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Running out of Mike's natural bay rum, what next?

Lifes a Peach said:
Yeah, a few good points made above about using a freight forwarder. In some instances you do have to factor in the cost of local U.S. delivery and additional time. However, a few examples below of my experience with using shipito.com in US dollars. I purchase from both businesses and wet shavers.

Most recent purchases. Most would have set me back around $15 in postage. Costs below include the $1 handling fee.

- Used Gillette NEW (Total shipito cost to Melbourne $3.56, domestic postage fee bundled into the $30 price of the razor)
- New Razorock Stealth ($11, but would have cost around $4.50 if I did not opt for insurance. Italian Barber quoted $30 to Australia or free shipping within US).
- New Caties Bubbles ($7.92. Domestic postage was free)
- New L'Occitaine Plisson ($5.54, purchased new from a wet shaver - domestic postage was bundled into the overall brush price of $30)
- New Barrister & Mann ($5.93, purchased new from a wet shaver. Price was same as buying direct from B&M but no domestic postage cost)

Most shaving brushes set me back around $3.50 - $4.00.

Sometimes I choose to ship directly if the savings aren't worth it.

Initially I used my shipito address to purchase stuff from Amazon that they wouldn't ship to Australia. It comes in handy with so many CONUS only buys.
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Great! It'll come in handy next year. [emoji106][emoji4]
 
Great info, thanks for that!
 
filobiblic said:
And...? Tried it yet?
How is CB as a soap in performance and scent? What's it rate for you?
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Catie's Bubbles is an excellent performer. Lather's up very easily, and extremely slick. This one smells just like Earl Grey Tea, as you would expect from the bergamot. $20 for 8oz and it's very good value for money.
 
Lifes a Peach said:
Catie's Bubbles is an excellent performer. Lather's up very easily, and extremely slick. This one smells just like Earl Grey Tea, as you would expect from the bergamot. $20 for 8oz and it's very good value for money.
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It seems to have become "THE" soap to compare against in some circles. Just wondering how it compares to the wider circle of shaving soaps. How does it compare to other soaps (Mike's, Jabonman, Occams, Stirling, B&M, Speick, etc)?

Is its slickness the defining characteristic?

Is this in the French style of soap that Chris (of Caties Bubbles) makes? What is its consistency like?

(Thanks for answering! 8oz is good value for money- but not if you don't like it!!! I've always been curious about CB but never bought.)
 
I revisited Catie's this morning. Along with the bergamot there is a scent of black pepper. A soft soft that feels luxurious. Simple ingredient list, which I quite like.

Catie's defining characteristics are ease of lathering and unique scent. A very consistent layer of moisture rich lather that takes no time to whip up. Many soaps in my cupboard are close in terms of slickness properties.

For me, B&M sets the benchmark. It rates highly in all departments. Occams would be a serious challenger if they offered a better range of scents and a more competitive price. Catie's sits along side a myriad of soaps just below B&M.

One thing that is for sure - with every addition it gets harder for me to judge the quality of a soap. Jumping from one to another doesn't allow for any real appreciation.
 
Lifes a Peach said:
One thing that is for sure - with every addition it gets harder for me to judge the quality of a soap. Jumping from one to another doesn't allow for any real appreciation.
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So true! Although with the soaps I rate highly, I value their distinctive differences.
Here are some:
Johnny GoodSir - scent (unbelievable!)
Jabonman - complex scents and top cushion, good post-shave
Occams - great all-rounder
Etc, etc

I feel the artisan soaps tend to cluster around, jostling for No. 1 position. It's hard to put one over another.

So I often feel that it's personal preference that puts one over another. A favourite scent, or a value of high glide, may be what you like best. And as you said above LaP (and I've heard before) Occams would rate higher if it had more scents. But why? Is it for more choice? It's basically a personal preference.

I reckon just enjoy your soap and tell us why you enjoy it so much. Revel in its distinctive characteristic(s) because you enjoy it but others may not. IMO a top rated soap is because it is great and a lot of people recognise and appreciate its greatness.
 
Now is it just me or am I going out on a limb here? I love JGS scent, but the lather always ends up on the thin side for me. A little bit foamy feeling. It fluffs up but kinda lacks the density that occams has. Now I'm no good at bowl lathering but I start with a pretty dry brush and use a fair dob of product. I've used it maybe 4 times and I'd think there's better lather out there, though old mates nailed the scent.

How's you blokes getting on with it?
 
Nonick said:
How's you blokes getting on with it?
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Face lather!

