TALENT SOAP FACTORY - 656
First Look - A car cruising along a coastline, blue skies and waters, the surf visible in the distance and a palm tree as well, this soap container cover looks like it was pulled out of a Tintin comic book, children and adults alike would dig it and so do I. The soap’s title or 656 is the number of miles that the Pacific Coast Highway stretches for making it the longest state route in California, and the second-longest in the US after Montana Highway 200, the 'mi' added after the name denotes this. This soap artwork took me back to my time spent with a close friend on Great Ocean Drive in Victoria and also to a very eventful journey down Pacific Coast Drive from New South Wales to Queensland.
Side note – Talent Soap Factory owner and Artisan Aaron has gained much popularity for his unique shaving soap fragrances reminiscent of spray paint, jelly beans, concrete, glazed donuts, grape soda, wax crayons and even bubblegum to name a few. His mother is a painter and the unique jar art is mostly designed by her. Sometimes he even creates a soap based on one of her new paintings. Located in Kansas Missouri, Aaron also restores vintage brush handles and adds new knots to them, giving the aged lather makers an all new lease of life.
First Whiff – I was once stumped when a friend asked me to find the corner in his newly renovated living room which was circular, it’s true people do crazy stuff to their living space nowadays. That’s how I felt when I took a whiff of 656. The scent notes are described as Calabrian Bergamot, Surf Melon, Orange Peel, Cyclamen, Damascena Rose, Water Jasmine, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Moss & Musk. I took a second whiff and while traces of all the scent notes seemed to be present, none stood out. The scent was gentle and pleasant but I couldn’t get my head around it. So, I passed the open tub to my Mum asked her what the fragrance reminded her off ? she said, ‘Clean air, like being close to a beach or the waterfront where the air is pleasant and refreshing.’ In all my effort to pick out the notes, I had missed the whole picture, Aaron had created a scent reminiscent of a serene drive on the Pacific Coast Highway and that’s exactly what the artwork described. I tip my hat off to that and to my Mum for getting it right.
First Lather – Using a Yaqi Caramel Best Badger Brush, a Japan home bowl, a teaspoon of the soap and two tablespoons of water I was able to work up a pasty base after a minute of brush swirling. Two more cycles followed of a minute each with a tablespoon of water added each time before I had a fluffy, light and unique lather. 656 maybe a vegan soap but it craves water just like a tallow soap does.
First Performance – The soaps ingredients include Potassium Stearate, Glycerin, Babussu Seed Oil, Mango Seed Butter, Sodium Stearate, Aqua, Avocado Oil, Parfum & Castor Oil. While lathering up, I could feel the moisturizing quality of the vegan butters on my cheeks, it reminded me a lot of Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements or Hendrix Classics & Co's soaps. I had a smooth two pass BBS with my Green Cult 1.0 and a Feather Stainless blade. The soap provided adequate cushion and protection but where it stood out most, was the slickness. 656 is one of the slicker soaps I have used, straight razor loyalists would love it big time.
First Opinion – 656 may not ring the bells when it comes to top cushion and protection but its slickness had me hooked. The fragrance being mid strength wasn’t a selling point for me but the fact that it replicated the scene the artisan set out to create makes it one of the most unique soaps I have used. I’d say, "Pick up a tub of 656 and get ready for a relaxing cruise down the Pacific Coast Highway."
Cover Art Work – 8 / 10
Lather Quality – 7 / 10
Fragrance – 6 / 10
Cushion & Protection – 7 / 10
Slickness – 9 / 10
Post Shave Feel – 6 / 10
Value – 10 / 10
Total Point Score – 53 / 70
Availability –
https://www.etsy.com/ie/shop/TalentSoapFactory?ref=l2-about-shopname&from_page=listing
