Got the new formulation of Dr. Jon's in the mail today. I bought "Savannah Sunrise" and "Anne Bonny". I've used the old formulation of "Savannah Sunrise" before, so I started with that one.
Soap: Much more solid. Also comes in a new screw top tin. I like it. The old formulation was very soft. I thought it best to bloom this one a bit. Not much. Just drizzled a bit of water on top and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Scent: The scent profile is a little narrower when smelling the soap out of the container. I definitely got a more floral note. The older formulation scent just burst out of the tin. Not a bad thing, just a little different. When lathering the scent becomes full and smells wonderful. Description says," Orange Blossom, Peach, Gardenia, Jasmine and Honeysuckle blend together to make a sweet and floral shaving experience." That about nails it.
Lathering: Used my Stirling "Lil Brudder" 22mm/51mm to face lather. Whipped up a beautiful, thick, cushiony lather. This soap is thirstier than the old formulation. The more water I added the better the lather became. Really top notch.
Slickness/Cushion: Slickness is great. I mean great. I nicked myself because my razor (pre-war Gillette Tech) slipped in my hand. That's a first. Cushion was good. I'll get a better feel for it as I dial it in.
Post shave: Felt fantastic. Hot/humid night here so it was hard to tell if I needed a moisturizing AS. I don't think so though. No dryness or tightness, but given the weather I didn't expect to be able to tell much on that front.
Conclusion: Dr. Jon has made a wonderful new formulation of his soap. I loved the old version, but sometimes the lather I would get would be a bit thin. It seemed to have a narrower "sweet spot" for me. Not so with the new formulation. It's thirstier, but thicker and slicker. I'm very impressed. Would I recommend ? Definite yes. Usually "new formulation" means the maker has cut costs while trying to preserve the character of the old formula. Not so with this one. Dr. Jon upped his game. It really is a "new formulation" that tries to better the old one. And Dr. Jon has definitely achieved his goal.
P.S. As always YMMV.
Soap: Much more solid. Also comes in a new screw top tin. I like it. The old formulation was very soft. I thought it best to bloom this one a bit. Not much. Just drizzled a bit of water on top and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Scent: The scent profile is a little narrower when smelling the soap out of the container. I definitely got a more floral note. The older formulation scent just burst out of the tin. Not a bad thing, just a little different. When lathering the scent becomes full and smells wonderful. Description says," Orange Blossom, Peach, Gardenia, Jasmine and Honeysuckle blend together to make a sweet and floral shaving experience." That about nails it.
Lathering: Used my Stirling "Lil Brudder" 22mm/51mm to face lather. Whipped up a beautiful, thick, cushiony lather. This soap is thirstier than the old formulation. The more water I added the better the lather became. Really top notch.
Slickness/Cushion: Slickness is great. I mean great. I nicked myself because my razor (pre-war Gillette Tech) slipped in my hand. That's a first. Cushion was good. I'll get a better feel for it as I dial it in.
Post shave: Felt fantastic. Hot/humid night here so it was hard to tell if I needed a moisturizing AS. I don't think so though. No dryness or tightness, but given the weather I didn't expect to be able to tell much on that front.
Conclusion: Dr. Jon has made a wonderful new formulation of his soap. I loved the old version, but sometimes the lather I would get would be a bit thin. It seemed to have a narrower "sweet spot" for me. Not so with the new formulation. It's thirstier, but thicker and slicker. I'm very impressed. Would I recommend ? Definite yes. Usually "new formulation" means the maker has cut costs while trying to preserve the character of the old formula. Not so with this one. Dr. Jon upped his game. It really is a "new formulation" that tries to better the old one. And Dr. Jon has definitely achieved his goal.
P.S. As always YMMV.
