Ode to Institut Karité

[arglist]

Oh man! I just lathered up with a puck of Institut Karité, just for a test. I used the Marco method and got a super large cup full of extremely slick and shiny lather. It looked so delicious I was close to eating it.

I love the scent, clean and smelling of childhood plays between freshly laundered white linen sheets in a sunny garden.

It really is an instant favourite. If the shave is as good as I suspect it to be Institut Karité has a new cult follower.

Sorry for the outbreak, needed to share this (my wife does not really share my enthusiasm though she likes the scent).

Florian

 

[Marco]

A wonderful soap with wonderful moisturizing properties. Need to get a new puck!

 

[arglist]

A wonderful soap with wonderful moisturizing properties. Need to get a new puck!

Thanks for your answer, Marco. I grated mine to fit it into one of my newly acquired aluminium tubs. Maybe this helped with loading more than I usually do. It was almost exploding in lather.

 

[Marco]

Thanks for your answer, Marco. I grated mine to fit it into one of my newly acquired aluminium tubs. Maybe this helped with loading more than I usually do. It was almost exploding in lather.

I grated a couple of La Toja sticks in order to replace my almost finished La Toja Manantiales shave soap. I also keep one stick in its original shape for travelling. As about lathering it certainly is more comfortable to have a larger bowl/scuttle/container to load from, but it's not strictly necessary. You can reach the same "explosion" by loading more, even on a small puck.

 

[arglist]

I grated a couple of La Toja sticks in order to replace my almost finished La Toja Manantiales shave soap. I also keep one stick in its original shape for travelling. As about lathering it certainly is more comfortable to have a larger bowl/scuttle/container to load from, but it's not strictly necessary. You can reach the same "explosion" by loading more, even on a small puck.

Thanks Marco. The tubs I ordered were from The Portugal Online Shop where I got my Semogue SOC Badger and my 1305. The are 81mm in diameter. Not too confortable but it works. I think because of the grating the surface of the soap is coarser which causes the brush to load faster. But maybe that's just a noob's notion.

 

[gash]

IK is easily one of my favorite soaps. I find it to be remarkably protective, even if it doesn't feel like it would be.

 

[Marco]

Thanks Marco. The tubs I ordered were from The Portugal Online Shop where I got my Semogue SOC Badger and my 1305. The are 81mm in diameter. Not too confortable but it works. I think because of the grating the surface of the soap is coarser which causes the brush to load faster. But maybe that's just a noob's notion.

I agree, a not perfectly flat surface helps the tips of the brush to get more soap quickly, creating more lather in less time. By the way, great choice of boars.

 

[Isaac]

I rediscovered two pucks that I had bought about 6 years ago. Its a great soap that really moisturizes. It is definitely a treat

 

[arglist]

I agree, a not perfectly flat surface helps the tips of the brush to get more soap quickly, creating more lather in less time. By the way, great choice of boars.

Thank you, very kind.

 

[beginish]

IK is outstanding, and is easily in my top 5 soaps.

 

[mctmatt]

Institut Karite is a great shave soap. I have been reading this forum since 2008 and finally joined in 2010. Every now and then I would see someone post about IK and then you would have 10 or more other members just follow up with the greatness of this shave soap. Finally, I had to try for myself and I must say they were right. I found just taking the round puck and rubbing it onto my wet beard like a shave stick works great.

 

[TriSlim]

I am warming up to IK a little more after each shave. A few weeks ago, I concluded that it would be doubtful that I would by another puck of IK. Not that IK was bad, I just didn't see the beauty of this shave soap. I may have to eat crow on that statement as I am now getting some great shaves and soft skin post shave. I am not sure how many shaves I have on my puck (15?), but I don't think I have put a dent in it. This puck is going to last a *long* time.

I like to pair IK shave soap with Floid Blue AS.

TriSlim

 

[Artimid]

Ack, I just bought a new test soap (Osma shaving soap), but I keep seeing this stuff. Maybe I will have to try order some next time it is on WCS's DotD. One thing about the name though, I can never read it right. Each time I see it, I read it as Institute Karate. So I am always looking twice at the stuff. For the smell though, is it like laundry soap (fresh linen)? Or is there something more definite that I can use to gauge the smell?

 

[mikesaidhi]

The lather is slick and the skin does feel moisturized after the shave. But that scent, which lasts the entire shave, is too much for me.

This may sound odd, but does anyone else notice that IK's lather is too white? That always throws me off.

 

[arglist]

The lather is slick and the skin does feel moisturized after the shave. But that scent, which lasts the entire shave, is too much for me.

I love it. It smells clean.

This may sound odd, but does anyone else notice that IK's lather is too white? That always throws me off.

I love it. It looks clean.

 

[gash]

I tend to avoid lather that seems unnaturally white, but IK has won me over. I wish its scent were a little more subtle, though.

 

[arglist]

I am convinced this is what the young and lovely demoiselles of Paris shave their slender tanned legs with.

 

[mikesaidhi]

I am convinced this is what the young and lovely demoiselles of Paris shave their slender tanned legs with.

I'm convinced this is what the dishwashers in Parisian bistros polish their silver with.

 

[rxonmymind]

I. It was a tad too much laundry detergent smell. But the performance was outstanding. Lol it is to white!

 

[oc_in_fw]

Ack, I just bought a new test soap (Osma shaving soap), but I keep seeing this stuff. Maybe I will have to try order some next time it is on WCS's DotD. One thing about the name though, I can never read it right. Each time I see it, I read it as Institute Karate. So I am always looking twice at the stuff. For the smell though, is it like laundry soap (fresh linen)? Or is there something more definite that I can use to gauge the smell?

I just say it does a Chuck Norris on your beard