What to do with La Toja Sticks

[Tim_McD]

The stick container is vented, perfect for a Dopp kit or just grabbing out of the medicine cabinet. Wet the stick, rub on face, hit with a damp brush and enjoy the explosive scented lather.

If I was limited to one type of shave stick, this would be it hands down. I like Speick, but I get some post shave dryness. Irsich Moos I didnt care for and traded it away. But La Toya is great stuff and is a permanent member of the shave soap rotation.

[Marco]

I've got a few La Toja shave sticks on their way. Given all the rave reviews of the no-longer-available tubs of La Toja I'm thinking perhaps I should grate a couple into a bowl and use like I would have used the La Toja tub? Thoughts on that? If so, how? I've never done that before. Do I just use a cheese grater and them smash all the little pieces together in the bowl?

My friend, there's actually no advantage of using a shaving soap in puck version over a stick version. I personally use both pucks and sticks and love both. Hence, it's really up to you and your personal preference. If you like pucks more you can follow this great tutorial posted time ago by our Merit Award Jim http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...Photo-Tutorial

[eth]

I've read that the stick and the old soap were the exact same formulation.

I suppose the old soap jar and the old stick were the same formulation. The current stick is not a tallow-based soap, the discontinued soap jar was a tallow-based soap. You aren't getting the old soap by forming current sticks to pucks, you get a puck of the current soap, which may suit you better than the stick.

As far as the container goes, I believe the mentioned Harris container is a twist up, which La Toja is not. Picture the Palmolive European stick with a vented lid to go on top of it, and a slightly taller base than the Palmolive, and you have the La Toja container.

[Optometrist]

I suppose the old soap jar and the old stick were the same formulation. The current stick is not a tallow-based soap, the discontinued soap jar was a tallow-based soap. You aren't getting the old soap by forming current sticks to pucks, you get a puck of the current soap, which may suit you better than the stick.

As far as the container goes, I believe the mentioned Harris container is a twist up, which La Toja is not. Picture the Palmolive European stick with a vented lid to go on top of it, and a slightly taller base than the Palmolive, and you have the La Toja container.

La Toja Manantiales used to be tallow, but the recently discontinued version which we are trying to have reintroduced was a vegetable soap like the current stick.

[jwilock]

My friend, there's actually no advantage of using a shaving soap in puck version over a stick version. I personally use both pucks and sticks and love both. Hence, it's really up to you and your personal preference. If you like pucks more you can follow this great tutorial posted time ago by our Merit Award Jim http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...Photo-Tutorial

Thanks so much for this tutorial. Note - I enjoy bowl lathering in my scuttle because I enjoy watching the lather form and am able to "fine tune" it as I go. Plus I like the feel of nice warm lather on my face. So a puck would allow me to bowl lather as well as face lather.

[eth]

La Toja Manantiales used to be tallow, but the recently discontinued version which we are trying to have reintroduced was a vegetable soap like the current stick.

My bad, didn't realize there was a more recent soap jar. Thanks!

[Go West Young Man]

And did you have success turning it into a puck? Does it work well in that form? I've read that the stick and the old soap were the exact same formulation. So I'm guessing that once you made your puck it performed well. Yes?

All you're doing is changing the shape of the puck, you're not changing anything about the soap itself. There's no reason it won't work just as well in either format.

[Marco]

All you're doing is changing the shape of the puck, you're not changing anything about the soap itself. There's no reason it won't work just as well in either format.

+1 A simple and precise answer.

[gus1942]

[QUOTE=jwilock;4162688]I've got a few La Toja shave sticks on their way. Given all the rave reviews of the no-longer-available tubs of La Toja I'm thinking perhaps I should grate a couple into a bowl and use like I would have used the La Toja tub? Thoughts on that? If so, how? I've never done that before. Do I just use a cheese grater and them smash all the little pieces together in the bowl?[/QUOTE Face lather with the sticks. Why mess around with a bowl?

[gus1942]

They are such fantastic shave sticks that I would not consider making just another puck out of one.

