Vintage Grooming Company Shave Soap

[Badleebrewed]

Dear all
I was wondering if anybody had any experience with The Vintage Grooming Company's African Black tea tree oil shave soap.
It seams a steal at just under $7 shipped. I was thinking of having it sent to the family of a co-worker in the US.

All Natural Tea Tree Shave Soap - African Black (4oz)

 

[DEPenguin]

I purchased a tin back when I first began wet shaving. I hadn't tried anything but a few samples I got from WCS and wanted to try something with Tea Tree oil in it.

I liked it at first---that's not to say it's a bad soap. As my technique improved so did my exposure to different soaps and creams. Now, by comparison, I have a hell of a time getting the African Black to lather decently. Because I now have a number of other soaps to work with I have relegated the AB to a dark space under the bathroom sink.

To be entirely fair, I haven't revisited it in a while, so perhaps I should do so to see if I can get a good lather from it now that my technique is much improved.

 

[Badleebrewed]

I purchased a tin back when I first began wet shaving. I hadn't tried anything but a few samples I got from WCS and wanted to try something with Tea Tree oil in it.


I liked it at first---that's not to say it's a bad soap. As my technique improved so did my exposure to different soaps and creams. Now, by comparison, I have a hell of a time getting the African Black to lather decently. Because I now have a number of other soaps to work with I have relegated the AB to a dark space under the bathroom sink.

To be entirely fair, I haven't revisited it in a while, so perhaps I should do so to see if I can get a good lather from it now that my technique is much improved.

Thank you for the reply. Would you be so good as to give it a try and report back, please?

I purchased a tin back when I first began wet shaving. I hadn't tried anything but a few samples I got from WCS and wanted to try something with Tea Tree oil in it.

I liked it at first---that's not to say it's a bad soap. As my technique improved so did my exposure to different soaps and creams. Now, by comparison, I have a hell of a time getting the African Black to lather decently. Because I now have a number of other soaps to work with I have relegated the AB to a dark space under the bathroom sink.

To be entirely fair, I haven't revisited it in a while, so perhaps I should do so to see if I can get a good lather from it now that my technique is much improved.

 

[DEPenguin]

I can do that. I'll try to do it later today or tomorrow then let you know.

 

[Badleebrewed]

I can do that. I'll try to do it later today or tomorrow then let you know.

Thank you very much DEPenguin.

 

[DEPenguin]

Got home today and did a test lather for ya . . .

Here's the set-up I used:

• A horsehair brush -- I could have used the Atomic Rocket but it's large and dense and tends to whip a lot of air into a soap or cream, so it wouldn't be a solid choice for this lather (you'll see why in a moment)
• Of course the African Black soap
• Crown King scuttle

Soaked the brush for about a minute then loaded right from the puck for roughly another minute then took it to the scuttle. Added a touch of water and swirled about another 30 seconds. Looked a little foamy (as opposed to a nice, cohesive lather) so I went back to the puck and loaded some more, a touch more water, and swirled in the scuttle again for upwards of two full minutes, perhaps more. You can see the result below.

You don't have to look too hard to see how filled it is with air bubbles. That can certainly happen if one whips or swirls too long . . . this is what it looked like when I went back and loaded the second time--I thought maybe I had overdone it, so adding more should, in theory, kind of even out the lather and bring it back to acceptable shape.

Just for the hell of it I went ahead and painted it on my face, but it was still too foamy. Matter of fact the soap 'dissolved', evaporated off my face within two minutes.

Just for comparison I grabbed my Col Conk Rio Grande Lavender--I promise, I'm not pushing any given product. I had completely rinsed out the brush and scuttle, so there was no contamination between soaps/latherings.

Conk's is a cream, thick but very soft--if it matters to you it's entirely natural, no tallow. I happen to really like tallow soaps, so that's not a big deal to me, just wanted to show what a nicer lather looks like compared to the AB.

