Quite often, men end up trying dozens of different brands of shaving creams throughout their lives while constantly searching for the perfect one. At The Style Examiner, in our quest to find and celebrate those products, clothes or objects that improve men’s lives, we came across what we think is very close to being the best shaving cream currently available in the market.
The Stellar Shave Cream was launched in December 2010 and is the first product of the Ursa Major brand, founded two years ago by Emily and Oliver when they moved to Vermont to enjoy life and get closer to the great outdoors. After more than 10 years of living and working in New York City, they intended to reconnect with the things that they felt were really important. With time, they defined their own guiding principles for a better existence: to live simply but well; to make the most of every day; to be aware, courageous and true; and to stay healthy and strong.
This philosophy was soon applied to the creation of Ursa Major as a line of ‘super natural’ skin care. The name for the label came to Emily and Oliver after observing Vermont’s clear night sky and the bright stars that make up the largest constellation visible in the northern sky, the Ursa Major (‘The Great Bear’ in Latin). As a revered symbol in folklore, the Ursa Major has been used by countless explorers through the ages as a navigational tool for finding True North, and remains a powerful reminder of the connection between man and his natural environment. As for the products, the goal soon become to develop a line of natural products that would outperform conventional chemical skin care, naturally nourish the skin (with minerals, vitamins, proteins, and essential fatty acids) and deliver a superior sensory experience (scent, texture, and brand).
Even if, as highly cynical consumers constantly bombarded by advertising of all kinds, most men would find it hard to suspend their unconscious collective disbelief, after we tried the Ursa Major Stellar Shave Cream we concluded that this is indeed a ‘super natural’ product in more ways than one. It blends nature’s most effective and luxurious ingredients to provide rich textures, robust aromas and virtually unbeatable performance. The ingredients are 99% natural (no petrochems, sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrance or colour, TEA, DEA, glycols, silicones or PEGs) and 11% organic, made using Fair Trade Shea Butter. Unlike the majority of shaving creams and gels currently available to men, the main ingredients of the Stellar Shave Cream are Aloe Vera leaf juice, water, and sunflower seed oil, with healthy doses of willow bark extract, Avena Sativa oat protein, and fair trade Shea nut butter. If this sounds more like a salad or health drink concoction, we can reassure you that these natural ingredients contribute to the smoothest of shaves you will ever experience.
On applying to the face (directly from your hand and not a brush), you notice that the cream distributes itself nicely and evenly on the skin, just after a few seconds. Almost immediately, it starts softening tough whiskers, cushioning against razor burn and nourishing the skin. The act of shaving is virtually cut-free and, once you are done and rinse your face with water, the natural coat of moisture remains on the skin, making it feel smooth and soft for the rest of the day. The scent is discreet, with a blend of essential oils, such as organic Grand Fir, Vetiver, and organic Ginger.
As the Stellar Shave Cream garnered its deserved success in the form of raving reviews and healthy selling figures, Emily and Oliver have developed the confidence to expand the Ursa Major line. As such, it has developed a face cleanser and will soon include a skin toner and a face lotion. Because the Stellar Shave Cream is available in a limited number of retailers in the USA, Canada and France.