Review (5/5): It' Pretty Good
Saw this puppy discussed a lot on various shaving sites. They all said that you have to watch the YouTube videos to get the right technique for lathering. I watched a couple and have been trying this now for the past several weeks. I must have tried close to 40 different soaps, creams and sticks from the most expensive to the not so expensive. This one is right up there in terms of face glide and lubrication.Certainly in the top quintile. Why 4 stars? I have tried every variation to get a lather but there is no getting around that this is the most difficult soap I have ever tried. Too much water, too little water it seemed impossible to get it right the first time. No matter what I tried it seemed to either be too foamy and thin or not enough water to generate a lather. It's as if the gremlin in the soap puck was contrary enough to defeat whatever I tried until the 2nd or 3rd try.
Bottom lime- With effort and persistence it gets the job done and the fragrance is mildly pleasant but it will never be my "go-to" product. I'll stick with may favs: Kiss My Face, Cella and Proraso cream.
UPDATE:
Gave it another try with a little more patience. It seems that the end product you want is a little on the thick creamy side and not really a "lather". If you wet your brush, turn it over and let all the water drip out that you can,then you apply brush to soap and be patient and determined you will get the thick rich cream that will do the trick. One other tip I found after you apply the cream to the face let it sit for about 20-30 seconds before you apply your razor. You will then get the greatest glide you will experience. Accordingly I have moved it up the top tier and displaced the Proraso cream.I would give it 4 1/2 stars, and not 5, if I could because of the difficult lathering.
FURTHER UPDATE
After using this puppy for a little while I have come to master it and love it. Great for glide and closeness and absence of irritation. I originally rated it a 4 but now after careful consideration I must admit that it deserves a 5 star rating. Its among my top 3 favorite shaving products.