100 Astra Superior Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades and Arko Shaving Cream Soap Stick is available in Accessories, Razor Blades, Pre-Treatments
These Astra blades are manufactured in Russia by Gillette. They fit all standard Double Edge Safety Razors. Widely used by Barbers, these blades are noted for being sharp and smooth.
| Product Group | Health and Beauty |
I haven't used the shave soap yet, but it smells wonderful. It's a very faint, "clean" smell of old fashioned, traditional soap.
The blades, however... Oh my goodness they are fantastic!! I always use traditional double-edge blades, as the cartridge-type systems on modern razors are, to me, like trying to shave with burning petrol, sulphuric acid, sand and a paint-scraper. Plus they don't even give a close shave for all that pain and gore... but I digress... I had previously been using whatever double-edge blades I could get hold of in local stores (i.e. Wilkinson Sword Classic, Laser, Boots' own-brand). I was very happy with all of these brands, but in comparison to Astra, they are like shaving with a pneumatic drill.
Yes, these blades really are that good! Quite frankly, they give the smoothest, closest shave I've ever had. Even better than my cut-throat. So far I've used them in a vintage (1930s or 40s?) Gillette portable razor, and a Taylor of old...
Verified Purchase This review is from: 100 Astra Superior Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades and Arko Shaving Cream Soap Stick (Electronics)
The shaving soap is excellent. It is tallow-based, and nowadays only very few and really expensive shaing soap are produced with tallow (tallow is animal grease, similar to beef drip), and they produce an excellent result in preparing the skin to the action of the blade. Tallow-based product are normally boutique-type soaps and are ten times more expensive than this one. The only thing that betrays the cheap origin of the Arko soap is its lemon scent, initially very strong but has faded to nothing before you end shaving. I would call it an odourous marker, rather than a parfume or an aroma. Totally ininfluent on the high quality of the Arko, provided you use a proper brush. In my opinion, synthetic or badger hairs make no difference to the end result, the type of hair only influences the brush lifetime. Warm and wet your face, brush with soap for two or three minutes, and then, shave. It is very important you brush for a lenght of time; otherwise a quick pass of Wilkinson shaving gel...
Verified Purchase This review is from: 100 Astra Superior Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades and Arko Shaving Cream Soap Stick (Electronics)
Only started having a proper wet shave with a double edge razor in the last 3 months and I bought these originally just for the blades and hadn't touched the soap.
Blade wise they seem very good, I tend to just use a blade once and then dispose of it so couldn't comment on longevity but as a complete novice to this I haven't butchered my face yet which I class as a good sign.
I have only just started using the cream for my last 2-3 shaves and have to say I'm really impressed. When I bought my gear I bought some sandalwood cream by Taylors of old bond street which does smell absolutely lush however I was getting a similar shaving rash to when I used to use plain old gilette fusion razor with gilette shaving foam, albeit a bit milder.
My first few shaves using the arko soap left me with a baby soft face with almost no aggrivated skin and as the top review on this product says, the lemon smell that is present when you start out loading your brush has...
Verified Purchase This review is from: 100 Astra Superior Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades and Arko Shaving Cream Soap Stick (Electronics)
