Disappointment and Disgust

So there I was shaving this morning using some Institute Karite soap that I got from a member. This is not a commentary on the transaction or the quality of the soap as both are/were outstanding. The issue here is that I don't like it at all.

More than that, I detest it. I really don't like the scent or feel of it and I have had it for a few weeks now and no matter what combo of water/brush/razor I can't get a good lather or a good shave with it.

So what I am wondering is... Are there any generally well thought of products that you guys really don't like? I'm not looking for Tabac or MWF as those have been beat to death and then some, I'm talking just regular run of the mill products that just really don't do it for you.

As far as scent goes, this is a very personal thing. There are scents I don't really care for, particularly floral ones, but that is just me and others may feel differently. The only soap I have had problems with lathering is Williams.

Tabac, sorry to all that worship it, but I could never get used to the scent.

Williams and Wilkenson...I can't shave with them. They dry up so fast. I even put a few drops of glycerin in me scuddle but to no avail.

The smell is ok buy not the lather...sorry to you all how are using them.

I gess yu get what you pay for.

I don't like MWF, TGQ, or MB very much. The lather is lacking. The smell of MWF is kind of nasty too, like milky almost.... clearly from animal parts and noticeable. TGQ and MB have great scents, though. Just the lathers don't work out for me. YMMV.

Jastmine scented soap

I won't mention the vendor/brand cause that has nothing to do with it. I like jastmine scent and jastmine flavored hookah tabbacco. Unfortunately I find the scent of jastmine in a shaving soap to be an offensive scent. I'm sure if somone had shaved with jastmine and I smelled them I would like it a bit more, I just can't sit there with it lathered on my face for an entire shave.

The anount of foam can be affected by the water hardness of an area just ot add my pennys worth.

Certainly possible, but ifother soaps lather fine, where do you point the finger?

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Originally Posted by Thechef

The anount of foam can be affected by the water hardness of an area just ot add my pennys worth.

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It's true. I have used my soaps both in my college apartment (very nice water) and at home (super hard well water). I can get pretty good lather at home and great lather here at school, but for some reason the IK falls short. Oh well though, this is why we have such a variety to choose from.

I don't like TGQ soaps at all. Don't like Speick Shaving Stick. Hate TOBS shaving soaps.

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Originally Posted by loueedacat

I don't like TGQ soaps at all. Don't like Speick Shaving Stick. Hate TOBS shaving soaps.

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No luck on the TOBS for me...I gave it to my wife.

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Originally Posted by loueedacat

I don't like TGQ soaps at all. Don't like Speick Shaving Stick. Hate TOBS shaving soaps.

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I love Speick cream. Never tried the stick. The scent is ... different, but not in a bad way.

I have strong bad reactions to most scents.
Heck, I have trouble walking in the wrong door of a
Macys or JC Penny store even.

I go for the unsented soaps when a maker gives me a choice.

My opinion is that a shaving soap is "So in you face" that only
the lightest touch of scent is justified.

If an unscented soap makes the grade I do sometimes
try one of the scents my other half likes. But if it gives
me a rash it gets tossed no matter how much she likes it.

If a lather drys too quickly I do work it a bit harder in a
tin cup adding more water. I do not feel that relathering
as I go is a bad thing. After all it is the shave that matters
not the lather yet the lathering process can make the shave.

Yes, for me, TGQ. I've tried it at least 3x, soaps and creams, and I just don't like it, it doesn't work well for me, and I have about 60 soaps and creams on hand that all work well. I re ordered Colleen's thinking maybe I got a bad batch. Many members swear buy it, so it's me.

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Originally Posted by Oglethorpe

I love Speick cream. Never tried the stick. The scent is ... different, but not in a bad way.

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Big +1 on that. I also like the After Shave Balm, After Shave Lotion and their Bath Soap...All good stuff....What's nice is, SRD carries it now...

I smelled english leather the other day and it made me gag. It smells like they took a woman's flowery perfume and added oven cleaner to it. Just flowers and chemicals, that's all I get.

Straight up witch hazel smells pretty awful to me, luckily the smell doesn't stick around.

i know what soap i do like if that will help you steer clear of something that isn't good! Caswell & Massey Almond shave soap is great and i got an L'OCCITANE Cade soap..both were only 10 buck each!...they lather like crazy!

hope that helps
Wulfgar

I don't like Mondays.




Does that count?

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Originally Posted by Oglethorpe

I don't like MWF, TGQ, or MB very much. The lathers don't work out for me. YMMV.

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Originally Posted by loueedacat

I don't like TGQ soaps at all.

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Originally Posted by zib

Yes, for me, TGQ. I've tried it at least 3x, soaps and creams, and I just don't like it, it doesn't work well for me, and I have about 60 soaps and creams on hand that all work well. .

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Count me into the anti-TGQ group as well. I think we all know we are risking a lynching by admitting this aloud I love the scents, I just find the lather somewhat lacking and fussy to lather too. Hell, maybe the 4 of us can start a club? ATG(Q) perhaps?

