Josh's 3017 Journey

[nelsonic21]

March 14

So today I used the shaving cream with a black handled Superspeed and no brush. It seemed like a good day to try this since it had been about 18 hours since my last shave and considering this is how Cremo recommends using it.

Here are the instructions from their website.

• Rub skin with water for 30 seconds
• Lightly coat wet skin with almond-sized squeeze
• Use virtually any blade
• Shave
• Add water as needed to keep it slippery
• Fight the burn

I started after a shower (which is normal for me) so my skin was well hydrated and lathered the cream with my fingers for about 30 seconds adding in a little water. The result was a sour cream consistency that was enough for a quick shave.



I wasn't thrilled with the lather, but went ahead with a one pass XTG shave. It wasn't really slick though the razor didn't drag. I got a DFS with a little irritation, but no nicks. I can see this being an option if I was on vacation and forgot to pack a brush.

 

[nelsonic21]

March 26

The Cremo is gone. I squeezed the last bit out on this morning's shave. It lasted 49 days which is less than the tube claims it lasts, but I had to use more product to get enough lather for multiple passes. The value is equal to other creams I've tried (lasted longer, but cost more). I just didn't enjoy using it as much. It always protected my skin, but the lather would frequently fling onto bathroom surfaces which got annoying. Using it brushless worked, but was only enough for one pass. This seems like a product designed as an alternative to Barbasol or Edge shave gel not for those who use a shaving brush. There are too many great traditional shaving creams out there to consider using this again.

Anyways, I'm going to start going through some of my samples. Originally I wanted to start a warmer weather soap, but spring hasn't begun in Michigan. Plus I have so many I got from shaving meetups. I'm not going to be focusing on how long they last just covering first impressions.

 

[nelsonic21]

March 27

The first sample is Chiseled Face cedar & spice shaving soap. This is a tallow soap with a soft putty like consistency. The scent is described on their site as Warm, woody, and reassuring with a lime and spice kick to keep things from getting boring. I noticed a cedar scent with a bit of heat, but no lime. This wasn't a problem since I found it to smell pleasant for a cold morning.

Today's shave was with my Omega boar and Supply 2.0 razor with a Schick blade. I loaded the brush for 15-20 seconds and face lathered creating a thick whipped cream consistency. The scent was very prominent with the cedar taking over.



The shave went well with the soap providing the protection I get from nearly all products. The razor didn't drag though there wasn't any noticable slickness. The 2nd pass was a bit thin so I rubbed a little soap on my face before lathering for the 3rd. Rinsing after left my face feeling clean and the cedar scent remained. Cleanup was a bit longer on the razor due to extra soap on the final pass. As a side note the major advantage with the Supply razor vs. the Schick adjustable is being able to disassemble it for a good cleaning. Overall this is a nice soap with a really nice scent providing a good shave.

 

[nelsonic21]

April 9

The next sample is Barrister and Mann reserve spice. I'm surprised that I didn't try this one before since their soaps pop up on so many best shaving soap lists. It's a brand that I've never purchased due to it costing $19.99 for a 4 oz tub (I have a $4 an ounce limit on non triple milled soaps).

This sample is at least 3 years old and I believe they were using a different base at the time so I'm not sure how similar their current version would be. According to the website Barrister’s Reserve® Spice is a slice of vintage Americana. Featuring notes of carnation, nutmeg, vanilla, and tonka bean, Spice is great for when you're looking for a bit of history. The scent is still very strong and it smells like Old Spice aftershave (which many of the reviews mention) with the carnation and vanilla notes being most prominent.

Today's shave was with my Omega boar and Gillette Fatboy. I loaded the soap pretty heavily and face lathered for 30-45 seconds. The consistency was very similar to the last sample.



The shave went well and the performance reminded me of the last sample. Like the Chiseled Face it protected fine and didn't leave behind any residual slickness. I will say the scent was stronger and lasted a bit afterwards. First impression is that this a good soap though not any better than others I've used and not worth the extra price. I'll see if my feelings have changed when the sample is gone.

 

[nelsonic21]

April 17. Happy Easter!

I finished the Barrister and Mann soap yesterday. Unfortunately my opinion did not change. The soap was good just not any better than others that cost less. I'll most likely get a full size tub with the Omnibus base and see if it's any better.

