After wet shaving for some time now with both straight and DE razors I've really hit a snafu. Prior to this weekend I have used SRD Sandlewood soap and CF Lavender Cream with CF Lavender AS Balm and DR Harris Sandlewood splash. While I've had my share of good and bad shaves, these products have always performed great for me. I have never experienced any discomfort at all using them. Now that I'm out of soap and creme, I decided that I like face lathering with soap much better than using a cream and I decided to buy some soap. DR Harris Arlington is what I was after since many of the very positive reviews spoke well of this product.
This past weekend I went to the Chicago Truefitt and Hill store and picked up a puck of Penhaligon English Fern. I went there looking for DR Harris (really want to try this soap) and the store associate sold me on the Penhaligon. Since I was out of CF Lavender Balm I also picked up a CF 1445 AS balm.
My first shave with the Penhaligon soap was pretty bad. This was my first time with an English soap and while I believe I had a nice dense lather, it didn't seem to protect me much. Halfway through the shave I could already tell my razor was chewing my face up and I was burning. The CF 1445 Balm made matters worse, like throwing gasoline on a fire. Just a really painful and bad experience. I have used CF Lavender and never ever have felt a burn when using it, even when I was just learning with a straight and my form was sloppy. Actually, the CF Lavender really compensated by soothing even the worst shave.
I contacted Truefitt and Hill and they agreed to exchange my soap. I went back the next day (red face and all
) and chose a Truefitt and Hill Luxury Soap puck. This is unscented and the associate felt I'd have better luck with it. So this evening I shaved with the T&H soap. It lathered very nice for me. Very shortly thereafter I could start to see my skin beneath the lather. Almost like this dense lather was disappearing before my very eyes. I continued to shave very gently. Again I was on fire and the CF 1445 turned it into a 3 alarm fire. My chin and lower neck look like I'm sunburnt.
I think I need a few days off from shaving to heal up. But I'm disappointed and don't really know what happened. Could it be the soap causing this or my lack of experience with a triple mill? I don't understand how the CF 1445 would act so much differently than the Lavender, all things considered. I'm dying to try the DH Harris line as I enjoy face lathering with soap much better but now I'm having second thoughts. I can't understand how even a noob with these soaps would go through this. I figured there would be a learning curve to lathering with these though.
So i thought I'd jump on B&B and vent a little. Any thoughts?
This past weekend I went to the Chicago Truefitt and Hill store and picked up a puck of Penhaligon English Fern. I went there looking for DR Harris (really want to try this soap) and the store associate sold me on the Penhaligon. Since I was out of CF Lavender Balm I also picked up a CF 1445 AS balm.
My first shave with the Penhaligon soap was pretty bad. This was my first time with an English soap and while I believe I had a nice dense lather, it didn't seem to protect me much. Halfway through the shave I could already tell my razor was chewing my face up and I was burning. The CF 1445 Balm made matters worse, like throwing gasoline on a fire. Just a really painful and bad experience. I have used CF Lavender and never ever have felt a burn when using it, even when I was just learning with a straight and my form was sloppy. Actually, the CF Lavender really compensated by soothing even the worst shave.
I contacted Truefitt and Hill and they agreed to exchange my soap. I went back the next day (red face and all
) and chose a Truefitt and Hill Luxury Soap puck. This is unscented and the associate felt I'd have better luck with it. So this evening I shaved with the T&H soap. It lathered very nice for me. Very shortly thereafter I could start to see my skin beneath the lather. Almost like this dense lather was disappearing before my very eyes. I continued to shave very gently. Again I was on fire and the CF 1445 turned it into a 3 alarm fire. My chin and lower neck look like I'm sunburnt.I think I need a few days off from shaving to heal up. But I'm disappointed and don't really know what happened. Could it be the soap causing this or my lack of experience with a triple mill? I don't understand how the CF 1445 would act so much differently than the Lavender, all things considered. I'm dying to try the DH Harris line as I enjoy face lathering with soap much better but now I'm having second thoughts. I can't understand how even a noob with these soaps would go through this. I figured there would be a learning curve to lathering with these though.
So i thought I'd jump on B&B and vent a little. Any thoughts?
