WEEKLY SHAVING SOAP REVIEW

[Bladerunner7]

SIR HENRY’S – KENTUCKY RAIN SHAVE SOAP​

First Look - Brand name, shaving soap name, country of manufacture, fragrance notes and the product’s promise, that’s what adorns the cover of Sir Henry’s ‘Kentucky Rain’ shave soap. Simple at first glance but if you look at the colors again, the Blue White and Gold represent the State Flag of Kentucky with only the green missing from the soap tub’s cover. It may be a simple label to look at, but its characteristic branding makes it an easily recognizable product of The Black Tie Razor company and that works for me.

Side note – Sir Henry’s is a brand owned by The Black Tie Razor Company started by three friend’s - Brad, Dominick and Joe over a couple of drinks. The trio were passionate about the joy of old school wet shaving and wanted to share it with other shavers by creating a high quality shaving soap. Trials and tests with their new shaving soap led the trio to develop an entire range of shaving gear with a strong focus on the software.

First Whiff – Dominik, one third of the Black Tie Razor Company partnership and the most active on social media confirmed that the soap was a tribute to all things Kentucky before it was launched. The aim was to capture the ‘Run for the Roses’, the ‘Bourbon’ the state is known for and the ‘leather of a saddle.’ So why roses when the Goldenrod is the state flower of Kentucky ? The iconic Kentucky Derby is also known as the ‘Run Of The Roses’ because a Lush blanket of 554 Roses is awarded to the winner each year., a tradition that dates back to 1896. I’m a fan of Rose, Bourbon and Leather and had great expectations when I took a first whiff, only to be left a bit confused. The most forward scent note was leather, not the masculine and overpowering kind that inhabits most premium men’s EDT or aftershaves but a gentle one. The leather note reminded me more of the big brand ladies handbags, a second whiff and the rose came through, it wasn’t that strong flowery fragrance but a soft note that complemented the leather. A third whiff followed but that boozy note eluded me entirely, I’m a Bourbon guy and that’s all I ever drink beside an occasional Vodka, I could sniff a Stagg Jr, an Eagle Rare, a Woodford Reserve or a Blanton’s from two miles away so it definitely wasn’t my nose. What I did get though was a kind of woody or sandalwood powdery dry down with a hint of vanilla, pleasant but not what I was expecting. Don’t get me wrong, this soap has a good fragrance but it just wasn’t up to my liking.

First Lather – I wasn’t blown away by the scent of Kentucky rain and was expecting the lather to make up for it. I proceeded to swirl my Yaqi Purple Mink Synthetic brush in my HC & Co lather bowl with a teaspoon of soap and two tablespoons of water. It took me sixty seconds to see a nice pasty lather form, adding a tablespoon more of water I kept working the soap for another two minutes and that was enough to produce a dense and luxurious lather. This isn't a thirsty soap and I was very impressed with the lather quality.

First Performance – What better to test the soap’s performance with then your sharpest blade and a fairly aggressive razor, so a 2013 Muhle R41 loaded with a Kai was employed. I had a two pass BBS with a decent amount of residual slickness post shave. It is in the actual shave that this soap shines with excellent cushion and protection, it provided superb glide for the razor as well and remember that missing note of Bourbon, it came through often during the lathering process. The magic of this soap's performance lies in the generous dose of quality ingredients including tallow and rich veggie butters blended together in the right amount. The ingredients are stearic acid, coconut oil, tallow, castor oil, kokum butter, water, fragrance, shea butter, jojoba oil, avocado oil, sodium lactate and glycerin, not too many but just perfect.

First Opinion – Sir Henry’s, a premium brand of The Black Tie Razor company often flies under the radar and though I wasn’t blown away by the fragrance, ‘Kentucky Rain’ is a top tier soap with a terrific base that offers great bang for your buck being a 7 ounce pour. This is a soap I will keep in my den always, specially when I need a reliable lather partner. I’m on the hunt for Sir Henry’s other offerings now and I highly recommend that you do the same.