Today I started a sample of Captain's Choice 45th parallel soap. This is another brand that I've never tried and is priced at $18.95 for a 5oz tub (which is within my price range). The website describes it as Spanning the globe, the 45th Parallel is a circle of latitude in the northern hemisphere and the ideal climate for cherry orchards. Our 45th Parallel soap captures the spirit of this magical area and blends it with the essence of almond to deliver a memorable fragrance awaiting your discovery.

In the tub it seemed a little dry with the soap being a little crumbly on top, but the rest held together well when I transferred it into another container. The scent was like the site described it, mainly cherry, almond and even a little baby powder. Lathering with my Simpsons Berkeley was pretty easy though the lather was a bit thin.



I shaved with my Merkur Progress and finished with Thayer's witch hazel. The soap protected fine, but it did start dissipating even after reloading. The scent remained fairly strong and there was a bit of residual slickness. Hopefully the quality of the lather improves with further shaves.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Wow Josh. I thought I liked MY lather thin. That almost looks like you missed, and lathered someone else instead

 

[nelsonic21]

April 25

I finished the Captain's Choice soap yesterday. The quality of the lather did get better after a few shaves with it being almost as thick as the Chiseled Face soap. Scent strength and protection remained consistent so I could see myself getting a full tub eventually.

Today I started a sample of Shannon's Soaps Rustbelt Reserve Lakeshore Drive shaving soap. The scent is described as Inspired by a mid-spring visit to Edgewater Park, our new scent, Lakeshore Drive, is what we like to call a Great Lakes Aquatic. Ozonic notes meet bergamot, orange, and neroli, and are rounded out with notes of labdanum, bay, and coumarin. It's fresh and dirty all at once - a blend that all but guarantees a pleasant shaving experience. I've never been able to detect a lot of notes when it comes to scents (which is why I prefer ones with one or two major notes) so I noticed a floral orange scent which is very pleasant.

The shave was with my Simpsons Berkeley and Merkur Progress. The soap was softer like a putty being easy to press into the tub. I loaded the soap heavily and face lathered creating a pretty nice consistency. There was no dissapation and the scent remained strong. A pass with an alum stick caused just a little sting that went away quickly. Overall it was a good shave.



A full 4oz tub retails for $20 so it is out of my price range (they do have others for $12 and I have one of those). It's a good soap it just doesn't deliver anything more than ones that cost less. I'll probably finish this in a week and have some final thoughts.

 

[nelsonic21]

May 3

Finished up the Shannon's Soap yesterday. The performance remained the same on my badger brushes, however on my boars the lather was pretty thin. I suspect it was due to extra moisture in the bristles. I liked the soap, but feel it wouldn't be worth getting a full size version. I do have a full tub of their pineapple & banana soap (which is less expensive) and will be getting to that one.

So today I started a sample of Eleven shaving soap. This is the cedar, vetiver and sweetgrass which is described on their site as My most “manly” scent. The cedar is softened with sweetgrass and an added touch of vetiver. I appreciate the to the point description.

The soap is a bit harder than the last one though it still has some give. The scent is mainly cedar with a little sweetness which is nice for a colder morning. Loading with my Simpsons Berkeley was easy and face lathering created a sour cream consistency (I will add a little more water in future shaves to see how it stands up).



Today's shave was with my Gillette black handle Superspeed and it went well. The razor glided easily with the soap protecting. The scent was noticable during the shave, but went away after with the lather rinsing away cleanly. I finished with some Thayers and there were no nicks or irritation.

Overall it was a good shave. The price on this soap is $16 for 4oz making it a decent value. I'll see how it works with boar brushes and have some final tthoughts when the sample is gone.

 

[nelsonic21]

May 22

I finished up the Eleven shaving soap. This sample lasted longer than the others even though it was roughly the same size. The scent and performance remained the same till the end. As far as lathering with a boar brush, the result was mixed. My Omega brush worked well, but the Semogue 1305 struggled having to go back to the soap after the first pass. So I think that's not a problem with the soap. Considering how long the sample lasted it seems to be a good value and one I could see getting a full tub of later.

