WEEKLY SHAVING SOAP REVIEW

[Vittoria]

Great review as always @Bladerunner7
The lather up brush looks good enough to eat. Look forward to the next review mate.

 

[Bladerunner7]

Great review as always @Bladerunner7
The lather up brush looks good enough to eat. Look forward to the next review mate.

Thanks much Mate. I was tempted with that lather on the brush too...I'm a sucker for Pear Sorbet

 

[Bladerunner7]

NOBLE OTTER – Orbit Shave Soap​

First Look - I’m a huge fan of Otters and can sit and watch them by the water side for hours, so it comes as no surprise that I love the artwork on most of the Noble Otter shaving soap tubs. I can’t say the same about Orbit, the gold lettering bleeding a bit into the blue background and the otter in a space helmet looking more like a rat was a bit of a disappointment for me. The artwork aims to convey the message of coolness but falls flat for me.

Side note – The seeds of Noble otter were sown when Cody Wick received a gift from his wife that helped him discover the joys of traditional wet shaving and led him on a journey to formulate the best products possible for wet shavers globally. Experimenting with different blends, formulations and fragrances based on feedback from the wet shaving community, Noble Otter was officially launched in 2017. Since then, the company has established itself as a force to reckon with and one relied on for top shelf wet shaving software.

First Whiff – The company’s aim was to create the concept of clean, cool space in a tub. The fragrance profile is meant to be fresh Eucalyptus, Rose and Frozen Space (was tough figuring this one out). The detailed scent notes listed are Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Atlas Cedarwood, Rose, Sandalwood, Vetiver and Frozen Space. At first whiff I get sandalwood, the Bergamot seems to hover a bit around the Sandalwood and the Rose and Vetiver comes through in gentle waves if I inhale deeply. I would have loved this soap to smell a bit more complex but the sandalwood seems to overpower the other essential oils or fragrance molecules included.

First Lather – Open the container and the soap seems like a hard puck but it is relatively easy to scoop out almost like a hardened toffee pudding given the brown color. Using my HC & Co Bowl and Razorock Hive Brush I proceeded to build a pasty lather with a teaspoon of soap and a tablespoon of water. A minute later, I let the lather hydrate for thirty seconds before returning back to the swirling process, two tablespoons more of water and 90 seconds of brush rotation produced a thick, creamy and luxurious lather. Like all Noble Otter soaps, Orbit shines in the lather department and the credit goes to it’s Ingredient profile which includes Stearic Acid, Beef Tallow, Coconut Milk, Aloe Vera, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Lanolin, Tucuma Seed Butter, Kokum Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Koolada-23, Bentonite Clay, Tocopheral Acetate, Citric Acid, Watermelon Extract, Whitewillow Bark Extract and Tussah Silk.

First Performance – While painting the first few strokes on the face, a cooling sensation started to creep into my cheeks, not like menthol that hits you hard and fast but a gentle cooling. Remember ‘Frozen Space’, I finally figured it out, that’s the Koolada-23. I had a thoroughly enjoyable two pass BBS result with my Alpha Outlaw Razor and a Kai blade. The cushion and protection was top shelf with the right amount of slickness needed. That cooling sensation stayed on my face for quite a while post shave and I had to give it a note. So Koolada-23 or WS-23 is a synthetic cooling agent used in many sweet mints, beverages and other edible products. It is practically 25 percent weaker than menthol in its hit to the skin or tongue and has a sustained gentle cooling sensation that lingers for a while. Unlike menthol it doesn’t numb your skin or shock the system with its application. While Holy Black were the first to incorporate Koolada-23 into a shaving soap with their now discontinued 'Lavender Creeper', Wilkinson Sword can be credited for creating the product in the 70’s, choosing 8 out of 1200 different formulations. Their most famous – Koolada -23 or rather WS-23, the initials of the iconic shaving products manufacturer.

