Diary (& questions) of a relative newbie

[Ligeti]

Shark SS (2nd), Tabac soap, Tabac AS

Second shave with the Shark blade. It is acceptable but my skills have not evolved to the point where I'm going to move it to my first tier of blades.
This morning, my skin felt remakably dry after shaving. Even now, 2 hours after having, my skin still doesn't feel entirely comfortable. Wonder why.

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I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 61

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[Ligeti]

Shark SS (3rd), Tabac soap, Tabac AS

I strictly limited myself to a 1,1 passes shave this morning, doing an ATG only on the sideburns and the protruding part of the chin. Happy with the process and even with the result.
Finished my bottle of Tabac AS. Good thing the next bottle arrived earlier this week.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 62

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[Ligeti]

Shark SS (5th), Tabac soap, Tabac AS

Tomorrow will be my last Tabac day for some time. I hoped to start using the Scheermonnik samples, but it might take two more weeks before they arrive. So I'll get back to the top of my list. Opening a tube of Palmolive.
Still on my 1,1 passes routine by the way.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 64

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[Ligeti]

Shark SS (6th), Tabac soap, Tabac AS

Last day of Tabac. I'll be missing it. For me, it fits with all seasons, but best of all when summer turns to autumn.
Still on my 1,1 passes routine by the way.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 65

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[Ligeti]

Personna platinum (red) (1st), Palmolive classic cream tube, Pitralon Classis AS

Back to Palmolive. Though I regret leaving the Tabac universe after 15 consecutive days, I do enjoy comming back to the Pitralon AS. The Palmolive, I'm not sure yet. Last time, I 3017ed the rest of my Palmolive stick. Which they don't sell anymore at my standard outlet. And I'm not a fan of sticks anyway. But I am a fan of the Palmolive performance and smell. So I bought two 100ml tubes instead. Today was my first experience with a 'cream in a tube'. Not sure how to handle it (I took like a cm on my indexfinger and massaged it on my wet face, then started face-lathering). The lather was great. But I have the impression the smell is quite different. Can't tell for sure yet, since my wife was taking a shower. But that would be a pitty. I'm pretty sure though the smell stays on even shorter after finishing shaving then with the stick. So that might be a good thing .

And then there is the blade. I expect my new blades to be delivered today. But still, I needed a new blade today. So I had no other option than the Personna. Same experience as before. From the first second it seems to shout "watch out, I'll cut you up as much as I can". It doesn't. Actually the result is pretty great without any harm done at all. But the process is so unrelaxed. Really don't like the attitude of this blade.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 65
Palmolive Men Classis (tube): 1

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[Ligeti]

Gillette SS (green) (1st), Scheermonnik Delfts Wit

So yesterday I received my new blades (replaced the personna immediately, what a joy to shave with the Gillette). Also containing the Scheermonnik sample pack with 6 cute small metal tubs of 15g of shaving soap each. But I just started a series of Palmolive. Stress.
I decided to give all 6 for one shave and then give the Palmolive and the 6 Scheermonnik soaps each 4 consecutive shaves.

Today, I used the Delfts Wit. However cute the small tubs are, they're hard to load from directly. So I shaved with too little soap. But the soap I had did perform very well. The smell is very present and stays for a few hours (I didn't use any AS just to check the longevity of the smell). It's a very warm and sweet smell, reminding me of some pipe tobaco, vanilla and dried fruits. I did like it but couldn't help wondering if I would still like it after a few days in a row.
I guess I shoud start a separate topic on these tests.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 65
Palmolive Men Classis (tube): 1
Scheermonnik Delfts Wit: 1

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[thombrogan]

Were the lids hard to open? Your entry is several hours later than normal.

 

[Ligeti]

Were the lids hard to open? Your entry is several hours later than normal.

I just had a very busy day and got sick at the same time.
And no, the lids are easy screw-on. Just lovely tubs. But sooo small for loading directly from the tub.

 

[Ligeti]

Gillette SS (green) (2nd), Scheermonnik Delftse Donderslag

Delftse Donderslag: at this first encounter, the aroma is too sweet and warm for me. Maybe it'll grow on me.
More info here: Testing Scheermonnik soaps

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 65
Palmolive Men Classis (tube): 1
Scheermonnik Delfts Wit: 1
Scheermonnik Delftse Donderslag: 1

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[thombrogan]

I’m sorry to read you were sick. I hope you feel better now.

Sometimes, it helps to remove a sample from its container and press it into the bottom of a bowl or mug so you may load your brush like you might if using a full-sized jar.

With the strong scent you’ve described, it might not be advised.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I just had a very busy day and got sick at the same time.
And no, the lids are easy screw-on. Just lovely tubs. But sooo small for loading directly from the tub.

I transfer samples to a dish/bowl, and load from there. it makes life MUCH easier. In fact, it was doing that, which got me into the habit of only serving up small portions of tub soap at a time.

