YMMV in action: MWF is horrible.

I had a shave with it a while ago and it just may be my last. I've used the stuff some 50 or so times by now since I started my wet shaving journey. I got some a bit over a year ago and gave it away because I didn't like it. Then due to it's popularity continuing to climb I bought another puck to try to finally get a feel for it.

It's been a painful journey...

It seems that everything that I hear about the pros and cons of MWF is totally flipped backwards when I use it:

1. It actually lathers very easily for me, perhaps because I have soft water here. It doesn't lather up like MdC, but it almost explodes with lather when I use it.

2. It's not very slick regardless of how much I adjust the water:soap ratio. It's very average in this area.

3. It's not very protective. Again, just average.

4. The post-shave is actually terrible for me. It is possibly the most drying soap I've ever used. My skin feels terrible right now. No nicks or cuts or burn from the shave and I used Cat O' Nine Tails which always makes my skin feel very moisturized and yet my skin feels dry and uncomfortable a little while later.

I don't think it's an allergic reaction as I've had negative reactions before and they tended to result in stinging throughout the shave. I don't get that with MWF, it's just very dry later on after use.

I have tried very hard to see what so many others see in this soap, but... It pains me to say that this soap has finally earned the title of "Worst soap I've ever used."

It's a shame, I have been really trying to love this soap for a long time now.

I don't mean to try to bash this soap. I just wanted to share my experience with it. It's a really good example of how "Your Mileage May Vary". I get great results with many other "Legendary" soaps like MdC, Tabac, Cella, and so on. This one just didn't work out well at all.

Bummer.

Sorry MWF is not working for you. Sounds like you have given it the old college try. There are so many other possibilities out there that there is no need to use a product that does not work for you.

It's not my favorite, either, but I started getting much better results when I began following the B&B advice to use it like a shave stick. I give a couple of swipes across my (prepped) beard and in addition load the brush, which has worked out pretty well.

I'm sorry to hear that. Can I have yours? 😖

I have a love, hate relationship with it. Sometimes it's the best I've used and other times it's really foamy/bubbly. I think for me it comes down to how much time I spend loading the brush, but I'm always hesitant to use it cause if probably had more bad shaves with it than good. I love the scent though.

I love the scent also. It's not my all time favorite but there's just something special about the scent.

I will likely be parting with the stuff. Funny how I almost instantly got a couple of offers for it after this thread! LOL

You sure gave it your all. But I'm with ya - it's just sort of a "meh" soap for me. There are way too many soaps available that work better for me. YMMV of course.

If I could only have one soap, it would be MWF, hands down. Outstanding in every aspect for me. As mentioned however, there are so many great soaps that there's no sense in persisting with something that's not working for you.

1.Get yourself a Simpson Chubby 2 in best badger....load that sucker with water until its dripping...don't shake out any water!!!!
2.Proceed directly to your puck of MWF and load for a full minute.
3.apply to your face for a full 2 minutes and then get back to us.

That is very interesting, especially considering the positive wrap it gets here on B&B. I have NEVER tried MWF, but really want to, to guage myself. Let me know if you'd like to off-load it

Steelman said:

1.Get yourself a Simpson Chubby 2 in best badger....load that sucker with water until its dripping...don't shake out any water!!!!
2.Proceed directly to your puck of MWF and load for a full minute.
3.apply to your face for a full 2 minutes and then get back to us.

Click to expand...

I've used plenty of stiff brushes with it. Semogue SOC and ItalianBarber LE, D01, Shavemac 2 Band, and Muhle STF2.0... Not to mention others. Again, it actually lathers super easy for me. The main thing that's negative is how it actually dries my face out to use.

I do have a Simpson on my short list but I can't see it resurrecting MWF for me by any stretch. I've given the soap a LOT of runs.

The best way to use the soap I've found is ShaveBusta's from YouTube. He loads for 30 seconds, applies to face, loads for 30 more seconds, applies to face again, and then loads for a final 30 seconds and finishes the lather. Total 1.5 minutes of loading. I get oodles of lather. I just still get dried out and the lather isn't that protective for me.

I will stick to MdC, Tabac, Speick, Cold River, and so on. Lots of soaps work better for me. Obviously YMMV.

Gabeson said:

That is very interesting, especially considering the positive wrap it gets here on B&B. I have NEVER tried MWF, but really want to, to guage myself. Let me know if you'd like to off-load it

Click to expand...

I actually have a ton of people asking me for a deal on my puck and somebody will likely get it lol

I wouldn't worry about my review TOO much. There is, of course, a chance that you won't care for it. However, considering it's legendary status, you're much more likely to love it like most users than you are to have my experience with it. Plus it smells very nice IMHO.

IMightBeWrong said:

I actually have a ton of people asking me for a deal on my puck and somebody will likely get it lol

I wouldn't worry about my review TOO much. There is, of course, a chance that you won't care for it. However, considering it's legendary status, you're much more likely to love it like most users than you are to have my experience with it. Plus it smells very nice IMHO.

Click to expand...

Yeh that's is quite valid. At the end of the day, some soaps just work for some and not for others. I'm very curious myself to try it, I have heard a few others that have said what you have said re MWF in their experiences. But then mostly all the opinions are positive.

It's neither very slick or protective, you're correct there. But your after-shave is probably a reaction to the lanolin. Are you ok with other lanolin soaps? Not all allergic reactions are going to be the same. MdC is substantially more drying than MWF even disregarding the lanolin, so I doubt your post-shave is due to MWF being too drying.

SliceOfLife said:

It's neither very slick or protective, you're correct there. But your after-shave is probably a reaction to the lanolin. Are you ok with other lanolin soaps? Not all allergic reactions are going to be the same. MdC is substantially more drying than MWF even disregarding the lanolin, so I doubt your post-shave is due to MWF being too drying.

Click to expand...

I have no problems at all with Lanolin in other soaps. Mike's is VERY good in the post shave for me and contains it. I also use lanolin in hand creams a lot during the winter and it's very helpful. MdC isn't the best post-shave soap out there for me, but it doesn't really dry me out. It just leaves my skin feeling clean and basically neutral if that makes sense. Then my aftershave helps with the post afterward.

Hmm, I wonder if there's some other reason then. Maybe just irritation from the shave since the lather is so unprotective for you? It's odd that you're finding it so drying. It's average for that, at worst. Though if you're comparing it with Mike's, yeah it's going to be very drying by comparison.

It might be. It also could be some type of preservative or something. There are a lot more ingredients in it than in the other soaps I usually pick up first. I don't really know my soap ingredients that well, though, so it's tough to tell.

YMMV indeed. I am one of those who gets great lather and great shaves from MWF, without any special tricks — well, except that I use it as a stick. Based on what I read here I am inclined to suggest "use more product". But sometimes we just have to recognize that experiences differ.

Well, if you don't like it, don't use it. As for polarising opinions, you are invited to read an ARKO or Tabac thread