• Domain Change - We have moved to https://paste-and-cut.com as our new domain.

    If you are using shortcuts or bookmarks for the old paste-and-cut.com.au domain, you need to update these or they will cease working from the 25th January, 2025. Please check the notice post for more details on this change to the forum.

WEEKLY SHAVING SOAP REVIEW

Do you know his cause of death ?
He was quite young and looked in good health,if he was ill it must have been very sudden.
@SpeedyPC 's right. it was Cancer. Lost three close friends to it in the last four months. Two former classmates in their late forties and the third a fitness fanatic who was a tee teetotaler. Two of them succumbed to a form of Turbo Cancer, gone in less than 90 days after they detected it. Seems to be a new form of the Big C.
 
What a great review, well done. Even though I don't necessarily feel the urge to rush out and buy all of the soaps you have tried, I get immense enjoyment from your thorough and informative approach. (y) (y)

I was aware that Shannon Logan who honed her soap making and perfumery skills during the pandemic is known to use raw goats milk and grass fed beef tallow in her shaving soaps so I wasn’t surprised. However when I read the ingredients in the soap I was left shell shocked, Double Y has only Distilled Water, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Coconut Oil, Glycerin, Fragrance and Kaolin Clay in it. No goat’s milk, no tallow, no Tussah silk or any other fancy butters.
As a chemist (by training), I'd say that raw or pasteurised goat's milk or grass-fed vs silage-fed beef tallow would most likely be totally indistinguishable once you've boiled them up in the presence of NaOH or KaOH.

I've long ceased to be convinced that rendering down strange and unusual animals for their triglycerides makes for a better shaving soap. The 18-carbon fatty acid known commonly as stearic acid can as easily be derived from veg sources as from animal. That list of ingredients is not vastly different from the famous MdC base (apart than the kaolin) or the Eufros soap I used this morning, though I assume the proportions are different. One thing I would say in favour of such veg-based soaps is that the animalish residues from the tallow-making process do have a tendency to leave a more funky smelling product at the end of the process.
 
What a great review, well done. Even though I don't necessarily feel the urge to rush out and buy all of the soaps you have tried, I get immense enjoyment from your thorough and informative approach.
Totally appreciate the kind words Brother.

As a chemist (by training), I'd say that raw or pasteurised goat's milk or grass-fed vs silage-fed beef tallow would most likely be totally indistinguishable once you've boiled them up in the presence of NaOH or KaOH.

I've long ceased to be convinced that rendering down strange and unusual animals for their triglycerides makes for a better shaving soap. The 18-carbon fatty acid known commonly as stearic acid can as easily be derived from veg sources as from animal. That list of ingredients is not vastly different from the famous MdC base (apart than the kaolin) or the Eufros soap I used this morning, though I assume the proportions are different. One thing I would say in favour of such veg-based soaps is that the animalish residues from the tallow-making process do have a tendency to leave a more funky smelling product at the end of the process.
I couldn't have said this better mate, you are bang on here about the performance factor regarding non tallow and tallow based soaps. So many Vegan or non tallow soaps perform on par or even better than their tallow based counterparts. Having said that, I have noticed a difference in prescribed moisturizers for extreme dry skin where heavy tallow based ones outperform their vegan brethren. In shaving soaps I don't think it really makes too much of a difference and here's a strange one, I used a vegan soap today that had a pure tallow scent, it was strange

I did not know that you are a trained chemist mate, I think that is so cool. My older sibling is one as well and has spent his whole life in a pharma company. Being around him through my growing years is also what got me interested in the chemical composition of almost anything and everything and in the list of ingredients as well.
 
I did not know that you are a trained chemist mate, I think that is so cool. My older sibling is one as well and has spent his whole life in a pharma company. Being around him through my growing years is also what got me interested in the chemical composition of almost anything and everything and in the list of ingredients as well.
I sort of fell into it by accident. When I was about 40, I started on a new chapter by enrolling in a BsC Biotechnology degree (which of course is all chemistry) which somehow spun off into a(nother) career as a cheesemaker. Go figure. 🤷
 
career as a cheesemaker
This is even more fascinating. J....You are a man of many talents, very admirable. My sensitive skin and allergies took me on a similar path a few years back and then finally into learning hot as well as cold process soap making, essential oil and fragrance molecule extraction and most importantly - learning about allergens in raw materials depending on source, processing methods and transportation pitfalls.

It's funny how our basic college education and degrees become a departure from the stuff we land up doing and love in later years, that's the joy of life I guess.
 
This is even more fascinating. J....You are a man of many talents, very admirable. My sensitive skin and allergies took me on a similar path a few years back and then finally into learning hot as well as cold process soap making, essential oil and fragrance molecule extraction and most importantly - learning about allergens in raw materials depending on source, processing methods and transportation pitfalls.

