New scent available - Honey and Grapefruit. The description sounded so good, I had to place an order!
Mike's Natural Soap -- Why didn't I try sooner?
- Thread starter chugmo
- Start date
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I got the Unscented, Hungarian Lavender, Rose, Patchouli, Cedarwood, and the Orange, Cedarwood, Black Pepper the other day. First time using his line pf soaps.
I have to say, the comments about the performance are not hype. His base is a top-tier performer by every measure. The scents are fantastic too. The Lavender is excellent with a bit of a peppery/spicy note. The Rose is probably the best rose scent I've tried. It is floral and rose forward, but the cedar and patchouli stops it from being cloyingly sweet.
Haven't tried the other two yet, but I can't wait and they are next in the line-up
I have to say, the comments about the performance are not hype. His base is a top-tier performer by every measure. The scents are fantastic too. The Lavender is excellent with a bit of a peppery/spicy note. The Rose is probably the best rose scent I've tried. It is floral and rose forward, but the cedar and patchouli stops it from being cloyingly sweet.
Haven't tried the other two yet, but I can't wait and they are next in the line-up
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I'm a big, yet recent, fan of Mike's soap. The face feel afterwards is top notch. The only thing I've not been able to obtain is residual slickness. But I think the excellent face feel may come partially from the fact that it washes away so easily. Having said that, the lather itself is perfectly slick. I've found that it's best to add water slowly. I can't start out with a lot of water like I do with Stirling's. So far I like the Lime and the Orange Cedar & Pepper. The Unscented has a sour note that's a little off putting to me (but that could be from the particular batch I received). It still performs well. I've also tried the Peppermint & Rosemary. I don't think it goes well with my skin. And I'm not a huge fan of the scent either (pepperminty dirt). So it works out. 
The Grapefruit sounds awesome. I love the smell of yuzu. But I'm afraid it might not work out for my skin. I feel absolutely lucky I can use the Lime and Orange.
The Grapefruit sounds awesome. I love the smell of yuzu. But I'm afraid it might not work out for my skin. I feel absolutely lucky I can use the Lime and Orange.
I’ve had skin irritation from some heavily fragranced soaps. Luckily, Mike’s is not one of them. I think it helps his soaps are not overly done with the fragrance/essential oils
I’ll post an update when I get the soap in the mail! I’m thinking it sounds like a winner
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
My very favorite is the Coconut.
I am looking forward to adding the new Honey and Grapefruit scent to the thread, Which of Mike's Natural Soaps Do You Like? | Your Reviews | & Mine.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I am looking forward to adding the new Honey and Grapefruit scent to the thread, Which of Mike's Natural Soaps Do You Like? | Your Reviews | & Mine.
Happy shaves,
Jim
The orange, cedarwood, and black pepper pairs nicely with Caswell Massey Number Six.
I signed up to be notified when Coconut is back in stock
I'm looking forward to your review. I'll be sure to chime in, too!
Is it straight coconut, or does it have some vanilla? Another post may have suggested such, and I'd appreciate confirmation. It's one of the handful from Mike's I've not tried.
The description on his site says it has a base of vanilla
I signed up six months ago and still waiting. Hopefully Coconut will show up within the next six months.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
The scent descriptions are in the thread I previously linked.
Happy shaves,
Jim
My first Mike's order arrived yesterday. I picked up ...
jars of Hungarian Lavendar, Pine & Cedarwood, Rose-Patchouli-Cedarwood, Lime
& a puck of Vetiver (he didn't have the jar).
Sniffing the jars, I love the scent simplicity and naturalness; the Lavender is <chef's_kiss> especially.
I've shaved once, this morning, with the Rose, &c. but found I didn't do the best job with the lather and, yes, I used the FLDP . I think I needed to pick up more soap on the brush (I used a boar).
Just this afternoon I did the practice lather that I should have done the first time <head_desk>, using a big synthetic (RR Big Bruce).
I did a better job of picking up soap, but by now I think I need to bloom the soap a little with hot water before taking the brush to it.
Any "Mike's pros" who have any tips, or can confirm I'm on the right track, TIA.
/Acey
jars of Hungarian Lavendar, Pine & Cedarwood, Rose-Patchouli-Cedarwood, Lime
& a puck of Vetiver (he didn't have the jar).
Sniffing the jars, I love the scent simplicity and naturalness; the Lavender is <chef's_kiss> especially.
I've shaved once, this morning, with the Rose, &c. but found I didn't do the best job with the lather and, yes, I used the FLDP . I think I needed to pick up more soap on the brush (I used a boar).
Just this afternoon I did the practice lather that I should have done the first time <head_desk>, using a big synthetic (RR Big Bruce).
I did a better job of picking up soap, but by now I think I need to bloom the soap a little with hot water before taking the brush to it.
Any "Mike's pros" who have any tips, or can confirm I'm on the right track, TIA.
/Acey
I don't find it needs blooming (I don't find any soaps do, to be fair): I frequently use it with a boar and my approach is always the same, wring and shake the brush until it is just damp on the tips, then load heavily before face lathering and adding water three or four times in sprinkles as I go. I always have enough for three passes.
Mike's performs great and is fuss free (I'm on rainwater tanks, though).
Not a Mike's pro by any means. I'm just on my first order from him, but own tons of different soaps. I do find it useful to bloom his soaps (not a deep bloom, but a good sprinkle of water on top of the puck while the brush is soaking). I use a damp badger brush and face lather and find the results to be really excellent. I add water by sprinkling water into the brush 3 or 4 times while building the lather.
I'm a big, yet recent, fan of Mike's soap. The face feel afterwards is top notch. The only thing I've not been able to obtain is residual slickness. But I think the excellent face feel may come partially from the fact that it washes away so easily. Having said that, the lather itself is perfectly slick. I've found that it's best to add water slowly. I can't start out with a lot of water like I do with Stirling's. So far I like the Lime and the Orange Cedar & Pepper. The Unscented has a sour note that's a little off putting to me (but that could be from the particular batch I received). It still performs well. I've also tried the Peppermint & Rosemary. I don't think it goes well with my skin. And I'm not a huge fan of the scent either (pepperminty dirt). So it works out.
The Grapefruit sounds awesome. I love the smell of yuzu. But I'm afraid it might not work out for my skin. I feel absolutely lucky I can use the Lime and Orange.
Hmm…I experience the exact opposite with Mike’s Soaps, when adding water to 1/4 tsp scooped from the tub into the bowl, I usually add 10 ml water all at once with no issues. Using this same method with Stirling soaps causes large bubbles in the lather using A lightly damp badger brush
I'm a face lather-er. And I like to overload my brush. Typically I use a pump spray bottle filled with distilled water. I spray more than a few pumps directly into the tub and start loading (at least 30 seconds). My qualitative goal is a silky smooth lather on the soap and a full brush. If it gets too pasty, I'll add more water. Once it's there, I move it all to my face and begin to build the lather. Usually I don't have to add much water to finish up on my face.
The above is what I do with Stirling when residual slickness isn't an issue. Stirling could be dripping off my face and razor and still have adequate residual slickness.
With Mike's -- if I add too much water, I get zero residual slickness. You obviously have your soap to water ratio figured out. This is why I add water slowly. Once I get adequate lather volume I stop and shave. I have to mentally resist the urge to add more water.
If Mike's sticks to the face, and is not runny, it's perfect.
Going to use Orange, Cedarwood, & Black Pepper tomorrow for my Thanksgiving shave.
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