I can't do a full-on review right now, but I wanted to offer a quick review of the unscented shave soap from the Los Angeles Shaving Soap Company. I bought some from B&B user JBLA, who started a great discussion here about home-making soap. I think he based his LASSC soaps on the MdC formula, and after using it for the past few days, it seems to me to be a viable alternative to MdC.
The soap lathers quickly and builds a nice, slick, thick lather with very little effort. It stays wet and full on the face and brush, provides an excellent cushion for the shave (I'm using straights these days, so a good lather means a lot), and the unscented is a GREAT alternative to all those powerfully-scented soaps out there. I'd never used an unscented shaving soap before, and I find that I really like it. It is, by definition, very neutral, allows you to add a scent later with an aftershave, if you wish, or to just finish your shave with a clean feeling. It was unexpected how much I like the lack of scent, and there truly is no scent that I can discern: it doesn't smell like soap or perfume. It smells like.... nothing.
JB sent me a small sample of Woody Lavender with the unscented, and I can give raves to that as well. The scent is subtle, more lavender to my nose than 'woody,' and both mild and pleasant.
In describing this soap, it's very difficult not to make the MdC comparison, as it lathers up quite like that marvelous French product. My favorites these days are MdC Fougere, Klar Kabinett, Klar Klassik, Cella and La Toja, if you want a sense of what I like. And the LA Shaving Soap absolutely holds its own with them.
I've tried other artisanal soaps and enjoyed them but have found them harder to lather with the hard water where I live-- Stirling and Mike's and other tough-to-lather soaps like MWF don't do well with hard water, in my experience. LA Shaving Soap is a champ.
I'd love to hear what others think of this soap, and if anyone wants a fuller review with pictures, I can try doing that later.
The soap lathers quickly and builds a nice, slick, thick lather with very little effort. It stays wet and full on the face and brush, provides an excellent cushion for the shave (I'm using straights these days, so a good lather means a lot), and the unscented is a GREAT alternative to all those powerfully-scented soaps out there. I'd never used an unscented shaving soap before, and I find that I really like it. It is, by definition, very neutral, allows you to add a scent later with an aftershave, if you wish, or to just finish your shave with a clean feeling. It was unexpected how much I like the lack of scent, and there truly is no scent that I can discern: it doesn't smell like soap or perfume. It smells like.... nothing.
JB sent me a small sample of Woody Lavender with the unscented, and I can give raves to that as well. The scent is subtle, more lavender to my nose than 'woody,' and both mild and pleasant.
In describing this soap, it's very difficult not to make the MdC comparison, as it lathers up quite like that marvelous French product. My favorites these days are MdC Fougere, Klar Kabinett, Klar Klassik, Cella and La Toja, if you want a sense of what I like. And the LA Shaving Soap absolutely holds its own with them.
I've tried other artisanal soaps and enjoyed them but have found them harder to lather with the hard water where I live-- Stirling and Mike's and other tough-to-lather soaps like MWF don't do well with hard water, in my experience. LA Shaving Soap is a champ.
I'd love to hear what others think of this soap, and if anyone wants a fuller review with pictures, I can try doing that later.
