Arko - Wow.

My speculation 6 sticks arrived in the mail yesterday after my morning shave so I moulded a stick into a soap container for today. Prepared the face loaded the brush and wow, this soap builds lather so quickly, so densely and it is so slick. The lather held really well right to the end. A great shave. Now the aroma , it is fine to me it is just fresh and clean and the smell didn't seem to linger on my skin. I was using Proraso Green but my skin does not like it at all. 12 hours or more after my Arko shave I'm fine, no irritation and not dried out.

For me this is every bit as good as any soap regardless of price.

Steve

Arko is a great soap. It makes an effortless creamy lather with ease and offers nice cushion and slickness. You would be hard pressed to find a better performing soap for the price.

Although I use a lot of Proraso Green in the summer, Arko remains my favorite all around soap. Look into joining the Cult Of Arko!

Join the cult! Arko is wonderful. I highly recommend face lathering with it.

One of the best values in saving soap.

turtle said:

One of the best values in saving soap.

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+1. Inexpensive but good.

Arko performs as well or better than any soap at any price,

You know, I have Arko and when I am in England, with VERY hard water, I love it.

But where I work, with our de-salinated, very soft water, its not so good. Here, Proraso reigns supreme.

demaro said:

Arko performs as well or better than any soap at any price,

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Truer words never spoken!

The soap of the gods.

I used Arko for the first time myself this morning. I'm a bowl latherer, so I have the puck in the bright red plastic tub.

I loaded a Grooming Co. synthetic brush my usual 30 seconds or so and moved to the bowl. I swirled and swirled, adding water several times. With each addition of water the lather got slicker (and more voluminous), but not noticeably thinner.

I ended up with enough very thick, cushiony super-slick lather for about an 8 pass shave.

I did my usual 3 pass shave and washed a bunch of lather down the sink. While shaving I was reminded of some of my favorite soaps (Valobra, Tabac, MWF), all of which cost several times as much as my Arko puck.

As for the much-discussed scent, it is a non-issue for me. Sniffing the puck reminded me of Lemon Pledge, but once in the bowl the scent dissipated and it just had a clean soapy smell, which pretty much disappeared after the rinse/alum block/rinse. I think it would work fine with just about any aftershave, balm or EdT.

I have a lot of soaps, some of which are really good. However, this is the first time I've found myself looking at my collection and thinking, "Do I really need all of these?"

--Bob

Arko is inexpensive enough that it should be ordered by the 12 pack. Just super load, add water, and enjoy.

Oh, I like Arko.

What every Arko starter should learn, IMO, is that Arko wants lots of water for a really slick lather.

I was very impressed with Arko. The lather is quick and amazing, and whips into a fabulous protective coating of absolutely dreadful smelling stuff. *Great* shave, but man is the smell ever unfortunate. It prompted me to order LaToja and Palmolive sticks which I am eager to try this week.

I've had some posts where I described the Arko scent as something I remember from military days in Turkey. It's just an unpretentious, effective, simple basic soap. One posting compared it to Ivory bath soap. It is a "thirsty" one that requires quite a bit of water. With the sticks, I have put one in a $2 push-up stick container from West Coast Shaving and taken it on the road. There is a Youtube video by ShaveNation showing how to scrape a layer of it onto your face and then face-lather. Works great. When the vintage shave mug arrives, it will be the home for the Arko puck. I have also taken a cue from someone in this forum and mixed it in the bowl with a half-dollop of cream.

I tried Arko when I first started wet shaving and didn't think much of it. I wasn't loading enough and didn't really know how to use a shave stick.
i recently ordered a couple of sticks and think it's great. I am indifferent to the scent, no love or hate. Performance is outstanding though.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.., I forgot what I said before!

Seriously.., ARKO

I loathe the smell of Arko >.<