Product Review: Crown Shaving Co. Men's Grooming Products

Attention male readers (and female readers looking for gift ideas for the special men in their lives), this post is for you! When Crown Shaving Co.--a line of men's grooming products based in Toronto--contacted me and offered to send me a shave kit, I enlisted the help of my brother and occasional contributor Gary to help me review the kit and write a guest post. (You might remember him from this other post about men's grooming products.) Let's see what Gary has to say about their products.

Gary

Men’s skincare products have evolved within the last few years, so why are we still subjecting ourselves to razor burns, cuts and rashes on our faces with our daily grooming routine? I suspect the answer to this question is that it saves time to use foam from a can. However, based on previous experience these products are heavily scented, they have no moisturizing effects and they can irritate sensitive skin. Crown Shaving Co. has responded by reviving the traditions of old barber shops where a man can get the closest shave without irritation. The company stands by their slogan of “Old World Luxury- Old School Charm.” Even their packaging (brown glass jars and bottles) is reminiscent of old-fashioned products.

Their line of shaving products is all part of a very effective system. The Supreme Glide Pre-Shave Formula ($18) contains aloe and other naturally sourced dermal moisturizers and emollients. It provides effective lubrication for the razor blade to effectively glide on top of the skin, and its “no added fragrance formula” is non-irritating. After the application of the Pre-Shave Formula, you apply the actual shaving cream ($26). While the label states that it can be used with or without a shaving brush, using the brush produces a nicer lather. The shaving cream’s rich thick lather effectively lifts and suspends the hair follicle to make it easier for the razor to cut. The after shave lotion ($18) provides the finishing touch. It soothes and moisturizes to reduce further irritation. All of their products are alcohol-, artificial colourant-, artificial fragrance-, paraben- and sulfate-free. This is a welcome feature as most products geared towards men are heavily scented.

Crown Shaving Co. also offers shampoo/body wash ($22) and conditioner ($20) with tea tree oil and peppermint. The shampoo/body wash falls short as a body wash unfortunately. It didn’t provide a rich lasting lather and I always felt I needed to use more product than necessary. However, the tea tree oil and peppermint do act as a mild antiseptic and can reduce odour-causing bacteria on the skin, plus it leaves a nice cooling sensation on the skin after use. As a shampoo it did a good job cleansing the scalp and hair. The conditioner leaves hair soft and smooth. All of their products leave a light natural scent that eventually dissipates. Again, I applaud the company for not adding any strong and supposedly “masculine” scents.

In summary, Crown Shaving Co. products provide quality and effective products that aim to please the modern man with “Old School Charm” and imbibe him with confidence so he can walk out the door feeling like a king, with a crown atop his head.

To purchase Crown Shaving Co. products, check out their website for a list of retailers or to buy online directly. In Vancouver, Crown Shaving Co. products are sold at BeautyMark in Yaletown.