WEEKLY SHAVING SOAP REVIEW

[SpeedyPC]

I tried various ways to try and get a lather that lasted but couldn't. The best I could get was face lathering with a synthetic brush. The slickness was fantastic and is great for a SR shave, but you just can't keep the lather from disappearing.

Well, I've tried both ends face and bowl lather, the cushion keeps disappearing, but, the protection of slickness still remain strong.

I haven't tried adding a few drops of natural glycerine into this kangaroo tallow shaving soap for bowl lathering, and see the lather holds the cushion from disappearing. Have you tried this?

 

[Nanook]

I haven't tried adding a few drops of natural glycerine into this kangaroo tallow shaving soap for bowl lathering, and see the lather holds the cushion from disappearing. Have you tried this?

No, but it has to be worth a try.

 

[Bladerunner7]

Very good, honest review.

Thanks @Garry357 , much appreciated mate

I tried various ways to try and get a lather that lasted but couldn't. The best I could get was face lathering with a synthetic brush. The slickness was fantastic and is great for a SR shave, but you just can't keep the lather from disappearing.

My experience too with it.

Well, I've tried both ends face and bowl lather, the cushion keeps disappearing, but, the protection of slickness still remain strong.

I haven't tried adding a few drops of natural glycerine into this kangaroo tallow shaving soap for bowl lathering, and see the lather holds the cushion from disappearing. Have you tried this?

A higher amount of Stearic Acid would help a great deal as it binds the bubbles together to increase the density of the lather. They use Natural Stearic acid anyways but I believe it may be in smaller quantities as compared to the other ingredients.

Olive oil would help too in generating a creamy lather. In retrospect I think even if the percentage of the ingredients used was adjusted, it would make a big difference.

Will try adding a few drops of glycerine too.

It's a body soap that they have marketed as a shaving soap. No matter what you do, you will never get a firm lather like you should with a proper shaving soap.

This is what I thought as well mate but the slickness of the soap is unreal and it would take a lot of time to actually wash it off.

To be fair to Aussie Tallow, a pal of mine uses their Tallow skin healing balm and apparently it is top notch.

 

[Bladerunner7]

TRIGODON – WILD SEAS​

First Look - I’m late with my review and I have a valid reason... I was sailing the Wild Seas before being attacked by a Kraken who dragged me into the depths of the deep blue ocean where I fought a losing battle, my two average arms against its mighty tentacles . How did I live to tell the tale ? It wasn’t Poseidon or Aquaman who came to my rescue but Trigodon, a Sea King with three times the power of Poseidon. Honestly, that’s what happens when you sip too much Kraken Rum. Back to the review and a mate of mine from Bangalore ( a Southern State in India) passed me a tub of one of his favorite soaps to try out, Wild Seas by Trigodon, I’m still trying to source the roots of that brand name. Look it up on the Internet and an ancient creature that resembles a Rhinoceros pops up, that isn’t what I see on the puck or it’s cover though. I tried using different light angles and even magnifying the image but the cover of the container still has me puzzled. Drop me a note, if you figure it out. The image on the soap definitely resembles Poseidon and that might have been a better image to use on the metal cover. No brownie points for this one.

Side note – Trigodon is an Indian Brand that receives high praise on its home soil. The company released their first soap in 2015 after a year of multiple formulas tried tested and poured over and over before they hit the right one. The company is based in Bangalore and that was my attraction to the soap. Bangalore is known as the rock city of India where old school pubs that play solely Blues and Seventies rock still exist and are crowded on most nights. A visit to that vibrant Indian state many moons ago resulted in me acquiring the Steve Winwood CD Boxed Set and The Cream Boxed Set, two prized gems in my music collection.

First Whiff - Before opening the tin, I had high expectations as this soap came recommended by a friend and it’s fragrance profile was described as a classic aquatic cologne with notes of lemon, marjoram, orange and mimosa. What I got from my first whiff was a delicate Cool Water like fragrance with a strong mineral note underneath it. The Lemon and Mimosa come through but the Majoram is the surprise element that actually overpowers it’s colleagues. The overall scent was pleasant but not enough to extract a second whiff from me.

First Lather – Trigodon’s main claim to fame is their usage of virgin oils in their soaps and the ingredients are primarily Coconut Oil, Shea Butter and Glycerin. Not much to go by but I do know that Virgin Coconut Oil in the South of India is one of the finest you can find anywhere. I proceeded to lather with my newly acquired Rubab Men Hornet Synthetic Brush and a simple steel bowl. During the first thirty seconds, the bubbles and foamy lather reminded me of Coconut Oil being the main player but a few drops of water added and another minute of swirling the brush earned me a thick creamy lather. It was like, flip a coin and the desired consistency appears. I was impressed with how fast this soap could produce a luxurious lather. I was quite fascinated with the resin pour of the brush handle and how it changed under sunlight which got me to add two different lather shots.

