LEA Shave Stick

[branford]

A few weeks ago, on one of my many trips to Pasteur Pharmacy in Manhattan, I noticed that they now carried the new LEA Shave Stick with tallow and lanolin. At only $5, I figured it was worth a try, even though there has been little written about it on B&B.

I've now used it a number of times, and to my very pleasant surprise, the product is excellent. Using my trusty Whipped Dog silvertip I was easily able to generate an abundance of slick, cushion-y lather and was easily able to achieve a BBS shave with my R89 or Lord L6 razors with Personna Lab, Astra and Super-Max Super Platinum blades. After the shave, my face felt smooth and moisturized. The stick also has a very mild, clean scent of soap. I additionally like that the stick has a cover for travel similar to La Toja. Unfortunately, I cannot compare it to La Toja, the apparent standard in shave sticks, since La Toja causes me a painful burning sensation, and has therefore been sent to shaving product purgatory at the back of my linen cabinet.

The LEA shave stick really should get more attention on B&B. It is a high quality and inexpensive product. It is unfortunate that so few B&B vendors offer it.

 

[SocalRick]

I use it and like it very much. I think I picked it up from Shaveabuck.com.

 

[malocchio]

I have the old stick and the new stick,both formulas work well for me,scent is the same in both.

 

[Marco]

It's one of my top four sticks. Excellent performing soap.

 

[bosseb]

It's one of my top four sticks. Excellent performing soap.

+1

​

 

[branford]

It's one of my top four sticks. Excellent performing soap.

What are your other three? I assume one and two are probably Valobra and La Toja?

 

[FL shaver]

I wish the La Toja stick were priced similarly.

 

[COShaveSurfer]

LEA is a fantastic stick!

 

[tfinch]

I've been using Lea a lot lately. Grated 3 sticks worth and pressed into a bowl, it's lasting forever. Lather is right up there with the best of them.

 

[Bad Robot]

I have and like the LEA stick, it's a good quality soap with a decent scent but I prefer just Palmolive a little more.

 

[Marco]

What are your other three? I assume one and two are probably Valobra and La Toja?

La Toja
Valobra
Palmolive

Assuming right.

 

[rucnok]

I might have to give lea a try.

Is it soft like arko or hard like Palmolive ?

 

[Luc]

I might have to give lea a try.

Is it soft like arko or hard like Palmolive ?

More like Palmolive

 

[dragon terre]

Lea is on mine wish list when I will be going to Spain. But from what I read the Lea shaving stick was before not so good and its only since a few years when they made the new one.

It doesn't surprise me that it doesn't get a lot of love here as its an product mainly sold local in Spain and some vendors import it, but they ask triple or four times the price off what it original costs in Spain.

 

[branford]

Lea is on mine wish list when I will be going to Spain. But from what I read the Lea shaving stick was before not so good and its only since a few years when they made the new one.

It doesn't surprise me that it doesn't get a lot of love here as its an product mainly sold local in Spain and some vendors import it, but they ask triple or four times the price off what it original costs in Spain.

LEA originally contained tallow and was supposed to be quite good (I never personally tried it). They changed the formula and most people thought it was definitely NOT an improvement. Lascaray, the manufacturer, actually listened to the complaints and quickly updated to the current formula that is comparable to the original.

It's a shame that more vendors do not carry LEA (or its sibling BEA). However, the price in the USA is not unexpected. Import costs and general demand will always drive up price (I wish Proraso was as cheap in the USA as Italy!). If you contact Lascaray, as I did last year, they will gladly sell you any of their products in bulk (minimum 10 stick carton of either LEA or BEA) at about half the price of online vendors without shipping. As I have enough soap to last quite I while, I did not pursue the bulk order.

La Toja and LEA are definitely worthwhile purchases, particularly if you can buy locally. Since La Toja burns me, LEA is my preferred value shave stick, particularly when I travel (all shave sticks should come in a similar container!).

 

[rucnok]

i have a few lea sticks enroute.....will see if i like.

 

[TrivQuad]

It's some good shizz, for sure. What I really like is it has a soapy-soap scent and leaves my face feeling hydrated. What more could a boy ask for?

 

[imcnok]

Just used a lea stick tonight.

Worked well. Scent was quite mild.

 

[nav]

I personally prefer the Lea classic puck (i have the older tallow base). The scent is nicer, it performs great and has some subtle menthol in it.

 

[BigJ]

Thanks for reviving this thread! Looks like I need to add Lea to my list! Currently using La Toja as my travel stick. I also like Palmolive, so Lea looks like it would be up my alley.