Mystic Water

So although I've been wet shaving (albeit with a cartridge razor) for a few years now, I never really thought of it any other way than utilitarian...
After joining this site and lurking before that, my interest has been piqued. Having no idea what is out there, I shot an email off to Michelle about her samples.
I think I ordered 9 of them

Communication was fantastic, and they were in the post within 1 hour... Honestly, we don't get this kind of service is Australia, I don't know if it's because of our relaxed outlook on things, or the fact that there is simply not enough competition to keep traders on their toes. Either way, I'm stoked and will be waiting for my sampler in the mail.

Is there anything special I need to consider when getting a lather out of them (Bowl latherer)


I'll update this one with a post on each of the scents that I'm getting, just in case there's something that people haven't tried yet.

Ben

I had an opportunity to meet Michelle after ordering some samples and getting great communication and shipping from her! I have a feeling she does good business because that is just how she is, and she is very personable. She gave me a quick tutorial on lathering, and made it so simple.
Her soap is the only that I have ever used, fragrances are awesome! For lathering here is how I do it. Soak my brush for 5 minutes or so, I put a little water on the soap to help soften it. I give my brush two shakes and go to the soap. I load for about a minute, and press a bit to be sure I get soap inside of the brush. Go to the bowl or your face and add water as needed.
I gotta say that initially I wasn't loading enough soap, or adding enough water. Once I stopped thinking about exact amounts of soap and water it works better for me. I also seem to get a better lather, and more lather by using a bowl than my face. For whatever reason I am still face lathering.
I cannot say weather her soaps need any special attention regarding lathering since they are all I have used, but now that I have 3 pucks and a few samples, I won't be trying anything else for a while.
I like her bar shampoo and bath soap as well!

Some folks have had trouble lathering MW, but it seems like no matter what I do..wet brush, dry brush, hot water, cold water...nothing seems to matter, I get the best lather with Michelle's awesome soap.

I think the most difficult thing about using Mystic Water soap is deciding which pucks to buy. I ended up getting Lily of the Valley and Prospect Creek.

Hence why I got 9 "samples" haha That should keep my busy for a bit.

I've only had full pucks, so I am not sure what her samples look like. But when I get samples that are too small to load from I smush them in my scuttle with a dribble of water and let them sit while I shower. By the time I get to them they lather right up.

No disrespect to 5savages a good many folks have had some initial frustration with getting a good lather. TheVez2 has put some excellent instructions and videos on the MW wedsite, watch them a few times while waiting for your samples to arrive. They are excellent tutorials.

Whether folks lather it perfectly right away or take a while to figure it out (like me) once you get it dialed in, you will be gobsmacked by it.

Her samples are cut rather uniquely - a slice from a puck across in half i.e. a full semi-circle slice of a puck - makes it the easies sample to lather that I have come across. I just pop it in a container and wet the surface before my shower, only for the first use, and the lather away as per normal.

5savages said:

Some folks have had trouble lathering MW, but it seems like no matter what I do..wet brush, dry brush, hot water, cold water...nothing seems to matter, I get the best lather with Michelle's awesome soap.

I think the most difficult thing about using Mystic Water soap is deciding which pucks to buy. I ended up getting Lily of the Valley and Prospect Creek.

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How do you like the Prospect Creek? I just decided to try her bath soaps and shaving soaps. I ordered 6 samples; Adirondack Jack, Cedar & Sage, Prospect Creek, Marrakesh, Mysore Sandalwood and Wild Lavender. Having used creams exclusively for a year and a half I decided to check out soaps.

Tom

The tutorials by thevez22 on her website are very helpful. I have never had any trouble getting great lather using his methods.
Also the soaps are soft enough that the samples can easily be shaped into any container. Enjoy. Michelle is a real class act with outstanding products.

airmech said:

How do you like the Prospect Creek? I just decided to try her bath soaps and shaving soaps. I ordered 6 samples; Adirondack Jack, Cedar & Sage, Prospect Creek, Marrakesh, Mysore Sandalwood and Wild Lavender. Having used creams exclusively for a year and a half I decided to check out soaps.

