Reviews of 85+ Soaps

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by BaylorGator, Sep 2, 2017.

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  1. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    RUNNING SOAP REVIEW SUMMARY
    NOT a ranking of performance! Just an indicator "enjoyability" of using each soap to me, for whatever reason.

    KEEPERS - My first, second, and third string lineups.
    Stirling - Great lather, unbeatable slickness, and great scent strength. Scents are often not complex, but most are outstanding.
    Barrister and Mann - Rich, dense lather and unique, complex scents make this a favorite. Warning: scents can be "hit and miss" and some can be polarizing.
    --------------------
    Chiseled Face - Good lather (midway in between dense and slick), good overall performance, and very unique, creative scents (Santa Paula and Ghost Town Barber are favorites).
    WSP (formula T) - A good all around performer with unique scents (Mahogany, Black Amber & Vanille, and Blackbeard are favorites.) I prefer the Formula T (tallow) base, but the Rustic (vegan) is still a solid choice.
    Catie's Bubbles - Really unique scents. Given the right one (Waterlyptus is an all time favorite), the performance of this vegan soap is solid enough to be a keeper.
    TOBS (cream) - Unbeatable, creamy, foolproof lather and so many fantastic scents (Jerymn St, Peppermint, Grapefruit, Mr Taylors, the list goes on and on...). My first "real" soap/cream continues to deliver for me in pure enjoyment of use.
    --------------------
    Cella - Good lather and performance. While there are better soaps out there, this formula and scent has gone unchanged for over 100 years for a reason. A solid choice for anyone's den.

    HONORABLE MENTION - I'm tempted to put these in the den, but something (scent, slickness, price, etc.) has them on the fence for now.
    Sudsy Soapery - An outstanding overall soap which provides an irritation free shave and great moisturizing and outperforms some of my "keepers". Unfortunately, the scents don't line up with my tastes or the gaps in my den.
    Midnight and Two - Nice scents (I prefer a little stronger), good lather (I prefer a little thicker), good slickness, great face feel and moisturizing properties.
    --------------------
    Viking - I find the Ragnar and Iceland scents to be standouts. Good performance, but nothing, beyond the scent, really separates them as exceptional to me.
    Crowne and Crane - Nice lather, and good performance. Waiting to sample multiple scents before making a decision on this one.
    Tiki - Solid performance with some really unique scents.
    Reef Point - Solid overall performance. "Clean cologne" scent profiles that are unique and different. (Submariner is a favorite.) Some are hit and miss.
    Soap Commander - Performance rivaling most of my keepers, and scents that are unique and pleasant, but didn't come out and grab me like some others do.

    JUST MISSED THE CUT - All very good soaps, that just were missing that "something extra" to me. (YMMV)
    Panna Crema Pure2O - Dissapointingly, this soap doesn’t have the rich complex scents or stellar performance of its bigger brother Panna Crema Nuavia. If it’s big brother didn’t come at such a high price or with the mandatory crock, it’d be in my top level of keepers, as it’s a really fantastic soap in all respects. (Note - up for re-evaluation based on others' feedback).
    Fine - Clean cologne scents that I enjoy. Good performance, but again the soap doesn't stand out like my favorites do.
    Mike's Natural - A good performer. I would be tempted to add this to then den, but I pick up an off scent in the base, which is very distracting to me with some scents, keeping it out of the den. (Orange Cedarwood and Black Pepper, and Lime are favorites, strong scents, & relatively unaffected).
    Martin De Candre - A very good soap, but nothing jumps out as being "over and above" for me, and the scents I've tried don't excite me much.
    Dr. Jon's - Another very good soap with good overall performance; again, nothing jumps out at me.
    --------------
    (unobtanium) I Coloniali - Mango - Great scent, but rare/expensive, and I botched the sample lather. Other reviewers say the lather is very slick but not very dense or creamy. I'd love to give it another shot with a full puck.
    (unobtanium) Wet Shave Obsession - Zaro - A good soap that produces thick lather and good overall performance, but a bit drying post shave feel. The "fougere" scent actually smells like caramel to me, which, ironically, was what I liked most.