First Performance – Over to the shave and a first pass with the Pearl Hammer and a Wilkinson Sword (Germany) blade saw most of my stubble cleared and my face left fairly moisturized. A second pass was enough for a BBS. I rubbed my cheeks all over and I could feel the residual slickness of the soap, it wasn’t much but it was there. What turned this shave around for me was the tingling sensation that had started after the first pass. I turned to the trusty old Nivea AS Balm to soothe the skin post shave and it did, but I could see the redness on my face start to grow gradually. An hour later and I resembled a coy Indian bride blushing on her wedding day. I couldn’t understand how a soap that performed so well could leave my skin irritated. I can handle soaps with a high Coconut oil or Shea butter content fairly well and I thrive on glycerin soaps as a pre-shave, then it hit me, this was fragrance burn. I have experienced this with a few soaps in the past where the artificial fragrance content is too high, TOBS Sandalwood is literally my Bogey soap and some of the Ariana & Evans soaps are a no go for me as well.

First Opinion – Trigodon Wild Seas is a pleasant smelling soap that delivers when it comes to a rich lather followed by average cushion and protection. The slickness factor is a little above average and this a soap I could reach for once in a while if it didn’t leave me RED. If you have sensitive skin that suffers from fragrance burn though, stay a few nautical miles away, if not I think it’s worth dipping your toes into the Wild Seas at least once to weather the storm.

Cover Art Work – 1 / 10

Lather Quality – 6 / 10

Fragrance – 4 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 5 / 10

Slickness – 6 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 2 / 10 (That’s my personal experience)

Value – 5 / 10

Total Point Score – 29 / 70

 

[Garry357]

Another great review.
I actually like the artwork, especially with a metal container.
Your resin brush looks amazing in the daylight (Caramel Fudge)

 

[Gargravarr]

Great review. I love that lather shot on the left, it's up with the very best.

 

[Bladerunner7]

Great review. I love that lather shot on the left, it's up with the very best.

Thanks Mate. Much appreciated.

Another great review.
I actually like the artwork, especially with a metal container.
Your resin brush looks amazing in the daylight (Caramel Fudge)

I was surprised at how the look of the Brush handle changed much in sunlight. Jury is still out on the artwork.

 

[Bladerunner7]

SOUTHERN WITCHCRAFTS – BOONANA​

First Look - Halloween just passed and while I’m not a fan of the celebration what better time than to review a soap connected to everything 'spooktacular' or at least in theme and appearance, Southern Witchcrafts ‘Boonana.’ The soap container’s cover features an aged look with a skull on it, bats seem to fly out from behind the skull while the SW logo sits beneath it. The only colored element is a banana skin which is worn by the skull like a pixie cap, it reminds me of Andy Warhol’s artwork for The Velvet Underground & Nico Album. I’m a fan of Andy Warhol, The Velvet Underground, black n white Sketches mingled with a colored objects and most of all Bananas, this cover was an absolute winner for me. You can be sure that once I’m done with the soap, this soap container will be retained in my collection.

Side note – Courtney Brooks and Stephen Joiner set up Southern Witchcrafts in 2017 with one aim - to create shaving soaps infused with fragrances true to real life, think Ashes, morning dew, wet wood and leaves post the rain, unusual floral blends to describe a few of their originals. Even with the vegan tag and the original scent creation stance, SW have garnered a huge fan following not only among vegan wet shavers but tallow base soap fans as well.

First Whiff – SW describe Boonana as no ordinary banana scent but a complex and rich blend of dark and spicy accords tailor made for Autumn. The fragrance notes listed are banana, bourbon, tobacco, lily, neroli, patchouli, vanilla, musk, pumpkin and cashmeran. What I get from my first whiff of the soap is caramelized banana with a subtle bourbon projection. The lily, neroli, vanilla, cashmeran and musk are present but more like a blend of sorts in the background. I tried to catch a hint of tobacco and pumpkin but failed to pick those up even after a second and third attempt. This is a unique fragrance, it isn’t fruity or sweet like a banana based product should be, on the contrary there’s something masculine about it but in a fresh and gentle way. The Boonana scent profile was an instant like and then it hit me as to why. I’m a Jack Daniel’s disciple and every avatar of it appeals to me whether the Old No.7, Single Barrel, Heritage Select, Barrel Strength or even the Gold No.27. Every time I open a JD product, that banana note mingled with the oak and the charcoal filtered bourbon puts a smile on my face and Boonana did just that.