 

[Ligeti]

Gillette SS (green) (3rd), Scheermonnik 1778 Beau Brummel

Beau Brummel: at this first encounter, the aroma is less in your face than the previous soaps. A nice 'honey and tea' aroma that doesn't have a lot of staying power.
More info here: Testing Scheermonnik soaps

I did my very first bowl lathering today. In an old ricecup that I've been using for coffee and later on for thee for over 30 years now. It was a mixed succes. The soap is rather hard. Maybe not as hard as Tabac, but certainly harder than proraso. So I scooped out a small piece which broke in several smaller pieces. I made a very decent lather in my cup. It's just that, when I loaded my brush for a second pass, I discovered there was still a small piece of soap in the bowl.

Tomorrow, I won't be scooping out a piece, but I'll be scraping the surface of the soap. That should create thinner flakes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 65
Palmolive Men Classis (tube): 1
Scheermonnik Delfts Wit: 1
Scheermonnik Delftse Donderslag: 1
Scheermonnik 1778 Beau Brummel: 1

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[Ligeti]

I’m sorry to read you were sick. I hope you feel better now.

Sometimes, it helps to remove a sample from its container and press it into the bottom of a bowl or mug so you may load your brush like you might if using a full-sized jar.

With the strong scent you’ve described, it might not be advised.

I transfer samples to a dish/bowl, and load from there. it makes life MUCH easier. In fact, it was doing that, which got me into the habit of only serving up small portions of tub soap at a time.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll give these ideas a try. But not with the entire sample. Rather with some scrapings. Enough for one save. Scrape, try to press the scrapings to the bottom of my bowl and then lather. Let's find out.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll give these ideas a try. But not with the entire sample. Rather with some scrapings. Enough for one save. Scrape, try to press the scrapings to the bottom of my bowl and then lather. Let's find out.

I was never successful doing that with harder soaps. With creams and croaps, yes, but not with hard soaps. Although sometimes it helped. If I pre-soaked them, well before it was time to shave.

 

[Ligeti]

I was never successful doing that with harder soaps. With creams and croaps, yes, but not with hard soaps. Although sometimes it helped. If I pre-soaked them, well before it was time to shave.

Today, I used 'Soek'. Maybe its softer than the previous soaps or maybe scraping isn't such a bad idea (I saw someone doing the same thing with Tabac!). Anyway: it worked perfectly: a few scrapings in my bowl and I could 'paste' them to the bottom.

 

[Ligeti]

Gillette SS (green) (4th), Scheermonnik 1778 Soek, Pinaud Bay Rum

Soek: at this first encounter, the aroma is too close to 'pepernoten' for me. It workes well with the bay rum. That says it all for me (bay rum being far from a favourite smell for me)
More info here: Testing Scheermonnik soaps

For my second bowl lathering, the technique of scraping some flakes into the bowl and smearing them onto the bottom worked beautifully. I got a very nice lather. Maybe I'll turn into a bowl latherer?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 65
Palmolive Men Classis (tube): 1
Scheermonnik Delfts Wit: 1
Scheermonnik Delftse Donderslag: 1
Scheermonnik 1778 Beau Brummel: 1
Scheermonnik Soek: 1

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[Rosseforp]

I got a very nice lather. Maybe I'll turn into a bowl latherer?

Maybe you just need to load your brush longer...

 

[Ligeti]

Maybe you just need to load your brush longer...

Could be. But I'm not referring to the quantity of the lather. I get more than enough lather when facelathering. And always have enough left for some more shaving once I'm done. I just have the impression (after only a few bowl latherings) that it helps me to have 'all lather at one place' when adding small amounts of water. Passing my brush under the running tap to add water when facelathering doesn't reach all the lather just that easily. But still, I'm just learning and discovering.

 

[Ligeti]

Gillette SS (green) (6th), Scheermonnik Berk

Smoor (yesterday): I liked it a lot at first glance. A complex and sweet take on sandalwood. Might replace my TOBS once that's empty.
Berk (today): unlike any other smell I've experienced. Wet sunny green forest and soil. Liked it a lot.
More info here: Testing Scheermonnik soaps

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm always curious how long products last. So I'm keeping track of the number of times I've used soaps/creams. Current status:
TOBS sandalwood cream: 65
Wilkinson Sword puck (blue tub) : 65
Tabac soap (glass jar): 65
Palmolive Men Classis (tube): 1
Scheermonnik Delfts Wit: 1
Scheermonnik Delftse Donderslag: 1
Scheermonnik 1778 Beau Brummel: 1
Scheermonnik Soek: 1
Scheermonnik Smoor: 1
Scheermonnik Berk: 1

- finished/stopped using -
Palmolive Men Classic stick (50g): 81 shaves; 0,62g per shave.
Proraso Red soap (125g): 65 shaves for 72g used (stopped using it as shaving soap); 1,11g per shave

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Might replace my TOBS once that's empty.

Save your empty tubs! Transferring any samples you have to those tubs, will make loading MUCH easier.