Shaving with the Leaf Twig in Glacier
Hi, welcome to Larry Shaves. Today I’m shaving with a razor I just received: the Twig from Leaf Shave, in the Glacier color. That light blue is something else. I’ve already got the Twig in black, chrome, gold, and tan, but when this one dropped, I ordered it the same day.
The Kit
I ordered the whole thing: razor, a matching Glacier stand, a blade bank, and a 50-pack of Leaf half blades. The stand holds the razor perfectly - fits right on, looks great. The blade bank has “Leaf” stamped on the side. My routine when it fills up: I put the used blades into a Sucrets box, tape it shut so nothing comes loose, and drop it in recycling. Safe, clean, easy.
The half blades are designed for the Twig, and they also fit in Leaf’s other razor. Today, though, it’s all Twig.
The Bowl and Brush
I’m also using the Leaf Shave bowl and brush I picked up previously. The bowl has a silicone surround - push on it and the soap puck pops right out. I went with their unscented puck because I have a lot of aftershave splashes that don’t have a matching soap. This way I can pair whatever splash I want without the scents fighting each other. Really handy setup.
The brush has a small reservoir in the handle. Leaf suggests filling it twice and dumping both loads into the bowl. What I’ve found: one fill gets a solid lather going. You want two, go for it. That’s just what works for me.
Loading the Blade
Turn the head to the right and it opens. Set a half blade in, turn it back to the left, tighten it down.
If you don’t have Leaf half blades on hand, you can use a standard double-edge blade with the wrapper still on. Click it into the head, bend it, and it’ll snap clean into two halves. Either way gets you a loaded razor.
Before you shave, check the alignment. Both sides of the blade need to seat into the notches in the head. I learned this the hard way - on vacation in Georgia last year, I cut myself right here above my lip. I was sure something was wrong with the razor. Nothing was wrong with the razor. I just hadn’t seated the blade right; one side was up a little. That was all it took. Operator error. Check the alignment every time, and check it on your double-edges too. A blade that isn’t seated correctly will find you.
Working Up the Lather
One reservoir-full of water into the bowl, work the brush around, and I had a solid lather going before I even wet my face. One fill is plenty. Enough for three passes if I need them.
I’d been watching for this package since I placed the order. My office window at home faces the mailbox. I have a program with the Postal Service that notifies me when a label gets created, so I knew exactly which day it would arrive. I watched that mailbox most of the morning. When the mail truck came, I went straight to the shaving den to do this video. Wore a light blue shirt to match the razor. Had to.
First Pass
Alignment checked - looks good. Here we go.
The Twig is a mild razor, which is what I like. Small head, but the handle has real weight to it. Light up top, solid in the grip. That balance makes it ideal for trimming around a beard or goatee too. If you have facial hair and you’re keeping the edges clean around the neck and cheeks, this works well for that. I know people who say they don’t need a razor because they have a beard. You’re trimming those edges. At least I hope so. This is the razor for that job.
First pass done. That spot under the jaw is always a little stubborn for me. Today it wasn’t a problem.
The Twig and the Thorn
Leaf makes two razors: the Twig and the Thorn. From the outside they look identical. The way to tell them apart: there’s a small raised spot inside the head of the Thorn. Not there on the Twig. The Thorn is more aggressive. I prefer mild, so I’ve always stuck with the Twig.
If you want to keep them straight visually, one trick is to get the Thorn in a color you don’t already have in the Twig. That won’t work for me - I’ve got every Twig color they make. Check the Leaf Shave website for what’s available.
Second Pass
Re-wet, one more reservoir of lather. Two passes is my normal routine. I only go three if I’ve let it go a few days, which almost never happens. I shave every day. The only breaks are work schedule or being sick. When I had COVID a few years back, I went four or five days without shaving. Getting back to it after that was not fun. Normally, two passes takes care of everything.
The Twig is up there with my favorite razors. That Glacier color is going to be hard to top. But what keeps me reaching for this razor is that it shaves well. I’ve got a couple that look great and are too aggressive for my face - I don’t use those much. When a razor performs and looks good, that’s the one you keep picking up.
Pass two done. No third pass needed today.
After the Shave
Before the aftershave, I sprayed on some Thayers facial toner. Spread it around the face, let it soothe the skin and add a little moisture. I like the spray-top bottle; you can also get it with a regular twist-off cap. Skin felt good going into the splash.
Today’s aftershave: Pinaud Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum. Quick note on the brand name. A lot of people in the States - me included - have been saying “Penade.” The correct French pronunciation is “Pino.” Mark looked into it and tracked down the right answer. So: Pino Clubman. Good to know after all these years.
Two sprays, spread it around, dry your hands off. Done.
Good shave today. I’m glad I ordered the full kit - the bowl, brush, stand, and blade bank all work together, and that Glacier color is as good in person as it looked in the photos.
Thanks for joining me. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do - it really helps the channel. I’ll be back soon with another shave. Happy shaving.