Mystic Water, another review ...

Well, I got a sample from a generous B&Ber and shaved with it the last two days. Here are my thoughts.

Excellent soap! I am not going to put it in my rotation, as I have a half dozen products I really love, but it is in the Queen Charlotte cream category or almost in the Tabac, or RazoRock artisan line category. I'd put it a hair below, but the differences are so slight, I could be wrong. Definitely good stuff.

I broke pieces of my sample off and let them sit in some warm water in the scuttle while I showered and then lathered with a boar brush (Semogue 2000 yesterday, Omega 098 today). Shave was with my DE89 head on a BRW handle, with a new Gillette Black, shaves # 1 & 2. DFS, comfy.

I say a hair below because I did have a touch of trouble lathering it yesterday. It is easier to lather these off a puck using Marco's method, and what I had to do with the samples made it a little more difficult to get the water ratio right. Yesterday's was a bit airy, but today I used much more product and water, and got a great lather out of it, albeit with a lot more effort.

Slickness was almost on a par with QCS, Tabac or RazoRock, IMO. Not QUITE there, but very close, certainly slick enough for a close comfortable shave. With regard to scent I almost hesitate to say anything, YMMV being so large in this area, but what the heck. There was something not quite right about it both days. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it smelled like a kitchen floor cleaner to me. Then I read the bag ... tea tree oil. Ugh. I've had run ins with this stuff from a buddy who got into Melaleuca years ago, and never got used to the scent. It smells like Mr. Clean or something, not something I want to shave with every day. If you like tea tree oil, more power to you, but I will pass. They have so many scents now, I would not let that deter you, however. Try some.

In short, I do not think this is a super-soap or anything, it is getting a lot of buzz just for being new, I think. But my feelings on it are so close to my favorites, I have to say it is in the same category, many will think it is as good as QCS, Tabac or RazoRock, many won't. I think it's probably right there. It won't get into my lineup only because I have the lineup I want, and it is tough to break into it.

But definitely try this if you are still searching for a superior soap. I would try a quality boar with this using Marco's method, I suspect it will work much more easily than I could with the samples.

thanks for your honest review, have you by any chance use Mikes natural soap to compare to?

No, I have not. But I suspect if I had a tub of this Mystic Water stuff, I'd probably put it in exactly the same category of QCS, Tabac, or RazoRock. I think it was just tough getting it right on two tries with a small sample.

It is no doubt good stuff.

Great review. About on par with my experience. I gotta say I love the soap though and the bay rum has become my personal favorite. Marakesh is quite nice as well. I'm very excited about the new scents and just ordered Cocnut and Orange & Vanilla today. They should be great scents for the summer. I'm very excited for Michelle and her success and I hope it continues. Can't wait to see what she develops next.

John,
Very honest review. As you said, if you get a tub of Mystic Water soaps, i think you would see a considerable difference with lathering and getting the ratio balanced. i use my Semogue boars a bit drier than usual and load the soap in 15-20 seconds or more if i want, and add a bit of water as i face lather and get amazing stuff without much effort. The Bayrum is quite nice as is the Sandalwood.
Continued happy shaves, sir!

Nice review. Similar to my experience. Nice soap but not knocking anything out of my lineup.

dundak said:

Nice review. Similar to my experience. Nice soap but not knocking anything out of my lineup.

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Exactly my thoughts, too. I don't mean any disrespect by not putting it in my lineup, I'm just happy with my lineup at the moment. This is as good as anything in my current lineup, though, I think.

Indeed, loading this from a regular sized cake is much more rewarding. My test sample were round and about 1/4 inch thick. Loading was pretty easy though I discovered it likes water a lot. Just not all at once. While I agree this is not a replacement for any of our best soaps, it is far and away the best artisan shave soap I have used. Original test was with unscented cakes but the quality ingredients made for a nice clean scent that was pleasant. Where this soap shined is skin conditioniing. Aftershave feel is amazing. And while I will not speak for Michelle I think this is where she was aiming. I noticed different scents in the line lather a bit differently. Easiest so far were unscented and lime. Sandalwoodrose was a bit tougher. Michelle has a winner.

Cheers, Todd

Phog Allen said:

While I agree this is not a replacement for any of our best soaps, it is far and away the best artisan shave soap I have used.

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That seems inconsistent with the immediately prior sentence. Have you tried any of the RazoRock Artisan line? (Linea Officina, I think) If not, give it a whirl. Mystic Water is a contender, no doubt, but it is no way "far and away" better than RazoRock. Even with the whole YMMV caveat, I think that would be a very hard statement to make.

It is great stuff, but it is not 'uber soap' or anything like 'the one soap to rule them all'. It's very good, and enjoying a well-deserved buzz around here for being new. But give RazoRock a whirl, I favor the Mughetto di Bologna scent, but others are quite nice, as well.

