Sponsored: Cromwell and Cruthers

Julius Caesar, the legend goes, didn’t trust his servants with a sharp razor near his face; instead, he tidied his beard by plucking each hair with a pair of tweezers.

Most of his contemporaries, however, weren’t quite so paranoid. So how did they shave? You can bet they weren’t using a neon blue gel. Instead, they often used a common and easily accessible lubricant: oil, extracted from an olive – or something else that grew from the ground. It wasn’t fussy, but it did the trick; it was healthy, natural and unquestionably masculine.

Today, a dizzying array of products are on offer, and even if you rock a stylish length of stubble, some occasions – like those involving a tuxedo – require a fresh, cleanly shaven face. For those occasions, or every day, do as the men of yore did: Ditch the can and shave the natural way, with Cromwell and Cruthers shaving oil – the shaving cream alternative.

Cromwell and Cruthers is an independent Canadian company that uses 100 percent natural ingredients, so even fellows with the most sensitive of skin types can enjoy a proper shave, the old-fashioned way. Though the price is tiny (about $6) and the bottle is even tinier – at 15 mL, it looks likes a travel-size eye-dropper – don’t be fooled: This is a devilishly potent product, and each bottle is good for around 100 shaves. The tiny, recyclable bottle is all part of the brand’s commitment to the environment. Even the box is FSC-certified and uses soy-based inks.

Easy on the earth. Easy on the pocketbook. Easy on the face. Cromwell and Cruthers: It’s the natural way to shave.

Cromwell and Cruthers shaving oil is available at drugstores across Canada. For more information, and for images from the ad campaign, which were styled by emerging Canadian menswear designer Philip Sparks, visit Cromwell-Cruthers.ca.