Cover Art Work – 6 / 10

Lather Quality – 9 / 10

Fragrance – 6 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 10 / 10

Slickness – 9 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 9 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 59 / 70

Availability – https://www.sirhenryssundries.com/kentucky-rain-shave-soap-aftershave/ and https://wetshaving.store/products/search?keyword=sir henrys

 

[Bladerunner7]

THE CAJUN BLADE – “FORÉT DE PINS”​

First Look - “I believe in miracles, Where you from, you sexy thing?,” that opening line from the Hot Chocolate hit featured in ‘The Full Monty,’ that’s what I’m reminded of when I look at the soap tub’s cover. A second glance at the whole picture reveals more with the soap’s title, “Forét De Pins” in Cajun French which simply translates to 'Forest of the Pines.' The Pine forest in the background is what this soap’s fragrance is all about. This is a well thought of illustration that would appeal to every lad that I know and it makes for an edgy yet unique cover.

Side note – Eric Hebert, the artisan behind the Cajun Blade shaving soaps is a die hard straight razor shaver and his line of soaps was originally created for that purpose mainly for personal use. The desire to share his product with other shavers led him to starting a small home made line of soaps. Every hot processed soap is crafted in small batches by hand using the best available and natural ingredients. The artisan himself is proudly Cajun. The Cajuns are an ethnic group in South Louisiana, USA that are known for their Cajun French language, culture, music, and awesome food.

First Whiff – “Forét De Pins” was meant to be a homage to the coastal pine forests of the South in the USA where Eric being an outdoors man spends a lot of his time. The aroma of the spring time with the pines in bloom during Turkey season is what the fragrance profile of the soap is described as. At first whiff, I get a fairly strong pine sap note, a second whiff and the woodsy undertones come through with a hint of fresh leaves on forest trees and fresh pine needles. This isn’t an overwhelming or sharp pine fragrance but one that is fresh and extremely pleasant. A strong inhalation of this soap’s fragrance with closed eyes is good enough to transport you to the midst of a pine forest. I am not a fan of Pine scents in shaving soaps which are often too medicinal, woody or strong for my nose but this one appeals to me big time.

First Lather – “Forét De Pins” contains Beef Tallow, Cocoa Butter, Kokum Butter, Stearic Acid, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Vegetable glycerin, Honey, African Black Soap, NAOH, KOH, H2O, Fragrance and Essential oils. The TCB2” beef tallow base is a tallow rich soap and I was excited to try it out. I bloomed a tea spoon of the soap with two table spoons of warm water for 5 minutes in my Hendrix Classics & Co Stainless Steel lather bowl. Using my Yaqi Evil Zebra Synthetic I started working up a lather and after sixty seconds of brush rotations, I had a fairly dense result. Adding two more table spoons of water I proceeded with ninety seconds of swirling the brush clockwise and anticlockwise. I was surprised at how rich and dense the lather turned out. The closest comparison to this would be a really thick hair mousse but a lot denser.

First Performance – I was so impressed by the lather quality and even more when I painted the first few strokes of it on my cheeks. That mid strength fresh pine fragrance started bursting forth on my face and it was very refreshing, I could even detect a slight citrusy note in there now. I decided to go with my Stirling Standard aggressive razor and a new Feather blade for this one. I had a two pass BBS result on five days of growth and the soap made the razor feel like a smooth forgiving tool. The cushion and protection was excellent but the stand out quality of this soap was the residual slickness, after all this was initially created for straight razor aficionados. This is one super slick shaving soap. The post shave feel was what intrigued me, I didn’t need any after shave balm or splash as my skin felt well moisturized. The addition of African Black soap plays a big role here. The Iconic African black with the ash of roasted plantain skins or cocoa pods is highly regarded for its natural exfoliating and antibacterial properties, which can help prevent razor bumps and irritation while fighting off yeast and fungal infections.

First Opinion – “Forét De Pins” like other Cajun Blade shaving soaps often flies under the radar due to a lack of strong advertising and social media presence but for me this soap is top shelf in performance. The 3.5 ounce pour may not wow you with it’s fragrance strength but the ability to capture the scent notes true to the original source while conveying the actual theme of the soap perfectly is a winner for me. This is a soap created with a lot of passion by the artisan, Highly recommended.

