My favorites soaps are MdC and the new Art of Shaving. Old art of shaving is great, but the new one I think is an improvement. Some say the scents aren't as good.
Mikes is one of the most cushioning and thick and slick shaving soaps out there...sounds like you just havent figured it out yet. I found it really shines when face lathering with it as opposed to bowl lathering. Try Marcos method on it too and soak the soap in hot water while you shower. Honestly after awhile its all second nature and I found that the soap has absorbed water as ive used it so now I can just go at it with a damp brush, face lather, rewet the brush maybe once and I'm good...super thick and creamy...like yogurt with that nice dialed in sheen! Good luckI have to say I have been shaving with Mike's this whole week since I got my tin and I also find that it isn't the easiest soap to lather. It's slick and I get good shaves with it, but I find the lather to be on the thin side. I don't know if this is how it is for everyone, but I prefer my lather to be a little more cushioned. The slickness is just right. I am also still working on it, however. One thing that I have noticed is that when I pull the lather out of the brush it usually appears to be slightly watery. I don't think I am using too much water, or too little soap, but maybe this soap just takes longer to mix than most. Either way I love the scents, it's slick enough to provide decent shaves, and I don't quit easy.
After reading a lot of good reviews of Mike's I finally caved in and order some. Unfortunately, he only had 2 in stock: Hungarian Lavender and Barber Shop so that's what is on the way. But that made it very easy to decide which ones to try!
Ok after a couple more shaves with Mike's I think I have gotten much better results. I took into account what some of you said about loading it longer than other soaps, and I also started with a drier brush (soaked as usual but squeezed out the water). Loaded for about 30-40 seconds..then dipped the tip of the brush in water..loaded some more. Then I face lathered, added a little water once or twice, and it was much better. I am glad I am getting this figured out. Thanks for the tips guys.
Barber Shop is the one I have..and the scent is heavenly. I hear the Hungarian Lavender is very nice too.
I have actually had a hard time getting a good lather from a sample of Orange, Cedarwood, and Black Pepper. It just comes out too light and airy no matter how long I load or how much water I use. However, I have a full tin of Barbershop and I hope I will be able to load better from that than I have from the sample. Like you mentioned . . .it just takes getting it once! So I will keep at it for sure. I absolutely love the scent of the OCBP, and Barbershop.
It's one of the few that I haven't gotten right yet. I have been alternating between Mike's and Haslinger lately and Haslinger loads and lathers like a dream. I am just going to chalk it up to using the sample and expect the full tin will be a better barometer of the soap.
I hear this a bunch, and I sort of get it because I've had a hard time with other soap samples that, somehow, gave me the wrong impression. Before I figured out that I'm pressing samples into the bottom of a pyrex bowl before lathering. Grate 'em if necessary -- which it won't be with Mike's.
There are a couple of options. One is to use those sample square (rectangles) like a shave stick. Mike's is indeed thirsty, and seems to me to respond best to water being added gradually, so it may still take some real lather-building on your face (i.e., rewetting the brush and going at it), but if you have any practice face-lathering anything, it won't be hard.
The other is to press those samples down into a shallow bowl and load from it, make a "puck size" surface area. This makes a HUGE difference vs. just loading on top of a small soapbar-sized sample. And overload like crazy at first (and respect how much water will have to be added because of it, but still add somewhat slowly so you can see what you got as it lathers).
Anyway, good luck -- at least many of us think it's worth putting in the time. (Easier to say if we find it easy to lather, I know! But I'm sure the sample size is the issue, just with the mechanics of loading the brush).
Barber Shop is the one I have..and the scent is heavenly. I hear the Hungarian Lavender is very nice too.
Just got these today and put them in their new homes... They all smell fantastic! I'm going Barbershop tomorrow morning.
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After hemming and hawing for more than a year, I just ordered Hungarian Lavender, Peppermint/Rosemary, Rose/Cedarwood, Bay Rum and a Barber Shop sample (I would have ordered more of the Barber Shop, but that's all he had). Go big or go home.
This week, I received a tin of Mike's Natural Unscented. It's the first hard soap I've owned. I'd appreciate some tips on how to build up the lather. The first couple times, I used a slightly damp Plisson synthetic and swirled for 30 seconds or so in the tin. I got enough lather on the brush to spread a thin coat on my face, and then built it by adding more water...but the lather never developed the thickness or richness of Catie's Bubbles (which is a softer soap). This technique works great for Catie's Bubbles.
The third time, I put some warm water in the tin and allowed it to soak while I showered. Then, I poured off the water and swirled my brush in the tin for 30 seconds or so and tried to build the lather on my face by adding more water. Again, I wasn't able to get the amount of rich lather I get with Catie's Bubbles (or T&H 1805). Clearly, I need to load more product onto the brush, but I'm not sure how to accomplish this.
Other than using more water in the tin, are there other suggestions? I don't intend to use a scuttle or bowl, so please limit your suggestions to techniques I can use with only the tin of soap.
TIA.