SoS June 2020.

Stirling 316L ST prototype & Gillette 7 O’clock SP (Black Ninja)
APShaveCo. 28mm Silksmoke Winter
Eleven DFS LE ‘19 shave soap
Eleven DFS LE ‘19 a/s splash
John Varvatos Artisan Pure eau de toilette

As good a shave as one can get. The ST prototype just worked on the whiskers with excellent efficiency. 2 pass plus a tiny buff on the chin. Perhaps matched the shave quality of the more aggressive HA version with less blade feel, which means a smoother and more comfortable shave. The soap gave some great glide & slickness for the blade that meant zero issues. A great BBS finish. A great evening and shaves to all...​

 

fabulous set up and pic Gus..

 

Ariana & Evans | Kaizen
Leo Frilot Captain Marvel | AP Shave Co. Cashmere 30mm
Phoenix Shaving | Ascension DOC SS/Cu | Triad Rolling Hex SS
Treet | Platinum Super Stainless

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Ariana & Evans' base prior to Kaizen was already a superior product. In fact, if memory serves, I believe at least the last two iterations were competitive with the very best available bases. Kaizen is evidence they don't seem to be satisfied with just being in the pack.

As I've stated before, since several of these high-end artisanal soaps perform at such a spectacular level, I've given up on trying to define a single leader, or even a top three. There are probably 5 or 6 soaps that consistently yield a flawless shave for me despite my hard water, but they do it differently. Probably the most notable variable factor is post-shave feel. Some offer a long-lasting freshly moisturized feeling, while others offer a silky, almost powdered sensation. Then there are others that make my skin (scalp) feel like it never had hair to begin with---simply a natural, soft, bare skin sensation. Ease of loading and lathering as well as slickness are aspects that probably speak for themselves, and are hallmarks of any elite soap. Yet even density can vary from clay-rich, craft glue-like textures to yogurt or whipped, shiny, buttery consistencies.

I had the honor of being included in the test group for the Kaizen base and fragrance. (Kaizen being the launch fragrance for the base of the same name.) I'm fairly certain the base was at release level by the time most of us testers used it. There really wasn't anything to say other than "release the product, now." The fragrance was tweaked a bit after feedback demonstrated the sweetness needed to be toned down a bit. The following comments are in reference to the final product with accompanying splash. While a gift set was offered in appreciation for my participation in the group, I purchased this set for club member price in line with my usual standard for products I review.

Kaizen is the easiest to load and lather of all the soaps with which I'm familiar. That's actually a pretty significant thing to note considering the current elite line-up's ability to overcome my hard water. Frankly, most of the upper-end soaps are foolproof as far as loading and lathering, but somehow Kaizen gets there more quickly. It does seem to be slightly softer than the previous base in the dry tub, so one could end up with more product than bargained for, but even my stiff boar knot doesn't dig out clumps. With generous amounts of water, in very short order, this soap becomes the most creamy, dense, lather I've used to date. I realize that sounds hyperbolic, but I can't identify a currently available soap that outdoes it in terms of density and creaminess. There's no guesswork. If it looks like a good lather, it's shave-ready. Beyond that, this is a fun lather to explore. In so doing, I discovered I prefer it at the point in which the lather just starts to drip off my chin. While the learning curve is virtually nonexistent, I encourage the wet shaver to push the water limits. It's unlikely you'll ever drown this soap to the point of breakdown, but you may discover a new level of shaving, particularly in terms of glide.

Kaizen's slickness, especially residual, is incredible. I can take long, sweeping passes on my scalp with residual slickness only. Sure, I can do this with several of the other high-end soaps, but with Kaizen, once again, I get there more quickly. This is one of those soaps in which I have to take particular care during shower shaves. The slick lather that migrates down the razor handle inevitably interferes with my grip, so I have to rinse often.

Ariana & Evans has been mastering post-shave for a while. Kaizen significantly improves upon it. This is yet another soap that I enjoy retaining the pulled lather on my scalp while I clean up the gear. The longer the exposure time, the better. The resulting post shave leaves my skin feeling like I've applied a moisturizing lotion, and this sensation persists until the stubble reemerges. Once again, this offers one of the best post-shaves I've experienced.