Cover Art Work – 8 / 10

Lather Quality – 10 / 10

Fragrance – 7 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 8 / 10

Slickness – 10 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 61 / 70

Availability – https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCajunBladeStore, thecajunblade@gmail.com (for customization and queries)

 

[Gargravarr]

THE CAJUN BLADE – “FORÉT DE PINS”​

First Look - “I believe in miracles, Where you from, you sexy thing?,” that opening line from the Hot Chocolate hit featured in ‘The Full Monty,’ that’s what I’m reminded of when I look at the soap tub’s cover. A second glance at the whole picture reveals more with the soap’s title, “Forét De Pins” in Cajun French which simply translates to 'Forest of the Pines.' The Pine forest in the background is what this soap’s fragrance is all about. This is a well thought of illustration that would appeal to every lad that I know and it makes for an edgy yet unique cover.

Side note – Eric Hebert, the artisan behind the Cajun Blade shaving soaps is a die hard straight razor shaver and his line of soaps was originally created for that purpose mainly for personal use. The desire to share his product with other shavers led him to starting a small home made line of soaps. Every hot processed soap is crafted in small batches by hand using the best available and natural ingredients. The artisan himself is proudly Cajun. The Cajuns are an ethnic group in South Louisiana, USA that are known for their Cajun French language, culture, music, and awesome food.

First Whiff – “Forét De Pins” was meant to be a homage to the coastal pine forests of the South in the USA where Eric being an outdoors man spends a lot of his time. The aroma of the spring time with the pines in bloom during Turkey season is what the fragrance profile of the soap is described as. At first whiff, I get a fairly strong pine sap note, a second whiff and the woodsy undertones come through with a hint of fresh leaves on forest trees and fresh pine needles. This isn’t an overwhelming or sharp pine fragrance but one that is fresh and extremely pleasant. A strong inhalation of this soap’s fragrance with closed eyes is good enough to transport you to the midst of a pine forest. I am not a fan of Pine scents in shaving soaps which are often too medicinal, woody or strong for my nose but this one appeals to me big time.

First Lather – “Forét De Pins” contains Beef Tallow, Cocoa Butter, Kokum Butter, Stearic Acid, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Vegetable glycerin, Honey, African Black Soap, NAOH, KOH, H2O, Fragrance and Essential oils. The TCB2” beef tallow base is a tallow rich soap and I was excited to try it out. I bloomed a tea spoon of the soap with two table spoons of warm water for 5 minutes in my Hendrix Classics & Co Stainless Steel lather bowl. Using my Yaqi Evil Zebra Synthetic I started working up a lather and after sixty seconds of brush rotations, I had a fairly dense result. Adding two more table spoons of water I proceeded with ninety seconds of swirling the brush clockwise and anticlockwise. I was surprised at how rich and dense the lather turned out. The closest comparison to this would be a really thick hair mousse but a lot denser.

First Performance – I was so impressed by the lather quality and even more when I painted the first few strokes of it on my cheeks. That mid strength fresh pine fragrance started bursting forth on my face and it was very refreshing, I could even detect a slight citrusy note in there now. I decided to go with my Stirling Standard aggressive razor and a new Feather blade for this one. I had a two pass BBS result on five days of growth and the soap made the razor feel like a smooth forgiving tool. The cushion and protection was excellent but the stand out quality of this soap was the residual slickness, after all this was initially created for straight razor aficionados. This is one super slick shaving soap. The post shave feel was what intrigued me, I didn’t need any after shave balm or splash as my skin felt well moisturized. The addition of African Black soap plays a big role here. The Iconic African black with the ash of roasted plantain skins or cocoa pods is highly regarded for its natural exfoliating and antibacterial properties, which can help prevent razor bumps and irritation while fighting off yeast and fungal infections.

First Opinion – “Forét De Pins” like other Cajun Blade shaving soaps often flies under the radar due to a lack of strong advertising and social media presence but for me this soap is top shelf in performance. The 3.5 ounce pour may not wow you with it’s fragrance strength but the ability to capture the scent notes true to the original source while conveying the actual theme of the soap perfectly is a winner for me. This is a soap created with a lot of passion by the artisan, Highly recommended.

Cover Art Work – 8 / 10

Lather Quality – 10 / 10

Fragrance – 7 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 8 / 10

Slickness – 10 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 61 / 70

Availability – https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCajunBladeStore, thecajunblade@gmail.com (for customization and queries)

Hey, I got told off for "wasting" soap when I mentioned how quickly I'm getting through my Eufros Aura de Lavanda. (I don't waste anything.) Looks to me like you load even heavier than I do...

