Van Der Hagen® Luxury Shaving Set - Total Men's Wet Shaving Kit w/Boar Bristle Brush, Scented Luxury Soap, Stand and Apothecary Mug

I just started using a safety razor and considered this to be a great companion for a good shave. I didn't want to splurge on some of the more aesthetically pleasing pieces just starting out and this kit definitely delivers the goods for what it is. As for each component, here is my take.BrushAfter unboxing the kit I promptly cleaned the brush with shampoo and warm water and allowed it to dry on the stand. The first use saw a good amount of the bristle hairs coming out which has decreased over the past month of use. I soak the brush in the cup with hot water and it softens up the hairs quite nicely before applying the shave cream. I saw a huge difference in the amount of lather using the shave cream I traditionally use. This is highly important for me because I shave my head and the extra lather really helps prevent the soap from dissipating during the length of the shave. The brush works well with bar soaps such as the included one, although I don't particularly care for the scent of the one in the package.StandYou get what you pay for in regards to looks with the simple clear plastic design. It is a good idea to rest it on a small hand towel to keep it from sticking to the counter when it gets wet. It doesn't take up a lot of counter space which is a huge plus for anyone who knows what it is like to share a bathroom cluttered with hair dryers, tooth brushes, and all kinds of other random objects. My razor handle (a little cheapie from the local beauty supply store) has a bit of a hard time staying in place as I move the stand around; I don't have a problem with this and it may only be my razor but holding onto the handle while putting the stand away is a good idea so you don't accidentally allow the blade to slip and cut your hand. Overall it does the job I want it to do: hold my brush and razor.Shaving MugI can't say enough how much I love this thing. It is nice and solid and the grip is great. It fits well on the counter and isn't at all slippery when wet so placing it in the shower is not a problem at all. This mug is definitely staying with me after I upgrade my set in the future.Shave SoapI don't particularly care for the musk scent of this soap, but that doesn't mean that it does not get the job done. I have used it a few times and it provides a decent lather.Overall this set is exactly what it is supposed to be. I give it five stars because I didn't expect perfection with this set but a great starter kit which this is. I know I will upgrade items over time as they wear besides the shaving mug. This is a good first set for someone looking to get into the more traditional (and economically friendly with the price of blades nowadays) form of shaving.

I used to cringe each time when buying shaving gel canisters and overpriced cartridge refills for my old Gillette Mach 3/Fusion razors, so finally I figured that I'd try shaving with double edge safety razor. I did a lot of research into it and saw that most of the variations in good and bad experiences with shaving with a DE safety razor included a number of smaller, contributing factors, but primarily only two main factors: the type of razor blade and the type of shaving brush. While I completely was expecting that people to vastly different experiences with different razor blades, I certainly didn't think that a shaving brush would make any sort of difference. Nevertheless, since I was new to using a DE safety razor, I figured I'd trust the advice of long-time DE safety blade users and try to find a decent brush, specifically one made of badger hair.I came across this set while looking for a badger hair brush. I liked that it came with a brush/razor stand as well as a soap dish and soap all for a pretty reasonable price. Since I had never tried a DE safety razor before, I didn't want to shell out a lot of money for the initial investment, because to be honest, I had no idea if I was going to like it or not. The aesthetics of the dish, brush, and stand really appeal to me. It looks nice enough to sit on my bathroom counter all the time, and the clear stand bring to the focus to the brush and razor. The brush itself seems to be pretty well made, but it has lost a number of bristles over the last few months. I would say that probably every other time I shave, it loses a bristle or two. The shaving soap feels and smells great. It lathers pretty well and shaving with it is very smooth, although I do use another product (Proraso Pre and Post Shave Cream - 3.6 oz) with it as well, so I can't say for sure which one contributes more . Eventually, when the brush wears out, I'll probably put a little money into a better one...but overall I'm very happy with this set, especially considering the overall value.