I’ve Made My Decision Concerning Shaving Products

I’m a rather loyal person; when I find something I like, I generally stick with it. When it comes to traditional, wet shaving products, it’s no different. I started my journey using products from Maggard Razors. Later, I moved on to Mike’s Natural Soap and Wet Shaving Products for my post shave (aftershave, balm, cologne). Then I switched over to Stirling Soap Company and used their soap and post shave products. But it was my search for a really good Bay Rum and vegan soap that led me to this artisan. As I’ve detailed my Bay Rum odyssey in another post, I won’t rehash it here.

Before I go on, though, I want to make it abundantly clear that there’s nothing wrong with those other companies or products. Absolutely nothing. And I might venture back to them from time to time (never say never), but my trek has led me to Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements (PAA) and I think I’ll be staying here for the foreseeable future.

What made you decide to stay with PAA?

Well, that’s a good question. I think it goes back to my search for Bay Rum. One of the things that PAA does that makes them stand out for me is the story that accompanies their products. For example, on the page for Atomic Age Bay Rum, it states — 

My mission; Create the BEST Bay Rum on the planet … lofty I know and possibly a tad dramatic, But I DID IT! I kid you not, I actually believe Atomic Age Bay Rum is the last Bay Rum people will ever buy.

To test this theory I picked out a few testers that were, in their own words, Bay Rum Haters. Typically I would have no use for people like this, I mean… how can anyone hate Bay Rum? It’s like Summer in a bottle or Liquid Paradise… Christmas on Pirate Island even! But in this case, I needed them. If I could turn these guys into Bay Rum lovers, I would have succeeded in what I set out to do!

Mind you, I chose Bay Rum Lovers as well and damn if I did not make Uber Believers out of both groups!

Or look at this entry on the Al Fin page — 

The scent-scape of a dream inhabited by mythical beasts and beings. Ancient knowledge and magik, romance, a first kiss on a summer night long ago. Esoteria, alchemy and sensuality adrift on a breeze. Etta James on a car radio, a drive-in theater, staring at a night full of shooting stars from the beach where the warm waves lap like liquid tongues at your toes. This is Al Fin.

These types of stories are sprinkled generously throughout the website.

But it’s not just the stories, it’s the artwork, too. I’m a big fan of science fiction and all of PAA’s creations have some sort of UFO, unexplained, multidimensional type of vibe about them. Sure there are “down-to-earth” items like, Tombstone, Cavendish, and Old Salty; all very “this worldly.” But this is a multiverse we’re entering into. PAA also has “other worldly” items like Planet 9, Immortal Peach, and Astra Planeta. Just look at these images:

                 

               

I think the thing that really got me about PAA, though, was their stance on vegan shave soap. Douglas Smythe and his partner Frances Towle own, run, create and/or design the products at PAA. In an episode of the YouTube series, I’d Lather Be Shaving (co-hosted by Doug and Matt Pisarcik of Razor Emporium), I heard Doug say he doesn’t eat meat so I asked him if that was the reason for making vegan soaps; it was.[1] But not only that, Fran and Doug believe that vegan soaps are actually better than their tallow based counterparts. Through many years of experimentation, they came up with their Formula CK-6 — a super slick, protective soap which produces volumes of lather and has a post shave feel that just can’t be beat. From the Formula CK-6 page, Doug writes — 

Tallow is the Benchmark?

 

Some traditionalists think yes, though they really can’t say why. I do admit however the number of Tallow or Bust purests is shrinking … but there is still this Animal Fat is the Best mentality out there, and I find it baffling … at least from the chemical end of things. …

 

Rather than try to find a new, yet to be used species of tallow or fat (Prairie Dog Fat?), we went deeper into the jungles of South America for a tallow alternative, or rather, a Superior fat! 

 

Over the last several years Fran and I have carefully researched all the different butters the world has to offer, and have gone on a long, sometimes mysterious, sometimes frustrating journey to see where our experiment would take us. With much trial and error and careful note taking we believe we have arrived! … 

 

CK-6 is made up of some very Exotic Butters, Oils and Waxes from around the world: Kokum Butter, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Jojoba Wax, Bacuri Butter, Cupuacu Butter and Murumuru Butter! Can you guess which are the Brazilian Beauties? [Hint: they sound like lyrics in a samba!]

Like I stated above, I’ve found that Formula CK-6 lives up to the hype! I’d be hard pressed to venture out into the world of shave soaps anytime soon.