First Lather – The Ingredient profile of Boonana includes water, stearic acid, shea butter, castor oil, potassium hydroxide, glycerine, coconut oil, sodium lactate, sodium hydroxide, jojoba oil, aloe powder, liquid aloe, isopropyl myristate, kaolin clay and fragrance oils. The list of butters and oils seemed good enough to produce a good lather and after scoping a teaspoon into my stainless steel bowl, I proceeded to work at it with my damp FS Pur-Tec Pro Synthetic Brush. Four cycles of thirty second brush rotations and a few drops of water added each time earned me a nice creamy lather, it wasn’t thick or pasty but creamy with a nice sheen to it. This is a thirsty soap and you need to put in the work to reap the rewards.

First Performance – Over to the shave and I proceeded to lather up, with every brush stroke on the face, that amazing fresh banana note kept coming through in spades like it was building up towards a crescendo. The best tool to test a soap’s cushion and protection for me is often the respected Ikon Tek and after loading a new Gillette Blue Swede into it, a trouble free first pass followed with the soap providing a decent glide. I ran my fingers over my cheeks soon after and figured that the slickness residue was minimal. On to the second pass and I finished with a BBS, no nicks, cuts or irritation. My cheeks felt a bit dry but not in a bad way. Somehow that post shave slickness contributed by a few top tier soaps wasn’t there. Having said that, the cushion and protection were good enough to ensure that the Ikon Tek performed in a disciplined manner. My only crib with this soap is that no matter how creamy or dense the lather is, it does tend to break down after a while. I have experienced this with a few vegan soaps and have often wondered if the Potassium content was spiked just a little bit, would it help with the lather consistency. I’m no soap maker and will leave that to the experts.

First Opinion – Southern Witchcrafts Boonana is a soap that performs and smells divine. I skipped the after shave this time and even after a few hours I could smell the soap on me. The cushion and protection while above average failed to impress me much but this is a soap that I would replenish if I ran out of it for sure, reserving it for occasions when I’m using a milder razor or for daily shaves. Highly recommended purely for its fresh fragrance and uniqueness.

Cover Art Work – 9 / 10

Lather Quality – 5 / 10 (Due to the lather breaking down)

Fragrance – 10 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 6 / 10

Slickness – 5 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 6 / 10

Value – 9 / 10

Total Point Score – 50 / 70

 

[Bladerunner7]

Lads, fellow Wet Shavers, RAD homies, Lather loyalists, Shaving Brush and Brush Handle Nerds and P&C Brothers, I knocked and knocked and the door finally opened after being locked out sorry logged out, ha ha ha ha ha. So I'm back in the saddle with more soaps and got a few reviews in waiting. Will add them slowly to catch up as I didn't want to miss a week.

it's funny how when all goes smoothly we sometimes take stuff for granted but when things go south, we do miss it much. Missed being able to log into the forum and thought it best to raise a toast to the site being back up with a Bay Rum soap.

 

[silverlifter]

So I'm back in the saddle with more soaps and got a few reviews in waiting.

Looking forward to the next installment. Not that I need any encouragement to acquire more soaps...

 

[Bladerunner7]

OGALLALA – BAY RUM & SWEET ORANGE - SHAVING SOAP​

First Look - The Ogallala Bay Rum and Sweet Orange Shaving Soap comes in a simplistic box reminiscent of a bath soap. The Company’s name is sandwiched between the words Genuine Bay Rum and is set against a label with a slightly aged look added to it. The ingredient list is also featured on the cover. Nothing extraordinary but the sticker on the box is pleasant to look at and the branding is effective making every product of the company easily discernible with its lettering and colours.

Side note – Ogallala Bay Rum run by two families took birth in 2006 when the founder created 130 versions before coming up with a bay rum cologne reminiscent of the one in his youth. The company now has the widest range of Bay rum dedicated products including Shave Soap Sticks, Bath Soaps, Skin Balm, Deodorant, Beard Oil, Beard Shampoo & Conditioner, Lotion , Cologne , Aftershave and Air Freshner. They even make a Weiner Shampoo for dogs and no alcohol fragrance is included in that one for Pooch.

