OK, hear my out. I know this is going to sound crazy but. I don't know. Maybe it is. The same Maggard Timberwolf synthetic was used for all shaves along with a variety of blades that have all been historically sharp and smooth enough to be used as a reference for testing purposes.
I've been using an Arko shave stick (as intended) by rubbing a little into my beard and lathering it with a synthetic, mostly though April and May of this year. I had consistently slippery and close shaves this way, about 20 or so. I only apply a thin film to my chin and a radius surrounding it, as to not overload the soap. Coating my whole beard makes way too much lather and just gets sticky and really hard to rinse off once I'm done.
Then one day, I had some sensitivity issues on a certain part of my face, and didn't feel like rubbing the Arko stick on my face, so I smashed the stick into a Connaught wood bowl, and decided to load it that way. I've used the Arko, the exact same stick mind you, in puck form for 5 consecutive shaves, and am finding the slickness and protection is less than when it was a stick! At first I thought it was product usage related, but it's not, as I've been checking the lather between my fingers prior to shaving and it's right on. Just dense enough so I can't feel my fingerprints when I rub two fingers together and slick as can be.
The main difference between the two methods (other than the slip n' slide) is the rinse-off and post-shave feel. As a stick, I find it harder to rinse the residual lather off my face (even when minimally loaded) whereas the puck method rinses off my face very cleanly. I also have a tendency to go a little oilier when using the stick but not when using the puck. It was almost 100 deg. F today (and humid) and my face feels perfectly clean and hydrated, not oily at all!
Anyone else experience this insanity? Does an Arko shave stick perhaps act a little like a pre-shave when applying it to the face prior to lathering it? Is it just me?
I've been using an Arko shave stick (as intended) by rubbing a little into my beard and lathering it with a synthetic, mostly though April and May of this year. I had consistently slippery and close shaves this way, about 20 or so. I only apply a thin film to my chin and a radius surrounding it, as to not overload the soap. Coating my whole beard makes way too much lather and just gets sticky and really hard to rinse off once I'm done.
Then one day, I had some sensitivity issues on a certain part of my face, and didn't feel like rubbing the Arko stick on my face, so I smashed the stick into a Connaught wood bowl, and decided to load it that way. I've used the Arko, the exact same stick mind you, in puck form for 5 consecutive shaves, and am finding the slickness and protection is less than when it was a stick! At first I thought it was product usage related, but it's not, as I've been checking the lather between my fingers prior to shaving and it's right on. Just dense enough so I can't feel my fingerprints when I rub two fingers together and slick as can be.
The main difference between the two methods (other than the slip n' slide) is the rinse-off and post-shave feel. As a stick, I find it harder to rinse the residual lather off my face (even when minimally loaded) whereas the puck method rinses off my face very cleanly. I also have a tendency to go a little oilier when using the stick but not when using the puck. It was almost 100 deg. F today (and humid) and my face feels perfectly clean and hydrated, not oily at all!
Anyone else experience this insanity? Does an Arko shave stick perhaps act a little like a pre-shave when applying it to the face prior to lathering it? Is it just me?