Tom

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The Prospect Creek is very refreshing peppermint scent. It has menthol in it and is great soap for warm weather. I'll be using it tonight.

Just a FYI, I also started off with lathering a bowl as I thought it was "cool". I have since switched to face lathering and it gives a much better gauge on the lather being right IMO.

YMMV but you might want to eventually give face lathering a try too.

Mystic Waters for me lathers with little effort but it has been the quality of the lather that has been frustrating (thin, airy, little cushion). Everything else about the soap is top notch. Oddly though even with the poor lather the shaves were adequate. I face lather 90% of the time and have no issues with any other product but I just could not get a lather that I desired with these soaps. Didn't matter the type of brush nor loading wet or dry, results were the same. It wasn't until I tried bowl lathering that I found success. I almost gave up on these soaps and if it wasn't for the other qualities I would have moved on. I hope to get the face lathering figured out.

heatshave said:

Mystic Waters for me lathers with little effort but it has been the quality of the lather that has been frustrating (thin, airy, little cushion). Everything else about the soap is top notch. Oddly though even with the poor lather the shaves were adequate. I face lather 90% of the time and have no issues with any other product but I just could not get a lather that I desired with these soaps. Didn't matter the type of brush nor loading wet or dry, results were the same. It wasn't until I tried bowl lathering that I found success. I almost gave up on these soaps and if it wasn't for the other qualities I would have moved on. I hope to get the face lathering figured out.

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Not trying to tweak you at all here, and no disrespect intended, but

heatshave said:

"Mystic Waters for me lathers with little effort .."

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is simply not true. You have not learned how to lather it yet precisely because you are getting thin, airy, little cushion lather. You are not lathering it right at all. The lather is SUPERB when done right, so you are assuming your lather technique is correct and the lather is substandard. Reverse that.

Folks have posted that MW is easy to lather. Folks have posted that MWF is easy to lather. A large number of folks have posted they have a difficult time dialing in either MW or MWF. Their experience is not negated by the experience of those who find both easy to lather. Unless one has a reaction to lanolin (MWF) however, for those who have mastered lathering it they are both universally considered some of the finest, most protective lather, with terrific after skin feel on the planet. If you are not getting that, you are doing it wrong, pure and simple.

While they are different, my own opinion is that MW and MWF are in the same category with regard to finicky latherability, but when you get them nailed down, the are clearly both world-class lathers in every regard.

Hie thee to the MW site and keep watching TheVez2's videos and practicing until you get it right. Like some have posted about MWF, that it isn't worth the bother with so many easier lathering products out there, you can come to the conclusion that MW isn't worth the effort for you. But I respectfully submit, as one who also got thin, airy, little cushion lather from MW at first, you are not in a position to judge it's lather quality yet. You have not mastered this soap.

When done right it is anything BUT thin, airy, and non-protective. Again, I am not trying to tweak you at all, so please take this in the spirit in which it is given. MW lather is simply fabulous, end of story. If it frustrates you getting to the point where you experience that fabulousness, by all means PIF it or trade it for an easy-lathering soap like a RazoRock or Cella, that's fair. I think one can reasonably make the case it is too finicky for them, but I do not think anyone can criticize the lather the soap is capable of. It is simply not in question any longer.

I hope you got a sample of the lime - it is the most incredible lime scent I've smelled. The first time I tried it, I added too much water too fast and ended up with a thin airy lather. Since then, I start with a well-shaken brush, nearly dry, after soaking the brush while I brush my teeth. I face lather, so the brush goes straight to my dripping-wet face after 20-30 seconds of loading. I dip the tips of he brush in some water once or twice and a minute or two later I end up with fantastic lather. I inse my face between passes and start each one wih the same brush and dripping wet face. If you end up with a subpar lather, I'd recommend you start with less water and add more just a little at a time. It is an awesome soap.

