I just got this and its companion post-shave balm in the mail today after sending away for it last week, and I used it in my evening shave. I will give an honest review of the soap and the balm. The first thing I noticed right after opening the tub for the first time was how powerful the scent is. I've read that it smells artificial and that is certainly true. Fortunately, I don't find it intolerable, though others might. But I was unprepared for just how strong the scent is. I'd been considering getting the Windy City Barbershop version with my next paycheck, but now I wonder if I shouldn't just content myself with two of the Colonel Conk pucks instead seeing as how I haven't tried them yet. The tub is the opposite—surprisingly weak for a container. I recommend that the makers use more natural scent oils and less flimsy containers. Now to the meat and potatoes. Overwhelming scent aside, the soap itself produces an amazingly slick, creamy, cushiony lather that rivals, or even perhaps exceeds, the mutton tallow soaps produced by others. I broke my Omega boar brush in with this and it whipped up a generous lather in relatively no time. I'm impressed. The quality may be owed to the rich duck fat used in the formula. If you're into tallow, duck or mutton is better in my opinion. I cannot say I'm as impressed with the companion balm. Like the soap, the scent is overpoweringly strong, and likewise artificial-smelling. It also gave me a burning sensation that went away in a couple of minutes. Now that it's had a few minutes to work its magic it feels much better, but still, not a good first impression. I think the formula can do without alcohol, as that tends to dry skin. Overall, I give Oleo Very Cherry four our of five stars, subtracting one for the strong, artificial scent. I rate the balm three out of five for the same reason, and for the initial burning sensation.
Okay, I found out from Vida that Windy City is much more subdued and the strong artificial scent of the cherry-lime has to do with there being no natural essential oils for cherry and so having to resort to the fake stuff. C'est la vie. Anyway, she will continue to play around with the scent formula as others have reported similar burning issues with the balm, which apparently has to do with the fragrance oils rather than the cetyl alcohol, actually a fatty form that is not the same type used in most after-shave splashes. So next paycheck, I will send away for the Windy City soap and balm and see how that works. I am now once again looking forward to giving that the ol' college try.
Just got sandy cheeks and rougere. Both are medium scents but smell great. Used sandy cheeks for tonight's shave. Amazing thick lather. Might order some more scents.