It's funny how our basic college education and degrees become a departure from the stuff we land up doing and love in later years, that's the joy of life I guess.
The whole point of education is to start you thinking. Never mind what job you want/need to do (even if it's nothing), the ability to think creatively and/or critically is what's most important. Of course, many, if not most governments don't want you doing that, which is why education is always the first to be hit when the agenda comes to a point.
 
The whole point of education is to start you thinking. Never mind what job you want/need to do (even if it's nothing), the ability to think creatively and/or critically is what's most important. Of course, many, if not most governments don't want you doing that, which is why education is always the first to be hit when the agenda comes to a point.
Well said my friend...well said.
 

PHOENIX ARTISAN ACCOUTREMENTS – DOPPELGÄNGER TRICOLOR LABEL​

IMG-20250408-234534.jpg
IMG-20250409-203053.jpg


First Look - An astronaut head with moose antlers set against the colors of the Irish flag, the message is loud and clear, this is a tribute to the iconic Sir Irisch Moos shave stick and fragrance. Phoenix Shaving stay with their space age theme and cover art that adorns every doppelganger release cover but the few changes made here are pure genius. Love the cover.

Side note – Erik Hodges aka Douglas Smythe and his partner Frances Towle better known to the shaving community as Doug & Fran are the owners of Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements or Phoenix Shaving or PAA. While science fiction and space age themes surround the presentation and design of their shaving gear, the pick of the company’s products is their shaving soap's CK-6 base known for its stellar and consistent performance.

First Whiff – Sir Irisch Moos by Mäurer & Wirtz had men around the globe hooked onto its fresh and green fragrance, only to leave them heartbroken when the company pulled it out of their product line up. Many tried to replicate it and PAA came fairly close with their Doppelganger Tricolor shaving soap a few years ago. So, when I received my tub of the upgraded re-release in March this year, I was expecting the same product but I was wrong. On opening the tub, that old addictive and invigorating rush of everything green and fresh hit me straight in the nose, the , this is a bang on dupe of the retired Sir Irisch Moos. Those opening notes of Bergamot, Lemon, Orange, Rosemary, Coriander chased by Lavender, Cedar, Geranium and a hint of clove all resting together on a base of Patchouli, Oakmoss and Tonka Bean, they are all here and perfectly balanced. How Doug & Fran pulled this off I have no idea but they nailed it to a T. I actually regret not having picked up the matching After Shave Cologne.

First Lather – I loved the earlier Crown King 1 base but the CK-6 has always been a notch above for me. Using my Beard & Blade Nebular chubby brush and my HC & Co Stainless Steel bowl, I added a tablespoon of water to a teaspoon of the soap. A sixty second swirling of the brush saw that pasty lather begin to take shape, two more tablespoons of water followed by 90 seconds of vigorous brush swirling and I had a thick and creamy lather in the bowl. The CK-6 base never disappoints when it comes to the lather and with the soap's fragrance even stronger after the bowl lathering process, I was pleased as punch.

IMG-20250408-234828.jpg
IMG-20250409-002421.jpg


First Performance – I decided to go with my PAA Meta-4 razor and a Gillette Rubie blade for this shave. While painting the first few strokes of lather, those green forward fragrance notes kept coming at me in waves. I had a super smooth and efficient two pass BBS followed by a decent amount of residual slickness on the cheeks post shave. Having used the earlier version of this soap, it felt like an old friend had returned home only better dressed and smelling like a million bucks this time around.

First Opinion – I’m a fan of Sir Irisch Moos and even though I don’t possess the shave stick anymore, the EDT bottle of this special fragrance is enough to satisfy my nose. The newly upgraded PAA Doppelganger Tricolor Artisan label soap gets the balance of the fragrance notes perfectly to recreate the iconic Maurer and Wirtz product, and with the CK-6 base in tow, it runs a mile ahead of the original in terms of performance. It may be sold out for now but when it is released again, I would strongly recommend you get a tub or two, the respected Sir Irisch would agree.

Cover Art Work – 8 / 10

Lather Quality – 10 / 10

Fragrance – 10 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 9 / 10

Slickness – 8 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 63 / 70

Availability – Seasonal or Limited Edition release only at https://phoenixartisanaccoutrements.com
 
Last edited:

PHOENIX ARTISAN ACCOUTREMENTS – DOPPELGÄNGER TRICOLOR LABEL​

IMG-20250408-234534.jpg
IMG-20250409-203053.jpg


First Look - An astronaut head with moose antlers set against the colors of the Irish flag, the message is loud and clear, this is a tribute to the iconic Sir Irisch Moos shave stick and fragrance. Phoenix Shaving stay with their space age theme and cover art that adorns every doppelganger release cover but the few changes made here are pure genius. Love the cover.