First Opinion – The medium fragrance strength of Orbit while pleasant failed to impress me with the sandalwood dominating all other notes, having said that, the cooling factor and the top shelf performance expected from every N O soap make this one for every den and reserved for those hot and sweltering summer days.

Cover Art Work – 5 / 10

Lather Quality – 9 / 10

Fragrance – 5 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 9 / 10

Slickness – 7 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 8 / 10

Coolness Factor - 7 / 10 ( Had to include it for this one)

Total Point Score – 58 / 80

Availabilty – At all online retailers including www.nobleotter.com , www.shavingmarket.com.au and www.beardandblade.com.au

 

[TomG]

Great review. I realy like this soap, but totally understand that the scent is polarising.
Agree that the cooling effect is perfect for the hot Aussie summer.

 

[Vittoria]

NOBLE OTTER – Orbit Shave Soap​

First Look - I’m a huge fan of Otters and can sit and watch them by the water side for hours, so it comes as no surprise that I love the artwork on most of the Noble Otter shaving soap tubs. I can’t say the same about Orbit, the gold lettering bleeding a bit into the blue background and the otter in a space helmet looking more like a rat was a bit of a disappointment for me. The artwork aims to convey the message of coolness but falls flat for me.

Side note – The seeds of Noble otter were sown when Cody Wick received a gift from his wife that helped him discover the joys of traditional wet shaving and led him on a journey to formulate the best products possible for wet shavers globally. Experimenting with different blends, formulations and fragrances based on feedback from the wet shaving community, Noble Otter was officially launched in 2017. Since then, the company has established itself as a force to reckon with and one relied on for top shelf wet shaving software.

First Whiff – The company’s aim was to create the concept of clean, cool space in a tub. The fragrance profile is meant to be fresh Eucalyptus, Rose and Frozen Space (was tough figuring this one out). The detailed scent notes listed are Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Atlas Cedarwood, Rose, Sandalwood, Vetiver and Frozen Space. At first whiff I get sandalwood, the Bergamot seems to hover a bit around the Sandalwood and the Rose and Vetiver comes through in gentle waves if I inhale deeply. I would have loved this soap to smell a bit more complex but the sandalwood seems to overpower the other essential oils or fragrance molecules included.

First Lather – Open the container and the soap seems like a hard puck but it is relatively easy to scoop out almost like a hardened toffee pudding given the brown color. Using my HC & Co Bowl and Razorock Hive Brush I proceeded to build a pasty lather with a teaspoon of soap and a tablespoon of water. A minute later, I let the lather hydrate for thirty seconds before returning back to the swirling process, two tablespoons more of water and 90 seconds of brush rotation produced a thick, creamy and luxurious lather. Like all Noble Otter soaps, Orbit shines in the lather department and the credit goes to it’s Ingredient profile which includes Stearic Acid, Beef Tallow, Coconut Milk, Aloe Vera, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Lanolin, Tucuma Seed Butter, Kokum Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Koolada-23, Bentonite Clay, Tocopheral Acetate, Citric Acid, Watermelon Extract, Whitewillow Bark Extract and Tussah Silk.

First Performance – While painting the first few strokes on the face, a cooling sensation started to creep into my cheeks, not like menthol that hits you hard and fast but a gentle cooling. Remember ‘Frozen Space’, I finally figured it out, that’s the Koolada-23. I had a thoroughly enjoyable two pass BBS result with my Alpha Outlaw Razor and a Kai blade. The cushion and protection was top shelf with the right amount of slickness needed. That cooling sensation stayed on my face for quite a while post shave and I had to give it a note. So Koolada-23 or WS-23 is a synthetic cooling agent used in many sweet mints, beverages and other edible products. It is practically 25 percent weaker than menthol in its hit to the skin or tongue and has a sustained gentle cooling sensation that lingers for a while. Unlike menthol it doesn’t numb your skin or shock the system with its application. While Holy Black were the first to incorporate Koolada-23 into a shaving soap with their now discontinued 'Lavender Creeper', Wilkinson Sword can be credited for creating the product in the 70’s, choosing 8 out of 1200 different formulations. Their most famous – Koolada -23 or rather WS-23, the initials of the iconic shaving products manufacturer.