Followed the same overall procedure, except I only needed to load for about 10 seconds (like I said, really soft and thick), added a touch of water and lathered in the scuttle for about a minute. Note the sheen on the lather in the picture below . . .

Much more cohesive, a much more desirable lather to use for shaving.

If you're after a tea tree oil infused soap I understand Stirling makes one. I haven't tried it but lots of folks here like Stirling's offerings. If it's cost you're considering, well the Conk's soap won't help there, it's currently $16 for a tub. I am a fan of Lakewood Soaps products, which lather very nice and perform well; the scents are nice too. But they're not much cheaper at $14 and have tallow, which if vegan/natural is what you're after won't cut the mustard for ya.

Not sure what other tea tree oil based soaps are out there, but someday I'll look for one again.

Quick update: I just noticed Col. Conk actually has a tea tree and eucalyptus cream named High Desert Breeze. I've never used it but I imagine its performance to be the same as the lavender one I used, so if natural/vegan and tea tree is what you're after this might fit the bill . . . but it won't be $7

 

[Badleebrewed]

DEPenguin, you have gone above and beyond, and for that I thank you very much.
Vegan is not a thing I am bothered about, so it was in fact just tea tree and price being major factors, other than performance oc course.
Your reply was highly informative and well written, and I also thank you very much for your suggestions.

 

[DEPenguin]

You are most welcome, Badleebrewed! Glad I could help

 

[BigJ]

Got home today and did a test lather for ya . . .

Here's the set-up I used:

• A horsehair brush -- I could have used the Atomic Rocket but it's large and dense and tends to whip a lot of air into a soap or cream, so it wouldn't be a solid choice for this lather (you'll see why in a moment)
• Of course the African Black soap
• Crown King scuttle

View attachment 1009496

Soaked the brush for about a minute then loaded right from the puck for roughly another minute then took it to the scuttle. Added a touch of water and swirled about another 30 seconds. Looked a little foamy (as opposed to a nice, cohesive lather) so I went back to the puck and loaded some more, a touch more water, and swirled in the scuttle again for upwards of two full minutes, perhaps more. You can see the result below.

View attachment 1009495

You don't have to look too hard to see how filled it is with air bubbles. That can certainly happen if one whips or swirls too long . . . this is what it looked like when I went back and loaded the second time--I thought maybe I had overdone it, so adding more should, in theory, kind of even out the lather and bring it back to acceptable shape.

Just for the hell of it I went ahead and painted it on my face, but it was still too foamy. Matter of fact the soap 'dissolved', evaporated off my face within two minutes.

Just for comparison I grabbed my Col Conk Rio Grande Lavender--I promise, I'm not pushing any given product. I had completely rinsed out the brush and scuttle, so there was no contamination between soaps/latherings.

Conk's is a cream, thick but very soft--if it matters to you it's entirely natural, no tallow. I happen to really like tallow soaps, so that's not a big deal to me, just wanted to show what a nicer lather looks like compared to the AB.

Followed the same overall procedure, except I only needed to load for about 10 seconds (like I said, really soft and thick), added a touch of water and lathered in the scuttle for about a minute. Note the sheen on the lather in the picture below . . .

View attachment 1009497

Much more cohesive, a much more desirable lather to use for shaving.

If you're after a tea tree oil infused soap I understand Stirling makes one. I haven't tried it but lots of folks here like Stirling's offerings. If it's cost you're considering, well the Conk's soap won't help there, it's currently $16 for a tub. I am a fan of Lakewood Soaps products, which lather very nice and perform well; the scents are nice too. But they're not much cheaper at $14 and have tallow, which if vegan/natural is what you're after won't cut the mustard for ya.

Not sure what other tea tree oil based soaps are out there, but someday I'll look for one again.

Quick update: I just noticed Col. Conk actually has a tea tree and eucalyptus cream named High Desert Breeze. I've never used it but I imagine its performance to be the same as the lavender one I used, so if natural/vegan and tea tree is what you're after this might fit the bill . . . but it won't be $7

Nice review!! The photos are especially helpful!