 

[nelsonic21]

May 23

I have plenty of samples left, but decided to go back to a full size soap. Considering spring has finally arrived in Michigan I felt that it would be a good time to go back to using aftershave splashes. So I started a combo pack of Stubble Buster bunish.



I haven't used a matching set since Proraso red and have been looking forward to this combo. According to their website the scent is ...with top notes of lemon, neroli, pineapple, rosemary, and bergamot; middle notes of cyclamen, coriander, jasmine and oakmoss; and base notes of sandalwood, tonka bean, musk, oakmoss, cedar, brazilian rosewood, and cardamom. The scent I get from the aftershave is mainly floral and citrus. I get a little bit of this from the soap though this was beneath a scent that I can only describe as wet paper bag. Fortunately the scent was not strong when lathering.

The texture was a soft soap though not croap like. I loaded with my Simpsons Berkeley for 20 seconds, face lathered for 40-60 getting a very nice whipped cream consistency.



The shave with my Gillette Bostonian went well with no reloading necessary. The lather rinsed off cleanly and fortunately the aftershave overpowered the soap scent. There was no irritation from the splash and also a nice menthol scent at the end. So the aftershave smells much nicer than the soap. I did notice later that the wet paper bag smell had dissapated quite a bit. After the shave I also noticed the aftershave label reads Lemon, Neroli, Puneapple which I assume is a typo.

Stubble Buster soaps are normally $9.99 on sale for $5.99 though this scent is not currenty not available and aftershaves are also $9.99. This is a pretty low price for artisan products so it seems like a god value. So I'll continue using the soap/aftershave and see if the soap scent improves.

 

[nelsonic21]

May 30

I've been using the Stubble Buster soap for a week. It's softened up a bit and loading has become a lot easier with just 10 seconds needed to get enough for a 3 pass shave. Face lathering is also easy with 30 seconds needed to build a nice thick whipped cream consistency.



Unfortunately the scent has not improved. I've gotten used to it, but the wet paper bag scent is still prominent. My wife didn't have that impression and said the scent reminded her of her grandparent's bathroom so YMMV. I guess all the top, middle and base notes going on made things a little muddled for me.

 

[nelsonic21]

June 26

Continuing to use the Stubble Buster soap. It's developed more of a paste like consistency in the tub and I I have to be careful not to load too much. A hole started in the middle a week ago and has grown though there is still a good amount of soap on the sides. The soap might not have gotten so soft if I let it air dry after each use, but sharing a bathroom with my wife leaves me with little space to leave products laying out for several hours.



Today's shave was with my Supply SE, Omega boar and Stubble Buster aftershave. The soap has continued providing a good lather and protection though the scent remains the same. Even if it only lasts a couple more weeks it still is a good value at its current price. Though I'm not sure how long it will continue being sold since their selection is down from 6 scents to 4 since I got the soap.

 

[nelsonic21]

July 7

Finished the Stubble Buster soap today. It lasted 46 shaves which is the shortest time I've had for a full size soap/cream. I'm sure some of this was due to ocassional overloading because of how soft it became after a few weeks. If I would have let the soap sit open after every use maybe it would not have happened.

Overall this is a tough brand to recommend. It had a better lather than many other soaps/creams. However I didn't care for the scent and I couldn't even get 2 months worth of shaves. At $5.99 it might be worth putting in rotation, but at $9.99 there are too many better options. I still have a quarter of the bottle of aftershave left and will continue using it till it's gone. So anyways, on to the next one.

 

[nelsonic21]

July 8

Started at tub of Shannon's Soaps Pineapple Banana today. This comes in a 4 oz container that I got from Maggard's a couple years ago. It's not currently listed for sale on their website, but is through Maggard's. Their site describes the it as:

Our shaving soap:

• Is hot processed with sodium and potassium hydroxide
• Contains added glycerin for slickness
• Lathers up thick for great cushion
• Is available in a number of enticing scents

The soaps comes in a plastc container that leaves room for loading. The texture is pretty hard though not as much as a triple milled soap. The scent has a lot of pineapple and I'm not getting much of anything else. It is very nice and reminds me of Faygo pop (soda to non Midwesterners).

For today's shave I loaded it with my Simpsons Berkeley for 20 seconds. I had to add a bit of water during loading to get a good amount. Face lathering for a good 30-45 seconds with a little more water produced a whipped cream consistency that while not as thick as the last soap, still had enough cushion to shave.