First Opinion – The medium fragrance strength of Orbit while pleasant failed to impress me with the sandalwood dominating all other notes, having said that, the cooling factor and the top shelf performance expected from every N O soap make this one for every den and reserved for those hot and sweltering summer days.

Cover Art Work – 5 / 10

Lather Quality – 9 / 10

Fragrance – 5 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 9 / 10

Slickness – 7 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 8 / 10

Coolness Factor - 7 / 10 ( Had to include it for this one)

Total Point Score – 58 / 80

Availabilty – At all online retailers including www.nobleotter.com , www.shavingmarket.com.au and www.beardandblade.com.au

Great review as always @Bladerunner7
I love reading them and of course the lather shot pics

 

[Bladerunner7]

Great review. I realy like this soap, but totally understand that the scent is polarising.
Agree that the cooling effect is perfect for the hot Aussie summer.

Thanks mate. Noble Otter are still one of the best in my books. Top shelf and reliable always.

 

[Bladerunner7]

Great review as always @Bladerunner7
I love reading them and of course the lather shot pics

Thanks Buddy. Much appreciated.

 

[Bladerunner7]

CLUBMAN PINAUD – SHAVING SOAP

First Look - Nothing much to write home about but the Clubman official colors of green and bronze that adorn the shaving soap tub’s cover. The company’s logo featuring the trademark dapper Frenchman and the birth year of the brand is reassuring for every wet shaver with a 200 year plus boast of producing men’s grooming products. This is a very standard container top for me and not one that would draw a second glance when placed on my shaving soap rack.

Side note – The Pinaud brand and its Clubman range of men’s toiletries was launched in 1810 at the House of Ed Pinaud in Paris. A well-known artist was commissioned to create the dapper Frenchman which graces the label on every product to date. American International Industries based in Los Angeles, California purchased the brand and its Clubman line three decades ago.

First Whiff – Inspired by the 1936 classic fragrance Canoe by Dana, Clubman Pinaud is supposed to have notes of lavender, lemon, clary sage, carnation, bourbon geranium, cloves, cedar, patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean, heliotrope , oakmoss and musk with a powdery dry down or finish, simply put this should be an aromatic fougere with a barber shop twist to it. So, the classic after shave lotion does smell a lot like the Dana classic parfum with one exception, the lemony note being more intense. As for the soap, I sniffed and I sniffed and I sniffed but the door to that aromatic fougere just wouldn’t open. A hint of lavender, carnation and musk was present but it was so faint that even a deep inhalation wasn’t good enough for me to pick up the notes well. While the after shave fragrance shines, the shaving soap smelled like a weak version of Ivory soap.

First Lather – Clubman Pinaud shave soap is extremely soft and just one notch thicker than what you would squeeze out of a tube. Bowl lathering made no sense and so I just smeared a teaspoon of the soap across my face and lathered up with my Shaving Shack Pure Badger brush titled, 'The Guvnor.' Incidentally, this is the first Badger brush I have ever used and it is a lather generator for sure. 30 seconds of face lathering followed by a few drops of water and I had a nice foamy lather. The lather wasn’t dense or creamy but a bit fluffy and airy. I gave the soap another minute of face lathering but the consistency stayed as it was. A good dose of Coconut oil in the soap can be credited for the foamy lather.

First Performance – Disappointed with the fragrance and the lather quality I was on the verge of writing the Clubman Pinaud shave soap off as a below average product. I have used the company's Lather Shave tube and the Classic Barber shave cream before with disappointing results, but this time I was wrong. Using a Kai blade in my Parker Variant OC on a four setting, the first stroke was enough to tell me that this was a no frills performing soap, I got through the first pass and noticed that my cheeks and the neck area felt moisturized and refreshed. A second pass was enough to deliver a BBS result with my skin feeling moist and rejuvenated. It is the performance where this Clubman product hits its stride. The cushion and protection provided by it are well balanced with enough slickness to aid glide. The stand out ingredients included in the soap are Sodium Stearate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Coco-Sulfate (coconut oil fatty acids) and Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter.

