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WEEKLY SHAVING SOAP REVIEW

NORTH FRENCH BROAD AVE WAGYU SHAVE SOAP

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First Look
- A vacant chair reminiscent of one used for resting or in a Barbershop a long time ago. There are elements of darkness, mystery, nostalgia, and comfort captured in the artwork of North French broad Ave Wagyu Shave Soap, the latest collaboration between First Line Shave Company And Black Mountain Shaving. This is a very unique shaving soap container cover and I do like it a lot.

Side note – A few years back, wet shaving enthusiast Michael Riley approached artisans to craft a limited edition shave soap to raise funds for the families of fellow first responders who had fallen in the line of duty. After much research and customer feedback , Michael decided to make his own products that would ensure the slickest of shaves and that’s when First Line Shave Company was born. A portion of the profits from each sale of an FLS product are donated to Backstoppers.org. As for Black mountain Shaving, brand owner Joe Katon has gained much popularity and love for his unique scent profiles inspired by music, nature, and personal experiences. His collaborations with other Artisans have been winners, especially those with Murphy & McNeil and the First Line Shave Company.

First Whiff – The Scent profile of North French Broad Ave Wagyu Shave Soap is meant to capture that ‘me’ time when we set all worries and chores aside to focus on the ritual of grooming through a relaxed shave. a complex warm, rich, woody barbershop scent. The fragrance is described as a warm,rich and woody barbershop fragrance with notes of Amber, Tonka Bean, Aldehydes, Cardamom, Lavender, Violet, Pear, Water notes, Ambergris, Black Pepper, Ambrette, Brandy, Leather, Honey, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Amyl Salicylate, Myrrh, Iso E Super, Cedar, & Balsam. At first whiff I pick up the Amber, Tonka bean, a hint of Cardamom and Lavender. The Violet, Pear and Black Pepper then play second fiddle to the Brandy, Leather and warm Honey notes. A second whiff and the Oakmoss, Myrrh and cedar take over with a subtle hint of patchouli, all resting on a gentle bed of balsam. A third whiff and it all comes together in one intense and addictive fragrance, this is a banger of a scent that is a very complex barbershop offering. Probably one of the finest that Joe has created to date.

First Lather – The soap with its Imperial Wagyu tallow base promises to deliver a rich and silky smooth lather so using my Semogue 1470 Boar brush and my GC & Classics SS Lather Bowl, I added a tea spoon of the product with two tablespoons of water and swirled the brush clockwise and anti-clockwise for 90 seconds. I then let the soap breathe for a minute before I added another two table spoons of water and worked the soap for a good two minutes with gentle yet fast brush swirling. The result was as promised a rich, luxurious and silky smooth lather. This soap is fairly thirsty but was very easy to work with. Through the bowl lathering process the woody notes seemed to shine over the floral ones but refrained from dominating them in any way.

IMG-20250712-001716.jpg
IMG-20250712-001909.jpg


First Performance – Excellent fragrance, superb lather and so, I was expecting a stellar performance from the soap, which it delivered. My first pass with the Rex Konsul on a six setting and a Feather blade was a breeze. Dropping the Konsul to a setting of four for the second pass was enough to finish with a smooth and comfortable BBS. The cushion, protection and residual slickness of this soap is top notch. My skin felt well nourished for a few hours after the shave and that’s when I went back to look at the ingredients - Stearic Acid, Wagyu Beef Tallow, Goat’s Milk, Aloe Vera Juice, Glycerin, Unrefined African Shea Butter, Potassium Hydroxide, Castor Oil, Kokum Butter, Mango Butter, Apricot Oil, Jojoba Oil, Organic Meadowfoam Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Xanthan Gum, Cupuacu Butter, Unrefined Cocoa Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Honey, Kaolin Clay, Slippery Elm Bark, Tussah Silk, Sodium Lactate, Fragrance Oil, Vitamin E. While the vegan butters and the goats milk contribute to an excellent shaving product, it is the Wagyu tallow which remains the star. Wagyu tallow is a a superior fat known for its exceptional purity, rich nutrient profile, and silky texture, the fat is also high in omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids and an increased oleic acid profile which the makers promise will contribute to a soothing and nourishing effect on the skin, leaving it feeling supple, hydrated, and revitalized post shave. All those promises made, have been promises kept.

First Opinion – Every once in a while a shaving soap makes you stand up and notice how innovative it is in concept and creation, North French Broad Ave Wagyu shave soap is one of those. This is a soap that is stellar in its performance with a warm and unique fragrance, one that I would definitely reach for on those nights when I am in a reflective mood or just when I need that time all to myself. It offers a unique shaving experience which can't be missed. Top tier stuff from Michael Riley and Joe Katon. My advice, grab it when you can.

