Inspired by a discussion on The Shave Nook, I ordered two tubs of Mama Bear shaving soaps earlier this month – one Awakening and one Brazilian Coffee.

The soap is – as far as I can tell – built on a glycerin based melt-and-pour base. I’m not sure if Mama Bear buys the base or makes her own, but the result is pretty good either way; it lathers quickly, has good slip and cushioning, and don’t leave my skin terribly dry. Judging by the sheer amount of lather it whips up, each tub should last me a long time.

As for the scent… a mixed bag indeed:
The Awakening has a strong scent of menthol and other goodies, and actually chilled my face quite well while I was shaving despite the fact that I used hot water to make the lather. My Better Half on the other hand though it smelled like Vicks Vapor Rub, so she wasn’t too thrilled about it. I like it though, and that is what matters the most.
The Brazilian Coffee smells more or less like a cold cup of coffee while in the tub, but lathering it up makes the scent mellow quite a bit. If you’re expecting the intoxicating scent of a freshly brewed cup you will be underwhelmed though. It’s not a bad scent, just not great.

Overall I can recommend Mama Bear’s soaps if you’re in the market for a glycerin soap. For me, I think the two tubs I got is enough for the foreseeable future.

As part of my experiments in traditional wetshaving – and also with an eye to putting together a cheap starter kit I could PIF to people curious about old fashioned wetshaving, I picked up a very cheap razor from my usual Turkish web store. The Racer razor is – according to the place I bought it – manufactured in Egypt, and cost me a whooping 3.75 USD.

The majority of the razor is made of injection molded plastic, except the top of the head which is cast metal. It appears quite solid – at least as solid as most cartridge razors and much more solid than most disposables. It is a two piece design – twist the handle and the metal cap comes off. The mixed construction is well balanced, with the center of gravity shortly below the head. This makes for an easily maneuvered razor, while keeping it so light you hardly notice that you’re holding it.

Loading the blade is pretty straight forward with little to no slack, so unlike the Yuma you don’t really have to pay much attention while loading. The cap also covers up the sides of the razor blade, removing one possibility of cutting your fingertips open. The design allow for a pretty generous blade gap, while holding the blade almost flat. This means the Racer is a fairly aggressive shaver, more so than most of my other razors.

Comparing it to another cheap razor – the Yuma – I would say that the Racer feels less harsh but is more aggressive. It’s not a bad razor for a newbie on a budget – provided s/he is told to be careful and to make sure not to use any pressure. Combined with a good blade it gives a more than acceptable shave. It also is a decent second razor for a more experienced traditional wetshaver, perhaps as a semi-disposable travel razor. All in all I can recommend the Racer razor to, well, anyone who fancies a very cheap razor for whatever reason – just keep in mind that there is many better razors out there, if you’re willing to invest a bit more.