    CUT EARLY IN TRYOUTS - These probably won't make my den at all. Not necessarily bad soaps; they just didn't spark my interest.
    MWF - This is a controversial cut, as this is an iconic soap that is purported to perform well, but scent plays a big part in the experience for me, so a lightly scented or unscented soap isn't going to make the den unless its performance absolutely blows my other soaps out of the water. It didn't.
    Tabac -Another iconic soap, but I just can't get past what my wife refers to as the "old man smell". Others call it "grandma's purse" scent. Either way, it's not making the den.
    Razorock - Overall, these soaps lather quickly & easily, but I find performance to be average, and scent strength to be below average. The scents also skew a bit towards a "European Cologne" vibe that don't tend to do it for me.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2017
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  2. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    Yesterday I shaved with Saponificino Verisino. This is an impressive soap that I really enjoyed. It squarely falls in the honorable mention category for me. Great performance on all levels, with scents that are really elegant and well done. Why not a keeper? I’m not sure I love it $36 a puck’s worth. Having said that, I found the Tundra Arctic’s and 70th Anniversary scents to have enough comeback sauce that they likely will end up in the den shortly.
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2017
  3. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    Today’s shave pitted PAA against CRSW in a battle of the alphabet. Although the net results assaulting whiskers was similar, my preference for each soap are not. I really want to love PAA as a one stop with tons of scents, but, to me, the soap is kind of the American version of Razorock; average soap, weak scents, and nothing in particular that stands above the pack. CRSW is a better soap with unique scents. I have Citrus Paradisi and Jeff’s Soap in my den, but may categorize them as an honorable mention as I haven’t shaved with them enough to determine if I’ll replace them once they are 3016’d.
     
  4. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    RUNNING SOAP REVIEW SUMMARY
    NOT a ranking of performance! Just an indicator "enjoyability" of using each soap to me, for whatever reason.

    KEEPERS - Still working on which players are first, second, and third string in the lineup.
    Barrister and Mann - Rich, dense lather and unique, complex scents make this a favorite. Warning: scents can be "hit and miss" and some can be polarizing.
    Stirling - Great lather, unbeatable slickness, and great scent strength. Scents are often not complex, but most are outstanding.
    --------------------
    Chiseled Face - Good lather (midway in between dense and slick), good overall performance, and very unique, creative scents (Santa Paula and Ghost Town Barber are favorites).
    WSP (formula T) - A good all around performer with unique scents (Mahogany, Black Amber & Vanille, and Blackbeard are favorites.) I prefer the Formula T (tallow) base, but the Rustic (vegan) is still a solid choice.
    --------------------
    Catie's Bubbles - Really unique scents. Given the right one (Waterlyptus is an all time favorite), the performance of this vegan soap is solid enough to be a keeper.
    Cella - Good lather and performance. While there are better soaps out there, this formula and scent has gone unchanged for over 100 years for a reason. A solid choice for anyone's den.
    CRSW - I own two of these soaps (Citrus Paradisi and Jeff’s Soap). I enjoy them both, and they perform great, but for some reason. I’m not anxious to replace them or to add more scents at the moment but this soap is still a solid keeper.
    TOBS (cream) - Unbeatable, creamy, foolproof lather and so many fantastic scents (Jerymn St, Peppermint, Grapefruit, Mr Taylors, the list goes on and on...). My first "real" soap/cream continues to deliver for me in pure enjoyment of use.
    Viking - I find the Ragnar and Iceland scents to be standouts. Good performance, but nothing, beyond the scent, really separates them as exceptional. Still,