 

[Bladerunner7]

Hey, I got told off for "wasting" soap when I mentioned how quickly I'm getting through my Eufros Aura de Lavanda. (I don't waste anything.) Looks to me like you load even heavier than I do...

"Guilty as charged Muh Man, guilty as charged." I use it for a shave anyways and then let the lather sit on the knot for a good bit of time before rinsing it off clean, when the Brush dries it smells super awesome.

 

[Vittoria]

THE CAJUN BLADE – “FORÉT DE PINS”​

First Look - “I believe in miracles, Where you from, you sexy thing?,” that opening line from the Hot Chocolate hit featured in ‘The Full Monty,’ that’s what I’m reminded of when I look at the soap tub’s cover. A second glance at the whole picture reveals more with the soap’s title, “Forét De Pins” in Cajun French which simply translates to 'Forest of the Pines.' The Pine forest in the background is what this soap’s fragrance is all about. This is a well thought of illustration that would appeal to every lad that I know and it makes for an edgy yet unique cover.

Side note – Eric Hebert, the artisan behind the Cajun Blade shaving soaps is a die hard straight razor shaver and his line of soaps was originally created for that purpose mainly for personal use. The desire to share his product with other shavers led him to starting a small home made line of soaps. Every hot processed soap is crafted in small batches by hand using the best available and natural ingredients. The artisan himself is proudly Cajun. The Cajuns are an ethnic group in South Louisiana, USA that are known for their Cajun French language, culture, music, and awesome food.

First Whiff – “Forét De Pins” was meant to be a homage to the coastal pine forests of the South in the USA where Eric being an outdoors man spends a lot of his time. The aroma of the spring time with the pines in bloom during Turkey season is what the fragrance profile of the soap is described as. At first whiff, I get a fairly strong pine sap note, a second whiff and the woodsy undertones come through with a hint of fresh leaves on forest trees and fresh pine needles. This isn’t an overwhelming or sharp pine fragrance but one that is fresh and extremely pleasant. A strong inhalation of this soap’s fragrance with closed eyes is good enough to transport you to the midst of a pine forest. I am not a fan of Pine scents in shaving soaps which are often too medicinal, woody or strong for my nose but this one appeals to me big time.

First Lather – “Forét De Pins” contains Beef Tallow, Cocoa Butter, Kokum Butter, Stearic Acid, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Vegetable glycerin, Honey, African Black Soap, NAOH, KOH, H2O, Fragrance and Essential oils. The TCB2” beef tallow base is a tallow rich soap and I was excited to try it out. I bloomed a tea spoon of the soap with two table spoons of warm water for 5 minutes in my Hendrix Classics & Co Stainless Steel lather bowl. Using my Yaqi Evil Zebra Synthetic I started working up a lather and after sixty seconds of brush rotations, I had a fairly dense result. Adding two more table spoons of water I proceeded with ninety seconds of swirling the brush clockwise and anticlockwise. I was surprised at how rich and dense the lather turned out. The closest comparison to this would be a really thick hair mousse but a lot denser.

First Performance – I was so impressed by the lather quality and even more when I painted the first few strokes of it on my cheeks. That mid strength fresh pine fragrance started bursting forth on my face and it was very refreshing, I could even detect a slight citrusy note in there now. I decided to go with my Stirling Standard aggressive razor and a new Feather blade for this one. I had a two pass BBS result on five days of growth and the soap made the razor feel like a smooth forgiving tool. The cushion and protection was excellent but the stand out quality of this soap was the residual slickness, after all this was initially created for straight razor aficionados. This is one super slick shaving soap. The post shave feel was what intrigued me, I didn’t need any after shave balm or splash as my skin felt well moisturized. The addition of African Black soap plays a big role here. The Iconic African black with the ash of roasted plantain skins or cocoa pods is highly regarded for its natural exfoliating and antibacterial properties, which can help prevent razor bumps and irritation while fighting off yeast and fungal infections.

