First time I bought this I didn't like it. Either threw it away or gave it to a friend. But then read a review of it over at B&B and decided I was a little too hasty, one person really sang its praises over there. Still a little skeptical, but since I buy frequently at the Dollar Tree for hygiene and sundries, I kept passing it and eyeing it for weeks. Finally broke down and bought a few tubes (5). Put the tube in a sinkful of hot water to warm up the gel while showering. Lathered my face with my hands first, not hardly any lather. Whipped out one of my VDH Boars and soaked it in hot water for a short while. Put a little extra on the brush and swirled away on my face, producing patchy spots of lather on my face, but rest assured the gel was all over my face. Approached it with a Gem Featherweight with a Blue Star carbon. Couldn't even feel my face being shaved. Slick as an ice rink. Relathered with brush for a 2nd XTG pass (first pass always being WTG), could feel the very fine nub of whiskers being shorn off, but that was due to using slight pressure on my razor, still glided effortlessly. So much better than its canned cream counterpart, and basically superior to any other canned creams and gels I have used, I really don't think I'll go back to using them. Everyone has their own favorite cream, soap, what have you, but this stuff is at least as slick as a good quality shaving soap, and does not irritate my face like the soaps do. I just wanted to put this little gem up for review just so that others here may know about it. For just one dollar, what's to lose if you don't like it?
UPDATE... Found out that you can produce a nice lather with this gel, you just have to use water, a brush, some elbow grease, and a little patience. But when its made, its one of the slickest gels/creams/soaps I have ever used.
I think this stuff is great. I use it with every shave. I don't use it by itself. I use it as you would a pre-shave oil. I wet my face apply the gel and rub it in and then apply my soap or cream. Slick as an ice rink. You would swear there was no blade in the razor. I have also added it to the bowl after lathering with remarkable results. Wouldn't be caught without it. A tube lasts over 2 months for me and cost a $1.
