Rarely Guide

You Clean Up Nice

We put together the morning routine we actually wanted. An aftershave that started a whole company, a pomade that doesn’t require a YouTube tutorial, a grooming oil that somehow does six jobs, and a razor built by people who make parts for actual aircraft. It’s the kind of morning that makes you want to be a morning person.

Show Me the Goods
The Holy Black Aftershave Tonic in Gunpowder Spice — the anchor of this grooming guide The Holy Black Matte Clay Hair Pomade — strong hold, matte finish, washes out easy Henson AL13 safety razor machined from aircraft-grade aluminum

The Lineup

Four Products. Zero Filler.

Sold Out The Holy Black Aftershave Tonic — Gunpowder Spice — 8 oz bottle
The Holy Black Aftershave Tonic | Gunpowder Spice | 8 oz $29.99
The Holy Black Matte Clay Pomade — 4 oz jar
The Holy Black Matte Clay Hair Pomade | 4 oz $24.99
The Holy Black Snake Oil — multi-use grooming oil for beard, hair, and pre-shave
The Holy Black Snake Oil Multi-Use Grooming Oil $24.99
Sold Out Henson AL13 safety razor — aircraft aluminum, precision machined in Canada
Henson Shaving AL13 Aircraft Aluminum Safety Razor $70.00
The Gentleman's Morning guide — mood image

The Story Behind the Scent

The Aftershave Tonic was the very first product The Holy Black ever made. It’s still the thing people come back for, and it’s the reason most people find them in the first place. Gunpowder Spice is their signature scent: the warm, familiar spice you’d recognize from your grandfather’s bathroom, plus an unexpected hit of smokiness — like someone fired a pistol at a barbershop. It’s the kind of scent that prompts “what are you wearing?” from people who normally don’t ask that question.

We paired it with two more from The Holy Black’s lineup. The Matte Clay Pomade gives you real hold with a matte finish that looks like you didn’t try, even though you did (a little). Snake Oil is the Swiss Army knife of grooming — it’s a beard oil, a pre-shave treatment, a hair tonic, an anti-dandruff solution, and a leave-in conditioner. They even borrowed some anti-frizz tech from women’s products, which is the kind of pragmatic move we respect.

Then there’s the Henson. Henson Shaving is a Canadian aerospace manufacturer. They make precision parts for things that fly. At some point, someone there looked at a disposable cartridge razor and thought, “we can do better than this.” The AL13 is machined from aircraft-grade aluminum to tolerances that eliminate blade wobble — which is the main reason cartridge razors cause irritation. Standard double-edge blades cost about ten cents each. Your face and your wallet both come out ahead.

Why These Four

We Tested a Lot of Mornings

1

The Scent People Notice

Gunpowder Spice is classic barbershop with smoky depth. Subtle enough that you won’t announce yourself from across the room. Present enough that someone will lean in and ask about it. We’ve watched it happen.

2

Effortless, Not Lazy

The pomade gives you hold without helmet hair. Snake Oil handles beard, pre-shave, or just general “make things look better” duty. Both wash out with regular shampoo. Low effort, high return. Your hair will think you care about it.

3

The Last Razor You Buy

Henson machines these to aerospace tolerances. Zero blade wobble means less irritation, fewer nicks, and a closer shave. Replacement blades run about $0.10 each. Your subscription razor never stood a chance.

“The Aftershave Tonic was the first product The Holy Black ever made — and it’s still the reason people find us.”

— The Holy Black

53+ Tonics Sold This Quarter
4 Products, One Routine

Questions

The Stuff You Want to Know

What’s in this guide?

Four men’s grooming products: The Holy Black Aftershave Tonic in Gunpowder Spice (8 oz), The Holy Black Matte Clay Hair Pomade (4 oz), The Holy Black Snake Oil multi-use grooming oil, and a Henson AL13 safety razor machined from aircraft-grade aluminum. Everything you need for a morning routine that doesn’t involve staring blankly at your phone for 20 minutes.

Who makes these?

Three of the four come from The Holy Black, a men’s grooming company whose Aftershave Tonic was their very first product and is still their best seller. The razor is from Henson Shaving, a Canadian aerospace manufacturer that decided to make the most over-engineered safety razor on the planet. We found both of them doing what we always do — looking for the people who care too much about getting it right.

What’s the price break?

Which adds up to more than you’d think, and certainly more than the cost of continuing to use whatever’s currently in your bathroom.

What does Gunpowder Spice actually smell like?

Imagine the warm spice notes from a classic barbershop — the kind your grandfather went to — with an added layer of smokiness, like freshly fired black powder. It’s warm and distinctive without being aggressive. People notice it. They just can’t always place it, which is kind of the best part.

Why a safety razor instead of a cartridge?

The Henson AL13 is machined to tolerances tight enough for aerospace. That means virtually zero blade wobble, which is the main thing that causes razor burn and irritation. Standard double-edge blades cost about $0.10 each, so you stop paying $5 per cartridge immediately. Better shave, less money, no plastic. It’s one of those “why didn’t I do this sooner” things.

Your Morning Deserves an Upgrade

That’s Your bathroom was hoping you’d do this.

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