It looks like a soap you could find at the local Ikea. Yeah, Ikea soap. Slatteroy...I absolutely love the scent of this soap but it lasts seconds.
PS. Different country. Same Idea...
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It looks like a soap you could find at the local Ikea. Yeah, Ikea soap. Slatteroy...I absolutely love the scent of this soap but it lasts seconds.
Ikea soap, what a great idea! It would require you to put the puck together with an Allen wrench based on pictograms, though.It looks like a soap you could find at the local Ikea. Yeah, Ikea soap. Slatteroy...
Your priorities focus on what I call core shaving performance including ease of lathering, slickness and lather resiliency. Like you I've found options that deliver in those areas for under $2 per puck of which Arko is likely the best current soap given everything that has been discontinued recently. Via a lot of experimentation (see my many posts on this) you can also create a custom blend that delivers core shaving performance that is as good as any commercial soap out there. My favorite includes :Most, if I’m being honest. I shower after my shave, so, scent isn’t overly important. Nor is post-shave skin feel.
What IS important is quality and ease of lathering, slickness, cushioning… all the things that make for a great shave.
Of secondary importance is price. Artisan soaps in cream form selling for $20+ for 5 ounces are obscene to me. Those with matching aftershaves are also of no interest; my aftershaves are either unscented menthol or they come from the drugstore. If I want a lingering smell, I wear a true fragrance (EDP or Parfum).
With all of that in mind, the soaps in my rotation are Arko (puck and stick), Cella Red, and Vitos Red. Also, en route to me are Jikoryen sticks. All are cheap and all work extremely well. For me, anyway.
Interesting. I’ve never mixed soaps in a precise ratio, except when I would pack a half of a stick of Arko into a large mug to seat a Williams puck and fill in the gaps.Your priorities focus on what I call core shaving performance including ease of lathering, slickness and lather resiliency. Like you I've found options that deliver in those areas for under $2 per puck of which Arko is likely the best current soap given everything that has been discontinued recently. Via a lot of experimentation (see my many posts on this) you can also create a custom blend that delivers core shaving performance that is as good as any commercial soap out there. My favorite includes :
Grate the hard soaps other than Van Der Hagen (VDH). Add in the Proraso and mix a bit. Then melt the VDH (10-15 seconds in the microwave) and pour it in and knead the mix together for a few minutes. VDH acts a s great binder for the soap. Form into five 3+oz pucks at a cost of under $2 U.S. each.
- Two sticks of Arko (I used two pucks of Williams and a stick of Arko in my last batch but Williams is no longer available)
- Two pucks Van Der Hagen Deluxe
- 2 ounces of Dove Men+Care (superlather ingredient)
- 2 ounces of Ivory (for more slickness)
- 1 ounce of Proraso Red (substitute your Cella)
Note that I also now use other shaving soaps like Mitchell's Wool Fat, Cyril R. Salter and Tabac that provide added benefits in the areas of convenience (no need to blend), scent, more luxurious lather texture and better post shave feel though the core shaving performance is similar.
That was my thought, too. Then Combe discontinued WMS on me.What pisses me off is when I find a soap that I really like, and then they’re done. They go out of business, or move on. I think after this year I’ll stick with a soap company that has been around for decades. Just my thoughts.
Try Mike's NaturalsThat was my thought, too. Then Combe discontinued WMS on me.
Which T&H ?Truefitt & hill, expensive and not working as good for it's price.
Bulldog shave soap original, not that cheap and the worst performance I've ever experienced.
What does lack of potassium (vs. sodium, I assume) do to a soap?Which T&H ?
I've been fine with the older Sandalwood and of course their creams - starting to pick up a trend here - Hmm
Apsley is their outlier, as it has been reformulated and is excellent...
My disappointments were all attributed to lack of Potassium:
- Baume.Be
- LMdSdM
- Fine Classic
- Floris
My understanding is that Potassium is needed to stabilize the lather. My experiences with those soaps mentions support that notion.What does lack of potassium (vs. sodium, I assume) do to a soap?
It was Lavender.Which T&H ?
Their current puck in Apsley is fantasticIt was Lavender.
It may be but in Europe where I live these are quite expensive. I can have 2 Stirlings for price of one T&H with wooden box.Their current puck in Apsley is fantastic