Live Shave: Ethos Pineapple, Alpha Futura Fatty Copper, and an Opus Brush

Hey everybody, it’s Glenn, welcome back to the Luxury Shaving Hobbyist. Really happy you’re here. Today in Media, Pennsylvania it’s 75 degrees and sunny. Just beautiful. Hope it’s nice where you are too.

Three brand-new items on the bench today. From Ethos Grooming Essentials, I’ve got Pineapple from their Island Collection, plus the matching skin food splash. From Alpha, the new Futura Fatty razor in copper - first use. And from Opus Brushworks, a hand-carved synthetic brush - also a first use. Let’s get into it.

Ethos Grooming Essentials Pineapple

I cracked the container open and it hit me right away. You ever open a can of dull pineapple? That’s not this. Fresh. Sweet. It’s like I’m smelling Hawaii.

I put some of the splash on the back of my hand too. Fresh cut pineapple with the palm trees blowing in the wind. Fantastic.

Ethos describes the heart of this soap as a natural pineapple distillate chosen for its bright, true-to-fruit character, backed by a water-based pineapple infusion that captures the natural freshness, slight tartness, and juicy golden vibrance of the fruit at its peak. The scent opens with a clean, sunlit tropical brightness, then settles into a softer, warm sweetness. Natural and balanced throughout.

Frank does such a great job with his scenting. There’s a lot of skin food in his ingredients and I always get a great shave from his soaps. Off the container, I’d put scent strength at medium to high. Off the brush, same thing. You’re going to notice it.

Alpha Futura Fatty Razor in Copper

This is the heaviest razor I’ve ever had in my hands. Full stop.

The copper finish is stunning. The top cap looks like a shiny new penny. The plate had already started to patina a little bit right out of the box. And the handle - the weight is just unbelievable. Alpha makes this from C110 copper, raw billet, zero surface treatment. Blade gap is 0.80mm, exposure is neutral to slightly positive depending on the blade you use, and the total weight is 215 grams.

That’s not a typo. 215 grams.

Alpha notes that C110 will develop a patina quickly - darker and less uniform over time. You can repolish it with a light jewelry-grade metal polish if you want to keep it pristine, or you let it go and see where it lands. That’s the question I’ll have to answer for myself. The color right out of the box is so beautiful I almost don’t want to change it. But copper does what copper does.

You can also get this razor in stainless steel or bronze. I went copper and I’m glad I did.

I loaded it up with a Filiso blade for the maiden voyage.

Opus Brushworks

This brush is something else. All that hand-carving, the western motif on the handle - Craig did a gorgeous job. The knot is G5C synthetic, my first time using a G5C. Nice soft tips, beautiful backbone. It loaded lather beautifully from the first stroke.

The Shave

I used Tube 2.0 from Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements as a pre-shave, right out of a hot shower. Scooped some Ethos Pineapple into a bowl, loaded the Opus brush, and built the lather. Take a look at that. A piece of art. The brush, the lather, the scent coming off everything - just incredible.

A week’s worth of growth, so the Alpha was getting a real test.

First pass, maiden voyage. Wow. The weight does all the work for you. One week’s growth gone, just like that. It felt familiar right away - a lot like my Alpha Outlaw, but beefier. Maybe a touch more efficient. I’ve got a bunch of Alpha razors and every one of them is a gem. This one fits right in.

Second pass. Grip is good even at 215 grams, which you’ll want to know going in. The pineapple scent was still right there, fresh and tropical. If you’ve ever had pineapple in Hawaii, you know it’s a completely different experience from pineapple on the mainland - more depth, softer, just better. This soap has that same thing going on. More depth the longer it’s on your face. A great pass.

Third pass. Calling it. 100% BBS. Fantastic shave.

One honest note: during the third pass it slipped a little bit. Didn’t drop it, but I could have. At 215 grams, you don’t want to drop this thing on your sink or on your big toe. Pay attention to your grip once your hands are wet and your face is smooth.

After the shave I put the leftover lather back on my face - I always do this with Ethos soaps. Too good to waste, it’s good for your face, and if you missed anything in the passes, you’ll find it. Nothing was missed. Completely BBS.

The splash finished it off. Like a pina colada without the coconut. Went back for more. Just fantastic stuff. Face feel was unbelievable.

The Great Mid-Atlantic Wet Shavers Meetup 2026

One more thing before I go. If you haven’t gotten your ticket for the Great Mid-Atlantic Wet Shavers Meetup, you need to move on this. October 18th, noon to 5pm, at the Conshohocken Brewing Company’s KOP Tap Room in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania - about 20 minutes from Philadelphia.

A lineup of artisans is coming. Educational sessions and guest speakers. Door prizes. Swag bags. Lunch is included. Beer is available. Tickets are $40 and spots are limited. Email me at gbsher@icloud.com with your name, address, phone number, and how many tickets you want. Frank from Ethos will be there in person, showing his full lineup. It’s going to be epic. Don’t miss it.

Thanks so much for watching. Hope to see you again soon on the Luxury Shaving Hobbyist.