    HONORABLE MENTION - I'm tempted to put these in the den, but something (scent, slickness, price, etc.) has them on the fence for now.
    Saponificio Varesino - A top notch soap with very clean, upscale and sophisticated cologne scents. Tundra Artica and 70th Anniversary are favorites. Pretty sure one or both will end up in the den before this is all over.
    Sudsy Soapery - An outstanding overall soap which provides an irritation free shave and great moisturizing and outperforms some of my "keepers". Unfortunately, the scents don't line up with my tastes or the gaps in my den.
    Midnight and Two - Nice scents (I prefer a little stronger), good lather (I prefer a little thicker), good slickness, great face feel and moisturizing properties.
    --------------------
    Crowne and Crane - Nice lather, and good performance. Waiting to sample multiple scents before making a decision on this one.
    Tiki - Solid performance with some really unique scents.
    Reef Point - Solid overall performance. "Clean cologne" scent profiles that are unique and different. (Submariner is a favorite.) Some are hit and miss.
    Soap Commander - Performance rivaling most of my keepers, and scents that are unique and pleasant, but didn't come out and grab me like some others do.
    Panna Crema Pure2O - Dissapointingly, this soap doesn’t have the rich complex scents or stellar performance of its bigger brother Panna Crema Nuavia. If it’s big brother didn’t come at such a high price or with the mandatory crock, it’d be in my top level of keepers, as it’s a really fantastic soap in all respects. (Note - up for re-evaluation based on others' feedback).

    MISSED THE CUT - All very good soaps, that just were missing that "something extra" to me. (YMMV)
    Fine - Clean cologne scents that I enjoy. Good performance, but again the soap doesn't stand out like my favorites do. L’Orange Noir is a favorite scent.
    Mike's Natural - A good performer. I would be tempted to add this to then den, but I pick up an off scent in the base, which is very distracting to me with some scents, keeping it out of the den. (Orange Cedarwood and Black Pepper, and Lime are favorites, strong scents, & relatively unaffected).
    Martin De Candre - A very good soap, but nothing jumps out as being "over and above" for me, and the scents I've tried don't excite me much.
    Dr. Jon's - Another very good soap with good overall performance; again, nothing jumps out at me.
    --------------
    (unobtanium) I Coloniali - Mango - Great scent, but rare/expensive, and I botched the sample lather. Other reviewers say the lather is very slick but not very dense or creamy. I'd love to give it another shot with a full puck.
    (unobtanium) Wet Shave Obsession - Zaro - A good soap that produces thick lather and good overall performance, but a bit drying post shave feel. The "fougere" scent actually smells like caramel to me, which, ironically, was what I liked most.

    CUT EARLY IN TRYOUTS - These probably won't make my den at all. Not necessarily bad soaps; they just didn't spark my interest.
    MWF - This is a controversial cut, as this is an iconic soap that is purported to perform well, but scent plays a big part in the experience for me, so a lightly scented or unscented soap isn't going to make the den unless its performance absolutely blows my other soaps out of the water. It didn't.
    Tabac -Another iconic soap, but I just can't get past what my wife refers to as the "old man smell". Others call it "grandma's purse" scent. Either way, it's not making the den.
    Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements - Overall, I find PAA soaps to be just average. Nothing wrong with them at all, but nothing really stands out above the pack to me. Several scents are copies of other manufacturers scents and tens to be on the weak side to my nose.
    Razorock - Overall, these soaps lather quickly & easily, but I find performance to be average, and scent strength to be below average. The scents also skew a bit towards a "European Cologne" vibe that don't tend to do it for me.
     
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  5. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    I have a favorite from Crowne&Crane, but am in no hurry to make a play for it. I'll see if it's one of the scents you sample as you make your final decision on it.
     
  6. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    I can see why Nancy Boy Cream has a lot of fans. It has a nice, mild, peppermint scent and cooling feel. Having said that, the more soaps and creams I try, the pickier I am getting. This cream, to me is not as thick and rich as TOBS, nor as protective and is low on residual slickness. Like virtually every soap/Cream on the list so far, it’s worth trying for yourself; it just didn’t make my cut.
     
  7. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    RUNNING SOAP REVIEW SUMMARY
    NOT a ranking of performance! Just an indicator "enjoyability" of using each soap to me, for whatever reason.

