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Plisson synthetic, QED Vetiver, iKon X3, and TOBS Mr. Taylor’s aftershave
QED’s glycerin shave soaps were remarkably good: thick, slick lather easily created and excellent fragrances. This Vetiver shave stick did a fine job, and the iKon X3 slant (here on a UFO handle)...
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Simpson Emperor 2, Prairie Creations Barbershop, iKon 102, and Prospector Co....
Prairie Creations is, I believe, no more, so this is a vintage shave stick. I got a good lather with the Emperor 2 Super, and the 102 did its usual excellent job. A splash of the witch-hazel-based...
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Simpson Emperor 3 Super, Declaration Grooming Unconditional Surrender,...
I started with a barely damp brush, as when using a shave stick, and then found I had to immediately add water, and then add a bit more, and then another few drops to load the brush well. But then the...
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Maggard 22mm synthetic, Strop Shoppe Vivace, Rockwell R3, and Captain’s...
A really lovely shave this morning. Strop Shoppe soaps contained no clay, so just the smallest amount of water remaining in the brush (after 3 shakes) was plenty for loaded and for lather. The...
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WSP Monarch, Meißner Tremonia Strong ‘n Scottish, The Holy Black SR-71 slant,...
Meißner Tremonia shaving soaps all contain clay, so I wasn’t taken by surprise by having to add water during loading, though in fact today I had to add very little. The Holy Black slant is quite nice:...
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Edwin Jagger synthetic, Natural Bay Rum, Baby Smooth, and Dominica Bay Rum
I did not do my usual vigorous shake of the synthetic brush. Since Meißner Tremonia shaving soaps contain clay, I figured a little extra water would not be out of order, and indeed I loaded the brush...
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Rooney Style 1 Size 1, Mama Bear Hydrogen Fragrance, Rockwell 6S, Fine Fresh...
I think glycerin-based shaving soaps are very much underrated. The passion for the past decade has been tallow-based shaving soaps, but I could not ask for a better lather than I got this morning from...
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Mr Pomp, Kell’s Original Energy shave stick, X3, and Krampert’s Finest Acadia...
I bought this before Kell’s Original started using waterproof labels, and it is now difficult to read. It’s this shave stick, and the fragrance is described: Energy – A stimulating blend of Citrus,...
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RazoRock all the way: Zi’ Peppino and the Old Type
Zi’ Peppino has a wonderful fragrance and quite a good lather. Three passes with the Old Type always leaves a perfectly smooth result, and I don’t think I’ve ever had a nick from this razor. A splash...
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Fine Classic, Martin de Candre, Maggard V3A, and New York aftershave
The Fine Classic synthetic made a terrific lather from Martin de Candre shaving soap, and then the Maggard V3A (here on a UFO handle) provided its usual great shave. I’m going to add that to the list...
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Omega small silvertip, Meißner Tremonia Woody Almond, RazoRock Game Changer,...
Meißner Tremonia’s Woody Almond has a strong (and pleasant fragrance). The almond smell is very present, with the cedar detectable. It’s a shaving paste, and the lather I made with the baby Omega...
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Rooney butterscotch Emilion, Lenthéric shaving soap, Baili BR171, and Peary &...
The Rooney did its job efficiently, and again I was greatly taken by the fragrance of the vintage Lenthéric shaving soap. The Baili 171 continues to be great; the fact that it cost $6 is a bonus...
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Shave Soap Chemistry & the Unnecessary Lubricating Razor Head
Joshua Chou has an interesting post at Sharpologist: Understanding why quality wet shave soap and cream provide more protection than their out-of-the-can counterparts requires scratching the surface at...
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The smell of a summer thunderstorm in my bathroom
A friend mentioned the fragrance of petrichor following a storm in Seattle, and so I decided that I also would enjoy the fragrance, which is prominent in Chiseled Face’s Summer Storm shaving soap and...
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Lime shave all the way
I finally broke down and ordered Meißner Tremonia Dark Limes shaving soap (with label in German—”limetten” means “lime”). As usual, Meißner Tremonia includes clay in the formulation—this time black...
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The tall and the short
I forgot to soak my Omega Mixed Midget, which includes boar bristles, but after rubbing the Arko shave stick all over my wet, washed beard, I wet the brush under the hot-water tap and gave it about...
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Briar and Spanish Leather
The brush handle is, I’m told, snakewood, and the knot is quite soft, but it easily created a thick and creamy (and fragrant: “Tobacco, Oakwood, Vanilla, Animilac Musk, Labdanum, Rose, and dried...
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Rockwell Razors and the painful path to perfection
I received this morning an email from Rockwell that they now have the redesigned (one-piece) T-bar for their Model T adjustable razor, and they have shipped what they believe is the production version...
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Spearmint and a smooth shave
The Vie-Long brush shown has always seemed like a horsehair brush to me, though it was identified as boar in the description. Still, in either case I soak it before use. I do like it and the octagonal...
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Sandalwood and Bay Rum
Art of Shaving Sandalwood shaving soap is quite good, and the Simpson Emperor 2 easily made an excellent (and highly fragrant) lather. The Edwin Jagger razor is also excellent, and I easily and...
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