Side note – Erik Hodges aka Douglas Smythe and his partner Frances Towle better known to the shaving community as Doug & Fran are the owners of Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements or Phoenix Shaving or PAA. While science fiction and space age themes surround the presentation and design of their shaving gear, the pick of the company’s products is their shaving soap's CK-6 base known for its stellar and consistent performance.

First Whiff – Sir Irisch Moos by Mäurer & Wirtz had men around the globe hooked onto its fresh and green fragrance, only to leave them heartbroken when the company pulled it out of their product line up. Many tried to replicate it and PAA came fairly close with their Doppelganger Tricolor shaving soap a few years ago. So, when I received my tub of the upgraded re-release in March this year, I was expecting the same product but I was wrong. On opening the tub, that old addictive and invigorating rush of everything green and fresh hit me straight in the nose, the , this is a bang on dupe of the retired Sir Irisch Moos. Those opening notes of Bergamot, Lemon, Orange, Rosemary, Coriander chased by Lavender, Cedar, Geranium and a hint of clove all resting together on a base of Patchouli, Oakmoss and Tonka Bean, they are all here and perfectly balanced. How Doug & Fran pulled this off I have no idea but they nailed it to a T. I actually regret not having picked up the matching After Shave Cologne.

First Lather – I loved the earlier Crown King 1 base but the CK-6 has always been a notch above for me. Using my Beard & Blade Nebular chubby brush and my HC & Co Stainless Steel bowl, I added a tablespoon of water to a teaspoon of the soap. A sixty second swirling of the brush saw that pasty lather begin to take shape, two more tablespoons of water followed by 90 seconds of vigorous brush swirling and I had a thick and creamy lather in the bowl. The CK-6 base never disappoints when it comes to the lather and with the soap's fragrance even stronger after the bowl lathering process, I was pleased as punch.

IMG-20250408-234828.jpg
IMG-20250409-002421.jpg


First Performance – I decided to go with my PAA Meta-4 razor and a Gillette Rubie blade for this shave. While painting the first few strokes of lather, those green forward fragrance notes kept coming at me in waves. I had a super smooth and efficient two pass BBS followed by a decent amount of residual slickness on the cheeks post shave. Having used the earlier version of this soap, it felt like an old friend had returned home only better dressed and smelling like a million bucks this time around.

First Opinion – I’m a fan of Sir Irisch Moos and even though I don’t possess the shave stick anymore, the EDT bottle of this special fragrance is enough to satisfy my nose. The newly upgraded PAA Doppelganger Tricolor Artisan label soap gets the balance of the fragrance notes perfectly to recreate the iconic Maurer and Wirtz product, and with the CK-6 base in tow, it runs a mile ahead of the original in terms of performance. It may be sold out for now but when it is released again, I would strongly recommend you get a tub or two, the respected Sir Irisch would agree.

Cover Art Work – 8 / 10

Lather Quality – 10 / 10

Fragrance – 10 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 9 / 10

Slickness – 8 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 63 / 70

Availability – Seasonal or Limited Edition release only at https://phoenixartisanaccoutrements.com
This is only available directly from Stirling website, isn't ready to other wet shaving supplies just yet

It's been on my radar for a while.

i-rich-moose-shave-soap-jar-stirling.jpg
 
Another great review @Bladerunner7 and a high score.
I used the PAA Atomic bay rum today it was great bay rum scent is spot on.
I see its the same formula do you have some info on this?
Thanks for recommending it.
Cheers.
Thanks much mate, Your Atomic Bay Rum definitely has the CK-6 formula.

The PAA CK-1 or Crown King base tends to produce voluminous lather and requires little hydration. The CK-6 on the other hand requires a bit more water and the lather tends to be slicker and thicker than its predecessor but also lower in structure. The post shave residual slickness and face feel is better than the older base for sure. The difference lies in the addition of three butters to the current base, namely Bacuri, Cupuacu and Murumuru.

Bacuri Butter - sourced from the seeds of a fruit works is an emollient and high moisturizing agent that can penetrate the skin really fast, it contributes to an excellent post shave feel. It also provides a glow on the skin while helping with various skin issues like reducing the appearance of scars, dark spots and stretch marks.

Cupuacu Butter - sourced from the fruit of the same name remains one of my favorite veggie butters, it has the ability to absorb a good amount of water while simultaneously preventing moisture from escaping out of the skin. It is the holy grail for vegan soap makers who use it as a substitute for lanolin. It works just as well or sometimes even better than lanolin depending on the amount used in the soap making process. Great for lanolin allergic shavers.

Murumuru Butter – This one has a lot of benefits and properties but in a nutshell, it provides excellent post residual slickness. It is rightfully nicknamed veggie silicone.

Hope that helps. I still have two PAA soaps with the old base and love those to bits as well.
 
