Author: Alex Upadhyaya

A review: HeadBlade Products

Attention Alopecians, and all other bald and beautiful people out there, listen up! Everybody else… you can listen too.

HeadBlade

Having Alopecia Areata has many advantages. For example, your showers can take 2 minutes. You don’t spend time blow drying, straitening, combing, braiding or styling. You’ll never have to worry about hat hair. You don’t spend money on haircuts or hair-dyes. And bad hair days… nope, you don’t have those either. There is, however, something that I have to do that not many people experience– especially women– and that’s shaving my head.

I’ve been a headshaver for years now, and I never stop trying to perfect the art. What’s the best razor to use? How often do I have to change the razor? How much pressure should I use? Shaving cream, or no shaving cream? Shower or sink? Well, I don’t have all of the answers, but there’s one product out there that will help you answer at least some of those questions, and that’s HeadBlade. 

HeadBlade

Over the years I have switched razors willy-nilly. There was never any rhyme or reason to which one I used, it was just which ever one I picked up. I remember hearing about the HeadBlade, a razor built specifically for shaving heads, and checking them out on their website. After realizing their site was only targeted toward men, I sent an email to the president. It was one of those things that I just felt like I had to do, but didn’t expect much to come out of it. To my surprise I received an awesome response, and have had great respect for Todd Greene and the company ever since. Flash forward a few years and I finally decided it was time to try out all of their products and write a review for those people asking the same questions as I am… so here it is.

HeadBlade Package

 

 

HeadBlade HeadShed

This is HeadBlade’s exfoliating pre-shave scrub. The first time I opened it I was hesitant because of it’s color, but that all changed when I began to use it. It preps your head for the ultimate shave… getting rid of any dry skin that might cause you to knick or cut yourself. It also makes your skin feel good… so I trashed my Aveeno exfoliating cleanser (I didn’t really, that stuff is too expensive to throw away,) and made the Head Shed my goto.

The Downside:

It smells like dirt, looks like dirt, and basically feels like you’re rubbing dirt on your head when you use it.

The Bottom Line:

The whole dirt thing takes 2 seconds to get over. It’s a great product to add to your head shaving routine.

 

HeadBlade HeadSlick

This shave cream is different than your typical shave cream. It doesn’t excessively foam up and leave you looking like George Washington on a bad hair day. It’s also paraben free. And if you don’t know what that means, join the club. Now I usually just skip the shaving cream step, especially if I’m shaving in the shower. That being said, its nice to have something on hand for those times you need a healthier shave.

The Downside:

Perhaps I got a weird bottle, or maybe it’s the bottle shape, but every time I close the bottle it sprays across the room. I’ve now learned from my mistakes and aim it away from my eyes when closing it.

The Bottom Line:

This product has less of a “WOW” factor compared to the other HeadBlade products. However, it’s a solid shave cream. PLUS it is free of perfumes which is really nice.

 

The HeadBlade ATX Razor

I’m telling you, nothing will beat it. If you’ve never used the HeadBlade shaped razor, it will change your life. You wouldn’t think the little car-shaped thing would make much of a difference, but it works seamlessly. I use the 4 blade cartridges and I barely have to change them. The current blade that is in there has been shaving smoothly for over 2 weeks now… do the math and I think you’ll find that switching to these razors and blades will save you a lot of money. Speaking of… does anyone know why typical blades are so damn expensive? Anyways, I have yet to knick myself while using this razor… but then again I have only cut myself 3 times in all the years I’ve been doing this, so maybe that’s more of just my skill and grace.

The Downside:

Living the extremely busy and active life I have lived over the years, I have become a shower shaver. It is harder to get a feel for where the blade is when you’re using it in the shower… but I’m getting better with practice. Regardless, I’d say this product performs best in front of a mirror, at a sink.

The Bottom Line:

Get it. Get it. Get it. 

 

HeadBlade HeadLube Matte

This moisturizer is perfume, dye, and cruelty free. That’s nice. It is the perfect way to end your HeadBlade product marathon. It is made for freshly shaved heads and faces, so it won’t clog those pores. This matte version moisturizes your skin without making it feel oily or shiny. And don’t worry, there is a glossy version for those of you who like the bowling ball look.

 The Downside:

No SPF. Whenever I put lotion on my head and face I like it to have some level of SPF. That is the only thing preventing this from being my goto head lotion.