In terms of fragrance, the documented notes are: mandarin, bergamot, lemon peel, green apple, rose, honeysuckle, tobacco absolute, sandalwood, cedar, Haitian vetiver, and cinnamon leaf. Both the lather and splash open with a very sweet and blazing bright citrus. It's a bit artificial initially, reminding me of "Sweetarts" (or "Smarties" for you Canadians). It tones down after a bit, becoming more blood orange and verbena, but still fairly sweet. I honestly do not detect green apple, tobacco, cedar, or Haitian vetiver. The honeysuckle blends right in with the sweet citrus. I don't specifically pick up on sandalwood, either, but it may be grounding the overall fragrance. After the rather bracing opening, I expected to hate the dry down, but I was surprised to be met with a pleasant, light and slightly woody rose dry down. My aversion to overtly sweet fragrances is well known, so take that for what it's worth.

Despite the fragrance being outside my wheelhouse, I'll continue to use this Kaizen soap simply because it's an absolute joy to use this supremely luxurious product. That is, at least until I get my hands on the Kaizen base in a different flavor. I already have "Peach & Cognac" on order.

 

awesome set up pic and review Matt..

 

Thank you, sir.

 

I love that brush.

 

12 June 2020

* Blackbird Black Oxide OC 101
* Wizamet Iridium Super
* Chubby 2 Synthetic Faux Sapphire
* Mystic Water Vetiver/Oakmoss
* Unrefined Shea Butter
* Bergamot/Vetiver EO


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Thanks. I'm rather fond of it, too. It feels really good in the hand and the Cashmere knot is outstanding.

 

awesome.love the brush.i have the sunspot orange one..

 

Thanks G-Man.....

 

you're welcome. always a pleasure to see your posts..

 

TGIF SOTD



Razor Ever-Ready Streamline
Blade: Gem PTFE SS (D5)
Brush: Semogue Owners Club 2012 Limited Edition Badger\Boar
Bowl: The Distinctive Goat Style 4 5½” Cypress Sinker Log
Pre-Shave Scrub: MRGO Lime
Pre-Shave Butter: Mickey Lee Lime
Shave Soap: Grooming Dept Lime
Balm: Luxx Jasmine Lime
Aftershave: Shulton Old Spice Lime


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fantastic set up and pic Guy..

 

Thank you, thank you very much!

 

Excellent review, Matt! I like your comments on hydration especially. Based on one of your previous reviews in which you lamented seeing YouTube reviewers not getting the best out of the soaps by not hydrating enough, I’ve been incrementally adding more water to my lathers. It has worked wonders. Where I thought I had great lathers before, the recents ones are much better to me, especially with regard to glide.

Thanks Matt!

 

It's awesome to hear that something I've said has benefited someone. Thank you!

 

That's one of the nicest looking Ever Ready brsuhes I've ever seen. Just sharp!

 

Date:- 12 June 2020

Pre-shave:- Cold Water straight from the tap
Bowl/Scuttle:- Captain's Choice
Brush:- WCS Two-Tone Tall (Blue & White) Extra Dense Synth. 26/56mm knot
Soap/Cream:- Declaration Grooming ~ Colonia Balsamica
Razor/Blade:- Karve CB Matte SS 'SB-D' / Polsilver SI #7
Post/After-shave:- T.N. Dickinson Witch Hazel Astringent mixed into the 240ml bottle with Natural Glycerin (20 drops) & Tea Tree Antiseptic (10) / The Stray Whisker Aftershave Balm (Australian made)
Tonight Tipple:- Johnnie Walker Swing Blended Scotch Whisky

Book 10 of 21.

 

My metal, long twister Schick is so easy to get a smooth shave from, Even though today was a face lathering day, I enjoyed the feel of the nicely broken -in but still "scritchy" boar knot. I miss this bottle of the Veg already. Wait...good thing I have a larger, unopened bottle in reserve!

 

Excellent review, Matt!
Thanks for taking the time to share.

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