may appeal more to the XX market.

--Texture--
As previously mentioned, it's very stiff, but you get a good lather with no effort at all and it washes off easily too, leaving skin feeling insanely smooth and soft after use.

--Effects on the skin--
The most notable immediate effect, baby-softness aside, is the fact that this cream delivers an incredibly close shave, which will alone keep the unwanted hairs at bay for longer even if the stubble-busting technology itself were a load of old cobblers. Him indoors did unfortunately find that he experienced greater sensitivity after using this compared to his usual shaving cream (which, for the record, costs exactly the same), but that to the contrary this lessens if you use the cream having not shaved for a couple of days (as opposed to shaving every day). From my experience, I found no sensitivity occurred while using this product, even when tackling a few unwanted hairs on my own face, so it quite clearly depends on the person. It's also difficult for us to know if the product really reduces stubble, as I am normally a waxer (plucking out hairs that grow on my face), and him indoors has only used this new cream once a week. I'll be passing it onto my dad, whose stubble also regrows quickly, for further tests.

--Value for money--
For a totally vegetarian, paraben-free product that also works well and contributes to charity with every pot purchased (money is donated to Help For Heroes for every unit sold), you're getting a good deal here on a unique product that poses a credible challenge to the domination of the hair removal market by Gillette. Don't hesitate to go out and buy it for the man in your life this Christmas - or even as a Christmas present to yourself.

perfect partners
The Bluebeard's Revenge Scimitar Double Edge Razor, £29.99
The Bluebeard's Revenge Doubloon Bristle Shaving Brush, £6.99
The Bluebeard's Revenge Shaving Cream, Brush, and Mach3 Razor Gift Set with Free Balm, £49.99
The Bluebeard's Revenge Post Shave Balm, £9.99