Minimalist Shaving with Kiehl's Blue Eagle shave cream

[rsp1202]

There are a couple times every month when I need a shave but don't want to deal with all the paraphernalia that usually makes the experience so interesting, along with the mess that accompanies it. I didn't realize this until watching a YouTube video recently on Kiehl's "Close-Shavers Squadron" White Eagle shave cream. This is a cream that performs without water, and is supposed to make for a quick and easy glide-through that takes you "Fly[ing] into a New World of Shaving Pleasure." <insert wretch, here> I watched the shaver in the video use this cream, apparently to positive effect in both feel and results. I know some of you here have used Kiehl's before with mixed results, but I had never paid any attention to it until this caught my eye.

Looking into the brand, I found that the White Eagle contains menthol and camphor, ingredients I certainly could care less about -- but that Kiehl's also makes a Blue Eagle cream, minus the offending ingredients, but with aloe for sensitive skin. One bit of weirdness: the White Eagle comes in a blue tube, the Blue Eagle in a white tube. I would question Kiehl's marketing philosophy if I really cared, but just be forewarned that if you ever want to try some, don't go by the tube color. I found a good price for a 5-ounce tube of the stuff on eBay and ordered it, and had my first shave with it today. In this case, the hype is close to reality.

I decided to use a minimal kit, since this was an idea about quick & dirty shaving. A Mach3, the cream, and some aftershave -- that's all. I followed fairly close to the instructions: wash face with warm/hot water, dry face. Apply cream in a fingernail-size dab, massage in, shave as usual. What a weird feeling to almost be dry shaving -- the instructions don't say it, but I ran the blades under water between strokes, which was mandatory because this cream gunks up the blade pretty good (it comes clean fairly easily). I expected pulling and gashing and all the bad things, but nothing happened except I got a close and low-irritation shave. I felt the need to add a bit more cream than recommended, especially around mouth and chin, but it wasn't really necessary. The thin layer of cream was very protective, and the cartridge just glided along like on rails. I added some more for a second touch-up pass, and was done. Rinse, dry, and aftershave, all in five minutes or less. I kept looking around for more to do, but even the clean-up was minimal. My face feels pretty good afterwards; no residual irritation, no tackiness or bad effects from all the stuff they put in the cream.

So, if I was still a traveling man these days, this would make for a pretty darn good minimalist travel kit. I would definitely recommend it for that anyway. I look forward to bulking out on equipment next shave, but it's nice to know there's a backup whenever the shave apocalypse hits.

[Squire]

Barbasol shave cream, $1.83 at Walmart, in stock now, no limit per customer.

[JRTASTER]

Ron,
You're right that sometimes a quick, uncomplicated shave is all that we need or want.
I keep some Clinique Shave Cream around for just such moments.
To justify myself, I call it my quick shave, not "minimalist," just so I won[t feel in the
least deprived.
Glad you found the right hardware and software to make up your kit workable...
sounds like you're not sacrificing a quality shave at all.
jr/John

[rsp1202]

John, it's not "quality" the way I usually think of quality, but it was fast, close and not messy. There have been times in my past when on (and off) the road that water was too precious for shaving . . . but I needed a shave anyway. Wish I'd had this cream, then. I'll keep it around, but 99% of the time I so enjoy using a full kit for my current running-water lifestyle.

[bernards66]

I agree with Squire; if 'quick and easy' is what I wanted I've never found anything better than Barbasol....and most were not as good. If I wanted to spend more money then it would be Cremo or one of the English creams just quickly lathered up with my hands. I had no luck with Kiehl's whatsoever. Keeping in mind that I shave with a DE, the Kiehl's created way more 'cushion' than I personally want and because of this the shave was not that close. Also, I found it to be devilishly hard to wash it off both my face and the razor. I gave the stuff away.
Regards,
Gordon

[John N.]

This product would have come in handy long ago during my military time in the field when water was limited. Back then, I actually used a windup mechanical rotary shaver. Today, it does not make a lot of sense to me. Cremo (or any good brushless...Avalon...Lloyd's Euxesis ...whatever) work very well, are much less expensive, and the only difference in the protocol is that you do not need to dry your face after the initial wash. In the event you have zero access to water, then this stuff might be a good idea...if I forgot to bring my little Braun travel electric. On third thought, if I had no access to H2O, shaving might not be at the top of my to-do list.
J.

[brothers]

Ron, I haven't used the Kiehl's, but I know and agree with everything you say about the benefits of (every so often) using the minimal kit to get the job done and done right, so we can go about our business and have a great day. All the rest is nice, and we look forward to it, and we spend a lot of money on it, but it's all just prologue. We cut 'em off and they grow back.

[Squire]

I know a guy who shaved with an electric while driving to work, about as minimal as you can get.

[brothers]

The minimal used to be my maximum every day.

[Squire]

Of course my friend hated shaving.