Review (4/5): Excellent lather, performance and scent; fussy bottle
I'm impressed with this face soap. It's very thick and silky, and only a very small amount is needed to get good results. That's especially welcome to find out given the price for a pretty small bottle. It lathers up well and does a good job of cleaning without leaving my skin overly dry. It is a bit more intensive than other face soaps, so my face does feel a little 'tight' after using it. However, it's not excessive, and well worth it given how well this soap cleans if you have an oily complexation. The charcoal makes the soap dark, but it's not as jet-black as other charcoal soaps I've used. It's more of a deep gray.
The scent is also quite nice. It's a medium/light intensity and has sort of an after-shave smell to it. The scent does not linger much at all after rinsing. While I tend to prefer unscented soaps, this scent is pleasant and enjoyable.
The only con is the bottle. Getting the pump nozzle to pop up was a chore since the retaining ring the pump head screws into also rotates, making it a struggle to get the nozzle to pop up. I eventually got it working, but have noticed that the pump leaks at the stem. It's a small leak, but it adds up over a few days to make a mess on the bottle and waste soap. Given the price, the pump mechanism should have been of better quality.
One star down for the bottle issues, but otherwise, it's a very enjoyable soap to use.