First Whiff – I love the smell of dark rum as an alcohol but have never been a fan of Bay Rum shaving products as some smell like a heavily spiced rum, some purely like clove and others sickly sweet to my nose. That wasn’t the case with Ogallala Bay Rum and Sweet Orange, my first whiff had me hooked with the pleasant citrusy opening note sitting atop a gentle clove base. The orange aroma in this soap is unique and it reminds me of the orange peel my Mum soaks in rum for six months before making her traditional Christmas cake. While the latter tends to be a bit overwhelming, the soap is pleasant with a refreshing and almost invigorating fragrance of orange zest and a fresh clove. This Scent was a winner for me and I went back a couple of times to smell the puck, so good.

First Lather – The Soap comes with instructions to melt the puck in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds before pouring it into an empty small container or tub where it will set in a few minutes. I don’t have a microwave anymore thanks to my folks reading up too much on the harmful effects of the appliance online so I grated the puck and compressed it into a container (pic added). I brush loaded with my wet Zenith synthetic and proceeded to create a lather in a basic ceramic bowl, three cycles of thirty second brush rotations with ten drops of water added each time were good enough to produce a creamy lather. The lather wasn’t dense or yoghurt like in consistency but it was creamy with a good peaks on display.

First Performance – I proceeded to paint the lather on my cheeks and with every stroke that fresh orange and gentle clove blend kept bursting forth. First pass with my Ikon B1 Standard and a Feather blade was free of any micks or weepers, it wasn’t really smooth but the soap provided enough glide for the razor to behave itself. A second pass was good enough for a BBS and while the razor can be a tad bit aggressive, the soap did it’s job to provide a decent amount of slickness. This isn’t a soap known for its moisturizing qualities or post shave feel and features a simple list of ingredients including Coconut Oil, Palm oil, Castor Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerin, Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Shea Butter, Sorbitan Oleate, Soybean Protein, Titanium Dioxide, Bentonite Clay, Fragrance (proprietary blend including essential oils). Post shave my face did tingle a bit and that was probably due to the inclusion of clove essential oil but there was no skin irritation or redness.

First Opinion – Ogallala Bay Rum and Sweet Orange soap is a decent performer that can stand up to soaps that cost twice it’s price. While the cushion and protection remain average, it is the fragrance profile that is very addictive. This is a fun soap that has a ‘pick me up’ element to it mainly due to its unique orange and clove blend. My recommendation - Every shaving den should have one.

Cover Art Work – 4 / 10

Lather Quality – 5 / 10

Fragrance – 9 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 5 / 10

Slickness – 6 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 6 / 10 (That scent just lingers for a while)

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 45 / 70

Availabilty – Most online Shaving Supply Retailers

 

[Bladerunner7]

Looking forward to the next installment. Not that I need any encouragement to acquire more soaps...

@silverlifter , You are a good man.

I missed posting the new reviews. Got some fantastic soaps lined up next. What really amazes me is the amount of time these Artisans put into discovering the right formula and then re working the quantity of each ingredient to upgrade it later. I really admire the passion and elbow grease poured (pun intended) into their work, fascinating.

 

[Gargravarr]

... I knocked and knocked and the door finally opened after being locked out sorry logged out...

I had wondered if you might have been one of those caught up in the recent issues.

 

[Bladerunner7]

I had wondered if you might have been one of those caught up in the recent issues.

I was mate. Logged out on my phone and that was it. Good to be back.

 

[Vittoria]

SOUTHERN WITCHCRAFTS – BOONANA​

First Look - Halloween just passed and while I’m not a fan of the celebration what better time than to review a soap connected to everything 'spooktacular' or at least in theme and appearance, Southern Witchcrafts ‘Boonana.’ The soap container’s cover features an aged look with a skull on it, bats seem to fly out from behind the skull while the SW logo sits beneath it. The only colored element is a banana skin which is worn by the skull like a pixie cap, it reminds me of Andy Warhol’s artwork for The Velvet Underground & Nico Album. I’m a fan of Andy Warhol, The Velvet Underground, black n white Sketches mingled with a colored objects and most of all Bananas, this cover was an absolute winner for me. You can be sure that once I’m done with the soap, this soap container will be retained in my collection.

Side note – Courtney Brooks and Stephen Joiner set up Southern Witchcrafts in 2017 with one aim - to create shaving soaps infused with fragrances true to real life, think Ashes, morning dew, wet wood and leaves post the rain, unusual floral blends to describe a few of their originals. Even with the vegan tag and the original scent creation stance, SW have garnered a huge fan following not only among vegan wet shavers but tallow base soap fans as well.

