Why are American shaving brands so popular?
For several years we have been selling various American shaving brands, such as Colonel Ichabod Conk, Ariana & Evans, Stirling Soap Co and Zingari Man. All four shaving brands make shaving products using traditional methods. They are often family businesses that produce top quality shaving soaps, shaving creams and after shave products with a lot of dedication, passion and enthusiasm. Important features are the (small-scale) artisanal production and the use of pure and natural ingredients. Animal tallow (tallow) is a commonly used fat component. There is a huge range of different shaving and beard products. These products all have very distinct and striking scents. General overarching characteristics of the shaving soaps are that it foams very smoothly, produces a creamy, full-fat, protective and 'slick' shaving foam and has a moisturizing and nourishing effect. In this blog we list these brands.
Colonel Ichabod Conk
Ichabod Conk is an American legend. He was an ambitious but poor young man who settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1866 after the American Civil War. He fell in love with a charming young lady who owned several barbershops. After their marriage he started working in these barbershops. As an entrepreneur, he and his wife started developing and selling hair care, toilet and shaving products. As a traveling salesman, he crossed the West to sell their range. A well-known statement was: 'Colonel Ichabod Conk brought a clean shaven and sweet smelling face to the west!' He died in 1898. Hairstyling, beard and shaving products are still commonly found in American barbershops.
The range of Col. Ichabod Conk consists of a pre-shave oil, shaving cream, beard oil, beard shampoo and aftershave balm. There are 5 fragrance lines:
- Unscented (unscented)
- Rio Grande Lavender - Lavender
- Santa Fe Cedar - Cedarwood and Rosemary
- Southwestern Sun - Citrus
- High Desert Breeze - Eucalyptus and Tea Tree
The care products contain only natural ingredients and essential oils. Key product features are:
- no parabens, synthetic fragrances (perfumes) and dyes;
- no formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulfate and petrolateum, cocamide diethanolamine (DEA);
- not tested on animals.
Ariana & Evans
The man behind Ariana & Evans is Peter Charkalis. Together with some confidants and fans, The Shaving Shop & The Club, he has developed a complete shaving line. Peter is passionate about scents and the sensory power of scent. Thanks to his world travels and curiosity, he creates special and unique aromas. The scents and quality of his shaving products are complex, high-end, groundbreaking and uncompromising.
Ariana & Evans shaving cream
The Kaizen shaving creams contain animal fats and ingredients (beef tallow (Beef Tallow), goat's milk, beeswax and silk (Tussah Silk)):
Stearic Acid, Beef Tallow, Goats Milk, Shea Butter, Potassium Hydroxide, Kokum Butter, Mango Butter, Glycerin, Cocoa Butter, Castor Oil, Manteca (Pig Fat), Strangisto Giaourti (strained yogurt), Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, Camellia Oil from Japan, Sodium Hydroxide, Lanolin, Agave, Bentonite Clay, Beeswax, Sodium Lactate, Argan Oil, Fragrance & EOs
The relatively new VR1 (High Density Vegan Base) shaving products contain only plant-based ingredients:
Stearic acid, water, Kokum, Shea, glycerin, potassium hydroxide, castor oil, Rice Milk, sodium hydroxide, sunflower oil, palm oil, avocado oil, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, Coconut Milk, sodium lactate, coconut oil, colloidal oatmeal , agave, aloe juice, hyaluronic acid, slippery elm, fragrance
All shaving creams have a sturdy compact composition and come in a large plastic jar. Almost all shaving soaps or shaving creams from American brands come in a large jar. Due to the firm and compact composition of the shaving product, it foams best by vigorously turning or stirring the bowl with a shaving brush.
Ariana & Evans after shave
The after shaves are alcohol-based. Due to the added caring ingredients, such as Aloe Vera, Calendula, Chamomile and Coconut oil, the aftershave has a strong soothing and caring effect. In contrast to classic alcohol splashes, the 'sting' of this aftershave is minimal. After shaving, it provides a pleasant and silky feeling on the skin.
The scents of both the shaving soaps and aftershaves are matched. These are complex and robust aromas. For example, the Asian Pear, Peach & Cognac and Asian Plum are sweet, fruity and partly warm scents. The London Gin Club is a fresh spicy scent with leather notes. Forbidden Fruit and Revolution have a fruity and spicy scent.
Stirling Soap Co.
The Stirling Soap Co. range is impressive. You can say that they have the largest range of shaving products worldwide. Stirling was founded in 2012 by Roderick and Amanda Lovan. After a holiday trip in Scotland, they came into contact with artisanal shaving soaps. After some research, they discovered that the regular soaps in the supermarket or drugstore are not actually real soaps. The young couple then started experimenting with developing a traditional shaving soap. Their mission is to develop natural, skin-friendly and affordable shaving products. Sustainability is very important to them. They use a lot of recyclable packaging and environmentally friendly ingredients and materials, such as sustainably produced palm oil.
