Review: Mad Alchemy Ultimate Shave Cream

(2017) With a big race looming on the morning sky, I have much work to do to make sure I look the part. It has been a few weeks since I lined up for a criterium race. Tomorrow’s Bucks County Classic cat 2/3 race will be the first in quite some time. It will also be the last of the season. Considering the issue was in doubt as to whether I would get into the race, I neglected to maintain the pins in racing formation until tonight. Oh the help I need.

With the large task at hand at scraping the legs for race preparation, I turned to Mad Alchemy for the solution. Regarding their presence in the cycling realm - mostly in the form of embrocation - and their clear encouragement of wet shaving, this was exactly what I was looking for. Consider alchemists in history were the precursors to chemists and primarily looked to extract gold from everywhere, I hope it will lead to success on tomorrow’s circuit.

But how did the Ultimate Shave Cream shave?

Immediately out of the shower I applied a thin layer of the Ultimate Shave Cream. The cream itself has a calming orange scent to it. It also goes a long way. That’s the slickness of the cream, and it is not necessary to use a large amount. Using a double-edged razor I easily scraped the skin until it was smooth. Just like that and things looked pro. Occasionally in moments of slow hacking, I simply added a touch of water to the area. The cream reestablished itself and the shave continued. I could not believe how quick and easy the process went. Should any area be neglected, a simple reapplication suited the remedy. The remaining summer gold tint of the legs could be seen again.

Mad Alchemy Ultimate Shave Cream is incredibly slick and long-lasting. This is the perfect companion for the traveling cyclist. It can be used all over and requires little application.

Moving to the face and the cream continued to perform. I used the same approach as the legs: anywhere that needed a little help, I added water and rejoined the shave. This is seriously simple shave cream. Though needed in only small amounts, it is effective. Having used a new razor blade, the nicks were nowhere to be found. This was can be attributed to the slickness of Mad Alchemy’s concoction. Imagine my satisfaction after having used the same product for both the legs and the face. The convenience factor is certainly something to recognize.

Considering my regular recommendation of using the whole wet shaving experience by swirling shave soap around a preheated scuttle with a badger brush, to be able to move quickly and effectively with Mad Alchemy’s Ultimate Shave Cream is truly impressive in the shave soap/ cream company it joins. Its scent is refreshing (the cream is perfume free) and subtle jointly. Don’t expect heavy scents; fragrances can sometimes lead to reactions. Furthermore the cream is all vegan and animal cruelty free, so there really is no excuse not to add this into the regular rotation of cycling chores.

I took the recommendation of the website and used a small amount with water as an aftershave. This has left the areas shaved remarkably smooth and moisturized. With the quick work this cream made, I suppose I’ll go back to hoping I can pull a rabbit out of the hat for tomorrow’s race. Or perhaps I’ll have a little alchemy to bring home some gold. Either way, I’ll still have Mad Alchemy’s Ultimate Shaving Cream to return to each time it’s needed.

Mad Alchemy sells their Ultimate Shave Cream four-ounce jar online for $13.00 (USD). They also have a list of stockists on their website to make in-store purchases.