I've noticed a lot of people have a love hate/ hit or miss type of feeling about the Arko shave stick. I tried it for first time today and found that I actually enjoyed the shave and really liked the scent. I was just curious if there was any other types of shave soaps or creams that are love hate/ hit or miss like Arko. I'm just exploring shave soaps and creams because I enjoy variety.
The two that come to mind right off are Williams, and Mitchell's Wool Fat. I haven't bothered trying MWF myself but I can tell you that while vintage Williams is okay, and what my grandfather used and taught me to shave with, the modern stuff is not for me. To many good performing soaps out there to waste time on something that IMO is at best barely passable. Others seem to love it. Not too many on the fence about it.
Trumper's Limes Soap. Bought it after trying their shave cream. Used it a couple times and tossed it in the " TSD Travel Box" as I never got a good lather out of it. After several years, I picked up another bowl and puck set, figuring that maybe my technique had been "off." Nope. Still couldn't get a slick lather out of it. I can get mounds of lather, but it doesn't seem to have any cushion or slickness, no matter how much water I add. Kiss my Face Lime shave cream is the only thing that is saving this soap from being added to the travel box again. Thank goodness for the redeeming power of "super lathers."
one that comes to mind is modern formula Crabtree & Evelyn soaps. I picked up the indian sandalwood and could not get a decent lather to save my life. its the only shaving soap I turned to a bath soap. some people seem to like it but a lot of people cant stand it. YMMV
Check out my thread "Help Me Pick My Next Soap". There were LOTS of great suggestions posted. I may have to try the Arko.
No love/hate, here. I just don't use it as I don't really enjoy the scent and choose to avoid some of its ingredients.
With the Stirling soaps, I do really love many of the scents and the killer menthol—but the lather, for me, is often disappointing. I still have about a half-dozen pucks, but I tend to use other makes that generate longer-lasting lather.
A lot of the guys here like the performance of Tabac, but hate the smell. IMO the scent is not bad at all and it is one best performing soaps. Dave
I love me some arko. The VDH soap smells good and feels slick but I have troupe lathering it with my and water so that would be my love hate soap.
Mitchell's Wool Fat - I find it very difficult to lather, but when you get it right, the results are sublime
I concur with the fat, although hate is a strong word and I find it lathers just fine. But to me it is just a boring soap. I think it is overhyped and the scent is mediocre and maybe a little bit annoying
I agree, a lot of the time it comes down to scent. I know a lot of people turn down Speick and Cella because they don't like the scents. Stirling is one of those that I have never found an appreciation for, but it's loved by many others to the point of fanboyism sometimes. Modern Williams is my nemesis
Kevin, I know you've heard me say this before, but for some of the newbies... Got a soap you really like the smell of but just can't get a decent lather? Get some unscented Kiss My Face ( KMF) shaving cream. I can get it at the ShopRite grocery store. Add a bit to your lather bowl along with your brush loaded up with your difficult soap. KMF lathers up great and since it is unscented it won't mask the smell of the other soap.
Since the OP included creams in his query: Godrej cream is inexpensive and slick, but doesn't provide enough cushion for me to want to reach for it very often, or reorder once it's gone.
"Most" of the Chiseled Face lineup. I love the scents, the lather, the cushioning and the post shave feel. The problem is, most of them, for whatever reason, irritate my skin. Sandalwood and Sherlock see to do okay though. I must just be a sissy!
Vermont Country Soap has a great scent, but is a very sudsy soap that does not retain a lot of moisture to allow for a thick long lasting lather.
