I just wanted to get a thread started and give you guys the heads up that Mickey Lee Soapworks is a legitimate soap, and they are getting a face lift starting tomorrow. They have some new containers, waterproof labels, and even slightly lower prices. I will be grabbing one of the new scents, which is Peach/Lavender/Pistachio...as well as The Kraken. Here are a couple of pictures from their FB page. Grab them if you can fellow SAD members.
All I can say for sure is that Pantie Dropper is a very Mild scent. Super weak right off the puck, and still mild after blooming and face lathering. When I asked them which scents are the most robust, I was told that the Kraken and Drunken Goat are the strongest. Kraken is supposed to be barbershop with a twist. Most people say Cocoa Maya smells a bit like chocolate and coffee. The Drunken Goat is made with Guiness beer, but reviewers say it smells like molasas and cookies...almost like a dessert. I know @ChuckF has it, and perhaps he can chime in on that one. I was told the two new scents have good strength, but we will see when they arrive. They are a very nice couple, and I'm amazed at how they find the time to keep making soaps, being active duty Navy. They found a winning formula in a short period of time...so best of luck to them.
Any idea if the Cocoa Maya has cinnamon in it? The name makes me think of Mexican Chocolate. Molasses would make "scents" (see, that's a pun!) for Guinness. Totally unrelated but if you ever have occasion to try a Guinness chocolate cake, do so.
I shaved with Drunken Goat again today. The performance is very good, but I find I have to work a little harder to get it where I want it than with my top soaps. This is a very minor quibble and I am totally spoiled by having lots of really excellent soaps to choose from. Now the scent. It is plenty strong. It smells delicious. If I was served a dessert and it smelled like this, I'd be happy about it. I'm ambivalent about it as a scent for shaving, though. The first thing it reminded me of was a scented candle my wife bought. She likes candles scented liked baked goods. So I went through them, sniffing, to figure out which one it smells most like. It's closest to one called Caramel Pecan Roll. Not an exact match, but in that neighborhood. The other thing it reminds me of are Biscoff cookies. Or Trader Joe's Cookie Butter, which is made from the same cookies. Again, not an exact match, but close. It has the rich, toasty maltiness of Guinness, but not the bitterness. It's a very sweet scent, too sweet for me, I've decided.
I received both the Kraken as well as their new scent "La Belle du Sud". The Kraken is described as a Barbershop type scent with a twist. Their new scent is a combination of Peach, Lavender, and Pistachio. Both soaps are great performers, but the scents are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Kraken has a nice blue tint to the soap, and after I bloomed the tub and began to work the lather in the bowl, I could pick up that modern barbershop scent as well a some fresh and clean notes. The "Belle du Sud" however, was much more of a dessert type scent. It was sweet but not in an artificial type way. The peach and pistachio come through more than the lavender, but overall it's a very nice balance. It doesn't smell like anything else I've ever used before, so I give them kudos for creating something unique. It reminded me a little of Ben and Jerry's Peach Cobbler Ice cream with some added Pistachio. Both soaps have a good scent strength that improves throughout the lathing process. They are not overpowering, nor did I get any type of burning or irritation from the ingredients. Here is their Website in case you guys want to check them out. I will say, that they are very popular right now, and Sell out fairly quickly. I don't know how they find the time to keep up with their demand, being active duty Navy. Eric and Samantha are a great couple, and I think they found a winning formula. Their soaps run $12 a tub and the aftershave balms sell for $8. So $20 for the matching combo isn't too bad in my opinion. They use USPS priority shipping and it's roughly $5-6 bucks. http://www.mickeyleesoapworks.com/ Here are some Performance Pics...
The first word that came to mind was Volume! This stuff just produces a generous amount of lather and protection. The slickness is smooth and glides nicely...but not super slippery. I know it shouldn't make a difference, but I preferred using the Plisson knot brush during the lather testing. The scent profiles are unique, and scent strength varies a bit. I know pantie dropper is weak and I heard Itallion Stallion is also kind of mild. Both the Kraken and Drunken Goat are their stronger scented offerings. I forgot to mention that the post shave face feel was very nice as well. I didn't get that skin tightness that I've felt from other soaps.
Thanks for the review, JR! I have heard some very good things about this soap for a little while now. Enjoy!