First Opinion – “Forét De Pins” like other Cajun Blade shaving soaps often flies under the radar due to a lack of strong advertising and social media presence but for me this soap is top shelf in performance. The 3.5 ounce pour may not wow you with it’s fragrance strength but the ability to capture the scent notes true to the original source while conveying the actual theme of the soap perfectly is a winner

great review and info @

THE CAJUN BLADE – “FORÉT DE PINS”​

First Look - “I believe in miracles, Where you from, you sexy thing?,” that opening line from the Hot Chocolate hit featured in ‘The Full Monty,’ that’s what I’m reminded of when I look at the soap tub’s cover. A second glance at the whole picture reveals more with the soap’s title, “Forét De Pins” in Cajun French which simply translates to 'Forest of the Pines.' The Pine forest in the background is what this soap’s fragrance is all about. This is a well thought of illustration that would appeal to every lad that I know and it makes for an edgy yet unique cover.

Side note – Eric Hebert, the artisan behind the Cajun Blade shaving soaps is a die hard straight razor shaver and his line of soaps was originally created for that purpose mainly for personal use. The desire to share his product with other shavers led him to starting a small home made line of soaps. Every hot processed soap is crafted in small batches by hand using the best available and natural ingredients. The artisan himself is proudly Cajun. The Cajuns are an ethnic group in South Louisiana, USA that are known for their Cajun French language, culture, music, and awesome food.

First Whiff – “Forét De Pins” was meant to be a homage to the coastal pine forests of the South in the USA where Eric being an outdoors man spends a lot of his time. The aroma of the spring time with the pines in bloom during Turkey season is what the fragrance profile of the soap is described as. At first whiff, I get a fairly strong pine sap note, a second whiff and the woodsy undertones come through with a hint of fresh leaves on forest trees and fresh pine needles. This isn’t an overwhelming or sharp pine fragrance but one that is fresh and extremely pleasant. A strong inhalation of this soap’s fragrance with closed eyes is good enough to transport you to the midst of a pine forest. I am not a fan of Pine scents in shaving soaps which are often too medicinal, woody or strong for my nose but this one appeals to me big time.

First Lather – “Forét De Pins” contains Beef Tallow, Cocoa Butter, Kokum Butter, Stearic Acid, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Vegetable glycerin, Honey, African Black Soap, NAOH, KOH, H2O, Fragrance and Essential oils. The TCB2” beef tallow base is a tallow rich soap and I was excited to try it out. I bloomed a tea spoon of the soap with two table spoons of warm water for 5 minutes in my Hendrix Classics & Co Stainless Steel lather bowl. Using my Yaqi Evil Zebra Synthetic I started working up a lather and after sixty seconds of brush rotations, I had a fairly dense result. Adding two more table spoons of water I proceeded with ninety seconds of swirling the brush clockwise and anticlockwise. I was surprised at how rich and dense the lather turned out. The closest comparison to this would be a really thick hair mousse but a lot denser.

First Performance – I was so impressed by the lather quality and even more when I painted the first few strokes of it on my cheeks. That mid strength fresh pine fragrance started bursting forth on my face and it was very refreshing, I could even detect a slight citrusy note in there now. I decided to go with my Stirling Standard aggressive razor and a new Feather blade for this one. I had a two pass BBS result on five days of growth and the soap made the razor feel like a smooth forgiving tool. The cushion and protection was excellent but the stand out quality of this soap was the residual slickness, after all this was initially created for straight razor aficionados. This is one super slick shaving soap. The post shave feel was what intrigued me, I didn’t need any after shave balm or splash as my skin felt well moisturized. The addition of African Black soap plays a big role here. The Iconic African black with the ash of roasted plantain skins or cocoa pods is highly regarded for its natural exfoliating and antibacterial properties, which can help prevent razor bumps and irritation while fighting off yeast and fungal infections.

First Opinion – “Forét De Pins” like other Cajun Blade shaving soaps often flies under the radar due to a lack of strong advertising and social media presence but for me this soap is top shelf in performance. The 3.5 ounce pour may not wow you with it’s fragrance strength but the ability to capture the scent notes true to the original source while conveying the actual theme of the soap perfectly is a winner for me. This is a soap created with a lot of passion by the artisan, Highly recommended.

Cover Art Work – 8 / 10

Lather Quality – 10 / 10

Fragrance – 7 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 8 / 10

Slickness – 10 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 61 / 70

Availability – https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCajunBladeStore, thecajunblade@gmail.com (for customization and queries)

Fabulous review @Bladerunner7
Not to mention the cover art
I’m unashamed to say it made me think about Jessica Simpson doing the video clip
These boots are made for walking and of course the Dukes of Hazard movie which unfortunately was a bit second-rate compared to the original series of course except for Jessica