The shave with my Supply SE went well with no nicks or irritation. The soap didn't seem any slicker than others, but did wipe away cleanly with every pass. I was a little concerned about not having enough for a 3 pass shave, but there ended up being enough lather. Afterwards the soap rinsed off quickly though the scent did remain. It actually was strong enough to last during the post shave with the Stubble Buster splash.

First impressions is that this is a good though not luxurious soap with a nice summertime scent. It needs a bit more moisture to load, but I hope that's because how dense it is and will last for a while. So I'll keep on using it and trying it out with different brushes.

 

[nelsonic21]

July 15

The first week using the Shannon's soap has gone well. After using my Simpsons brush I switched over to an Omega boar for a few shaves then my Rudy Vey Shavemac brush. Like many harder soaps it needs a 15-20 second load to produce enough lather for a 3 pass shave. I prefer starting with a wetter brush rather than shaking the brush more and adding water during face lathering. This does result in a little lather flinging, but saves me a little time in the morning before work. The result is a lather that tends to be a bit more frothy than creamy, but still protects well.



Friday's shave with my Rudy Vey brush, Supply SE and Stubble Buster aftershave was as successful as my other shaves. Scent strength and protection remain good with the lather rinsing away quickly. The soap's consistency has not changed so hopefully this means it will last for at least a couple months.

 

[nelsonic21]

July 17

A day off from work allowed me to put a little more time into a shave. I had some generic Noxzema sitting around that I occassionally use as a preshave. The product was pretty dry so I added a bit of water. After applying I loaded my brush and worked the soap into my face creating a thicker more yogurt like lather than previous shaves.



The shave included my Supply SE, Rudy Vey brush and Stubble Buster aftershave. While the result wasn't any different than previous shaves, it did seem like the Noxzema enhanced the experience. The only downside it that unsurprisingly it did overpower the scent of the soap. That was the first time in a while using preshave and I'll have to pick up some more for future shaves.

 

[nelsonic21]

August 8

A hole has developed in the soap. It started last week so I'll watch its growth.



I was on vacation in Wisconsin last week where I noticed some oil in the middle of the soap in the morning. This has stopped since I've been home though there are some brown spots visible through the sides of the tub. So I think the soap has separated a bit. I am breaking in a new brush so lather quality has diminished although scent strength is the same.

Today's shave was with my Semogue 1470, Gillette black beauty and Skin bracer. The brush needed a little reload since its breaking in and the lather was a bit thinner. Performance and scent were good with no aftershave irritation. I'll keep watching the lather to see if changes happen with break in or a different brush.

 

[nelsonic21]

August 22

The Semogue 1470 has broken in and is produced a good lather similar to the other few brushes I used with a normal load. So I tried out my remaining brushes using the same 15-20 second load with a wetter brush. The Semogue 1305 needed a reload which is how it's been performing with other soaps this year and I'm going to clean this one to see it I can bring it back to life. On the other hand the Duke 2 surprised me with how nice of a lather it created which was more than enough for 3 passes. The Shavemac pure badger the same with its scritchier bristles really digging into the soap.

Today's shave was with the Razor Emporium best badger. This one needed a little more water and a 5 second reload to build a good lather. This was surprising considering it performed much better with other soaps.



Today's shave was with my Schick adjustable loaded with a black label Supply blade. It was pretty rough especially on the second and third passes. There were a few nicks on my neck and chin with some irritation. I think the blade is at fault here with a couple of the injector and DE brands needing to break in on the first use. The Schick blades are the only ones that work well for me in the injectors.

Anyways, the hole in the tub has widened quite a bit. I was hoping to get 2 months out of this tub, but doubt that will happen. So I'll finish it up and have some final thoughts when it's gone.

 

[tjsgarden]

Thanks. I started this journey to get my shave den under control and learn to enjoy the products I have instead of buying a new soap every month or two.

I am enjoying your 3017 journal.
I am still reading 2019 entries and look forward to reading more updates.
Best Wishes,
John

 

[tjsgarden]

I finished reading your journal and admire your discipline to "use" your soaps and creams rather than being a "collector".
Next month I am going to be in GRUME and will try using one cream for a full week instead of randomly using a different soap every day.