APRIL Didn't I say I was Focusing on soap samples and Adjustables?
AoS Pre-Shave Oil Lemon
AoS Shaving Cream Lemon
Caswell-Massey Pure badger brush
Suribachi bowl and cool water
'59 Fat Boy & Astra SP blade 2nd use
Alum, AoS After-Shave Balm Lemon
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I was debating taking a new-to-me H-2 Slim for a test shave, but saw Dan
@sdguero and his sample of the same soap. Herd instinct kicked in. Decision made. I was surprised at the regular retail price for these samples. Not that they reflect the high $/sqft prices of the AoS store locations, but that their website is asking that much. Took me a couple minutes to figure out the mechanism to release the pump top on the preshave product. Got enough of the barely scented oil on my hands to apply twice and started thinking about lather. Gave the very small handled travel style brush a quick cleaning and confirmed my thoughts that it was unused from the 2nd hand shop. No funk, no soap residue, no shedding. The faux ivory resin handle isn't long enough to grip in my pro barber brush style so I held it between thumb and a couple fingers and got a decent lather out of the proverbial almond sized dose of cream. Scent? There's two kinds of fried pies at the grocery store. If Arko is a Hostess Pie bursting with flavor, AoS is the generic store brand that's the right color filling, but lacking in umph. Maybe the grape seed oil or lemon EO added to the slick, could be the shave cream itself - decent qualities for making a razor do it's thing. During my 2nd pass I caught a high point on my chin and there was blood on steel, and the brush when I lathered up for 3rd pass. Rinsing slowed the flow, but an alum application didn't stop it. Applied the barely lemony balm followed by a spot treatment with a styptic. Now a few minutes later the balm has dried leaving me feeling like I used hand lotion on my face. A little gummy, with a ghost of Arko scent. AoS? Naw, I'll pass. It's not bad, but I've had better.
Good Shaves Y'all!
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