Review of Anthony Logistics for Men

It's review time again. For the last month or so we've been putting the products from Anthony Logistics for Men (which we got from our friends at Details for Men) through the ShavingStuff ringer. More specifically - the products from The Perfect Shave kit, which include their Glycolic Facial Cleanser, Pre-Shave Oil, Shave Cream, and After Shave Balm. An $83 value, yours for only $50. Act now and we'll throw in a black mesh dopp bag and a grooming instruction guide. Hurry! Supplies are limited.

Not really. They've got plenty.

First up is the Glycolic Facial Cleanser. Broken record time - great shaves start with clean skin. You must wash! I was initially skeptical of the Glycolic Facial Cleanser. Most cleansers I've used from other men's grooming lines either foam or lather up. Kind of a visual confirmation that they're really doing something. This did neither. It just sat there on my face, no matter how aggressively I worked in over my skin. The thing is, it did the job well. Anthony's cleanser does in fact get the dirt and oil off your face, and actually washes off your face better than any other cleanser I've used. Most other cleansers leave your skin slightly slick, like you can't wash off that last layer of soap film. Anthony's cleanser came off clean. Good stuff.

OK, let's shave. The Perfect Shave includes both Pre-Shave Oil and Shave Cream. It also includes an instruction sheet, which I always think is a good idea. In this case, though, I think the instructions are missing a step. Step 1 is clean your face. Easy. Done. Step 2 tells you to "apply a thin layer of Anthony Logistics Pre-Shave Oil to help lubricate the skin and soften the beard hairs." Step 3 is to "apply a thin layer of Anthony Logistics Shave Cream." What they don't tell you to do, and what I think is really important, is to apply a little water to your face between steps 2 and 3. Not a lot of water will stick to your face, since you've got a base of oil in there, and what does stick will tend to bead up. But I found that Anthony's Shave Cream lathers up much better with a little water in the mix. Also, you'll get a smoother shaving experience - less tug of the razor against your skin. I tried it both ways - with and without the middle layer of water - and found that the water definitely adds to the comfort of the shave.

That said I have two complaints with Anthony's shave system. The first is packaging - the bottle which holds the Pre-Shave Oil has a wide mouth which makes it difficult to get a small amount out at a time. I ended up holding the bottle against my palm and tipping the entire thing over, getting a nickel size each time. However then the oil is in my palm and not my fingertips, making it more difficult to apply to my face. I would have preferred either a squeeze bottle or a smaller mouth.

The second complaint was with the closeness of the shave. Some of my beard hairs grow straight out from the skin, and some grow parallel to the skin. I've used shaving creams before which do a great job at standing these troubled hairs up. With Anthony's Shave Cream, I often would find myself looking in the mirror after I was all done and seeing an patch of skin which could have been shaved closer. The only thing left to do at that point was to get out the electric razor.

Anthony's Shave Cream foams up to a rich, thick, white lather, and there's enough left on your face for a second pass of the razor even when it looks like you've taken it all off with the first. That's good. If you've got facial hair like a mustache or goatee which you're trying to preserve though, you might consider going with a shaving cream which is a little more clear.

Done shaving? Throw a little After Shave Balm on your face. Your skin will drink it up. This stuff is great. No complaints whatsoever.

All of the Anthony products we tested are labeled as "Fragrance Free", but all do have a noticeable smell. The Glycolic Facial Cleanser is slightly sweet and fruity, and the rest are all slightly minty. Overall very nice and not overpowering. I would definitely recommend the Glycolic Facial Cleanser and the After Shave Balm to anyone. I'm a little more hesitant about the Pre-Shave Oil and Shave Cream. If you've got a light beard or don't need to shave every day, they might work well for you. If you've got a heavy beard and are looking for the seriously smooth shave, I'd probably look elsewhere.

The Perfect Shave Kit from Anthony's Logistics for Men is $50. For the holidays, consider giving it to someone who needs to be broken from the drug store shaving cream habit. It would make a good entree into higher quality men's grooming products.

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