I recently bought my father a tub of Otoko Organics wet shave essentials for fathers day (it was today here in Aus - there's a thread about it 
) and, since I have wanted to try it for a while, I got myself one too.
Having heard a few good things about using a pre-shave oil I picked up a bottle of King of Shaves shave oil the other week (not specifically a preshave I don't think but it was cheap and there when I went to the shops so...).
I have combined the two for 4 shaves so far and I think I've found my daily shave combination for the forseeable future... great shaves every day.
The Otoko loads like a dream (seriously 4 or 5 swirls with a very slightly damp brush and I am set for 3+ passes) and lathers fairly easily in my bowl (my bowl is too big and nothing lathers particularly well in it). The lather is not 'peaky' when I apply it but it has a very viscous, soapy, texture which I like; perhaps even more than I like an airy 'whipped cream' lather ... it's also slick as all get-out (ably assisted by a small application of KoS oil beforehand).
Even with average (OK nil) preparation and an unfamiliar blade (Leon Superior) I get no irritation and barely need an A/S because my skin is so moisturised and soft-feeling (no soapy drying effect here).
The Otoko has a slight jojoba scent, very much on the 'plant' side of things (smells like I would expect a bunch of squished up plants to smell, very noticeable vegetable undertones ... I love it but perhaps not everyone's cup of tea). It is fortunate that the Otoko has a scent because the KoS oil smells like a lemon/lime/kerosene mix ... nasty.
My only complaint is that the oil seems to cause my shavings to coagulate on the blade (easily fixed with regular rinsing ... which I do anyway out of a habitual throwback to my cartridge days) and also congeal on the side of the sink on the waterline (I shave over a sink full of warm water). Neither of these drawbacks are significant enough to outweigh the slickness and protection this combo is giving me right now.
I'm normally a 'shave every other day' guy but I have shaved 3 days in a row now with the Otoko and KoS setup and I see no reason to stop.
If you're so inclined, do yourself a favor and give it a whirl
.
) and, since I have wanted to try it for a while, I got myself one too.Having heard a few good things about using a pre-shave oil I picked up a bottle of King of Shaves shave oil the other week (not specifically a preshave I don't think but it was cheap and there when I went to the shops so...).
I have combined the two for 4 shaves so far and I think I've found my daily shave combination for the forseeable future... great shaves every day.
The Otoko loads like a dream (seriously 4 or 5 swirls with a very slightly damp brush and I am set for 3+ passes) and lathers fairly easily in my bowl (my bowl is too big and nothing lathers particularly well in it). The lather is not 'peaky' when I apply it but it has a very viscous, soapy, texture which I like; perhaps even more than I like an airy 'whipped cream' lather ... it's also slick as all get-out (ably assisted by a small application of KoS oil beforehand).
Even with average (OK nil) preparation and an unfamiliar blade (Leon Superior) I get no irritation and barely need an A/S because my skin is so moisturised and soft-feeling (no soapy drying effect here).
The Otoko has a slight jojoba scent, very much on the 'plant' side of things (smells like I would expect a bunch of squished up plants to smell, very noticeable vegetable undertones ... I love it but perhaps not everyone's cup of tea). It is fortunate that the Otoko has a scent because the KoS oil smells like a lemon/lime/kerosene mix ... nasty.
My only complaint is that the oil seems to cause my shavings to coagulate on the blade (easily fixed with regular rinsing ... which I do anyway out of a habitual throwback to my cartridge days) and also congeal on the side of the sink on the waterline (I shave over a sink full of warm water). Neither of these drawbacks are significant enough to outweigh the slickness and protection this combo is giving me right now.
I'm normally a 'shave every other day' guy but I have shaved 3 days in a row now with the Otoko and KoS setup and I see no reason to stop.
If you're so inclined, do yourself a favor and give it a whirl
.