Again, I’m a pretty loyal person. So, not only do I use a PAA CK-6 formulated soap (I get their unscented soap, Scentsless, because some fragrances irritate my skin, especially when doing multiple passes while shaving), I also use some of their other products, too. And PAA makes it super easy to try other things. Like some other artisans, PAA offers samples of their products. After I read about a fragrance I’d like to try, I’ll purchase a couple of samples of it. If I like it (like the wonderfully magical and sensual Sangre de Drago), I’ll add a full bottle to my wishlist and the next time I need to get a new fragrance, it’s already waiting for me to add it to my cart. In fact, I keep all of my staples in my wishlist.

Being able to order samples has really made a believer out of a close friend of mine. He’s purchased several samples (like, a lot) and he, too, isn’t really looking anywhere else for his shaving products. He appreciates the fact that he can get body soap, beard oil, and solid colognes all in the same fragrance.

Another thing I like about PAA’s site is the Scent Chart page. From here, one can narrow down one’s search by choosing a category. For example, if you’re looking for a fragrance with some wood notes, just go to the Scent Chart page and click on “Woody.” Here you’ll find fragrances like  Agharta, Copalli, and ESP in body soap, shave soaps, aftershaves / colognes, EDPs, deodorants, and more besides.

Or maybe you’d like something a little more traditional. Just click on “Classic Scents” and here you’ll find PAA’s homage to classic (or no longer produced) fragrances like Clubguy (Pinaud Clubman), Lo~Haiku (Leeming’s Hai Karate), and Sun Down (Gillette’s Sun Up).

Not only does PAA make “software” (traditional, wet shaving lingo for soaps, splashes, etc.) but they also design “hardware” — brushes, scuttles, and razors. I recently purchased their latest shave brush, the Peregrino. It’s fashioned after the classic Ever-Ready 500E brush. Peregrino is Spanish for “pilgrim.” I thought it was rather fitting for me since I’m a professed member and ordained priest in a neo-monastic religious community. All of the brushes they sell use synthetic knots (there’s that no harming or killing sentient life thing again that I embrace). And like everything else from PAA, their knots aren’t just some run of the mill, bargain basement find. They research, experiment, and design the best synthetic knots available. The same goes with all of their hardware. While they outsource manufacturing, the design work is all done in-house.

PAA also has a wholesale page if you’d like to carry their products in your business. And they offer military discounts, which is something else I appreciate.

If you’d like to tell the whole world about your love for all things PAA (and why wouldn’t you), you can get their designs on stickers, mugs, and t-shirts. Besides those traditional items, you can also get their designs on face masks, laptop sleeves, and skateboard decks! You can even purchase framed art prints of some of their designs, vintage shaving ads, and vintage shaving patents.

The last thing I want to spotlight is PAA’s Loyalty Program. Similar to other artisan makers, this program is a point system. You earn points from different things — liking PAA on Facebook, following them on Instagram, sharing posts to social media, and, of course, buying products! After earning enough points, you can redeem them on various items.

From all of this, you can see that Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements has pretty much all of your bases covered when it comes to traditional, wet shaving. From razors to blades to brushes to soaps to aftershaves / colognes to balms, and so much more, they carry all of the stuff you’ll need. Plus, if you’re just now starting your own expedition — or you’d like to help a friend get started — PAA also has some great starter kits and custom groomsman kits. While it might be tempting to just get your shaving products from Amazon, I guarantee that you won’t find the same type of quality and customer service — not to mention small batch, unique creations — as you can get with PAA. Fran and Doug are just top tier people — maybe even mythical extraterrestrials from another universe — with their lather blasters dialed in on providing the best shaving products you would ever need. It’s for these reasons, and many more besides, that I’ve made my decision concerning shaving products. I’m here to say that I’ve purchased my life-long ticket with the intergalactic PAA, packed my bags, and boarded their glowing, metal disc of a spacecraft — the Phoenix Shaving Saucer 369 — to take me on shaving voyages yet to be discovered. As they say over at PAA, “It’s a shave new world!” Indeed it is.

~~~

Br Jack+, LC

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[1] You can chat with them, too! When you go to the PAA website, just click on the “Chat with us” in the lower right corner. Just submit a question or comment, and they’ll get back to you as soon as they can. Almost every time I’ve reached out to them in this way, I get an immediate reply.