3 Attachment(s)
Went on an artisan soap binge
Bought a total of 23 samples from four vendors with a fifth sending me a handful more to try.
So far I've tested Al's Shaving Cream, Queen Charlotte Soap, Mystic Waters Soap, and Madam Scodioli.
Al's was too easy to use, but the other three just did not get a good lather the first attempt. So I tried it again when I wasn't preparing for a shave and managed these results...
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This is the Queen Charlotte Soap (with Queen Charlotte scent). I followed the instructions found online and used VERY little water, maybe a few drops. It produced the nice thick lather all other users had raved about so I felt confident I had done it right this time. However, as the lather sat in the brush as I built the other two lathers it dried out, never to return to it's former glory. I splashed my face with water and applied what was in the brush but it came out too thin. Perhaps I should have added more water in the beginning and it would have had more lasting power. Brush is a well broken in cream boar.
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Second was the Mystic Waters (in Lilly of the Valley scent). It also produced a nice thick lather, although it took a little more water to do so, with about 12-15 drops. I was afraid the soft silvertip brush wouldn't load as well as the boar or pure badger I was using on the other soaps but it actually produced the best lather out of the three. Even after sitting while I built the lather on the last brush and took pictures, a splash of water on my face brought the lather back to life as I applied it.
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Last in line was the Madam Scodioli (Sentinel scent). Even though it produced a foamy lather from the get, it did not disappear like Jack Black or Casswell Massey hard soaps magically do. Letting the brush sit for a few minutes and then breaking down the bubbles a little before painting it on helped thicken it up a TINY bit. Unfortunately, the reviews I read about the burning sensation of the EOs/FOs, has not been corrected in the Dust Shaker or Sentinel scents. My face was on fire like an everlasting AS and I had shaved 7 hours ago! To make matters worse, after a very cold rinse I attempted to sooth my reddening face with some AoS balm. Bad idea. Perhaps the lavender oils reinvigorated the sentinel's oils because it caused the burning all over again. I was surely being punished for something I had done in a past life. Brush is a pure badger.
After I run through about 5 more of the scents and choose my favorites for full size amounts, I plan on PIFing the samples so that others may give them a try. I will list what I have left to give when that time comes.
Cheers.