This is only available directly from Stirling website, isn't ready to other wet shaving supplies just yet

It's been on my radar for a while.

i-rich-moose-shave-soap-jar-stirling.jpg
I think that cover is genius too and so is the title. Got one on the way with the AS. It's available at The Razor Company and they can ship the AS to Australia as well. Can't go wrong with Stirling for performance. Love what Rod and Mandy do with their products.

Go for it @SpeedyPC
 


There you go mate. I'm sure it will move fast.
 

PHOENIX ARTISAN ACCOUTREMENTS – DOPPELGÄNGER TRICOLOR LABEL​

IMG-20250408-234534.jpg
IMG-20250409-203053.jpg


First Look - An astronaut head with moose antlers set against the colors of the Irish flag, the message is loud and clear, this is a tribute to the iconic Sir Irisch Moos shave stick and fragrance. Phoenix Shaving stay with their space age theme and cover art that adorns every doppelganger release cover but the few changes made here are pure genius. Love the cover.

Side note – Erik Hodges aka Douglas Smythe and his partner Frances Towle better known to the shaving community as Doug & Fran are the owners of Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements or Phoenix Shaving or PAA. While science fiction and space age themes surround the presentation and design of their shaving gear, the pick of the company’s products is their shaving soap's CK-6 base known for its stellar and consistent performance.

First Whiff – Sir Irisch Moos by Mäurer & Wirtz had men around the globe hooked onto its fresh and green fragrance, only to leave them heartbroken when the company pulled it out of their product line up. Many tried to replicate it and PAA came fairly close with their Doppelganger Tricolor shaving soap a few years ago. So, when I received my tub of the upgraded re-release in March this year, I was expecting the same product but I was wrong. On opening the tub, that old addictive and invigorating rush of everything green and fresh hit me straight in the nose, the , this is a bang on dupe of the retired Sir Irisch Moos. Those opening notes of Bergamot, Lemon, Orange, Rosemary, Coriander chased by Lavender, Cedar, Geranium and a hint of clove all resting together on a base of Patchouli, Oakmoss and Tonka Bean, they are all here and perfectly balanced. How Doug & Fran pulled this off I have no idea but they nailed it to a T. I actually regret not having picked up the matching After Shave Cologne.

First Lather – I loved the earlier Crown King 1 base but the CK-6 has always been a notch above for me. Using my Beard & Blade Nebular chubby brush and my HC & Co Stainless Steel bowl, I added a tablespoon of water to a teaspoon of the soap. A sixty second swirling of the brush saw that pasty lather begin to take shape, two more tablespoons of water followed by 90 seconds of vigorous brush swirling and I had a thick and creamy lather in the bowl. The CK-6 base never disappoints when it comes to the lather and with the soap's fragrance even stronger after the bowl lathering process, I was pleased as punch.

IMG-20250408-234828.jpg
IMG-20250409-002421.jpg


First Performance – I decided to go with my PAA Meta-4 razor and a Gillette Rubie blade for this shave. While painting the first few strokes of lather, those green forward fragrance notes kept coming at me in waves. I had a super smooth and efficient two pass BBS followed by a decent amount of residual slickness on the cheeks post shave. Having used the earlier version of this soap, it felt like an old friend had returned home only better dressed and smelling like a million bucks this time around.

First Opinion – I’m a fan of Sir Irisch Moos and even though I don’t possess the shave stick anymore, the EDT bottle of this special fragrance is enough to satisfy my nose. The newly upgraded PAA Doppelganger Tricolor Artisan label soap gets the balance of the fragrance notes perfectly to recreate the iconic Maurer and Wirtz product, and with the CK-6 base in tow, it runs a mile ahead of the original in terms of performance. It may be sold out for now but when it is released again, I would strongly recommend you get a tub or two, the respected Sir Irisch would agree.

Cover Art Work – 8 / 10

Lather Quality – 10 / 10

Fragrance – 10 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 9 / 10

Slickness – 8 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 63 / 70

Availability – Seasonal or Limited Edition release only at https://phoenixartisanaccoutrements.com
Excellent review, well done. (y) I had another Doppelganger (Red) as a sample a a few years back as part of a "Care Package" from a (no longer active, hope he's OK) member while I was foolishly engaged in my 2021 sabbatical. I've no idea what that scent is meant to be a dupe of, but the soap was really excellent.
 
Excellent review, well done. (y) I had another Doppelganger (Red) as a sample a a few years back as part of a "Care Package" from a (no longer active, hope he's OK) member while I was foolishly engaged in my 2021 sabbatical. I've no idea what that scent is meant to be a dupe of, but the soap was really excellent.
Thanks Mate. If it was Doppelganger Red Oxblood then that's a dupe of Penhaligon's Sartorial. The Doppelganger Red is actually much sought after and pricey on re sale.
 
Back
Top