Bulldog - The Return

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, it's the long awaited (and requested) return of Mr Lippie ... I've been nagging him to get back in the blogging groove, and here he is with some thoughts about some Bulldog goodies he was sent a little while ago ... I've been using a fair few Bulldog products since my last rather "interesting" experience with them, and I thought it only fair to share how they've fared against my somewhat fussy instincts and tastes, given that I was perhaps a touch uncharitable in my last scribblings about them. Firstly, let's talk about the shower gel. It's presented to us in a functional dispenser, with the trademark stark black & white packaging that Bulldog are known for, with just a couple of hints about what it may or may not do for the user. Not bad, a decent size, and looks like it means business. So far so good. Pouring it out onto the hand, and you're presented with a yellowy gel that is seriously aromatic. The eucalyptus just cuts through everything and makes this practically eyewateringly 'herby'. As to how it feels, it's quite refreshing, lathers up well, and has a nice cooling/soothing effect. Quite good when it's that whole feeling of first thing in the morning and you're barely awake! Nonetheless, not entirely for me - the smell just overpowers everything and is a touch too sharp for something your're applying as a precursor to the entire day - but still, not a bad product in itself! Moving on to the next step in getting ready to face the day - the shaving gel. An impressively large tube of the stuff, again with the black on white classic packaging, and it all looks good. The gel is again somewhat yellow, with the odd random bubble in it, and yet again, the first thing you really notice is the smell. I'm genuinely not sure what it is about Bulldog and how I react to the smells - they are just far too sharp on the whole for me. Smell, however, is a very distinctly personal thing - and given some of the other products on the market, the aroma isn't that displeasing, it's just too herbal & sharp for myself. Anyway, moving on - it lathers up well, feels very cool on the skin, and doesn't turn me into a frothing monster of doom, unlike some previous gels I've experimented with. It remains (loosely) controllable, and doesn't spread over your face like some voracious fungus intent on world domination. Which is a plus, in my book. The final product I'm taking a look at in this post is the 'Original Cooling' Moisturiser, which (funnily enough) is applied within seconds after finishing with the gel above. Yet again, I have to compliment Bulldog on the packaging. It's disctinct, consistent, and presents a brand image that's very 'no nonsense', which appeals on several layers to male consumers. I do worry that the organic philosophy that lies behind Bulldog is not necessarily expressed particularly well when you look at their products, but anyone who is actually focussed on that sort of thing will take the time and effort to a) examine the packaging and b) spend some time researching the market for products that match up to their desires. Moving on, yet again, and back to the product. This time, the smell is toned down CONSIDERABLY. This is a moisturiser I would happily use again & again as it's smooth, creamy, and the aroma is genuinely relaxing as opposed to being really sharp. Certainly one for any/all mornings. That's it from me - for now....  Get Lippie writes: So, the frothing monster of doom has awoken ... I'll have to see what I can get him thinking about reviewing next ...

 
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Organic Weekend - Bulldog Eco-System Shave Gel

MrLippie's been dying to get some more review action in, so it's a double-whammy of organic goodness for you this weekend (I have something rather lovely to show you tomorrow, so stay, er, browsed!).  Again, this is a sample I picked up at the Natural and Organic Product show recently, and I made the boy change his shaving habits for a while to try it out - I don't think I was the target market for this one, somehow - and these are his rather ... random ... esoteric ...  geeky ... er, you'll see, thoughts on the shaving gel in question:

Ever since a Roman took a look at a hairy tribesman and thought ‘I’m not going out like that’, shaving has been a mainstay of Western male grooming habits for nearly 2000 years. Admittedly, there’s been the odd blip, such as the Vikings, or those fantastically moustachioed men of the 1800s, but, by and large, smooth-skinned cheeks have been the norm. With the slow demise of the professional shave by a high street barbers and the rise of the handheld razor as championed by Gillette/Wilkinson Sword/Bic/etc, companies that produce shaving products have merrily marketed themselves as the “Mans’ Choice”, and often featured sports stars of varying fame and the occasional scantily-clad lady in a shameless appeal to the machismo and testosterone that surrounds the whole idea of running very sharp blades of steel over your face and throat.

However, with the emergence of Organic Products, and the whole Green lobby, these companies have found themselves in a bit of a quandary. Mainstream Male aversion to ‘metrosexuality’ is still fairly strong, but it’s tempered by a growing eco-awareness, which begs the question: HOW can we market these products without diluting the aura of “manliness” that surrounds shaving? In Bulldog’s case, their Eco-System Shave Gel has an obvious difference to their normal range. It’s green. Not just any old green, but olive drab, which immediately put me in mind of army colours. Soooo…an interesting start. Then, looking over the tube, there’s a prominent label of ‘Natural Grooming’. Ok…Bulldog….Natural Grooming…ok, that’s a BAD image in my book. Moving on. I had a bit more of a look at the packaging, and came across a little homily about Dad saying how “Nothing in life is fair, son”…which left me sighing, to be honest. The whole thing just SCREAMS mixed message…I just thought they were trying too hard!

The Gel itself is aromatic. Very aromatic. It reeks of herbs and green tea, and it’s not really the nicest smell to rub into your face first thing in the morning. That said, it lathers up nicely, and yes, your skin feels smooth & doesn’t sting at all as you shave. Which is nice. So, functionally, it works, quite well.

Sadly, for me, the mixed messages and the overwhelming smell rule out this as a long-term option. It was nice to try, but I think I’d probably prefer to try some of the original Bulldog products, just to clear my head of the whiff of green tea and the horrible image of a Bulldog getting involved in “Natural Grooming”…

So, er ... there you have it!  This product is from Bulldog's new Fairtrade range, and the shave gel contains green tea from Sri Lanka, organic shea butter from Ghana, organic sugar from Paraguay, sesame seed oil from Nicaragua, and Brazil nut oil from Peru. Personally, I think it smells rather nice, fresh and green actually. The products are available from leading supermarkets, and you can find out more about the range here