Cover Art Work – 8 / 10

Lather Quality – 9 / 10

Fragrance – 8 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 10 / 10

Slickness – 10 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 9 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 64 / 70

Availabilityhttps://www.firstlineshave.com/product-page/north-french-broad-ave
 
NORTH FRENCH BROAD AVE WAGYU SHAVE SOAP

IMG-20250712-010320.jpg


First Look
- A vacant chair reminiscent of one used for resting or in a Barbershop a long time ago. There are elements of darkness, mystery, nostalgia, and comfort captured in the artwork of North French broad Ave Wagyu Shave Soap, the latest collaboration between First Line Shave Company And Black Mountain Shaving. This is a very unique shaving soap container cover and I do like it a lot.

Side note – A few years back, wet shaving enthusiast Michael Riley approached artisans to craft a limited edition shave soap to raise funds for the families of fellow first responders who had fallen in the line of duty. After much research and customer feedback , Michael decided to make his own products that would ensure the slickest of shaves and that’s when First Line Shave Company was born. A portion of the profits from each sale of an FLS product are donated to Backstoppers.org. As for Black mountain Shaving, brand owner Joe Katon has gained much popularity and love for his unique scent profiles inspired by music, nature, and personal experiences. His collaborations with other Artisans have been winners, especially those with Murphy & McNeil and the First Line Shave Company.

First Whiff – The Scent profile of North French Broad Ave Wagyu Shave Soap is meant to capture that ‘me’ time when we set all worries and chores aside to focus on the ritual of grooming through a relaxed shave. a complex warm, rich, woody barbershop scent. The fragrance is described as a warm,rich and woody barbershop fragrance with notes of Amber, Tonka Bean, Aldehydes, Cardamom, Lavender, Violet, Pear, Water notes, Ambergris, Black Pepper, Ambrette, Brandy, Leather, Honey, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Amyl Salicylate, Myrrh, Iso E Super, Cedar, & Balsam. At first whiff I pick up the Amber, Tonka bean, a hint of Cardamom and Lavender. The Violet, Pear and Black Pepper then play second fiddle to the Brandy, Leather and warm Honey notes. A second whiff and the Oakmoss, Myrrh and cedar take over with a subtle hint of patchouli, all resting on a gentle bed of balsam. A third whiff and it all comes together in one intense and addictive fragrance, this is a banger of a scent that is a very complex barbershop offering. Probably one of the finest that Joe has created to date.

First Lather – The soap with its Imperial Wagyu tallow base promises to deliver a rich and silky smooth lather so using my Semogue 1470 Boar brush and my GC & Classics SS Lather Bowl, I added a tea spoon of the product with two tablespoons of water and swirled the brush clockwise and anti-clockwise for 90 seconds. I then let the soap breathe for a minute before I added another two table spoons of water and worked the soap for a good two minutes with gentle yet fast brush swirling. The result was as promised a rich, luxurious and silky smooth lather. This soap is fairly thirsty but was very easy to work with. Through the bowl lathering process the woody notes seemed to shine over the floral ones but refrained from dominating them in any way.

IMG-20250712-001716.jpg
IMG-20250712-001909.jpg


First Performance – Excellent fragrance, superb lather and so, I was expecting a stellar performance from the soap, which it delivered. My first pass with the Rex Konsul on a six setting and a Feather blade was a breeze. Dropping the Konsul to a setting of four for the second pass was enough to finish with a smooth and comfortable BBS. The cushion, protection and residual slickness of this soap is top notch. My skin felt well nourished for a few hours after the shave and that’s when I went back to look at the ingredients - Stearic Acid, Wagyu Beef Tallow, Goat’s Milk, Aloe Vera Juice, Glycerin, Unrefined African Shea Butter, Potassium Hydroxide, Castor Oil, Kokum Butter, Mango Butter, Apricot Oil, Jojoba Oil, Organic Meadowfoam Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Xanthan Gum, Cupuacu Butter, Unrefined Cocoa Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Honey, Kaolin Clay, Slippery Elm Bark, Tussah Silk, Sodium Lactate, Fragrance Oil, Vitamin E. While the vegan butters and the goats milk contribute to an excellent shaving product, it is the Wagyu tallow which remains the star. Wagyu tallow is a a superior fat known for its exceptional purity, rich nutrient profile, and silky texture, the fat is also high in omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids and an increased oleic acid profile which the makers promise will contribute to a soothing and nourishing effect on the skin, leaving it feeling supple, hydrated, and revitalized post shave. All those promises made, have been promises kept.

First Opinion – Every once in a while a shaving soap makes you stand up and notice how innovative it is in concept and creation, North French Broad Ave Wagyu shave soap is one of those. This is a soap that is stellar in its performance with a warm and unique fragrance, one that I would definitely reach for on those nights when I am in a reflective mood or just when I need that time all to myself. It offers a unique shaving experience which can't be missed. Top tier stuff from Michael Riley and Joe Katon. My advice, grab it when you can.

Cover Art Work – 8 / 10

Lather Quality – 9 / 10

Fragrance – 8 / 10

Cushion & Protection – 10 / 10

Slickness – 10 / 10

Post Shave Feel – 9 / 10

Value – 10 / 10

Total Point Score – 64 / 70

Availabilityhttps://www.firstlineshave.com/product-page/north-french-broad-ave
Marvellous review mate
That’s just about your highest score on your rating system. Look forward to the next review.
Cheers
 
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