I recently did a blind buy of a tub of Warmest Regards from Moon Soaps and thought I'd pass along my thoughts. This won't be a technical review because I don't really consider myself a connesieurre of shave soap and don't know how to measure things like "glide" or "cushion" in my lather. I do bowl lather, typically, and use a synthetic brush if any of that matters.
I'm under the impression Moon Soaps is a Mom and Pop sort of operation, based on their website and on the fact I got an actual handwritten note included with my order. Knowing I was dealing with a person, not just a company, was kind of refreshing. Truth be told, I'm also a bit of a sucker when it comes to good label art and I really like thier aesthtetic. Anyway... On to the soap.
Warmest Regards contains: Water, Beef Tallow, Stearic Acid, Castor Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Shea Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Grapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil, Fragrance Oil, Glycerin and touts scent notes of Amber, Tonka, Oud, Rum and Musk. Off the puck, the scent is pretty strong and I immediately got the nutty, cinnamon notes from the Tonka (bean) and the heavy, darker scents of oud, rum and musk, all of which are nicely balanced out by the amber. The rum and musk, I think, blend with the oud and make them harder for me to pick out. Everything combined into a deep, dark, rich fragrance overall. The spousal unit loved the scent right off the puck, while I liked it but, at the same time I cocked an eyebrow; I just wasn't 100% convinced. Once lathered, the scent mellowed, and I was very happy with it. It hits my very nasal nose as deep and rich, with a balancing brightness that keeps it from getting broodish.
Not knowing how to lather this soap, I lathered it like a Stirling soap. If you're a Stirling user, you know what I mean. Warmest Regards strikes me as being a bit "thirsty" but lathered as easily as any soap I've used. We have very soft water in my house, due to having a house-wide water-softener system installed, so if your water is particularly hard your proverbial mileage will most likely vary. The jar is smaller in diameter than what I'm used to, which is fine, and a big lip which made swirling the brush, without making a mess, easy. The soap gathered up just as I would expect and I moved to my bowl. I added water and swirled until I saw the "sheen" that tells me the lather is shave-ready. On my hands the lather felt great, with a thick, noticeably velvety texture.
The shave went perfectly well. I used a full Tatara Masamune setup with a new Gillette GSB and got a great shave. No nicks, no weepers. Feedback from my alum block was next to nothing. Post-shave face-feel (which I judge about fifteen minutes after having shaved) was noteworthy. I don't know if you can relate, but sometimes I get shave so good I don't want even want to apply after-shave because my face just feels THAT good. This was one of those shaves.
As my order arrived... Complete with handwritten note, a sample of Astoria soap,
and a fun little "Moon" sticker (which I love, btw).
.....
.....
A full 6 oz. of soap, in a slightly smaller diameter container.
.....
.....
The "Beauty Shot"
.....
I'm under the impression Moon Soaps is a Mom and Pop sort of operation, based on their website and on the fact I got an actual handwritten note included with my order. Knowing I was dealing with a person, not just a company, was kind of refreshing. Truth be told, I'm also a bit of a sucker when it comes to good label art and I really like thier aesthtetic. Anyway... On to the soap.
Warmest Regards contains: Water, Beef Tallow, Stearic Acid, Castor Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Shea Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Grapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil, Fragrance Oil, Glycerin and touts scent notes of Amber, Tonka, Oud, Rum and Musk. Off the puck, the scent is pretty strong and I immediately got the nutty, cinnamon notes from the Tonka (bean) and the heavy, darker scents of oud, rum and musk, all of which are nicely balanced out by the amber. The rum and musk, I think, blend with the oud and make them harder for me to pick out. Everything combined into a deep, dark, rich fragrance overall. The spousal unit loved the scent right off the puck, while I liked it but, at the same time I cocked an eyebrow; I just wasn't 100% convinced. Once lathered, the scent mellowed, and I was very happy with it. It hits my very nasal nose as deep and rich, with a balancing brightness that keeps it from getting broodish.
Not knowing how to lather this soap, I lathered it like a Stirling soap. If you're a Stirling user, you know what I mean. Warmest Regards strikes me as being a bit "thirsty" but lathered as easily as any soap I've used. We have very soft water in my house, due to having a house-wide water-softener system installed, so if your water is particularly hard your proverbial mileage will most likely vary. The jar is smaller in diameter than what I'm used to, which is fine, and a big lip which made swirling the brush, without making a mess, easy. The soap gathered up just as I would expect and I moved to my bowl. I added water and swirled until I saw the "sheen" that tells me the lather is shave-ready. On my hands the lather felt great, with a thick, noticeably velvety texture.
The shave went perfectly well. I used a full Tatara Masamune setup with a new Gillette GSB and got a great shave. No nicks, no weepers. Feedback from my alum block was next to nothing. Post-shave face-feel (which I judge about fifteen minutes after having shaved) was noteworthy. I don't know if you can relate, but sometimes I get shave so good I don't want even want to apply after-shave because my face just feels THAT good. This was one of those shaves.
As my order arrived... Complete with handwritten note, a sample of Astoria soap,
and a fun little "Moon" sticker (which I love, btw).
.....
.....
A full 6 oz. of soap, in a slightly smaller diameter container.
.....
.....
The "Beauty Shot"
.....
