Shave Sticks Review Project

[dragon terre]

It's a bit like wine, a very expensive bottle is not always the best. My pick might not be the best for you. For $6, you don't have much to loose. However, so far, between Wilkinson, Tabac and Speick, it's very, very close. I just need to put one above the other at one point.

In Germany they cost € 1,45 about $ 2,00 at the Rossmann drugstore and that is still almost the double from what a Palmolive shaving stick costs.

I personally find the Wilkinson Sword Shaving Stick better then the Palmolive shaving stick, so thats why I don't mind for paying the double.

However Speick shaving stick also doesn't cost more then € 2,50 in Germany and I bought myself one not so long ago.

 

[Luc]

In Germany they cost € 1,45 about $ 2,00 at the Rossmann drugstore and that is still almost the double from what a Palmolive shaving stick costs.

I personally find the Wilkinson Sword Shaving Stick better then the Palmolive shaving stick, so thats why I don't mind for paying the double.

However Speick shaving stick also doesn't cost more then € 2,50 in Germany and I bought myself one not so long ago.

If you see a better performance, I think it's good to see if you want to pay extra or not. If, between 2 products, you find them the same (performance-wise always), then the scent would be the deciding factor.

 

[dragon terre]

If you see a better performance, I think it's good to see if you want to pay extra or not. If, between 2 products, you find them the same (performance-wise always), then the scent would be the deciding factor.

I have to agree complete with this, as the way I choice mine shaving software is mostly by the scent and thats why I would not buy Weleda because I really don't like the scents, but Speick on the other hand I think in general smells great, performances great, got a better price.

But I mostly buy shaving software for the performance, because I'm not willing to spend a high amount on shaving software with a exclusive scent, so I focus on budget shaving software, although mine gf gave me Crabtree & Evelyn West Indian Lime ASB, nice scent, but not impressed by the performance

 

[Luc]

Quick update, I'm on shave #8 at the moment. So far, the LEA stick is easier to lather than LaToja. I'm not totally happy with the scent and so far, I'm missing a bit of thickness with the lather. I am not saying that the lather is light and bad, but I think it can be better. I will work on it!

 

[JamesBlades]

I've been using the La Toja stick for the last couple days and wanted to thank you, Luc, for figuring out that it needed very little water.

I'd only used the stick a half dozen times or so previously and never really cared for it. Since I couldn't seem to get that good of a shave with it, I neglected it. I tend start with a lot of water when I lather any soaps, including my sticks, rather starting dry and adding water as I go. My method just didn't work with the La Toja stick, so I didn't use it. The last couple mornings, I've been giving my brush a light squeeze before starting to lather on my face and I've found La Toja to be a truly exceptional soap when lathered this way. Like an OP said in a previous topic, "La Toja" is just so nice!"

If there others out there that gave up on La Toja after the first couple shaves, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not trying it again with a much dryer brush. La Toja is the only soap I have that requires this dry of a brush to create a good shaving lather.

 

[Luc]

I've been using the La Toja stick for the last couple days and wanted to thank you, Luc, for figuring out that it needed very little water.

I'd only used the stick a half dozen times or so previously and never really cared for it. Since I couldn't seem to get that good of a shave with it, I neglected it. I tend start with a lot of water when I lather any soaps, including my sticks, rather starting dry and adding water as I go. My method just didn't work with the La Toja stick, so I didn't use it. The last couple mornings, I've been giving my brush a light squeeze before starting to lather on my face and I've found La Toja to be a truly exceptional soap when lathered this way. Like an OP said in a previous topic, "La Toja" is just so nice!"

If there others out there that gave up on La Toja after the first couple shaves, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not trying it again with a much dryer brush. La Toja is the only soap I have that requires this dry of a brush to create a good shaving lather.

I'm happy to help in any way I can. LaToja rely heavily on the local water from my observations. I should probably try again with some distilled water (I have some in the garage) to see how drastically it will improve the water. I got no doubts it will as I saw how it lathered in Melbourne.

 

[ackvil]

I have used LaToja when I visited my brother in law in Indiana. They have very hard water there. I get decent lather there - not great - as long as I soak the stick in warm water for a minute of two. When I leave and stay at a hotel on the way home if the hotel has softer water the lather improves dramatically. I don't have as much of a problem getting decent lather with Speick or Valobra, two other shave sticks I take with me when I travel.

 

[Luc]

Little experiment today as I had to shower again, I used distilled water with LaToja. Big difference. Still not as good as Wilkinson Sword (I tell you, if you never tried that shave stick, try it! It has to be the stick, not the bowl).

