Bump Patrol Cool Shave Gel Review – The Best So Far!
Bump Patrol Cool Shave Gel
I did not expect such a good experience as the one I got with Bump Patrol Shave Gel. It stood out from the rest in terms of plenty of lubrication while only using a small amount. Great stuff!
Pros
A small amount goes a long way, and adding additional water makes it go further
A light cooling effect that is not overpowering
The ingredient profile allows it to create a very thin lather
A refreshing mild scent that is not overpowering and pleasant
Cons
It is not as transparent as others after applying and massaging into stubble
Check the ingredient list if you have skin sensitivities (potential mild irritants like parfum)
The campaign to find the best shaving gels and to test as many as possible has led to Bump Patrol.
It is a great name (Bump Patrol), created by the company Patrol Grooming. Patrol Grooming has relatively small personal care product lines available and niched down well for guys with beards or shaving and something for the gals.
The last three shave gels I tested and reviewed led me to favor the stuff from BullDog. However, unexpectedly and by a long shot–I am more into this Bump Patrol.
Description and Features
Patrol Grooming states the gel is for those with sensitive skin, and it prevents razor bumps and nicks (they all aim to do that). You dont need to have sensitive skin to use this gel, though, as it should suit any beard and skin type.
A tube of gel comes containing an odd 118ml of gel. Well, it is not that odd, as that works out perfectly at 4floz in the USA.
Most other gel brand tubes contain about 150ml/5.1 fl oz, so we get about 30ml/1floz less overall with Bump Patrol.
I like that the tube is slimmer than others, which makes it look even more like a toothpaste tube with a pop-cap design.
Ingredients
There was nothing on the website about ingredients apart from stating its key ingredient is Menthol. I did not find anything stating all the free-from or organic marketing hype (not that that’s all hype, but some is).
So I had to get my glasses on and look at the back of the tube!
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate and Mysteric Acid are cleaning agents that make foam, which will explain why the gel is not that transparent. Without going into too much detail, the ingredient profile is good as a cleanser and emollient (moisturizer) and contains what makes it into a gel (it is all safe in small amounts). It also contains parfum!
Check the full list of ingredients below if you have sensitivities!
INGREDIENTS: WATER (AQUA), SODIUM LAUROYL SARCOSINATE, MYRISTIC ACID, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, PALMITIC ACID,SORBITOL, PEG-150 DISTEARATE, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, MENTHOL, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM).
Scent
The company does not state much about what type of fragrance it has either, although they do mention the mint. I get a clean, refreshing scent from it that is not overpowering and very pleasant.
I guess I might get a little whiff of the mint, but that is very much in the background, and I mostly get that clean, refreshing scent. I don’t really want to smell of toothpaste anyway, so it suits me fine.
Applying and Shaving Experience
Patrol Grooming mentions lathering this up, and it can be used with a shaving brush. I did not try it with a shaving brush, but I will give that a shot soon. It’s a positive that they mention lathering (they are shave-aware) as we should lather or, to put it better–massage it well into the stubble.
I used Bump Patrol on four occasions before writing up this review and used it on a couple of cartridge razor YouTube videos I created. I used it again yesterday, actually, with a Gillette Mach3 razor for a clip on a video.
It took me until about the third time I used it to get used to how much I needed to use. A smaller amount was required compared to the shave gels I have recently used, which was great.
It whitens up when massaging it into stubble and has a slight lather effect, so it is not fully transparent. When not using enough water, it was more like a cream, so do add enough water on the face and, if needed, between shaving passes.
I got a very mild cooling effect, and it was not too strong. Just how I like it, as I don’t want that strong cool feeling, but a little is–well…..Cool (pun intended)!
It provides a very good protective layer while shaving and is really slick, providing a good glide for the razor.
One of the best things was how far a small amount goes. And when I finished a pass, I added a small amount of water to the face, which got the gel going again.
You do need to make sure you add enough water to keep it nicely gelled up; otherwise, it will be too dry and just a waste of lubricant anyway.
I have not found a better gel than this, as yet. Impressive!
Value for Money
While we get a smaller amount in the tube than most others, the gel goes further.
In the US, a single tube costs around $7 – $12, and in the UK (where I bought it), from around £5 – £10. I bought mine on Amazon for £8 and found it worth every penny (I dont say or write that very often).
The cost on the official site is cheaper ($6 USD or £5), but on such a small order, the shipping fee is well above what I paid on Amazon.
Final Thoughts – Should You Buy Bump Patrol Shave Gel?
The only person that Bump Patrol would not be suitable for is someone who wants a very transparent-looking gel as this whitens up, or the ingredient list has something disagreeable like parfum.
Otherwise, this stuff is one to try. It ticked all the boxes for me and did better than most in terms of the lubrication it provides and how a little can go a long way.
Give yourself two or three uses to get familiar with how much you need to use. If you have been using other shave gels, you might get to like this one a lot.
