Hey guys! Just wanted to take a minute and pass along my opinion of a shave soap I've been using for a short while now. I found Martinsville Emporium on Etsy. Etsy has a huge selection of organic and homemade mens shaving products offerred by many suppliers around the country. M.E. makes many different soaps for different applications for both men and women. I found their shave soap to be incredible to say the least. Their Sandalwood scent is wonderful, but their Bay Rum is off the charts. I am a 6 month newbie with limited knowledge, just so you know. However, I have never had any trouble lathering up a rich, creamy load with M.E. shave soaps, easily getting three passes and squeezing out the huge leftover amount after my BBS shave. The price is great at $4.50 per 3oz. puck. They fit perfectly in the food grade tins I ordered from The Specialty Bottle. After letting my shave buddy from work try it and give me his opinion(which is better than even mine, so much so that he won't give it back!), I couldn't keep it from my Shave Den buddies! Order with no fear gentlemen, and don't blame me for adding to your S.A.D!
From their description it sounds like they just add bentonite clay to glycerin base- it's just a melt and pour soap. Same as many other etsy "artisans." As a newbie I'd avoid any artisan soap until using tried and true long standing soaps such as Arko- that way you can tell the difference between a good soap and a bad soap. Really even the popular artisan soaps are still hit or miss and just lack the refinement soaps such as Cella, Mitchell's, etc have. Look at Stirling soap. Which is on its 6 generation, I believe, (and uses tallow) and it still has issues. It isn't that easy to make a shave soap.
I have not tried any of the major well known brands like Proraso, TOB, Cella, etc. I have used Arko Shave Soap with great results as well, although M.E. shave soaps are better, IMHO. I used Williams extensively when I first started using shave soaps several years ago, it's all I could find locally. I didn't know this world was out there! Although adequate, Williams is not comparable to M.E. shave soaps. I wanted something organic and found Martinsville Emporium. But I'm sure the majors will find their way into my shaving routine sometime soon!
I realize YMMV but it seems like a bold claim to make... I don't believe any amateur melt and pour soap could be better than any tallow soap in any single way. Some of the cold process veggie soaps could edge out in certain areas some tallow soaps but in general they still fall short. Melt and pour? No way... Then again there are still some users here perfectly fine with their barbasol canned stuff.
Guess I'm just an excited newbie. Forget what I said and after I try some of the tried and true stuff, I'll probably change my mind. It's the best I've tried so far, but I have a long way to go.
Dude! My buddy fram has a somewhat curmudgeonly slant in his proseltyzing. Don't let him punk you out of your opinion of what's great! When I first discovered Williams, I thought my eyes had opened — and they had! — and then they did!! ... and I fully expect they will again. Watch out for ol' fram. You follow his lead and you will be jumping into SEs and possibly throwing out all of your Gillette adjustables. However, his SE shave fu is mighty and his soap insights are keen**. But that's for later! For now, I adjure you to be true to your shaving muse and crow your opinions with caprice and (reckless?) abandon! Thanks for sharing your enjoyment and tip on a good soap! I wish I had more SAD money! **fram773's wasn't the only example that got me to try SEs, but a combination of quality and quantity of posts. He's relentless! Special mention to Darkbulb, HoosierTrooper, Jayaruh, and Richgem. My thanks to you all. NOTE: I briefly looked at posts on straights today. NOPE! Ain't gonna.
Yeah don't mind me. It is ultimately up to you to experiment and find what you like best. Look @Leo K. who uses Barbasol. Most people won't touch that stuff with a ten foot pole but he loves that stuff and it seems to work for him.
Thanks guys. If I never get to use another soap except Martinsville Emporiums Bay Rum, I will thoroughly enjoy my wet BBS shaves! But I'm sure great soaps like Cella, Proraso, and Razorock will make their way into rotation soon, and it will be your fault. I have nothing but respect for your input on all things shaving. Thank you for allowing me my two cents!
I'm prob just repeating maltedmilk, but man if it works for you stick with it and if you like it that much your opinion is the only one that matters! I have used many name brand soaps and creams... Arko, Proraso, Lea, Yardley, La Toja, TOBS, Memolive, ect ect ect! After using all of them, I still cant wait to come back around to my cheap Williams Soap and Van der Hagen in my rotation. Sometime if you get time, lather that soap up and post a photo so we can see! Reviews like yours are appreciated.
Williams is one I do not plan to return to, however the more I advance into the better brands (...Tabac, MWF, DR Harris, Cade, Cella, etc), I do find myself returning to some artisan soaps I just like, or have fond memories of, such as TSD and Renaissance Man. The ones I tend not to get again are the lessor cheap ones, or the higher ends I have already tried and prefer to try something different next time. I am so impressed with the Italian croaps right now that I expect my next moves will be in that direction.
It must be from the big ol' batch of e-love I sent your way! I read and re-read your "getting started" sticky several times! Uh... I didn't follow your advice about not going uphill on the lip... and regretted it! But I got it now. You da man!
Somehow this thread got into my head... especially the part about Williams! Last night SWMBO sent me to the store for dinner items and I grabbed a puck of Williams for a dollar. Used it this morning and LIKED IT! Yeah, I said it! I liked my Williams shave. In fact, compared to my recent underwhelming trial of Col. Conk (lime and bay rum), the Williams delivered outstanding performance! I ain't throwing out my Sterling, but I am not ashamed of saying I had a good shave, either! Thanks, Dtram! I owe it all to you, buddy. Had you not started this thread... well, you know...
Try Kell's Original and you might change your mind. There are some stellar tallow soaps available, but the 7 Common Tallow Soap Myths article on Sharpologist debunks a number of shaving soap myths and is worth a read. If the soap worked well for you, then you have every reason to be excited.