The Bottom Line:

It is a quality post-shave lotion, but don’t depend on it as everyday, all-day.

 

Shed SlickPink-HeadBlade-ATXLube

So those are the essential HeadBlade products, although, there are numerous others. Explore the different kinds of razors and decide which one works best for you! And be careful… because once you go HeadBlade, you’ll never go back.

This weekend from college… an REI expenditure!
Return of the selfies? Maybe…

I kept this weekend low-key, as I was trying to kick the cold that I caught earlier in the week. I did however, manage to complete some crucial things. No, I didn’t do laundry. No, I didn’t send out those post cards I wrote two weeks ago. I made a trip to REI.

Whenever I walk into REI I am hit with so many feelings. Its a combination of comfort, excitement, and overstimulation, with the underlaying feeling of dissapointment that I can’t really afford anything around me. This is pretty much true for any outdoor store, but REI seems to do this the most.

So I don’t know if it was out of boredom or self pity because I had been sick all week, but I decided to splurge on this particular REI visit.

http://www.rei.com/product/866732/mammut-brecon-ii-gtx-boots-womens

Mammut Brecon II High GTX Women’s Boots

The biggest and most exciting purchase was a new pair of hiking boots. I tried on 7 different pairs which lead me to the winner: Mammut Brecon II GTX boots.

When evaluating the boots I thought about blisters first and foremost. I actually got a little anxious thinking about the blisters from earlier this year (from which I now have scars.) All I can hope is that these boots lead me on many adventures in the future.

 

United-By-Blue-Lets-Get-Lost-Tank-Top-Womens

“Let’s Get Lost” United By Blue tank

 

After finding my boots I proceeded to walk around the store for nearly an hour soaking it all in. I rarely buy clothing with words on it, except when those words are perfect. I just couldn’t pass up this 100% cotton tank.

 

 

Eldrid Cosmic Lady Chalk Bag

Eldrid Cosmic Lady Chalk Bag

 

Lastly I bought a chalk bag and chalk sock. I figured it’s about time I make the purchase… especially because I just joined the newly renovated climbing gym in the rec center. I better get climbing!

 

Today from college… Thoreau and forgetting things.
I might start doing these posts every few days… or I might not… basically don’t expect anything from me!

Farrand Field in the evening

I was in my Introduction to Environmental Design Theory class this morning (it’s a bright and early 8am’er!) and couldn’t help but hear the conversation behind me.

“It’s a fine line… we need to look good this early, but we can’t look like we’ve tried too hard.”

“Yeah like I don’t want the guys thinking I tried to look good but I don’t want to just roll out of bed.”

A few minutes passed and the conversation made a riveting topic switch…

“The trick is showing up to the party with like, a small group. Because like, if we show up in a big group we might as well have ‘freshman’ written on our foreheads.”

“Yeah, like I feel like 6 is the perfect number… wait no maybe that’s like, too many.”

I had a hard time not turning around to identify these dipshits fellow classmates that were having this conversation at 7:54am. If only they knew the irony around the fact they were having a whole conversation about not trying too hard. Ladies… I’d say if you’re strategizing, you’re already trying too hard.

So eventually the professor walked in and I no longer had to resort to the girls behind me for entertainment. Half way through our lecture the professor put up a quote by Thoreau that almost made me laugh… out loud. The quote read as this:

“Which would have advanced the most at the end of a month — the boy who had made his own jackknife from the ore which he had dug and smelted, reading as much as would be necessary for this — or the boy who had attended the lectures on metallurgy at the Institute in the meanwhile, and had received a Rodgers’ penknife from his father? Which would be most likely to cut his fingers?”

Here I am, trying to convince myself that college is where I am meant to be… when this quote shows up. It seemed almost pointed towards me– highlighting the drastic change from my life last year and this new college life.

Would I love to return to that “jackknife making boy gal?” Well of course. But in the end, I suppose it’s a good idea to “attend lectures on metallurgy design theory” also.

Alana doing homework... this wasn't even stagedOn another note, we had a free-write in Writing class today. The starting point was: ‘I don’t remember…’

Mine went as follows:

“I don’t remember a lot of things. Sometimes I try to forget, and sometimes things just escape my mind. Regardless of how or why it happens, I have to figure– I’m better off without those memories. As least, that’s what I tell myself after missing a deadline.”