    KEEPERS - Still working on which players are first, second, and third string in the lineup.
    Barrister and Mann - Rich, dense lather and unique, complex scents make this a favorite. Warning: scents can be "hit and miss" and some can be polarizing.
    Stirling - Great lather, unbeatable slickness, and great scent strength. Scents are often not complex, but most are outstanding.
    --------------------
    Chiseled Face - Good lather (midway in between dense and slick), good overall performance, and very unique, creative scents (Santa Paula and Ghost Town Barber are favorites).
    WSP (formula T) - A good all around performer with unique scents (Mahogany, Black Amber & Vanille, and Blackbeard are favorites.) I prefer the Formula T (tallow) base, but the Rustic (vegan) is still a solid choice.
    Catie's Bubbles - Really unique scents. Given the right one (Waterlyptus is an all time favorite), the performance of this vegan soap is solid enough to be a keeper.
    --------------------
    CRSW - I own two of these soaps (Citrus Paradisi and Jeff’s Soap). I enjoy them both, and they perform great, but for some reason. I’m not anxious to replace them or to add more scents at the moment but this soap is still a solid keeper.
    TOBS (cream) - Unbeatable, creamy, foolproof lather and so many fantastic scents (Jerymn St, Peppermint, Grapefruit, Mr Taylors, the list goes on and on...). My first "real" soap/cream continues to deliver for me in pure enjoyment of use.
    Cella - Good lather and performance. While there are better soaps out there, this formula and scent has gone unchanged for over 100 years for a reason. A solid choice for anyone's den.
    Viking - I find the Ragnar and Iceland scents to be standouts. Good performance, but nothing, beyond the scent, really separates them as exceptional. Still keepers as a package, but not necessarily based on performance alone.

    HONORABLE MENTION - I'm tempted to put these in the den, but something (scent, slickness, price, etc.) has them on the fence for now.
    Saponificio Varesino - A top notch soap with very clean, upscale and sophisticated cologne scents. Tundra Artica and 70th Anniversary are favorites. Pretty sure one or both will end up in the den before this is all over.
    Sudsy Soapery - An outstanding overall soap which provides an irritation free shave and great moisturizing and outperforms some of my "keepers". Unfortunately, the scents don't line up with my tastes or the gaps in my den.
    Midnight and Two - Nice scents (I prefer a little stronger), good lather (I prefer a little thicker), good slickness, great face feel and moisturizing properties.
    --------------------
    Crowne and Crane - Nice lather, and good performance. Waiting to sample multiple scents before making a decision on this one.
    Tiki - Solid performance with some really unique scents. The Fougere is fresh and bright, as is the Set Sail fragrance. My favorite is the Spice Island, a unique spicy mango scent.
    Reef Point - Solid overall performance. "Clean cologne" scent profiles that are unique and different. (Submariner is a favorite.) Some are hit and miss.
    Soap Commander - Performance rivaling most of my keepers, and scents that are unique and pleasant, but didn't come out and grab me like some others do.
    Panna Crema Pure2O - Dissapointingly, this soap doesn’t have the rich lather and complex scents of its bigger brother Panna Crema Nuavia. (It does, however, come with great moisturizing properties). If it’s big brother didn’t come at such a high price or with the mandatory crock, it’d be in my top level of keepers, as it’s a really fantastic soap in all respects. (Note - up for re-evaluation based on others' feedback).

    JUST MISSED THE CUT - All very good soaps, that just were missing that "something extra" to me. (YMMV)
    Mike's Natural - A good performer. I would be tempted to add this to then den, but I pick up an off scent in the base, which is very distracting to me with some scents, keeping it out of the den. (Orange Cedarwood and Black Pepper, and Lime are favorites, strong scents, & relatively unaffected).
    Martin De Candre - A very good soap, but nothing jumps out as being "over and above" for me, and the scents I've tried don't excite me much.
    Dr. Jon's - Another very good soap with good overall performance; again, nothing jumps out at me.
    Fine - Clean cologne scents that I enjoy. Good performance, but again the soap doesn't stand out like my favorites do. L’Orange Noir is a favorite scent.
    --------------
    (unobtanium) I Coloniali - Mango - Great scent, but rare/expensive, and I botched the sample lather. Other reviewers say the lather is very slick but not very dense or creamy. I'd love to give it another shot with a full puck.
    (unobtanium) Wet Shave Obsession - Zaro - A good soap that produces thick lather and good overall performance, but a bit drying post shave feel. The "fougere" scent actually smells like caramel to me, which, ironically, was what I liked most.

