MY ACCOUNT
By: Dan Bednar
In June of 2020 I had enough. After 15 to 16 years of shaving trying various cartridge and electric razors I was done. I finally pulled the trigger and went to single-edge shaving with DE and Injector razors. It was magic. I loved the routine and "my time" that the ritual required. I started trying creams from multiple different companies. Then I found WSP in October.
I started with some sample sized creams and while they were great, I also tried the soaps and that's where I've stayed.
Now for the problem.
In the first week of January, I finally was able to check off a buck list item. I found a barber near me doing straight razor shaves. I kept my beard, and eyebrows - everything else got the treatment. The experience itself was amazing. Warm towels, oils & warm cream massaged in - it was all great. Then the shaving started. It. Was. Rough. All the steps of the ritual were there, but the products used were absolutely terrible! The blade was sharp but there was no "slick" feel to it as it was run across my skin. When it was all said and done, my skin wasn't happy. And to be clear - I don't blame the barber. He used what the shop requires him to use. It is what it is. I'm also sure higher-end shops use better stuff but my options around here are fairly limited.
A few days later, I took my own first stab at shaving my head. I used the Formula T soap since that's what I keep on hand. Of course I went for the Barbershop scnet, it's basically law. I won't sit here and say I did the perfect job. It could have been closer in some spots but generally speaking you would not have been able to tell I had done it myself. But more importantly than how I looked, it felt amazing. My skin was so much happier when it was all said and done and I frankly thought I smelled better than what the actual barbershop left me with.
This brings me back to the beginning. Had I not found WSP, I would not have known just how bad other products were. I'd have walked away from this barbershop thinking this was just standard as that was what I was used to.
But I also learned something that made me very, very happy. I don't mind buying products that are quality. I'll always pay more when the quality is worth it. In the world of shaving products there are literally thousands of options and honestly, some are cheaper than what you can get at WSP. But they don't stand up to it. I found WSP because the cheaper stuff (and some more expensive stuff) just didn't live to my expectations and I kept trying new things.
WSP exceeds the quality I expect for the money I'm spending. I've learned that I can give myself better-than-professional quality shaves at home and bask in the ritual. Shaving has gone from a necessary evil to "my time". I know my money is well spent and I'm now able to pamper myself on a very regular basis. That's also not mentioning my wife loves how I look and smell.
As an aside, what do I recommend for head shaving? First and foremost I can't comment on the Rustic soap since I don't have it. Use a pre-shave oil. Your scalp is like your face but for some people (myself included) it can be more sensitive and you want to give it the best protection you can. Then the shave soap. The Formula T is amazing for the job. It loads into the brush very well letting you work it into the scruff better and works for 2-3 passes if you need it. I have tried using cream for this as well. It works and the results are identical but it doesn't load into the brush as well. After lathering onto 3-day's worth of growth my brush was empty. Thankfully I didn't need a second pass. Top if off with the after shave balm for a happy scalp
Happy Shaving!
Dan B