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| Pure Shave products |
I was sent samples of the fragrance, Amber, and of the shaving cream and the moisturiser and you can read my notes on these below, after my interview with James Kenning, who started the brand:
GF: Please introduce yourself the the brand.
JK: Hi, my name is James Kenning and I am the owner of Pure Shave London, a new eco-friendly grooming brand.
GF: How did you come to start Pure Shave?
JK: I started Pure Shave because I suffer from razor burn and rash and have done ever since I started shaving in 1987. I can remember looking in FHM for all the latest shaving products to come out (pre internet!) and would spend a fortune on the new products, but none of them really worked for me. I always thought there had to be an answer and a product somewhere.
Necessity being the mother of all invention, I stumbled on an idea for a key ingredient that I thought might work well within a shaving cream. With that in mind and a lack of products on the market, I decided to make my own.
I endlessly researched soaps, oils, emulsifiers and emollients, my aim was that every ingredient would have a benefit to the skin in some way. I also wanted to keep ingredients to an absolute minimum, hence the name, Pure Shave. Armed with half a dozen ingredients, I sat in my kitchen at home and started mixing. On the seventh attempt I had a formula that worked really well, no razor burn at all.
This was then tested on a group of my old school friends, who thought I had somehow lost the plot when I asked them to come round for beer and pizza but also to bring their razors! To my surprise, they all agreed the shaving cream was an idea worth pursuing.
This then started a very long four year process of getting the formula tweaked by a professional cosmetic formulation company to turn my idea into a viable and safe product, all the while holding down my day job in the TV and Film industry as a sound recordist. To say it’s been an emotional rollercoaster of a ride is an understatement.
The result of this hard work and effort is a fragrance free, hypoallergenic shaving cream, rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that virtually eliminates razor burn and razor rash.
JK: I started Pure Shave because I suffer from razor burn and rash and have done ever since I started shaving in 1987. I can remember looking in FHM for all the latest shaving products to come out (pre internet!) and would spend a fortune on the new products, but none of them really worked for me. I always thought there had to be an answer and a product somewhere.
Necessity being the mother of all invention, I stumbled on an idea for a key ingredient that I thought might work well within a shaving cream. With that in mind and a lack of products on the market, I decided to make my own.
I endlessly researched soaps, oils, emulsifiers and emollients, my aim was that every ingredient would have a benefit to the skin in some way. I also wanted to keep ingredients to an absolute minimum, hence the name, Pure Shave. Armed with half a dozen ingredients, I sat in my kitchen at home and started mixing. On the seventh attempt I had a formula that worked really well, no razor burn at all.
This was then tested on a group of my old school friends, who thought I had somehow lost the plot when I asked them to come round for beer and pizza but also to bring their razors! To my surprise, they all agreed the shaving cream was an idea worth pursuing.
This then started a very long four year process of getting the formula tweaked by a professional cosmetic formulation company to turn my idea into a viable and safe product, all the while holding down my day job in the TV and Film industry as a sound recordist. To say it’s been an emotional rollercoaster of a ride is an understatement.
The result of this hard work and effort is a fragrance free, hypoallergenic shaving cream, rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that virtually eliminates razor burn and razor rash.
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| Pure Shave - I haven't tried the razor |
GF: What products do you offer and what do you see as their advantages?
JK: The Pure Shave brand is built around the shaving cream which really does eliminate razor burn and rash. There are many different ways to use the shaving cream. You can use it with a shaving brush, either using a bowl or direct onto your face. If you take a few extra moments the shaving cream will whip up into a dense luxurious foam.
Personally, I use it just as a cream direct from the bottle, I think this is the best way to use it but the great thing is, you can experiment with it and use it how it works best for you. Some customers use it as a pre-shave balm as well, so it is incredibly versatile. The other excellent thing about the cream is that it is very economical, you don’t need to use much to get great results. Your skin will feel amazing afterwards, no tightness or soreness, your skin will feel soft supple and hydrated.
JK: The Pure Shave brand is built around the shaving cream which really does eliminate razor burn and rash. There are many different ways to use the shaving cream. You can use it with a shaving brush, either using a bowl or direct onto your face. If you take a few extra moments the shaving cream will whip up into a dense luxurious foam.
Personally, I use it just as a cream direct from the bottle, I think this is the best way to use it but the great thing is, you can experiment with it and use it how it works best for you. Some customers use it as a pre-shave balm as well, so it is incredibly versatile. The other excellent thing about the cream is that it is very economical, you don’t need to use much to get great results. Your skin will feel amazing afterwards, no tightness or soreness, your skin will feel soft supple and hydrated.
For those who need, we also offer a luxurious daily moisturiser, it is a non-greasy formula and is also fragrance free to keep any irritation to a minimum.
Our Eau de Toilette, Amber, was made for us by John Stephen at one of the UK’s leading fragrance houses based in The Cotswolds. I wanted a fragrance that had that ‘something' extra that made you want to keep smelling it, a fragrance that excited the senses, I have to say John has created something magical for Pure Shave.
The fragrance notes: it's based on the classic Chypre style [ed. a perfume based on sandalwood]. The blend of vetiver, musk, patchouli and ambergris form a rich, complex base. Layered on top are middle notes of geranium and pepper, floral with a spicy edge; and finally, orange and lime create the fresh citrus opening.
