Mike's Natural Shave Soaps

**bosenberg** · 08-07-2012, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by shamful7

Ive been wanting to try mikes for awhile but im in love with arko at the moment I love the manly smell of it. Would you all say mikes is the best you can get for the price.

In a word, yes

**sgtd** · 08-07-2012, 06:44 PM

Just ordered a few samples. Can't wait to try what everyone has been raving about.

**craig87c** · 08-07-2012, 06:51 PM

Just ordered my first bars (after the samples): barbershop, lavandin/eucalyptus, and orange/cedar wood/black pepper. Should be here by the weekend considering I live only a few miles away from Mike's laboratory.

**BigBull** · 08-07-2012, 07:01 PM

.....is awesome!

**k2clones29** · 08-07-2012, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by shamful7

Ive been wanting to try mikes for awhile but im in love with arko at the moment I love the manly smell of it. Would you all say mikes is the best you can get for the price.

That's a good question, and my answer right now is I don't know. As far as tallow soaps go, the U.S. has three relatively new, strong soaps, all of great value: Mystic Waters, Queen Charlotte Soaps, and Mike's. Personally, I am not a fan of Queen Charlotte, but that is a matter of personal preference, and I can see why someone would love their soaps. Mystic Waters, though, quickly became my favorite soap and retired a lot of my European standards. That soap is excellent value and is quite phenomenal. As far as Mike's goes, it's too early to rank, but it is an amazing soap at a great price.

Over the past few days, I have been enjoying Mike's, but I also had a shave with Mystic Waters this morning and remembered why I love it so much. In my mind, I kind of want to do a head-to-head with the two to see if there is a winner in my book. I joined the head-to-head with Mystic Waters and RazoRock, so I have some experience with it. If Mike's keeps exceeding my expectations, I think I will start that thread in a few days and see who wants to join in the battle.

To sum up, though, American soaps are for real, and these three companies all deserve a chance. They are excellent soaps, great value, and provide exceptional shaves. I am really glad these soap artisans decided to experiment with tallow when others in Europe caved in to the EU regulations. What I would say is order samples from each of the companies and decide for yourself. Whichever one you pick, you can't go wrong.

**cluelessdude** · 08-07-2012, 08:19 PM

Just receieved a tin of the bay rum today and did a test lather. Lather was impressive as expected. I find it to be really easy to lather actually (maybe because I tend to use more water for all my soaps?).

Not sure on the scent yet. I mean its nice but I guess I expected more. Right now what I'm getting is a tea tree scent. Does bay rum smell similar to tea tree? This is my first bay rum anything.

**ingrownhair** · 08-08-2012, 07:29 AM

Granted, I've only shaved with Mike's Bay Rum twice but I agree that the scent is fairly muted. I like my soaps to linger a bit scent-wise and this doesn't for me much at all. I'll definitely continue to use it though since I'm in love with how it shaves for me.

I'm not sure I would call it tea tree, but I can see where you would think that. I'm a bay rum newbie as well so interested in other's thoughts...

**k2clones29** · 08-08-2012, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by cluelessdude

Not sure on the scent yet. I mean its nice but I guess I expected more. Right now what I'm getting is a tea tree scent. Does bay rum smell similar to tea tree? This is my first bay rum anything.

Bay Rum has a range of scents. It can go from sweet to spice, and everything in between. The bay rum Mike's has is based much more on the bay leaf and does not add spices. It is a very similar scent to Queen Charlotte Soaps. It is not one of my favorite bay rums, but a bad bay rum is much like a bad day on the golf course (still beats the alternatives). The scent is where Mystic Waters handily beats Mike's in terms of the bay rum. MW's bay rum scent is heavenly!

**sandbagger** · 08-08-2012, 04:03 PM

I received my Mike's soaps the other day and included was a bay rum scent. I have struggled to find a true bay rum scent in a shaving soap. I found it in mikes. I Have a Bay Rum Tree in the back yard and it is about as true as it gets.

......but I have not tried MW

**mhdena** · 08-08-2012, 04:25 PM

I bought all of Mike's samples to give it a try.

I was impressed with his Rose/Cedarwood, Orange/Cedarwood, Pine/Cedarwood and Peppermint/Rosemary.

So much so that I bought tins and bars of each of the above.

The Rose/Cedarwood and Peppermint/Rosemary were quite surprising in their pleasing aroma (Rose/Cedarwood) and the cooling sensation of Peppermint/Rosemary.
They create a thick, luscious, creamy lather that provides good aroma, cushion, razor glide, and moisturizes afterwards.

These are a welcome addition in my Den.

Well done Mike!

**joshua1970** · 08-08-2012, 04:38 PM

got a shipment in last week - and have been falling in love with these soaps...

also breaking in a 2 week old Semogogue SOC boar brush, which is a perfect combo with the 2 soaps I've tried thus far (the Orange/Cedarwood/Pepper and Lanolin/Eucalyptus)

I am looking forward to trying some of the other scents... I'm a fan of the tins too.

definitely another quality product I would NOT have found if not for B&B - oh and to teh OP, yes they take a bit more water than some other soaps I've used - but the lather is quite luxurious.

**cluelessdude** · 08-08-2012, 05:41 PM

Okay used the bay rum for the first time today and I really like the scent now. I could even get a hint of vanilla in there. Very nice scent. Mild but nice. I don't like strong scents anyways!

**gwav64** · 08-09-2012, 03:09 PM

Just received two soaps from Mike's: barbershop and orange/cedarwood/black pepper. They smell terrific! I already know that Mike's soaps are excellent performers because I have his lily of the valley soap. Mike's Natural Soaps just might take the top spot in my soap rotation!

**dreadpirate** · 08-09-2012, 06:53 PM

I tried Mike's for the first time today. I got the Hungarian Lavender. I don't think it smells like lavender; not really what I wanted in a scent (I mean it's a nice scent, just not what I expected). I cut it up into three shaving sticks and wrapped them in foil. As a shaving stick it is sort of sticky and a bit hard to apply. However, the lather is superior; very dense and rich. I would recommend this product. Reasonably priced. Shipped quickly. May want to get a sampler though to see what scent you like.

**dreadpirate** · 08-09-2012, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by gwav64

Just received two soaps from Mike's: barbershop and orange/cedarwood/black pepper. They smell terrific! I already know that Mike's soaps are excellent performers because I have his lily of the valley soap. Mike's Natural Soaps just might take the top spot in my soap rotation!

Honestly, the Hungarian Lavender soap I just got smells like what you describe. ?????

**dreadpirate** · 08-09-2012, 06:56 PM

One final note; I received a lavandin and eucalyptus sample with my order and that one smells very nice.

**Charlie NJ** · 08-09-2012, 08:38 PM

Just got home from work to find 2 packages waiting, one was from mikes, orange pepper and a sample. The other was Edmond jagger balm which I think is outstanding. The soap smells outstanding, I will be taking it for a spin tomorrow, I like to face lather so I hope it works out

**Brewshooter** · 08-09-2012, 09:38 PM

My Orange/Cedarwood/Pepper and Cedarwood/Pine soaps just came in. I also got the Peppermint/Rosemary shave stick. They all smell great! I'm going to try them this weekend.