Anyway, on the other hand I love the TOBS Sandalwood soap that I have, proving for the 1,000,000 time YMMV:shrug:

Hiya,

Well, this has been a strange thread to read. I have to say my experiences with a few soaps being discussed has been a lot different from some other members.

For a while, the IK was unavailable for purchase anywhere. Not even the Ik site had the stuff.........weird eh? This went on for maybe 4-5 months before a vendor finally tracked some down.

There were many shaving forum members jonesing for this stuff. Almost everyone who tried it really liked how it worked.......especially the post shave skin care. There's reviews on some forums about that soap that back me up. I was surprised to hear the performance wasn't what was hoped for. In my case, I find it to be among the best soaps I've used.

The soap Colleen(TGQ) makes is about the best of the 8-10 small vendors I've sampled. I'm talking about performance, since fragrance is a personal thing. I've ordered from her many times over the years, and wouldn't be doing that if the soap didn't make a great lather.

Funny how this 'hobby' has that YMMV thingy which makes things interesting.........heh. Gotta try the stuff yourself or you never know for sure.

Martin

I've got to say, I'm one of the non-TGQ guys too. I LOVE the scents, but find the soaps very fussy to get a decent lather from - just when I think I've got a perfect lather, I apply it and it all disappears. I often end up smearing on a paste-like lather that dries quickly, simply because it doesn't disappear like the 'perfect' lather I make from it does. It doesn't leave my skin dry or irritate it much though, which is a big plus for it. I've also found her creams to require a larger amount to create enough lather, compared to the likes of TOBS, The Body Shop or Palmolive. At least the lather from those creams stays though.
Another item I really don't like is Pre de Provence Shave Cream - I like the initial scent, but it goes very quickly because of the insane amount of whipping it takes to create a proper lather with it. Like the TGQ creams, I find it takes a LOT of cream to create enough lather, and is extremely finicky as to the amount of water you use. It doesn't do much for my skin either (dries it slightly) and I find the slick somewhat lacking. For how much I paid for this, I don't think I'll be buying it again.
The final product I don't like is Omega Shave Soap (the stuff in the black plastic bowl). It's too soft to be a proper soap, but too hard to lather like you would a cream (with a snurdler). This results in you chasing a small lump of white soft soap around your mug in amongst some white lather - not easy. The lather lasts well, but dries my face horribly, even with large amounts of glycerin added. For a product from a reputable brushmaker like Omega, I expected a bit more.

(disclaimer - I have fairly soft water so my lather issues don't result from that. I've even tried it with pure spring water, so again, not the water. I'm using the 1oz pucks and sample sized pucks of TGQ soap - it may be that I'm not loading my brush properly, so once all my samples are gone I intend to buy a 3oz puck of her Desert Ironwood soap and one of her 3oz bowls and see if I can get a good lather from it - if not then I'll use it as an expensive face-washing soap)

I don't like classic shaving soap. It doesn't make any later and is a sure fire way for me to slice up my face. Makes a good hand washing soap though.

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

Count me into the anti-TGQ group as well. I think we all know we are risking a lynching by admitting this aloud I love the scents, I just find the lather somewhat lacking and fussy to lather too. Hell, maybe the 4 of us can start a club? ATG(Q) perhaps?

Anyway, on the other hand I love the TOBS Sandalwood soap that I have, proving for the 1,000,000 time YMMV:shrug:

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Wow you guys are tough crowd :P

I thought it was only me and my buddy ( he had full sized puck whereas I have sampler ). While the scents are awesome-favourite being Leatherneck, the lather isn't up to par as it too disappears. I'm not gonna give up just yet. I'm addicted to Olivia's and Al's creams.

I'm generally soap guy but creams are nice addition.

Mosley: http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...turn-bomb.html

Yeah, I've seen that thread before, but until I've paid off my debts and bought all my Xmas presents, I have sworn solemnly that I will not be buying any more shaving stuff unless I absolutely need it (like more DE blades, for example). Once the debts are gone though, I'm buying some of Al's cream, some MWF, and a coti. And maybe a DE blade sampler, just to treat myself. Ooh, and a couple of old razors to practice honing on...

Oh dear, this is how the debts all started to begin with...

Musgo Real really disappointed me. Scent is OK but the cream is a bit crumbly, between the little crums is an oily substance, this morning I even had little dark brown flakes come out of the tube.

Not really the royal shave the tube promises.

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Originally Posted by mosley59

Yeah, I've seen that thread before, but until I've paid off my debts and bought all my Xmas presents, I have sworn solemnly that I will not be buying any more shaving stuff unless I absolutely need it (like more DE blades, for example). Once the debts are gone though, I'm buying some of Al's cream, some MWF, and a coti. And maybe a DE blade sampler, just to treat myself. Ooh, and a couple of old razors to practice honing on...

