Review (5/5): I need tallow or fat based shaving cream/pucks and this fits the bill
Great price and great shave soap. Seems to be lasting forever. Super sensitive skin used to always get bumps but discovered tallow and bought this on a budget, pretty much same quality shave. Everyone reccommends a certain $40 razor butthe best one I have had is the dirt cheap Viking Jr butterfly top. Bought because I couldnt afford expensive razors and it is the best shave with great construction compared to cheaper brands butterfly razors. It's not about spending money for a a good shave, it's about the right equipement. I finally got a good brush and stand too because the one I got years ago on here was STILL losing hairs. What a difference. Better lather, better shave, and I just wish I could afford the Proraso pre shave, never tried aftershave but seems like another money pit just like $50 razors or the expensive soaps that do the same thing. I'll try Taylor of bond street some day but I don't trust reviews anymore. I need a fatty shave soap for my skin, last I used theHare brand with Tallow and it was great. This was cheaper I think but also great. I use blades once or twice an recycle, but Astra is nice and getting super cheap. Would never pay for Feather but maybe they are better, I just want a good cheap reliable shave.
Been using safety razors since like 2014 and took my until recently to realize:
1)Fat based creams are best for my skin, I thought I was just destined to get red bumps on my neck forever but they do not happen now.
2) Preshave is more important than post shave, I started wth tallow soap so IDK what made the difference but cheap preshave makes my face feel great after shaving.
3) more$$ doesnt mean better razor or better shave soap. Reviews clear indication: Viking sells so many expensive razors but I will never buy another again after the $17 one. People say 34C or whatever is best first razor, but nope I am fine with my less aggressive cheap, well built razor. My last/first one cost$50 and the threads wore out. No thanks.
4) IDK figure out yourself. Crazy my shave is PERFECT with tallow, wool fat, fat fat fat. I used water based brands before and INSTANT improvement when I used tallow. This stuff is just as good and will buy again for the price (seems to last forever too). I will buy this exact one when I run out most likely
5) spend more if you want, but dont expect a better shave. When I have money again I will buy 3 Viking Jr razors in case I break or lose mine, some may disagree but no matter what FIND WHAT WORKS
6) Also, the shave bowl, stand, and brush make a difference, wish I knew how HORRIBLE my brush and set up was. I had a wood stand that would leave stains and couldnt handle getting wet. This time I bought a brush+stand combo and both are fantastic. After 6+ years of finding hairs in my soap from old brush I found a few at the start (they all lose a couple) then haven't had to pull hairs out since. I think it's synthetic badger too, but works great. Or maybe my old one was synthetic. IDK but this about the wool fat and this was a great buy with my little metal shave bowl (also cheap and IMO good investment and looks nice)
But yeah this is some good shave soap! Coming from a picky shaver. Crazy how I spend less money and get a better shave... seriously better stock up on those viking razors because I tried other brand butterflys, they worked but were cheaply constructed and the Viking is perfection. I thought butterfly=bad. And expensive crap = good. Wool fat puck fit perfectly in my cheap stainless bowl, get a bowl, try something like this (vegans try with some oil to replace tallow/fat) and try other stuff too. Just dont think that you need that one super expensive brand and 10 products for a good shave.