The container the LaToja stick comes in is perfect for traveling and just to toss in a drawer (which I do)

+1

[mharris127]

[QUOTE=gus1942;4165737]

I've got a few La Toja shave sticks on their way. Given all the rave reviews of the no-longer-available tubs of La Toja I'm thinking perhaps I should grate a couple into a bowl and use like I would have used the La Toja tub? Thoughts on that? If so, how? I've never done that before. Do I just use a cheese grater and them smash all the little pieces together in the bowl?[/QUOTE Face lather with the sticks. Why mess around with a bowl?

I think the general consensus is to grate with a cheese grater, place shavings into mug, press down a bit, add a few drops of water and smash down using the bottom of a large prescription or vitamin bottle.

[dom1357]

I just tried my La Toja stick this morning. I thought it was great. I didn't rub it on my face though, just brushed the end of it with my brush to load soap. I think I'll leave mine as is for now, easy for travel and takes up less space in my drawer than another bowl does.

[LeftyT]

It just might be my favorite all around soap. I was a Proraso guy (still am), but this stuff takes top spot on the podium for me, right alongside Cade. They're my two 'go-to's.
Use it however it works best for you. Some people struggle more with one format than others. Knowing what works best for you is as important as the soap.

[SteveWY]

What is the scent of La Toja shave stick? Opinions on comparison with other popular sticks? Vendors? I have yet to try any stick yet but as a face-lather and one who travels frequently, I think I need to get on the the stick!

[jwilock]

Thanks for all the input guys. Since I've got 4 coming I've decided to grate two into a puck so I can use as I use all my other soaps, and I'll keep two as sticks and see if I can get into liking the "stick experience". As a side benefit that will leave me two LT containers that I can use on some other sticks that don't come with containers.

[Marco]

What is the scent of La Toja shave stick? Opinions on comparison with other popular sticks? Vendors? I have yet to try any stick yet but as a face-lather and one who travels frequently, I think I need to get on the the stick!

La Toja is a very unique soap with a very unique scent. It's quite hard to describe, but it's light, pleasant and it almost seems you can "smell" the mineral salts it contains. It's a fantastic soap and my all-time favourite stick. Many B&B supporting Vendors stock La Toja.

[eth]

What is the scent of La Toja shave stick? Opinions on comparison with other popular sticks? Vendors? I have yet to try any stick yet but as a face-lather and one who travels frequently, I think I need to get on the the stick!

It smells clean soap. Which European Palmolive does too, in a different way. Palmolive smells very fresh, La Toja is a warmer scent to me. It is very mild, so even if it isn't your favourite scent you can happily use it.

[mharris127]

I just tried my La Toja stick this morning. I thought it was great. I didn't rub it on my face though, just brushed the end of it with my brush to load soap. I think I'll leave mine as is for now, easy for travel and takes up less space in my drawer than another bowl does.

Sounds like a variant of the "fist bowl" method. I find that method cumbersome but if it is easier for you then there is nothing wrong with that method.

For the record and to help others learning how to use sticks, I soak the end of my tallow-based shave soap stick (I use Palmolive EU sticks) for about 10-20 minutes, soak my whiskers with water, spread the softened soap on my face using the stick itself, take a wet brush (moderately wet, not sopping) and lather up. I usually end up with enough lather for three passes with Palmolive.

For melt and pour sticks such as Honeybee (also a good product, excellent customer service and very friendly owner) I just soak my whiskers with water, spread stick, lather up. With melt and pour sticks I find I need to re-apply and re-lather for each pass as it is difficult to soak a melt and pour soap without over soaking and wasting soap.

[mblakele]

I am required by YMMV statutes to mention that I never soak my sticks, tallow or otherwise, and I always have enough lather for anywhere from 2-4 passes. I just rub the stick over my stubble for 10-20 seconds, and then lather up with a damp brush.

Maybe this difference is due to environment: ambient humidity or something. But I also like to think that my whiskers are tough enough to eviscerate any soap.

[jwilock]

I am required by YMMV statutes to mention that I never soak my sticks, tallow or otherwise, and I always have enough lather for anywhere from 2-4 passes. I just rub the stick over my stubble for 10-20 seconds, and then lather up with a damp brush.

Maybe this difference is due to environment: ambient humidity or something. But I also like to think that my whiskers are tough enough to eviscerate any soap.

Do you wet the stick before you apply it, or just open it up and rub it on dry?