First Opinion – The Clubman Pinaud shave soap certainly delivered where it mattered most, the actual shave itself. When paired with the matching after shave lotion, it will transport you back to the classic barber shops where well-groomed gentlemen left the premises with a masculine yet lightly floral and talc like scent. My only crib is that this is a 2 ounce pour making it rather expensive when compared to some of the top tier soaps purely based on ingredients and performance. Is this a soap that will inhabit my den always? For sure, it will.

Cover Art Work – 5 / 10

Lather Quality – 5 / 10

Fragrance – 3 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 8 / 10

Slickness – 7 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 9 / 10

Value – 7 / 10

Total Point Score – 44 / 70

Availabilty – At all online retailers including www.shavingmarket.com.au , www.safetyrazors.com.au and www.therazorcompany.com

 

[SpeedyPC]

Post Shave Feel – 9 / 10

Have you been drinking again?

 

[Bladerunner7]

Have you been drinking again?

Only Oolong tea My Brother. Have had four shaves with it and for some reason, it always leaves my skin feeling good and smooth, no irritation etc. The slickness is just above average but the post shave is good enough for me to avoid a balm. The Shaving cream and the Lather tube were awful though.

You will love the next soap review.

I'm still laughing.

 

[SpeedyPC]

Only Oolong tea My Brother. Have had four shaves with it and for some reason, it always leaves my skin feeling good and smooth, no irritation etc. The slickness is just above average but the post shave is good enough for me to avoid a balm. The Shaving cream and the Lather tube were awful though.

You will love the next soap review.

I'm still laughing.

You're definitely drinking Clubman Pinaud Bay Rum again.

 

[Bladerunner7]

You're definitely drinking Clubman Pinaud Bay Rum again.

On the Rocks Muh man, with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint. Billions of bilious blue blistering barnacles in a thundering typhoon! Matey.

 

[SpeedyPC]

On the Rocks Muh man, with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint. Billions of bilious blue blistering barnacles in a thundering typhoon! Matey.

 

[TobyC]

I prefer the Veg, I guzzle it straight outa the bottle!

 

[Vittoria]

CLUBMAN PINAUD – SHAVING SOAP

First Look - Nothing much to write home about but the Clubman official colors of green and bronze that adorn the shaving soap tub’s cover. The company’s logo featuring the trademark dapper Frenchman and the birth year of the brand is reassuring for every wet shaver with a 200 year plus boast of producing men’s grooming products. This is a very standard container top for me and not one that would draw a second glance when placed on my shaving soap rack.

Side note – The Pinaud brand and its Clubman range of men’s toiletries was launched in 1810 at the House of Ed Pinaud in Paris. A well-known artist was commissioned to create the dapper Frenchman which graces the label on every product to date. American International Industries based in Los Angeles, California purchased the brand and its Clubman line three decades ago.

First Whiff – Inspired by the 1936 classic fragrance Canoe by Dana, Clubman Pinaud is supposed to have notes of lavender, lemon, clary sage, carnation, bourbon geranium, cloves, cedar, patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean, heliotrope , oakmoss and musk with a powdery dry down or finish, simply put this should be an aromatic fougere with a barber shop twist to it. So, the classic after shave lotion does smell a lot like the Dana classic parfum with one exception, the lemony note being more intense. As for the soap, I sniffed and I sniffed and I sniffed but the door to that aromatic fougere just wouldn’t open. A hint of lavender, carnation and musk was present but it was so faint that even a deep inhalation wasn’t good enough for me to pick up the notes well. While the after shave fragrance shines, the shaving soap smelled like a weak version of Ivory soap.