My inner most thoughts… they speak the truth.

08/28/14

A Reveiw: SoapBox Soaps

Welcome! This is yet another NEW ADDITION to my blogging repertoire… REVIEWS. And to kick things off the right way… my first review is of SoapBox Soaps.

Black Hand Soap2

Who created SoapBox Soaps?

SoapBox Soaps began as a vision, imagined by group of college students, wanting to change the world through everyday purchases. Less than 5 years later, and they are well on their way to proving successful at just that. Meet this young and innovative team here.

What makes SoapBox Special?

Buying all-natural has become quite the fad recently. Put the words, “All-Natural” in big letters across a product and it seems to attract more buyers despite the raised price tag. Add a picture of a tree and it’s a sealed deal. People are overall more conscious about what they are putting in their bodies… the next step is being just as conscious about what they are putting on their bodies.

Most commonly purchased brands of soap contain synthetic lathering agents, color dyes, and a long list of unpronounceable chemicals– all to substitute for the much healthier, but more expensive, natural options. SoapBox Soaps opted out of these money and quality shortcuts and returned soap to it’s roots. Let’s take a look at the ingredients of  my favorite Bar Soap:

Lavender Bar Soap Ingredients–

Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Soybean Oil, Corn Oil, Organic Shea Butter, Sea Salt, and an All-Natural blend of Lavender and other Essential Oils

An all natural soap like this allows me to feel comfortable using it wherever. Washing your hands in the middle of a glacier in Norway? No problem. Bathing in a 15° fjord? No problem… well– no need to worry about harsh chemicals getting into the fjord– MUCH need to worry about your dropping body temperature.

What else makes SoapBox special?

SoapBox Soaps has a Buy One Give One program. This means for every soap product you buy, they give something away. SoapBox has partnered up with three different primary charities to ensure their Buy One Give One system is truly beneficial to it’s recipients. Let me spell this out for you…

For every bottle of hand soap you purchase, SoapBox donates a month’s supply of clean water through the organization http://raincatcher.org/.

For every bar of soap you purchase, Global Soap Projectdonates a bar to someone in need.

And lastly, Vitamin Angels donates a year’s supply of vitamins for every bottle of body wash you purchase.

But why should I care?

When it comes down to it… yes, it’s just soap. We go through our days using soap without much thought as to what it’s made of, how it’s made, and how it affects our world. That is what makes SoapBox Soaps so ingenious. They have taken an incredibly common and overlooked product and created a purpose, (I mean a purpose besides getting rid of that gnarly post-workout smell.) SoapBox’s mission statement reads as this:

Unlike other soap companies, whose mission statements highlight beauty and appearance, SoapBox aims to bring the focus outside of your mirror, and onto the world we live in.

Where does SoapBox fall short?

  • Like all products, there are some negatives worth mentioning in a review. SoapBox Soaps is new, therefore, information on the product, (and ultimately the product itself,) is hard to find.
  • SoapBox recently made it into Target! (You can find those specific Targets here.) I love this, because who doesn’t find themselves at Tar-jay? The downside of this great accomplishment is that the only product that is available in the Target stores is a modified version of their hand soap. The Target hand soap is not all-natural, which gives me less of an incentive to purchase the product in-store over online. It is targeted towards people who still want to make a difference through the Buy One Give One program, but don’t necessarily care about the all-natural component. The differences in the all-natural vs. SLS additive soaps are not advertised too well, and their packaging is nearly the same with the exception of the shape of the bottle.
  • $$$. Like I mentioned earlier, all-natural labels come with a price for both the consumer and the producer. There’s not much more to it: buying SoapBox Soaps (or any other natural soap) is more expensive. You just have to ask yourself… is it worth it?

Tea and Ginger Soap Box Soaps Body Wash

The Bottom Line:

To buy, or not to buy… that’s not the question. Buy it. It’s healthy for your skin and feels good while using it. It has a both a soothing lather and scent, all while being all natural. Not to mention, the company behind the product has a mission worth believing in. I’d say– yes, it is worth it.

Now time for the real question… which fresh scent are you going to choose? I’d recommend the aromatic lavender, or zesty orange bar soaps. And don’t worry, SoapBox isn’t backing off, you can expect to see it in even more Whole Foods soon.

And lastly, a huge thank you to SoapBox for sharing their products with me!