The range consists of:
- pre-shave oil
- shaving soap
- after shave (alcohol) splash, Witch Hazel & Aloe Vera after shave and after shave balm
- beard oil and balm
- bath soap and shampoo bar
- body lotion
- eau de toilette
Stirling Soap shaving soap
The shaving soaps have a firm composition and are so-called tallow soaps (beef fat and lanolin):
Beef Tallow, Stearic Acid, Distilled Water, Castor Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Vegetable Glycerin, Fragrance Oil, Almond Oil, Shea Butter, Coconut Milk, Lanolin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate.
The great advantage of animal fat ingredients is that it produces a very good protective shaving foam. It has a caring and moisturizing effect. In addition, it is relatively inexpensive. In this way, the manufacturer ensures that the soap product remains affordable.
The shaving soaps are medium to robustly scented. There is a huge range of different scents: from fresh citrus, mint and sweet fruit to earthy, woody and exotically spicy. Extra menthol is added to various shaving products for the ultimate fresh touch during and after shaving.
Stirling Soap after shave splash
All alcoholic after shaves from Stirling Soap contain glycerin, Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera and Hydrovance (Hydroxyethyl Urea). This gives them a strong invigorating as well as a nourishing and moisturizing effect. It prevents dehydration and reduces irritation. Witch hazel extracts soothe the skin and have an anti-inflammatory effect. This after shave normalizes the pH value of the skin after shaving, closes the pores and has an antibacterial effect.
Stirling Soap after shave balm
Stirling Soap balms are lightly perfumed and have a thin, non-greasy composition. Below are the ingredients:
Distilled Water, Witch Hazel, Aloe, Emulsifying Wax, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Glycerin, Myristyl Myristate (Co-Emulsifier), Grapeseed Oil, Refined Shea Butter, Fragrance Oil, Vitamin E, Optiphen Plus, Stearic Acid, Coconut Oil, Allantoin
The balms also contain Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel and glycerine. The added Allantoin supports the skin's ability to regenerate in case of chapped or damaged skin.
Zingari Man
The 'man' behind Zingari Man is a . . . woman. Heather Melton is a certified cosmetics manufacturer in accordance with the American Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild (HSCG). After years of research and testing, she started developing and producing care products for men. These are high-quality artisanal shaving and beard products.
Zingari Man shaving soap
Zingari Man's shaving soaps also have a firm, compact and full-fat composition and contain animal fat components, such as beef fat and goat's milk:
Stearic acid, Vegetable Glycerin, Beef tallow, Shea butter, Potassium Hydroxide, Castor oil, Palm oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Jojoba oil, Oat bran oil, Shea butter (and) Glyceral Rosinate (and) Olive oil unsaponifiables, Coconut oil, Daikon Seed extract, Goat milk, Coconut milk, Sodium lactate.
The composition and formula with various essential oils optimally protect the skin. The shaving foam is super fat, creamy and has a very good 'slickness'. It ensures minimal friction between skin and razor. The nourishing and moisturizing effect makes the post-shave feeling comfortable and pleasant.
The shaving soaps are robustly perfumed and have very distinct aromas, such as:
- The Gent - Citrus, herbs and Musk
- The Watchman - Aquatic
- The Navigator - Amber, Acquatic and Musk
- The Merchant - Amber, Vanilla and spices
- The Rambler - Tobacco, Vanilla and red fruit
Instead of standard (synthetic) fragrance oils, Zingari Man chooses to compose unique scents in collaboration with well-known French and American perfumers (Shawn Maher and Yann Derriennic).
Zingari Man after shave splash
Zingari Man's Recovery Splash is alcohol-free and is a pleasant treat for your skin after shaving. It refreshes and cares at the same time. Extremely suitable for normal to oily skin. It is immediately absorbed and prevents the sticky feeling of an after shave balm. Because it contains no alcohol, you have virtually no 'sting' during application. It contains Witch Hazel, Citrus Extracts, Jojoba, Oat Bran, Glycerin, Castor Oil, Allantoin and Panthenol.
All Zingar Man after shave products are perfumed and the scents match seamlessly with the shaving soaps.
Zingari Man after shave balm
Are you sensitive to alcohol or do you have extremely dry skin? Or are you just used to using a balm after shaving? Then use the nourishing and soothing balm from Zingari Man. This balm is pure food for your skin. The added allantoin and witch hazel stimulate the skin's natural skin-healing effect. White willow bark extracts revitalize and astringent the freshly shaved skin. It is also an antioxidant. An antioxidant is a vitamin (B, C and E) and neutralizes aggressive oxygen radicals. Meadowfoam, oat and jojoba oils have a nourishing and moisturizing effect.