 

[ultra]

Little experiment today as I had to shower again, I used distilled water with LaToja. Big difference. Still not as good as Wilkinson Sword (I tell you, if you never tried that shave stick, try it! It has to be the stick, not the bowl).

Where do you get your Wilkinson Luc? I can't find any canadian vendors selling it.

 

[Luc]

Where do you get your Wilkinson Luc? I can't find any canadian vendors selling it.

I do not know any Canadian shop that stocks the stick. The only one that I saw was the black or blue bowl and that's not the same formula. There's West Coast Shaving that has it. The first time that I got that stick, it was an exchange with another B&B member.

 

[whitemike]

I'm about halfway through a stick of La Toja and Arko. I won't give up on Arko yet, but La Toja is by far a superior soap. I use identical methods with both, and La Toja is denser, creamier and produces much more lather than Arko. I know I'm not the only one, and I've still got a Palmolive stick to test.

With this observation in mind, what other sticks should I try? Or should I just "stick" with La Toja??

 

[Luc]

I'm about halfway through a stick of La Toja and Arko. I won't give up on Arko yet, but La Toja is by far a superior soap. I use identical methods with both, and La Toja is denser, creamier and produces much more lather than Arko. I know I'm not the only one, and I've still got a Palmolive stick to test.

With this observation in mind, what other sticks should I try? Or should I just "stick" with La Toja??

Wilkinson Sword, Tabac, Valobra and Speick!

 

[ackvil]

Wilkinson Sword, Tabac, Valobra and Speick!

My favorites, too. All perform great and have a decent scent.

 

[dragon terre]

I just now was in some Dutch supermarkets and De Vergulde Hand Shaving Stick isn't widely available in supermarkets and your best change will be the drugstores, as I found them both in DA and Kruidvat.

 

[Luc]

I got up to shave 15 with the Lea Shave Stick. So here's a fresh picture of the stick. If the stick keeps melting at that rate, it will be close to 90 shaves. It will probably take me a bit longer to rate this one as I will need to revisit a few products to make sure I place it in the right spot. So far, I tried Tabac again (instead of Wilkinson Sword) and Tabac is superior IMO.

I will try something much lower in the list and try to place it between two products as easily as I can. The scent (light laundry detergent) is consistent. The lather is good too but not the best one out there. Testing and full review to come on shave 30.

 

[JamesBlades]

Sounds like a product I need to try. 90 shaves per 50 gram stick is well above average longevity.

Would you say the container is comparable to that of La Toja or superior?

 

[Luc]

Sounds like a product I need to try. 90 shaves per 50 gram stick is well above average longevity.

Would you say the container is comparable to that of La Toja or superior?

The containers are similar but the LEA container is thicker than LaToja, so I would rate it better (less chances to crack the container when you push it back on the base).

 

[Luc]

So far, I tried Tabac and De Verghulde Hand and LEA is between those two. I need to figure out where it is now between those two. Ranking in post 1 BTW.

 

[Trace72]

You convinced me to order 4 Wilki sticks off ebay today. Recently ordered the Palmolive stick and I absolutely love it, so I am curious to see how these sticks compare. Speick and Tabac are two of my faves, so something that tops them seems almost unbelievable.

As for hard water, there are few places in the world that have harder water than where I live, we get mineral deposits on our faucet's and shower heads like no place else I've ever been (and I spent 6 years in Montreal). I've never really had a hard time lathering la Toja and it gives me good cushion and glide but it just seems to dessicate my skin. No matter what ASB I use after a la Toja shave I end up with lizard skin. It is shame, love everything else about it (scent, performance, price, packaging) but my skin just does not get along with it.

Really curious to see how you rank Palmolive. The performance for me is about 95% of Tabac, but I seem to prefer the Palmolive scent day-to-day. I like Tabac sometimes, just not everyday.

 

[tophercarlton]

Great thread, Luc, and all who have contributed! This is a tremendous resource and really points up one of the reasons I love this site (and makes the GF just shake her head). I just stumbled across this thread a few days ago, and a few days prior to that I purchased my first ever shave stick, Arko. Got it for $1.99 at our local B&M shave shop/barber supply. I must say that paired with a Feather blade (which is also the first time I've used Feather) in my NDC SS, I'm getting the best shaves since I started wet shaving 5+ years ago. Looks like a "trip" to Bullgoose and Italian Barber is in the offing.

-Greg

Greg - I'm in Dayton...where is the B&M Shave Shop/Barber Supply. Would be nice to have a "local" place to get some of these products.