I used Tabac this morning after two consecutive days of Mystic Water, so my memory is fresh. It is no better (nor worse) than Tabac, IMO, either. RazoRock is my favorite soap at the moment.

I like Mystic Waters. I think it's as good of soap as I have in my rotation. I do have RR, Tabac, QCS and probably around 20 more soaps. I do find the post shave skin care qualities to be superb, IMO. Good lather, skin care, and protective with nice slip. It does everything I expect of a quality soap. There is more than one quality soap available to us wet shavers. Use what you enjoy, right now for me, it's Mystic Waters.

BubblesAssassin said:

thanks for your honest review, have you by any chance use Mikes natural soap to compare to?

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I shaved with my sample of MW Wild Lavender this morning. I agree with pretty much everything said here about it so far. Great soap, lather that feels good on the face, nice and slick.

I found the performance similar to Mike's Natural Soap, but the after-effects on the skin aren't as positive. MW might be a bit slicker.

Well, apparently I am going to do an extended (two weeks) alternating days comparison of Mystic Water Lilly of the Valley and RazoRock Mughetto di Bologna! Stay tuned!

JCinPA said:

That seems inconsistent with the immediately prior sentence. Have you tried any of the RazoRock Artisan line? (Linea Officina, I think) If not, give it a whirl. Mystic Water is a contender, no doubt, but it is no way "far and away" better than RazoRock. Even with the whole YMMV caveat, I think that would be a very hard statement to make.

It is great stuff, but it is not 'uber soap' or anything like 'the one soap to rule them all'. It's very good, and enjoying a well-deserved buzz around here for being new. But give RazoRock a whirl, I favor the Mughetto di Bologna scent, but others are quite nice, as well.

I used Tabac this morning after two consecutive days of Mystic Water, so my memory is fresh. It is no better (nor worse) than Tabac, IMO, either. RazoRock is my favorite soap at the moment.

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Hi John. There is really nothing inconsistent about my statement. I think we may have two different ideas about what an artisan is. In the sense of shave soap makers MW fits the bill. A small, one man or woman soap maker creating the entire product from scratch. I am unsure of it but I believe Razorock is a commercially produced soap. And I never said MW was better than Razorock. I said it was the best artisan made soap I had used. I have not used Razorock but have heard good things about it. Mostly in regards to performance vs price.

No really good soap is a replacement for any other. I find AOS to be the best I have used but would not rate it so highly as to give up Tabac or Penhaligon's or Provence Sante. Same with MW. It is superbly skin friendly and is a wonderfully made Italian styled soft soap. I have been at this trad shaving for near a decade. I have used a LOT of shave soaps in that time. Some great and some horrid and a bunch in between. Most all the mom and pop made at home shave soaps were disappointing. MW is in another class from that but it does not mean it would replace anything. I still highly recommend the unscented version for those with sensitive skin.

Cheers, Todd

I gotcha. I know RazoRock calls their tallow soap their 'artisan line', that was the confusion. You were referring to small shops like Michelle's or Queen Charlotte Soaps. You are correct, the RR is made by a big Italian outfit that makes other soaps/creams, they just branded RR for Joe, if I understand it correctly.

Anyway, I thought you were saying MW was far and away better than RR, and I now stand corrected. I am actually very much looking forward to the comparison test because I think MW may be an artisan soap that just jumped into the Italian soft soap quality ranks. I can't wait to get started.

It will be a fun test because it is my favorite scent, I won't have any trouble using just those two soaps for two weeks straight.

I haven't used as many soaps as Todd has, having only been at this traditional wet shaving thing for three years now, but when lathered properly, I think the Mystic Waters soap is certainly as good as any soap I've tried. That includes some heavy hitters like D.R. Harris, MdC, and even Czech and Speake.

It may take a little practice to get the soap/water ratio just right, but when you do, you will be rewarded with an outstanding shave.

JCinPA said:

I gotcha. I know RazoRock calls their tallow soap their 'artisan line', that was the confusion. You were referring to small shops like Michelle's or Queen Charlotte Soaps. You are correct, the RR is made by a big Italian outfit that makes other soaps/creams, they just branded RR for Joe, if I understand it correctly.

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I think the Artisan line is made in a small shop, and the classic/xxx/etc line is made in a larger factory sort of situation.

Whatever it is, I think we all agree this Mystic Waters stuff is in the same category as the other top tier soaps, no matter who makes them. I rate products how I like them, how they perform, I could not care less where they are made. But that said, firms like Mystic Water and Queen Charlotte Soaps have certainly broken into the ranks of the older, larger makers with their products. I think that's pretty cool.

I agree about MW, for sure. Haven't tried QCS yet. It's on the list.

*wonders if QCS has a scent he'd like that he can legitimately pass off as a gift for his daughter's birthday.....*