First Lather – Clubman Pinaud shave soap is extremely soft and just one notch thicker than what you would squeeze out of a tube. Bowl lathering made no sense and so I just smeared a teaspoon of the soap across my face and lathered up with my Shaving Shack Pure Badger brush titled, 'The Guvnor.' Incidentally, this is the first Badger brush I have ever used and it is a lather generator for sure. 30 seconds of face lathering followed by a few drops of water and I had a nice foamy lather. The lather wasn’t dense or creamy but a bit fluffy and airy. I gave the soap another minute of face lathering but the consistency stayed as it was. A good dose of Coconut oil in the soap can be credited for the foamy lather.

First Performance – Disappointed with the fragrance and the lather quality I was on the verge of writing the Clubman Pinaud shave soap off as a below average product. I have used the company's Lather Shave tube and the Classic Barber shave cream before with disappointing results, but this time I was wrong. Using a Kai blade in my Parker Variant OC on a four setting, the first stroke was enough to tell me that this was a no frills performing soap, I got through the first pass and noticed that my cheeks and the neck area felt moisturized and refreshed. A second pass was enough to deliver a BBS result with my skin feeling moist and rejuvenated. It is the performance where this Clubman product hits its stride. The cushion and protection provided by it are well balanced with enough slickness to aid glide. The stand out ingredients included in the soap are Sodium Stearate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Coco-Sulfate (coconut oil fatty acids) and Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter.

First Opinion – The Clubman Pinaud shave soap certainly delivered where it mattered most, the actual shave itself. When paired with the matching after shave lotion, it will transport you back to the classic barber shops where well-groomed gentlemen left the premises with a masculine yet lightly floral and talc like scent. My only crib is that this is a 2 ounce pour making it rather expensive when compared to some of the top tier soaps purely based on ingredients and performance. Is this a soap that will inhabit my den always? For sure, it will.

Cover Art Work – 5 / 10

Lather Quality – 5 / 10

Fragrance – 3 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 8 / 10

Slickness – 7 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 9 / 10

Value – 7 / 10

Total Point Score – 44 / 70

Availabilty – At all online retailers including www.shavingmarket.com.au , www.safetyrazors.com.au and www.therazorcompany.com

Great review as I have come expect @Bladerunner7.
I agree 100% that the cushioning and post shave feel are the important things to consider in a soap.
I can get by if the fragrance is average but the cushioning and post shave feel are first two thing I look for in a soap.
I know some members would disagree but the Arko shave stick in a good example of this.
in my opinion.
Cheers.

 

[Bladerunner7]

Great review as I have come expect @Bladerunner7.
I agree 100% that the cushioning and post shave feel are the important things to consider in a soap.
I can get by if the fragrance is average but the cushioning and post shave feel are first two thing I look for in a soap.
I know some members would disagree but the Arko shave stick in a good example of this.
in my opinion.
Cheers.

Cheers Mate, I do agree that the main function of a soap would be to provide cushion, protection and slickness. The top fragrances and the lather quality etc are an added bonus always.

 

[Bladerunner7]

BUNDUBEARD – AFTERNOON TEA (MUTTON TALLOW BASE)​

First Look - A colorful sketch of two women enjoying a cup of tea in what looks like a vineyard. They seem to be sharing a light-hearted moment and this cover makes me happy with its positive vibe every time I glance at it. I’m a fan of cartoons and caricatures, so this image set on an aluminum base with the brand and soap's name surrounding it is definitely one that I like.

Side note – Bundubeard owner and artisan Jaco Grobler comes from the construction industry where he ran his own company with a team of employees under him. Tired of the stress and the pressure that comes with running a construction business and with a leaning towards working with his own hands on something he was passionate about, Bundubeard/Boendoebaard was born. The aim of the company was to use the finest locally sourced ingredients to create affordable shaving software and other related products for South Africans so that they could have the best at the most affordable price, while saving thousands of rands by adopting classic wet shaving.

