Thread: Queen Charlotte soap

Originally Posted by SewerGuy

Things fall into 3 categories, I like it, it's o.k. and it sucks. I like this scent, it's comfortable.

That is fantastic.

That is pretty much how I classify everything in my life, not just scents!!!!

i got samples of i think 6 or 7 of the creams, i love them i used to only use soaps but i will be ordering these again. the briar smells awesome,it is a sweet smell. i also ordered the body soaps from there and they are equal in quality to the shaving creams. the website does say they are soaps (which is why i ordered them) they are actually really thick creams.

-dan-

Originally Posted by sinnfein

i got samples of i think 6 or 7 of the creams, i love them i used to only use soaps but i will be ordering these again. the briar smells awesome,it is a sweet smell. i also ordered the body soaps from there and they are equal in quality to the shaving creams. the website does say they are soaps (which is why i ordered them) they are actually really thick creams.

-dan-

I'm looking forward to mine...Xpec is also sold as a soap, but is in fact a cream, and it's awesome, Great Lather...I'm hoping one day it'll be available in the states....

Hiya,

I received a sample of the 'Briar' scented soap from Matthew last week and shaved with it three times. The first brush used to mix the lather was a small knot two band badger and the next two times I used a regular silvertip with a larger knot that has a lot more give to it. These are both in my regular rotation.

I know I'm gonna be in the minority here, but I just could not get that soap to perform as I'd hoped. Heh, I purposely didn't read any reviews before this post, and I'm figuring I'll be way off from everyone else.

First time lathering I treated it as I would Castle Forbes or another dense product. I put a little more than normal amount in my lather bowl, along with about a tablespoon of very hot water. I let that sit for a few minutes while applying the hot towels, then gave the brush a few light shakes and started whisking. Took a little longer to mix up but no big deal.

The resulting lather wasn't slick and had no cushion. Also, there wasn't enough lather in my brush for even a second pass. That has never happened to me before.

The last two times I followed the directions and used more product. Second time was similar to the first, and the last was the best of the three. That time the lather was fairly slick, but still very little cushion. I used even more product than the times before and started with a drier brush. I was able to get almost three passes worth in the brush, which is still very low.

For the life of me I can't figure out what's up here. I gave this one a shot but it's just not for me.

Martin

Oh, let me mention the 'Briar' scent would be good for someone looking for an almond/marzipan scent similar to Cella.

I'll do a proper review once I have had time to really evaluate it (daily shaving for a bit).

Disclaimer: I received this for the purposes of doing a review and extended testing, and I did not pay anything for it (full tub). For lathering, I used a Plisson 16 HMW

Packaging: Meh... This has poorly executed sticker labels. I'm sure it was done on a personal PC, but I would really like to see something well executed in packaging. Some of the lettering was blurry, and it doesn't have continuity in style at all. Good packaging gives an appearance of professionalism, and it immediately allays the fear that what I'm about to put on my face may cause a chemical burn. In fact, I messed with it on my hands for quite a while prior to putting it on my face for that reason. The tub is cheap, but so is the most recent tub of Castle Forbes that I got

Scent: I got Rose, and it's a clean, refreshing rose scent. This one suits me very well, and it would be a good scent to pair with one of my favorite colognes, Czech and Speak 88

Texture and Performance: It has a very similar texture to Castle Forbes. Doing a side-by-side comparison, it appears to be denser than the CF. With soaps like that, I always load it like I would a hard soap. I agree with Martin that it took me a little longer to lather than my really good creams, but I'm OK with that. I was able to get a really nice, dense lather that felt really good on my face, but I did find it to have less cushion than I'm used to.

Bottom line: I love the idea of "artisan soaps", but I have yet to find any that I really love. I prefer things to be really well executed (presentation, form, and function), and this falls short in some of those areas. I'm going to continue to test it because I think it has more to offer than what I got out of it with my only test. That means I'll use it exclusively for a couple weeks to test my improved ability to lather it and it's skin protective qualities. However, I really wish that they would invest in better packaging. Even something as simple as putting the tub in a customized box (a la Castle Forbes, TOBS, Trumpers, etc.) would be a huge improvement, but glass jars would be ideal. It's an artisan house, and to create their niche, I think they need to really provide something extra. Maybe I'm too picky...

I will keep you guys posted.

My review: http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...tml#post696011

Originally Posted by mainaman

I'll agree, I got the Celestial Woods, great scent not overpowering.
Rich lather and nice cushion.

I have this one as well.. Used it today actually!



Great soap though I wish the scent was a little stronger..

Originally Posted by De Layne

Hiya,

I received a sample of the 'Briar' scented soap from Matthew last week and shaved with it three times. The first brush used to mix the lather was a small knot two band badger and the next two times I used a regular silvertip with a larger knot that has a lot more give to it. These are both in my regular rotation.

I know I'm gonna be in the minority here, but I just could not get that soap to perform as I'd hoped. Heh, I purposely didn't read any reviews before this post, and I'm figuring I'll be way off from everyone else.

First time lathering I treated it as I would Castle Forbes or another dense product. I put a little more than normal amount in my lather bowl, along with about a tablespoon of very hot water. I let that sit for a few minutes while applying the hot towels, then gave the brush a few light shakes and started whisking. Took a little longer to mix up but no big deal.

The resulting lather wasn't slick and had no cushion. Also, there wasn't enough lather in my brush for even a second pass. That has never happened to me before.

The last two times I followed the directions and used more product. Second time was similar to the first, and the last was the best of the three. That time the lather was fairly slick, but still very little cushion. I used even more product than the times before and started with a drier brush. I was able to get almost three passes worth in the brush, which is still very low.

For the life of me I can't figure out what's up here. I gave this one a shot but it's just not for me.

Martin

Oh, let me mention the 'Briar' scent would be good for someone looking for an almond/marzipan scent similar to Cella.

I also have the Briar and went through a spell of having a hard time getting a good lather...I've found that it takes less water and more time whisking than the other creams I have. Seem to perform pretty well for me once you figure out the right formula.

Originally Posted by volleykinginnc

I also have the Briar and went through a spell of having a hard time getting a good lather...I've found that it takes less water and more time whisking than the other creams I have. Seem to perform pretty well for me once you figure out the right formula.

Hi there,

Thanks for the suggestion. The last and best time using the soap I did use less water than usual as well as a drier brush. I also whipped the stuff for a while till I thought I had a stable lather. Obviously it's something I'm not doing right, since I've since read all the reviews about the soap.

The strange thing was how the lather just sorta disappeared in my brush. Oh well, just one of those things I guess.

Martin

Originally Posted by De Layne

Hi there,

Thanks for the suggestion. The last and best time using the soap I did use less water than usual as well as a drier brush. I also whipped the stuff for a while till I thought I had a stable lather. Obviously it's something I'm not doing right, since I've since read all the reviews about the soap.

The strange thing was how the lather just sorta disappeared in my brush. Oh well, just one of those things I guess.

Martin

Mmm...interesting...I noticed (used it this morning BTW) that it disappears in my brush too and when that happened I used to add water which then gave me a worse lather. But don't....just whisk it some more and it will start popping.

Also, here's an another odd thing I can't explain. I changed the mug I was using to a larger soup bowl (read much larger in width and only slightly deeper) and it made a huuuuuge difference in my lather. No difference in the finish of the bowls that are both smooth and shiny. But the big one for some reason makes a big difference in my lather....can't explain and for full disclosure I'm pretty new as this so newbie dumbness plays in to this somehow.