Our Eau de Toilette, Amber, was made for us by John Stephen at one of the UK’s leading fragrance houses based in The Cotswolds. I wanted a fragrance that had that ‘something' extra that made you want to keep smelling it, a fragrance that excited the senses, I have to say John has created something magical for Pure Shave.
The fragrance notes: it's based on the classic Chypre style [ed. a perfume based on sandalwood]. The blend of vetiver, musk, patchouli and ambergris form a rich, complex base. Layered on top are middle notes of geranium and pepper, floral with a spicy edge; and finally, orange and lime create the fresh citrus opening.
We also have an elegant, handcrafted wash-bag made from waxed saddle leather, sometimes known as Crazy Horse Leather. The application of wax over leather creates a rustic look that ages beautifully, picking up scratches and scuffs over time that add character and a vintage feel. The wash-bag features two compartments, both of which are lined with waterproof material. The large main compartment has space to contain anything you might need for business or pleasure, and the handy lower compartment is ideal for storing razors, scissors or other sharp items.
Our hand turned olive wood razor handles are a bestseller and are available on their own or as part of a set with options of a stand and brush or with a soap bowl as well. The handles are available for Gillette Mach3 or Fusion or for the traditional shaver there is a double-edged option.
Our hand turned olive wood razor handles are a bestseller and are available on their own or as part of a set with options of a stand and brush or with a soap bowl as well. The handles are available for Gillette Mach3 or Fusion or for the traditional shaver there is a double-edged option.
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| Pure Shave Crazy Horse leather wash bag |
GF: Sustainability is an important part of your offering - how does that work?
JK: Sustainability is a massive part of the business for me and one of the major headaches during the four years in development. It was so important for me that as a new brand we addressed the huge amount of waste we produce as individuals each year.
All of our products are refillable. The shaving cream and moisturiser are sold in aluminium bottles that can be refilled using one of the eco refill pouches. Each refill pouch holds enough product to refill the bottle three times. These pouches are made from recycled materials and are in themselves widely recyclable. However, instead of throwing them away when empty why not reuse them? They make great ice packs for picnics or for the gardeners among us they make great seedling planters.
We even offer a refill service for our fragrance Amber - this is the reason that it comes in a flight case, so that it can be posted back to us safely. You simply go on to the website and purchase the refill service and we do the rest - all you have to do is post it at your local post office.
JK: Sustainability is a massive part of the business for me and one of the major headaches during the four years in development. It was so important for me that as a new brand we addressed the huge amount of waste we produce as individuals each year.
All of our products are refillable. The shaving cream and moisturiser are sold in aluminium bottles that can be refilled using one of the eco refill pouches. Each refill pouch holds enough product to refill the bottle three times. These pouches are made from recycled materials and are in themselves widely recyclable. However, instead of throwing them away when empty why not reuse them? They make great ice packs for picnics or for the gardeners among us they make great seedling planters.
We even offer a refill service for our fragrance Amber - this is the reason that it comes in a flight case, so that it can be posted back to us safely. You simply go on to the website and purchase the refill service and we do the rest - all you have to do is post it at your local post office.
GF: What other products will you be offering in future?
JK: There are a number of products in the pipeline but will have to see how the current sales go before I can implement them. That said, there is one product that I am really excited about and am awaiting delivery of, which is a sharpener for cartridge razor systems. I have had one on test for the last few months and it has amazed me at how well it works. This will extend the life of your cartridge razor which is great from a sustainability point of view.
JK: There are a number of products in the pipeline but will have to see how the current sales go before I can implement them. That said, there is one product that I am really excited about and am awaiting delivery of, which is a sharpener for cartridge razor systems. I have had one on test for the last few months and it has amazed me at how well it works. This will extend the life of your cartridge razor which is great from a sustainability point of view.
GF: Where do you see the brand going in the next few years?
JK: Over the next few years I am looking to continue to expand in the UK. This is being done on my own, I have no large investors behind me so it will be a slow process but the reviews and feedback I get from customers drives me onwards and hopefully upward. I have one big advantage in that the shaving cream actually works so it speaks for itself.
JK: Over the next few years I am looking to continue to expand in the UK. This is being done on my own, I have no large investors behind me so it will be a slow process but the reviews and feedback I get from customers drives me onwards and hopefully upward. I have one big advantage in that the shaving cream actually works so it speaks for itself.
GF: Many thanks James.
Note - I was sent samples of the shaving cream, moisturiser and Amber fragrance. Amber is a pleasant mix of woody and floral with a faint touch of citrus. It lasts well without being overpowering. Fragrances are very personal, but I suspect this would appeal to most tastes.
The moisturiser is fragrance free and very effective with out being at all greasy. The shaving cream is also fragrance free and is applied with the fingers. It's not a shaving soap that's lathered with a brush - soaps can be variable in richness - but the Pure Shave cream is ideal as it lubricates the skin well without the addition potentially irritating fragrances. I don't suffer from shave rash myself, but I did find the cream less drying to use than some shaving soaps.
Go to https://pureshave.co.uk/ for more information and to purchase.
Read more in my Sustainable Style series
