I think this soap gets a bad rap. I've managed to whip it into a nice, dense, opaque lather that stuck around for quite a bit longer than I would ordinarily need to shave. The scent is not that great (a little sweet and cloying) but it seems to work just fine. It melts nicely too, so you can custom fit it to a bowl. Not as bad as the original post would lead you to think, but I would have to say that Proraso or something from Saint Charles Shave would probably be better value.