Thread: why is xpec hyped and why is it so expensive?

Originally Posted by evnpar

I have the old and new versions of XPEC, and find little difference between them in terms of quality of lather. The old version was a little easier to lather. With the newer version, I shake out my brush well, so that it's barely wet, then swirl it on the soap a dozen times or so. I then start adding a few drops of water to the brush and swirl it another dozen times, and repeat this until I've built a nice protolather. I then use the protolather for face or bowl lathering. I think the trick is adding water very slowly in small amounts and building a protolather on the soap. I am in the group that finds XPEC to be one of the best soaps available.

Ok that might help. I've been doing a big loading up front, then treating it like MdC. It feels like I'm loading up more than I need, but after reading your comment I'm going to double or triple my loafing amount. Thanks! Update to follow.

I have the newer formulation and find it to be in the top tier of soaps. It lathers very easy. Maybe it's sensitive to hard water?

I have hard water which is also loaded with iron. I find XPEC to be a wonderful shaving cream.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I have the newer formulation and find it to be in the top tier of soaps. It lathers very easy. Maybe it's sensitive to hard water?

I've tried lab distilled and bottled water, on top of my hard water (calcium and lime). I usually loaf the brush heavily, but must need to load it a lot more.

Originally Posted by evnpar

I have the old and new versions of XPEC, and find little difference between them in terms of quality of lather. The old version was a little easier to lather. With the newer version, I shake out my brush well, so that it's barely wet, then swirl it on the soap a dozen times or so. I then start adding a few drops of water to the brush and swirl it another dozen times, and repeat this until I've built a nice protolather. I then use the protolather for face or bowl lathering. I think the trick is adding water very slowly in small amounts and building a protolather on the soap. I am in the group that finds XPEC to be one of the best soaps available.

If I had to piddle around that much to get a decent lather I would toss the soap out.

EXPEC was one of the first creams I bought. The aroma is intoxicatingly wonderful. My experience lathering it mirrors Prodigy's experience. I kept it in my den for five years and used maybe 1/4 of the tub. Never could I lather it correctly. I asked a buddy one day if he wanted a cream I couldn't get to lather correctly. He has the same issue; a heavy lather turns to dust within a pass. Maybe it was a bad batch, but I won't buy more to find out! The cologne on the other hand...

Originally Posted by DPeet

EXPEC was one of the first creams I bought. The aroma is intoxicatingly wonderful. My experience lathering it mirrors Prodigy's experience. I kept it in my den for five years and used maybe 1/4 of the tub. Never could I lather it correctly. I asked a buddy one day if he wanted a cream I couldn't get to lather correctly. He has the same issue; a heavy lather turns to dust within a pass. Maybe it was a bad batch, but I won't buy more to find out! The cologne on the other hand...

Maybe that's the problem. We're using Xpec and you're using Expec-maybe a cheap knockoff. Just kidding of course.

I've seen very few folks complain about the stuff and most seem to love it.Something is amiss there.

Does anyone who has had good luck with the new formulation want to test mine out? Send a pm if you'd be willing to help me out. No cost to you of course.

I recently got a tub of the new (reformulated) scented XPEC. Although I was on the fence about the scent, I came to like it and now I get the barbershop vibe/comparisson that many have mentioned.

It has overtaken MdC for me as my most used soap/cream, although I am going to get a new jar of the Fougere pretty soon as I love that type of scent. I love the post-shave feeling from XPEC and it works really well with my usual post shave balms. It lathers very easily for me, especially given the hardness of the water here in England. I have sensitivities after shaving and the XPEC has helped quite a lot with that despite the fact that it is scented.

I remember using and trying the original XPEC. I only ever had a small sample - I remember the cream may have been much thicker and the smell intoxicatingly strong. I think it wiped out every other odour in a 2 mile radius!

Whilst the new XPEC is nothing like that, it does mean it is a more usable product as the scent has been toned down (if my memory serves me well). Hopefully this will apepal to more people out there.

XPEC, yes. I knew something looked amiss with that spelling! Spendur, thanks for the chuckle! Good stuff.