Compared to Phoenix Artisan’s CK-6 formula and Barrister & Mann’s Reserve formula, Declaration Grooming’s Milksteak is not quite so eager to load. It’s certainly not difficult to load, but the brush had to bring a little more water — dampness, really — to initiate loading, compared to the other two ultra-premium soaps. In looking just now at Milksteak’s ingredients, I see a clue:
Stearic Acid, Water, Castor Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Vegetable Glycerin, Bison Tallow, Mango Butter, Avocado Oil, Shea Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Lanolin, Bentonite Clay, Yogurt, Buttermilk, Egg Whites, Coconut Milk, Goat’s Milk, Tocopheryl Acetate, Maltodextrin, Milk Protein, Salix Alba L. (White Willow) Bark Extract, Arctium lappa (Burdock) Root Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Silk Amino Acids
Still, loading was by no means difficult, and if one were not (as I was) playing around to see just how little water could be used, I doubt the difference would be detectable.
The final resulting lather was the customary wonderful smelling, wonderful feeling, wonderfully effective lather for which the Milksteak formulaa is famous. With my stubble well-prepped, the Baby Smooth (here in stainless, with a handle having aggressive chequering) glided comfortably through the stubble easily removing every trace. I did notice that, with wintertime’s dry indoor air, I had to wet my face toward the end of the third pass to finish the shave. My skin had dried to the point that the razor could not glide, but a splash of water instantly set things aright.
I ended with a splash of Stetson Classic augmented with a squirt of Grooming Dept Hydrating Ge. Great start to the day, and the sun is shining.