    CUT EARLY IN TRYOUTS - These probably won't make my den at all. Not necessarily bad soaps; they just didn't spark my interest.
    MWF - This is a controversial cut, as this is an iconic soap that is purported to perform well, but scent plays a big part in the experience for me, so a lightly scented or unscented soap isn't going to make the den unless its performance absolutely blows my other soaps out of the water. It didn't.
    Tabac -Another iconic soap, but I just can't get past what my wife refers to as the "old man smell". Others call it "grandma's purse" scent. Either way, it's not making the den.
    Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements - Overall, I find PAA soaps to be just average. Nothing wrong with them at all, but nothing really stands out above the pack to me. Several scents are copies of other manufacturers scents and tend to be on the weak side to my nose.
    Nancy Boy (cream) - A refreshing, cool cream with good, but not stellar performance. Lacks a bit in cushion and residual slickness to me, but still provides a good pleasurable shaving experience.
    Razorock - Overall, these soaps lather quickly & easily, but I find performance to be average, and scent strength to be below average. The scents also skew a bit towards a "European Cologne" vibe that don't tend to do it for me.
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2017
    jtspartan and Yehuda D like this.
  8. Yehuda D

    Yehuda D Israeli Ambassador to TSD

    While Stirling is my number one favorite I also enjoy these others:

    Obsessive Soap Perfectionist - no longer being sold, unfortunately. Amazing scents and lather.

    Krampert's - excellent lather and skincare.

    First Canadian - lathers easily and fast. Good skincare.

    Razorock - great lather, nice scents, skincare is decent.

    Mickey Lee - wonderful lather and good skincare.

    Henri et Victoria - lightly-scented, rich lather, pretty good skincare.

    Brutalt Bra - from Norway, nice scent, great lather, very good skincare.

    There are others as well but I'll mention them another time.
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2017
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  9. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    Box 3 is in the mail to the next participant, and box 4 is four to six weeks away, BUT have no fear! There are soaps-a-plenty to review. I've received several samples from friends, and have picked up some more of my own based on others recommendations. In fact there are so many untried samples in my den that I'm changing to title of the thread to Review of 40+ soaps. Also, I'll be doing some comparisons of soaps I've already tried, since 1 shave isn't really adequate for reviewing a soap, and I've found that the "side by side" shave (shaving each side of the face with a different soap) provides for a really good comparison of soaps.

    Today, I shaved side by side with WSP Mahogany (Formula T) and Catie's LPV. Both, as expected, gave excellent performance. The WSP gave just a tad creamier and more protective lather, while the Catie's provided just a tad more slickness, but we're really splitting hairs here. So much so, that I suspect if I added a couple drops of water to the WSP or took away a few drops from Caties, I'm betting could probably dial them in where it'd be almost impossible to tell the difference. Both are really good soaps and are clearly in the "keeper" category for me. Having said that, the Mahogany is such a unique and fanstatic scent, I'd absolutely recommend a trial of it if you haven't experienced this soap/scent before. Good stuff...
     
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  10. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    To make this thread a bit simpler, I have posted the summary sheet on the first page of the thread and will be doing live updates there. This will keep me from having to post it repeatedly. I'll try to put a link to the Soap Review Summary at the end of each review like this...

    Soap Review Summary
     
  11. dangermouse

    dangermouse Well-Known Member

    This is a great idea for a thread. Might I ask please, what do you mean when you write 'because of my allergies, I want the scent strength to be high'? Presumably they are not allergies to the scent.
     
  12. Fly2High

    Fly2High Breaking Frugal

    Being a triple milled puck, it will outlast most other soaps by a longshot. They are a favorite of mine as well.
     
