You say aloe...I say GOODBYE! (King of Shaves Formula Alpha Shaving Oil)

Member Name: benniash

Product:	King of Shaves Formula Alpha Shaving Oil
Date:	29/01/04 (221 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Free sample!

Disadvantages: It didn't make any difference to the shave!

I think somewhere along the line I was supposed to drop the student image, but three years on I still look for the bargains in the supermarket and still go for the freebies online. Those of you who read my earlier review on a King of Shaves product will know that by entering some details online you receive free samples through the post (more about that later). Anyway, if it is free I always give it a go, and this week it was the turn of their Shaving Oil (Formula Alpha).

I?d never used a similar product before but being someone who totally detests shaving I was intrigued by the statement that it would make the experience more comfortable. I never used to suffer any discomfort, but of late I have started to shave more often and this has actually made my skin around the neck more irritable.

The sample was in a small transparent plastic tube and, bare in mind I?d just got out of the shower, was impossible to open. You are supposed to twist the top but even after drying my hands it was too difficult to get a grip and eventually I had to go and find a pair of scissors to snip it. The liquid itself is a transparent blue/green colour and the smell is fresh and masculine but wares off within minutes of applying, which is good if you don?t like it.

To use you need apply only a few drops into your palms then massage into the area ready for shaving. Make sure you allow a minute or so for the formula to work as it will relax the stubble to make the shave easier. At this point you can either start shaving or still use your foam or gel over the top. When applied the formula is transparent so it makes it much easier to see where you are shaving, so I decided to go with the first option.

The instructions also cover how to shave, but it is the usual ?short strokes in the direction of the growth? that we all found out was right after going against it!! After about two minutes I didn?t feel comfortable. The shave was going well but as my wet skin d
ried I felt more likely to cut myself and decided to add shaving foam after all. Once applied, I carried on my shave until it was as smooth as babies bottom.

When I finished I felt that the shave had been no different. It wasn?t any easier than my normal shave and I felt the same light soreness around my neck that I usually do directly afterwards. In all honesty I don?t think the oil made the slightest difference to my shave.

It retails for around £4 in most supermarkets although is available for just under £3 on the companies website. Even bearing in mind that you only use a few drops and it is supposed to last for one hundred shaves, this is for only a 15ml bottle and seems quite expensive really. Overall I wouldn?t recommend this product but would advise anyone to go across to www.shave.com and order their samples - after all trying a product to see if you like it before you buy is what samples are all about. You?ll also receive a sachet of moisturiser and shaving gel to boot for just filling in your details. Also this product was highly recommended by Maxim magazine back in 2000 and was highly recommended under their styling awards section ? so it must work for some and not others. It is fine to use on sensitive skin and can therefore be used by anyone. The formula is enhanced from the original shaving gel and now includes Aloe, vitamin E and tea tree oil. For those of you that prefer an electric shave then this is fine to use.

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