First Whiff – SW describe Boonana as no ordinary banana scent but a complex and rich blend of dark and spicy accords tailor made for Autumn. The fragrance notes listed are banana, bourbon, tobacco, lily, neroli, patchouli, vanilla, musk, pumpkin and cashmeran. What I get from my first whiff of the soap is caramelized banana with a subtle bourbon projection. The lily, neroli, vanilla, cashmeran and musk are present but more like a blend of sorts in the background. I tried to catch a hint of tobacco and pumpkin but failed to pick those up even after a second and third attempt. This is a unique fragrance, it isn’t fruity or sweet like a banana based product should be, on the contrary there’s something masculine about it but in a fresh and gentle way. The Boonana scent profile was an instant like and then it hit me as to why. I’m a Jack Daniel’s disciple and every avatar of it appeals to me whether the Old No.7, Single Barrel, Heritage Select, Barrel Strength or even the Gold No.27. Every time I open a JD product, that banana note mingled with the oak and the charcoal filtered bourbon puts a smile on my face and Boonana did just that.

First Lather – The Ingredient profile of Boonana includes water, stearic acid, shea butter, castor oil, potassium hydroxide, glycerine, coconut oil, sodium lactate, sodium hydroxide, jojoba oil, aloe powder, liquid aloe, isopropyl myristate, kaolin clay and fragrance oils. The list of butters and oils seemed good enough to produce a good lather and after scoping a teaspoon into my stainless steel bowl, I proceeded to work at it with my damp FS Pur-Tec Pro Synthetic Brush. Four cycles of thirty second brush rotations and a few drops of water added each time earned me a nice creamy lather, it wasn’t thick or pasty but creamy with a nice sheen to it. This is a thirsty soap and you need to put in the work to reap the rewards.

First Performance – Over to the shave and I proceeded to lather up, with every brush stroke on the face, that amazing fresh banana note kept coming through in spades like it was building up towards a crescendo. The best tool to test a soap’s cushion and protection for me is often the respected Ikon Tek and after loading a new Gillette Blue Swede into it, a trouble free first pass followed with the soap providing a decent glide. I ran my fingers over my cheeks soon after and figured that the slickness residue was minimal. On to the second pass and I finished with a BBS, no nicks, cuts or irritation. My cheeks felt a bit dry but not in a bad way. Somehow that post shave slickness contributed by a few top tier soaps wasn’t there. Having said that, the cushion and protection were good enough to ensure that the Ikon Tek performed in a disciplined manner. My only crib with this soap is that no matter how creamy or dense the lather is, it does tend to break down after a while. I have experienced this with a few vegan soaps and have often wondered if the Potassium content was spiked just a little bit, would it help with the lather consistency. I’m no soap maker and will leave that to the experts.

First Opinion – Southern Witchcrafts Boonana is a soap that performs and smells divine. I skipped the after shave this time and even after a few hours I could smell the soap on me. The cushion and protection while above average failed to impress me much but this is a soap that I would replenish if I ran out of it for sure, reserving it for occasions when I’m using a milder razor or for daily shaves. Highly recommended purely for its fresh fragrance and uniqueness.

Cover Art Work – 9 / 10

Lather Quality – 5 / 10 (Due to the lather breaking down)

Fragrance – 10 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 6 / 10

Slickness – 5 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 6 / 10

Value – 9 / 10

Total Point Score – 50 / 70

This soap sounds really good BladeRunner 7
Unfortunately, I have 10 years supply of other soaps

 

[Monsta_AU]

Lads, fellow Wet Shavers, RAD homies, Lather loyalists, Shaving Brush and Brush Handle Nerds and P&C Brothers, I knocked and knocked and the door finally opened after being locked out sorry logged out, ha ha ha ha ha. So I'm back in the saddle with more soaps and got a few reviews in waiting. Will add them slowly to catch up as I didn't want to miss a week.

it's funny how when all goes smoothly we sometimes take stuff for granted but when things go south, we do miss it much. Missed being able to log into the forum and thought it best to raise a toast to the site being back up with a Bay Rum soap.

Pleased you are back on. Took a significant amount of effort to find the gremlin and banish him out into the sun.

 

[Bladerunner7]

This soap sounds really good BladeRunner 7
Unfortunately, I have 10 years supply of other soaps

Me too mate. The Boonana for me is like a Jack Daniels without the alcohol.

Pleased you are back on. Took a significant amount of effort to find the gremlin and banish him out into the sun.

Thanks Mate. You got the site back up and running, more power to ya.