I just got three pucks of MW last week and have been dialing it in. MW does make great lather. I found that the sweet spot is a bit narrower than my other two favorite artisan soaps, Mike's Natural Soaps and Queen Charlotte Soaps. Mystic Water is easier to make too dry or too wet. Part of my initial problem is that it looks good either way but doesn't function nearly as well as when it's "just right". So, its got a bit of the Goldilocks character to it. Stick with it exclusively for about a week of so until you get it right and in your memory.

JCinPA said:

Folks have posted that MW is easy to lather. Folks have posted that MWF is easy to lather. A large number of folks have posted they have a difficult time dialing in either MW or MWF. Their experience is not negated by the experience of those who find both easy to lather. .

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Yep, and the opposite is also true.

JCinPA said:

because you are getting thin, airy, little cushion lather. You are not lathering it right at all. The lather is SUPERB when done right

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+1 This is so incredibly accurate. The lather should not be thin and airy with no cushion. It should be thick, slick, and luxurious. I'm in the group that hasn't had a problem creating a lather. From the beginning, it has been amazing, and I'll say that it is the most amazing soap I've ever used. MdC is a close second equalled with QCS Vostok. I've tried other QCS soaps and haven't been blown away, but Vostok, holy cow, I get great results every time. In any event, JCinPA is dead on because that lather isn't lather, it's just a tease. It can get better than that.

5savages said:

Yep, and the opposite is also true.

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Oh, I know that, Pat, no doubt about it for sure. But despite that fact, the number of folks who do have trouble with it undoubtedly puts MW more in the MWF category, than, say the Cella category when it comes to foolproof lathering. It's just a numbers game, almost nobody has trouble lathering Cella, many do experience it with MW. That certainly does not mean some folks don't get it dialed in right away.

And clearly HeatShave has not yet figured it out yet, because the lather is stupendous when you do. No arguing with that, either. Keep at it, HeatShave, it's definitely worth the effort.

@ JCinPA - I don't take your comments with disrespect but did you read my entire post. I'll agree I haven't mastered this soap. There is however nothing untrue with what I said about it lathering with ease. It does and it can fool you. Maybe I should have added In order to get a 'quality' lather plan on putting in some work. The OP sounds new to MW soaps and questioned bowl lathering and I stated it wasn't until I bowl lathered that I had success. I had little issue getting a desireable lather, so I know what this soap is capable of. But I'll admit, I'm impatient. I mostly face lather. RR and Cella have spoiled me and I had no problems with MWF. Regardless, the OP is going to draw their own conculsion. I was just sharing my experience. I'm still not satisfied with the face lathering but I'm not hating on this soap. There is alot to like, but a measure of quality should also be in the ease of use. My feeling is I shouldn't need a How to Lather for Dummies book. That's my only issue.

MeanGene said:

+1 This is so incredibly accurate. The lather should not be thin and airy with no cushion. It should be thick, slick, and luxurious. I'm in the group that hasn't had a problem creating a lather. From the beginning, it has been amazing, and I'll say that it is the most amazing soap I've ever used. MdC is a close second equalled with QCS Vostok. I've tried other QCS soaps and haven't been blown away, but Vostok, holy cow, I get great results every time. In any event, JCinPA is dead on because that lather isn't lather, it's just a tease. It can get better than that.

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I agree with you about the lather and I don't doubt JCinPA. Are you guys face lathering or bowl? Badger or Boar? Which work best for you?

Badger or boar both work fine. TheVez2 has two videos on their site, IIRC, one face lathering and one bowl lathering. If you see the results he gets you will be motivated to keep trying. There are a lot of soaps that are easier to learn than MW, although as 5savages points out many never have any issues with it. But when you hit the sweet spot if there are better lathers available I will guarantee you you can count them on the fingers of one hand.

I'm certainly no lather connoisseur but I did a half-and-half shave one day, Martin de Candre on one side and MW on the other, and frankly, I really could not tell the difference. That's how good this lather can get.