  13. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    As Bartles and James would say "thank you for your support" @dangermouse. As far as allergies go, I'm referring to my sinuses which seem to rarely have the "all clear" status. As such, soaps with low scent strength (i.e. "lightly scented") tend not to make the cut for me.
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2017
  14. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    I'm trying to hold off on pulling the trigger, Frank, as I already have soaps that I'll be passing down to unborn grandchildren at this point. Still, I know purchasing them is inevitable.
     
  15. Fly2High

    Fly2High Breaking Frugal

    I can relate. I started with the older version (non black) Dolomiti and fell in love. I grabbed the black version then got 70th anniversary, Stella Alpina and Manna di Sicilia. Just a few more for the complete set! Every time I use them I can barely tell I did but they always make copious amounts of lather.

    big fan.
     
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  16. dangermouse

    dangermouse Well-Known Member

    Oh, I see. I'm sorry to ask such a personal question, I just couldn't understand what you were saying before. I thought about it for much too long! I'm enjoying reading this thread. Thanks.
     
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  17. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    Today, in line with diving a little deeper with the comparisons, I shaved side by side with Chiseled Face and WSP. The performance of these two soaps was very comparable. If any difference at all, I'd have to give the slight nod to Chiseled Face for creaminess and face feel, but by a very narrow margin. Comparing Chiseled Face, WSP and Catie's, I'd stick by the order I've listed them in, but I'd also say that all three clearly performed similarly, and are all very good soaps that I'd recommend.
     
    Paul Turner likes this.
  18. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    I'll still have a lot of my WSP to go by the time I receive my Chiseled Face order. I'd like to get my WSP(Sandalwood)working better than it has been, but it certainly passes the "satisfied" test. Course the other factor is that perhaps I could be shaving better!!
     
  19. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    The head to head comparisons continue with Chiseled Face vs. Cold River Soap Works (Olivia line). Splitting hairs here, as both are very good soaps that I'd recommend for anyone's den. The Chiseled Face seems to provide a bit thicker creamier lather, but both create nice lather with more than adequate slickness and good cushion. (I suspect that the select line (tallow) would be creamier, as most tallow soaps trend this way a bit for me. "Regardless, both can also be watered down to become very slick as well, trading off a bit of cushion to get there (which theoretically, should be the case with all soaps). I'd give the nod to Chiseled Face for the lather, but CRSW for scent strength and complexity. Also, yesterday I felt that the left side of my face (Chiseled Face) felt a bit softer than the right (WSP) after the shave. Today that trend continues, leading me to believe that Chiseled Face may have some really nice skin moisturizing properties.

    Summary List has been updated.
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2017
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  20. BaylorGator

    BaylorGator MISTER Fancypants

    Today's comparison was a head to head shave off between Stirling and Chiseled Face. For reference, these are two soaps I own in several scents. I really like both soaps, and don't see either one leaving my den anytime soon, but the shave offs are meant for me to make sure my previous reviews are accurate and on-point, and to reveal any subtle differences between soaps.

    Up to this point, my shave offs have revealed relatively minor differences in similarly performing soaps. In fact, so much so, that I'm realizing there are a lot of soaps that perform similarly well, and are substitutable for each other. Pick the scent you like, and away you go. In fact, after several of these shave offs, I was starting to wonder how much any notably significant differences in soaps is a real thing once you get to the level of a "good artisan soap". I was kind of expecting that Stirling would fall into the same grouping as the rest of my keepers as another solid performing really good artisan soap. Today, however, I was reminded why there is a dotted line between them and the other keepers in my den. In a word, slickness. Both soaps had nice scents (albeit the scent strength of Stirling is always a bit higher than my other soaps - which I like). Both soaps created a nice thick, creamy lather. BUT the slickness of Stirling sets it apart from every other soap in my den. It's not even close. Feeling my face after a pass reveals it to be slicker than a greased pig, even after the lather is removed. So, slick in fact, I bet I could do the third pass ATG without re-lathering. To prove it, that's exactly what I did. No lather, plenty of slickness, BBS, no irritation. Ridiculous.
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2017

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