Try palm lathering from zero water and build up. See what it feel like. Then, when you nail it, you can replicate it via bowl or face. I find face lathering gives me a feel for the lather.

(I try not to add too much water. I get good-great lather, but not overwhelming lather. The scent is the best part hands-down.)
 
Nonick said:
Now is it just me or am I going out on a limb here? I love JGS scent, but the lather always ends up on the thin side for me. A little bit foamy feeling. It fluffs up but kinda lacks the density that occams has. Now I'm no good at bowl lathering but I start with a pretty dry brush and use a fair dob of product. I've used it maybe 4 times and I'd think there's better lather out there, though old mates nailed the scent.

How's you blokes getting on with it?
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Sorry Nonick, mate, I'm the other way 'round. Being a tallow-based soap I find it plenty thick and cushioning. I was concerned about the lather bring too thick and lack of glide so added a little more water, it worked and the lanolin helps with the glide but, oddly, I don't get foamy. I bowl lather (in my Bridget Foley MensBiz - damn great bowl!!!) and will continue to do so as the results are always good. I'll lather it up tomorrow and see how I go.

What brush you using?
 
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Well I put a good smear in a bowl and a few drops of warm water on it to soften it, shake dry the simmo Berkeley and work from there. It makes a pretty foamy load but there is still unused soap on the bottom of the bowl I can't seem to coax it into the brush to thicken it up a bit.
 
Nonick said:
Well I put a good smear in a bowl and a few drops of warm water on it to soften it, shake dry the simmo Berkeley and work from there. It makes a pretty foamy load but there is still unused soap on the bottom of the bowl I can't seem to coax it into the brush to thicken it up a bit.
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Can't recall what it was like loading from a sample. I now load from the tub without hiccup - but will test again tomorrow morn.

Are yo using nice hot-warm water to build the lather?
 
Nonick said:
Well I put a good smear in a bowl and a few drops of warm water on it to soften it, shake dry the simmo Berkeley and work from there. It makes a pretty foamy load but there is still unused soap on the bottom of the bowl I can't seem to coax it into the brush to thicken it up a bit.
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After my abysmal experience with the sample of the Maggards soap, I read their instructions again. They said to remove all the sample and press into the bottom of a container. Then load from that.

Perhaps if you press the entire sample into the bottom of a container (bring out your jam jar kids again!). Then load from that container. AND THEN bowl or face lather away.

I've got a feeling that will help you out a lot. I'm guessing it will help me. I seem to recall that my experience of Maggards soap was similar to yours above with the JGS.

I'd love to try out my JGS tomorrow but I'm away. (I have a feeling that I did get good/great lather as per Stillsy, but I'm confusing my experience with the Maggards. I don't recall too bad a lather, it's more that it was different.)
 
If you can't get a super creamy lather with loads of glide - the soap is useless.

If it doesn't give you a fantastic post-shave feel for at least a couple of hours - life is too short to waste on such a product.

If you don't like the scent - get another one from the same producer - and if they don't have one (MWF anybody) - again life is way to short to have an unhappy nose :)


The only soap property I am prepared to make a consession is the ease of lather production. What is an extra minute or two if you get those wonderful yoghurty lathers that stay with you for the next hours (Mikes anybody)?

Too often the ease of lather production is the first point in a soap review followed by the scent, which is often way to personal anyway. I want to hear about the cushion, glide and post-shave feel.

So do I need CB??? And to get back on topic: you know you need some Mikes at home, so just bite the bullet, buy a couple of tins and get some happy shaves :) :) :)
 
Forgot to ask : what kind of lather does shaver heaven soaps make? I noticed that their soaps seem to be soft soaps, unlike mikes which is a hard soap...
 
Question said:
Forgot to ask : what kind of lather does shaver heaven soaps make? I noticed that their soaps seem to be soft soaps, unlike mikes which is a hard soap...
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Is there an actual proof for the correlation between the softness of the soap and the lather you get? I have never thought about this myself and don't recall reading anything about it...
 
Question said:
Forgot to ask : what kind of lather does shaver heaven soaps make? I noticed that their soaps seem to be soft soaps, unlike mikes which is a hard soap...
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Shaver Heaven sell soft soaps and hard glycerine soaps.

Their soft soaps produce beautiful lather very quickly. I recommend trying a tin. I've been using the "Heavenly Amber" scent and the lather is great.

(They now have free postage over $60.)

Hard soaps may last a bit longer, but often benefit from a little warm water on the puck and extended loading. A soft soap will usually load quicker. Both type will produce abundant and rich lather if lathered properly.
 
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