First Whiff – On opening the container, the fragrance of Afternoon Tea was a googly for me, if you are a cricket fan you would get that. I picked up a faint tea like note hidden underneath a light floral but powdery front with a subtle wine scent, a second whiff had a homemade cookie or biscuit like note to it. So, I went back to the look at the artisan’s word on the fragrance and then it hit me, this was actually pure genius. He describes the scent of it as two friends sipping tea in a relaxed mood at an open table in Cape Winelands (known for producing some of the country’s finest wines) with freshly baked delicious goodies on offer. Jaco created this soap for the fairer sex, it even has a matching aftershave leg balm titled Bundubabe ‘Afternoon Tea.’ This soap would definitely appeal to women but it would charm wet shaving males as well. While it is mid strength, the fragrance stands apart from the regular musk, tobacco, floral, candy sweet, fruity or leather focussed alternatives. Bundubeard set out to create a unique experience with this one and like me if you love cookies and biscuits dunked in a lightly floral or Rooibos tea, you will enjoy your shaves with it.

First Lather – This is roughly a 6.3 ounce pour in a brownish croap consistency. Scooping a teaspoon of it into my Hendrix Classics & Co bowl, I swirled my damp badger Brush in it for a minute before setting it aside to rest and absorb the water for thirty seconds. I followed this up with two cycles of adding a tablespoon of water and thirty seconds of brush rotations each time. It was amazing to see the lather build up in the bowl akin to whipping up heavy double cream, that’s exactly what it looked like. I lifted the brush out of the bowl with the lather and it felt like those good old Dairy Queen Ice creams that can be turned over without dripping or falling out of the cone. Post shave I even let the lather stay on the brush for an hour but it didn’t break down, maintaining its smooth and rich appearance. This is one of finest lathers I have seen any soap produce.

First Performance – I’m a fan of Mutton tallow and find that it works way better than it’s bovine counterpart in terms of slickness and post shave feel for me. I’m a bigger fan of minimal ingredients and Afternoon Tea consists of just Mutton tallow, H20, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Castor oil, Kalahari Melon oil, Virgin cold pressed Coconut oil off the tree, fragrance oils and essential oils. I had high expectations of this soap and I wasn’t disappointed. While applying the lather on my face, I could just tell that this soap was a skin nourishing product, my face felt good even before the first pass. My first pass with the Greencult 1.0 and a Wizamet Super Iridium blade was a breeze while mowing down a five day growth. The cushion and protection was top notch with the residual slickness just confirming why that razor seemed to glide effortlessly on my face. A second pass was enough for a BBS result with no touch ups and that slickness was still there on the cheeks in abundance. I’m going to credit the soap’s performance to the purity of ingredients in it and the perfect ratio of them used to create something magical.

First Opinion – Bundubeard’s ‘Afternoon Tea’ did not wow me with its fragrance but it was pleasant and intriguing enough for me to return to the tub a couple of times to sniff it. The 6 ounce plus pour and the aluminum container make this top value but importing it from the company’s website can be expensive due to shipping costs unless imported as a bulk order. Putting all that aside, this is one of the best performing soaps I have ever used and am more than eager to try out as many as I can from this wonderful and skilled artisan, “Jaco, you have a new fan Broer.”

Cover Art Work – 7 / 10

Lather Quality – 10 / 10

Fragrance – 6 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 10 / 10

Slickness – 10 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 10 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 63 / 70

Availabilty – www.bundubeard.co.za

 

[Vittoria]

Great review and info as usual and four 10/10s wow most importantly in cushioning and post shave.
I'm putting this one on the list for sure.
Big cheers.

 

[Bladerunner7]

Great review and info as usual and four 10/10s wow most importantly in cushioning and post shave.
I'm putting this one on the list for sure.
Big cheers.

Thanks much mate. It's a fabulous soap and highly recommended.

 

[SpeedyPC]

Lather Quality – 10 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 10 / 10

Slickness – 10 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 10 / 10

Something isn't right? Either he's drinking, smoking weed and maybe an early sign of wet shaving alzheimer's or dementia.