Oh dear, this is how the debts all started to begin with...

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HAHA, I know what you mean. I joined the B&B penny pinchers group yesterday. They try to spend $100 a year on shaving stuff. On the other hand there needs to be a separate straight razor one because DEs are cheap compared to straights.

On a note related to my original post, I haven't had any luck with Arko creams either.

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Originally Posted by mosley59

I've got to say, I'm one of the non-TGQ guys too. I LOVE the scents, but find the soaps very fussy to get a decent lather from - just when I think I've got a perfect lather, I apply it and it all disappears.

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Originally Posted by SiRed8

I thought it was only me and my buddy ( he had full sized puck whereas I have sampler ). While the scents are awesome-favourite being Leatherneck, the lather isn't up to par as it too disappears.
Mosley

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Welcome to ATG(Q), members 5 and 6! Just rememeber that we members must stick together as we have more strength in numbers :rofl2:

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

Count me into the anti-TGQ group as well. I think we all know we are risking a lynching by admitting this aloud I love the scents, I just find the lather somewhat lacking and fussy to lather too. Hell, maybe the 4 of us can start a club? ATG(Q) perhaps?

Anyway, on the other hand I love the TOBS Sandalwood soap that I have, proving for the 1,000,000 time YMMV:shrug:

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Ryan, That's funny. the other day, I bought some Skin Food from Sesto Senso, and some TOBS Sandalwood AS GeL, and TOBS pre shave oil.
They sent me samples of TOBS Sandalwood, Almond and Coconut.
The sandalwood was amazing. I was surprised at how well it performed...And mad too, because now that's another one I want to buy..
I'm running out of room here. I'm turning into one of those hoarder people..One day I'll be found buried in shaving stuff....

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Originally Posted by mosley59

I've got to say, I'm one of the non-TGQ guys too. I LOVE the scents, but find the soaps very fussy to get a decent lather from - just when I think I've got a perfect lather, I apply it and it all disappears. I often end up smearing on a paste-like lather that dries quickly, simply because it doesn't disappear like the 'perfect' lather I make from it does. It doesn't leave my skin dry or irritate it much though, which is a big plus for it. I've also found her creams to require a larger amount to create enough lather, compared to the likes of TOBS, The Body Shop or Palmolive. At least the lather from those creams stays though.
Another item I really don't like is Pre de Provence Shave Cream - I like the initial scent, but it goes very quickly because of the insane amount of whipping it takes to create a proper lather with it. Like the TGQ creams, I find it takes a LOT of cream to create enough lather, and is extremely finicky as to the amount of water you use. It doesn't do much for my skin either (dries it slightly) and I find the slick somewhat lacking. For how much I paid for this, I don't think I'll be buying it again.
The final product I don't like is Omega Shave Soap (the stuff in the black plastic bowl). It's too soft to be a proper soap, but too hard to lather like you would a cream (with a snurdler). This results in you chasing a small lump of white soft soap around your mug in amongst some white lather - not easy. The lather lasts well, but dries my face horribly, even with large amounts of glycerin added. For a product from a reputable brushmaker like Omega, I expected a bit more.

(disclaimer - I have fairly soft water so my lather issues don't result from that. I've even tried it with pure spring water, so again, not the water. I'm using the 1oz pucks and sample sized pucks of TGQ soap - it may be that I'm not loading my brush properly, so once all my samples are gone I intend to buy a 3oz puck of her Desert Ironwood soap and one of her 3oz bowls and see if I can get a good lather from it - if not then I'll use it as an expensive face-washing soap)

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OK, Maybe we're on to something with TGQ soaps. I too have a water softner, hence, soft water...I was never bowled over by her fragrances anyway to be honest, and the problems I have with her soaps and creams lathering, well, that just clinced it for me...With our members, you either love TGQ or hate it. no inbetween...Never heard anyone say, OH, there Ok....

Truefitt & Hill Sandalwood.

Perhaps it was old (obtained via B/S/T), perhaps because the lid got cracked (due to poor packaging) during its trip across the pond and some product leaked out, perhaps because its appearance reminds me of oatmeal and sawdust mixed together, perhaps it's just my curmudgeonly nature. :rant:

One man's meat is another man's poison.:beer2:

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Originally Posted by Oglethorpe

I love Speick cream. Never tried the stick. The scent is ... different, but not in a bad way.

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I like the cream too. Stick is dry and bland.

And then you've got goose and gander sauce.

????

My opinions follow: for tubed cream Speick is really hard to fault; for the tubbed creams Taylors of Old Bond St. has some wonderful almond and sandalwood; and then there's the magical and cost muchical Castle Forbes on the top of the sudsical heap. I've never had the best luck with soaps, nor have I tried much to devise a method to make hard cakes all soft and frothy.

Maybe when I retire I can spend morning upon morning trying to make froth from the recalcitrant puck. In the meanwhile creams is it.

:beer2: