La Toja stick - masculine scent with great performance

[~Spyne~]

i'd be in for one

 

[$qwuzzy]

Any news, mister monsta?

 

[Drubbing]

Any news, mister monsta?

I've been holding off to wait on news. I think he's been busy moving interstate tho.

 

[Pjotr]

Not an easy thing to accomplish with 15,000 razor blades to pack safely.

 

[JugV2]

I'm sure his shaving gear travels under armed guard...possibly a lead and chase car. Gotta protect your investment.

 

[$qwuzzy]

Helicopters too!

Maybe even Italian Job style.

 

[Monsta_AU]

I've been holding off to wait on news. I think he's been busy moving interstate tho.

Not moving interstate, just to Sydney. Done 3 trips in the last two weeks looking for an apartment to rent!

Finally got a reply back, it seems that they are unable to supply the sticks now, however they will make some enquiries and will try to stock them in the future.

We could also ask Chris O'Grady to stock them, at least his postage is cheap but the unit price may not be. Will send him a message once B&B is up again.

If you guys want some now, I say grab from VS. I took mine to Sydney this morning, and lathered with the Kent VS80, Shaved with the NEW & the geniune Rubie Platinum. Nice shave.

 

[Drubbing]

Not moving interstate, just to Sydney.

Mudgee to Sydney? It'll feel like it.

 

[Monsta_AU]

It's like moving from West Africa to the East Coast of the US.... but I digress.

Chris got back to me, he said that the manufacturer is reluctant to send it out of the country on a wholesale basis. He wants it himself and will continue attempting to secure a supply, however that means a third party and higher costs I should think.

I suggest go with the VS option.

 

[Pjotr]

Why does it always feel like we're living on the moon here. I admit to actually buying something from Mr Shaver in Perth the other day. Now to all you non Perthites out there, Mr Shaver is located in a fancy shopping arcade in the middle of Perth CBD, has a fair number of wet shaving items displayed in glass jewelry cases and charges accordingly. There is nothing in that shop that you can't get for half or sometimes a third of the price delivered to your residence on the moon from any online shop you care to use. On top of that I was served by a sour faced old hog with a serious attitude. So, why did I buy from there you ask? Because I was just overjoyed that they had something in the flesh, physically there in front of me, shaving related that I wanted. By the time I recovered, my credit card and most of it's accompanying credit had dissappeared in to the machine. To sort of sweeten the deal the old hog uttered something like "It's made in France you know". It was a block of alum and no I'm not telling you how much. It's way too embarrasing.

In any case I'm in for a La Toja stick. If we only get a dollar off I'll be in tears of joy. Only one 'cause I'm trying to recover.

 

[Drubbing]

The bloke is the sour faced old goat with attitude. So at least they maintain a consistent level of service. I don't know how they survive there, I really don't.

 

[Pjotr]

The bloke is the sour faced old goat with attitude. So at least they maintain a consistent level of service. I don't know how they survive there, I really don't.

It is amazing. That probably explains the general sourness.

 

[Drubbing]

Chris got back to me, he said that the manufacturer is reluctant to send it out of the country on a wholesale basis. He wants it himself and will continue attempting to secure a supply, however that means a third party and higher costs I should think.

I suggest go with the VS option.

I don't think VS is much of an option. Factor in that the buyer (me) has to then post to any of the guys not in WA, even if it's only one, then the exercise is pointless to save $7, which is then used up in interstate post.

At that rate, it's far easier for everyone to buy their own.

 

[stillshunter]

But why start a new thread reviewing the La Toja stick, for the stills suds sampler, when there is a perfectly serviceable, yet dusty one right here?
NB: apologies in advance if I repeat anything already written on this thread before me, I've not looked at it intentionally so it doesn't sway my opinion in any way.

So let's kick off with the scent. I like it. It's simple and yet it's not. What is it? Well like most that you can't pin down I'd say "Barbershop". It's not the Tabac kind of barbershop as I could use this everyday and it wouldn't offend me - Tabac can tend sickly to my nose. This is more a spicy barbershop...to my nose. Also the scent softens and rounds off when wet. I even sense a little more pepper. All in all, a nice profile.

There is something so practical and right about shaving sticks. Rub them on your face - your stubble will pick up what you need - and then follow with a moistened brush. With La Toja there should be an accompanying "POP" sound as I swear there is a small chemical explosion that occurs at some atomic level. You go from randomly smeared film to full facial froth in seconds. And the resultant lather has a nice structure. The lather seems to offer good protection and glide when fresh - not the best but certainly well on the better side of OK. I have to throw this small caveat in - about 'freshness' - as I found that the lather can tend to dissipate by the pass' end. Though it doesn't simply disappear it dries and becomes a little chalky. Rest assured a simple revisit of the brush sees this remedied fast, but the lather is not a case of set and forget....and I did find myself having to reinvigorate a couple of times - no big deal for me, but of note....and a big deal for some.

Post-shave feel is good. Not the most moisturised I've experienced but better than many. I'd not call it drying, though I'd certainly not just rinse and continue with your day.

So....

Ratings:
on the binary @filobiblic metric® - for me the soap is a BUY IT!
on @Mark1966 's stillsy's super special shaving soap sample shenanigans smiley scale system® (thanks for the catchy title @borked ) it's a " - Good soap, a worthy one to keep but missing something"

I'd certainly be very happy with this as a travel soap. The scent is nice yet unobtrusive. I reckon you'd get a decent lather from most water sources, and that would offer a lather that contains most of what you'd need. Just be prepared to revisit the lather through your shave and top up the moisture levels post-shave. What I am not sure about is whether this would be my shaving stick of choice though? I would be very interested in seeing how it compared to Speick.
...bugger it, next shave will be with the Speick just to compare. Fresh off the back of shaving with the LaToja. Keep posted for the preference.

 

[stillshunter]

Addendum

Further to the above, thanks to today's SOTD I was able to determine which shaving stick I prefer between the La Toja and the Speick.

Scent: La Toja...though I like the Speick.
Lather: La Toja lathers quicker and easier, but the Speick lather has a better structure
Glide: Speick
Protection: Speick
Post-shave: Speick...by a healthy margin.

As much as I liked the La Toja, I'm sorry but there is something special about the German stick and it is the more likely travel companion of the two.

Looking forward to hearing what @Lifes a Peach thinks about how they compare.

 

[Pjotr]

I think what you're noticing broadly speaking is the difference between a tallow and a non-tallow soap. The advantage of La Toja is that it comes in a handy container. Speick doesn't. What's more, the diameter of the stick is such that it doesn't fit in any standard travel tube. I've got over that through wrapping a load of aluminium foil around it but still. Both are great soaps but for once I'll agree with your conclusions rather than sit on the balcony and pour clever dick remarks all over them.

 

[Mark1966]

I think I used my Speick stick in a UHU tube

 

[Lifes a Peach]

Can anyone think of a soap that enjoys more universal appeal than Speick? Soaps have their supporters and detractors but I've never heard a cross word said about Speick.

Nice review Stillsy I'll give both a go and decide which one accompanies me on our next family holiday.

 

[stillshunter]

The advantage of La Toja is that it comes in a handy container. Speick doesn't. What's more, the diameter of the stick is such that it doesn't fit in any standard travel tube.

I think I used my Speick stick in a UHU tube

Speick shaving stick fits almost perfectly in the Speick deo (deodorant) tube....just need to shave a bit from the top.
BTW: their deo is quite good too, just far too small a helping....a stick doesn't even last me a month or daily use.

 

[Mark1966]

Speick shaving stick fits almost perfectly in the Speick deo (deodorant) tube....just need to shave a bit from the top.
BTW: their deo is quite good too, just far too small a helping....a stick doesn't even last me a month or daily use.

BINGO - I might have to go back to this for travelling!

A small deodorant stick = light = good for travel

Where is the best place to buy them? or maybe I should stick to samples for a while ?