Today's shave

Martin de Candre - my favourite soap. New Forest Finest Silvertip prototype (Launch next week?) Fantastic lather built in the bowl. Maca Root balm from The Body Shop continues to impress.

The Body Shop shaving products

The Body Shop have just one shaving cream, balm and facial scrub for men. These really are excellent products which for many, don't require shipping costs. Just pick them up in your High Street store. The cream has a delightful scent, lathers easily and provides all the cushioning and slickness you could wish for. I'm also very impressed with the balm. A light moisturising effect that lasts all day. The cream comes in a 200 ml pot for £8, the balm is £9 for a 100 ml tube. The facial scrub was given to me as a sample. It's not something I use but may suit some.

A new brush

I'm testing new brushes for my New Forest Brushes venture. I'm rather pleased with this Finest Silvertip with an onyx handle. I will be experimenting with other materials in the coming weeks. This one is not for sale! Handle height is 60 mm, knot 22 mm and loft 48 mm.

After use

Brush Logos

After trying other inks that didn't significantly improve the durability of the logo my manufacturer of New Forest Brushes is trying something else. A higher quality ink is to be applied which requires the handles to be placed in an oven at an appropriate temperature. He calls the device a logo roaster. I'm determined that this problem should be resolved. There's not much point to a logo that does not last long. I have had no complaints about the logo on my New Forest 2201 but I know the printing does wear off - too easily for my liking. I now expect my new brushes to be ready early next month.

Another new cream

I used Maca Root for the first time today. Available in the UK for £8 (200 ml pot)

It's a superb cream. Slick, cushioning and a great scent. And so easy to create lather from in my bowl with one of my early silvertip brushes. As usual the small spatula comes in handy for scooping out the cream and spreading it around the bowl. Put a Swede in my old Gillette Superspeed. I find the blade too sharp in more aggressive razors.

Todays mix

An odd mix here. I just don't get on with sticks. So my Arko is stuffed in a ramekin dish. The brush is one I had made using a best badger knot and an oak off-cut. It gives a great shave. Proraso balm is a favourite - good value. The Floris EDT is a bit pricy but has a great scent. Back to my Chatsworth and a Gillette Swede for a change. It's fun putting together a different combination each day.

Don't neglect Pure Badger

Pure badger is the 'lowest' grade of badger hair - often a little prickly with a firm backbone. Some of these brushes are excellent all round brushes. Mine is an early sample for my New Forest brushes venture. It is actually a very dense and quite soft brush that outperforms many of my Best Badger brushes. So don't neglect Pure Badger - you might find it suits you well. And they are the lowest price of all the badger grades. The Yardleys soap is my 1960s gift from an old friend. And it's a superb soap still.