I have no idea which soaps are good or bad. I can't gauge brush density with any scientific margin of error. I don't know what anything smells like, and even if I hate it now, it's very possible that I will like it tomorrow. Also, I am biased about everything.
I can cite all kinds of examples. For instance, it seems that lately I've heard about poor performance from GFT soaps. You know what? Since hearing of it, I think I've been getting poorer performance. I tried some Violet a few days ago, and got disappearing lather. But then I really went to town on it with a soap-destroying brush, and got nice lather from hand-lathering. Did I load more when I hand lathered, or is it harder to really tell good lather when it's not on your face? I don't know. Maybe I'm too used to soft soaps like RazoRock.
Today, I shaved with Fraser's Mosswood. It's a cream, which is supposed to be not as slick as soap. While it's well-regarded, I've also read comments from some saying it's not as good as high-end creams. You know what? Awesome shave. My hunch is that part of the problem with creams is that they lather so fast...instantly...guys don't work the brush on the face as long as with soap--which in my opinion is the single biggest factor in getting a good shave. Then again, my theory falls apart when considering bowl latherers, since I guess they spend the same amount of time on the face with both creams and soaps. Dang bowlers...they always irritate me. So again, I don't know! I don't know anything!
Here's another example of why I can't be trusted. I love DR Harris. When they sent me a sample of Windsor, they included this post card.
Do you see how cool that is? Do you see the provenance, history, heritage? Do you get that with Mama Bears? No. By the way, $1000 dollars on the table and I probably would not be able to tell the difference between Mama Bear lather and Czech and Speake lather.
So don't ask me! I don't know anything!
View attachment 266673
I can cite all kinds of examples. For instance, it seems that lately I've heard about poor performance from GFT soaps. You know what? Since hearing of it, I think I've been getting poorer performance. I tried some Violet a few days ago, and got disappearing lather. But then I really went to town on it with a soap-destroying brush, and got nice lather from hand-lathering. Did I load more when I hand lathered, or is it harder to really tell good lather when it's not on your face? I don't know. Maybe I'm too used to soft soaps like RazoRock.
Today, I shaved with Fraser's Mosswood. It's a cream, which is supposed to be not as slick as soap. While it's well-regarded, I've also read comments from some saying it's not as good as high-end creams. You know what? Awesome shave. My hunch is that part of the problem with creams is that they lather so fast...instantly...guys don't work the brush on the face as long as with soap--which in my opinion is the single biggest factor in getting a good shave. Then again, my theory falls apart when considering bowl latherers, since I guess they spend the same amount of time on the face with both creams and soaps. Dang bowlers...they always irritate me. So again, I don't know! I don't know anything!
Here's another example of why I can't be trusted. I love DR Harris. When they sent me a sample of Windsor, they included this post card.
Do you see how cool that is? Do you see the provenance, history, heritage? Do you get that with Mama Bears? No. By the way, $1000 dollars on the table and I probably would not be able to tell the difference between Mama Bear lather and Czech and Speake lather.
So don't ask me! I don't know anything!
View attachment 266673