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Announcing: The First Shaving Cream Pass Around for European and UK members.

lol that is pretty much what's happening, it's like waiting for Christmas [emoji318][emoji23]

We should have started with you, [MENTION=112020]Jonno7452[/MENTION]... I'm much older and have learned patience.... :thumbup:

Sure hope i don't forget to send out the package in a couple or three weeks.... :w00t:
 
Okay since I have time this morning,,,unless I spend it all talking about shaving and not actually shaving...

I'll start with the German Florena which is easily locally found. I've never bought one so this is chance to try it without spending a penny.. except for mailing out this package. :001_smile
 
We should have started with you, @Jonno7452... I'm much older and have learned patience.... :thumbup:

No we shouldn't padawans must learn patience, lack of patience way to the dark side is, cartridges, spray foam, and pimples on that path lie.

Sure hope i don't forget to send out the package in a couple or three weeks.... :w00t:

Ah, so you're another one who likes to tempt fate - dude he's a nurse. Never ever ever pee off a nurse. You think the mafia's bad? Try nurses.
 
No we shouldn't padawans must learn patience, lack of patience way to the dark side is, cartridges, spray foam, and pimples on that path lie.



Ah, so you're another one who likes to tempt fate - dude he's a nurse. Never ever ever pee off a nurse. You think the mafia's bad? Try nurses.

Luke kicked Darths rear back to the Hoth system after training with Yoda for a few months in a the Dagoba system rather than spending years as a padawan like all the others. Both Obi wan and Yoda lectured him about patience but he still went for it!!
I will never turn to cartridges and spray foam as that is like using a blaster after you have tried out a light sabre.
And margor is right never upset nurses, they are masters in the way of the enema!![emoji23][emoji23]
 
And margor is right never upset nurses, they are masters in the way of the enema!![emoji23][emoji23]

I notice how you carefully don't mention the barbarian hordes of nurses stalking the land with specially blunted needles muttering their mantra of doom... ... ...
 
Florena from Germany

I used a double almond dose and it took what seemed like a lot of water to create a good creamy lather. More than I use with the Mon Savon which is a soft soap consistency in the container. I used my 24mm Whipped Dog synthetic and a large soup bowl. A rougher surface bowl would probably create the lather faster and better but this is what I have.

With the added water, the lather became pretty creamy and thick but I did my usual 1-2 minute “let it soak in and soften the whiskers” pause and the lather started to thin out and needed a re-application with the brush before I could start.

Florena is very slick. The Stick Schick Injector with the twin-blade (4th day) slid smoothly over my skin with virtually no drag. Cutting was smooth and effortless. I did a WTG on my entire face and XTG on my cheeks (nose to ear). That’s all it took for a nearly BBS and 13 hours later my stubble is barely noticeable.

On the neck, I did my usual WTG and ATG and that was enough to get to a DFS level shave. I never go ATG on my neck since every time I do it results in a little irritation with no apparent improvement in the shave. On my jaw, I did XTG, WTG and ATG as usual… actually two ATGs under the chin for DFS quality.

The one area that I overworked (without fresh lather and only the residual slickness of the lather) was around the mouth. Working too much on the right side under the mustache end, I gave myself a small nick. No blood but an obvious tiny cut.

I had to add some water to revive the lather for the second pass as it was drying and getting pasty.

I finished with Alum and plain Witch Hazel and purposely used no balm or AS. My skin was neither dry and taut nor exceptionally soft and moisturized but felt comfortable and normal all day long.

The scent is lightly medicinal but isn’t strong and I had to stick my nose deeply into the lather bowl to really smell it. I rank scent as a 7+ on the importance scale.

Overall score is 8.5 with high marks for slickness, cushion and post-shave feel.

Florena loses points for drying too fast and a weak and medicinal scent.

Would I buy it? Yes, but given the choice of Florena or Speick or Nivea… a toss-up.


NEXT UP: Viking from Russia
 
I was thinking about that as well after reading your comments on the first post about how the Russian is based on the Bulgarian...

Plan B....

Next up is Bulgarian Viking Active.
 
I was thinking about that as well after reading your comments on the first post about how the Russian is based on the Bulgarian...

Plan B....

Next up is Bulgarian Viking Active.

Incidentally you're right about a rough bowl - I indulged myself in one a few months ago, it's actually a large scuttle as you can see below that I got from a Ukranian seller on the bay for a price (including shipping) that works out at a bit over 36€ or nearly $40 or nearly £33 with free shipping. I prefer to cold shave, but I enjoy an utterly self-indulgent hot lather shave once in a while and this lets me do both. Using it really came as a revelation I get vast amounts of lather out of the thing.
$my new shaving scuttle.jpg
Of course nobody needs a scuttle but if I was going to indulge myself for Christmas this would be the indulgence I'd go for. (That dealer also does a medium-sized bowl which I haven't tried - it's a fair bit cheaper). For decades rather than a scuttle I used a silver plated shell shaped dish - an improvisation which worked very well.
 
Incidentally you're right about a rough bowl - I indulged myself in one a few months ago, it's actually a large scuttle as you can see below that I got from a Ukranian seller on the bay for a price (including shipping) that works out at a bit over 36€ or nearly $40 or nearly £33 with free shipping. I prefer to cold shave, but I enjoy an utterly self-indulgent hot lather shave once in a while and this lets me do both. Using it really came as a revelation I get vast amounts of lather out of the thing.
View attachment 695794
Of course nobody needs a scuttle but if I was going to indulge myself for Christmas this would be the indulgence I'd go for. (That dealer also does a medium-sized bowl which I haven't tried - it's a fair bit cheaper). For decades rather than a scuttle I used a silver plated shell shaped dish - an improvisation which worked very well.

Mark,
If you haven't yet joined the enablers Club, you might consider it... :lol:
 
Viking Active from Bulgaria

I just finished this shave this morning although it is Sunday, it seemed as though I rushed more this morning than yesterday before work..

Again, I used a double dollop and it took what seemed like even more water than the Florena. The first dip of the brush in the water was not enough and two more dribbles from the faucet created a good amount of pasty lather. A heavy dose of water added then created a nice thick creamy lather.

Two minutes on the face and the lather was still moist and shave-able. I massage a bit more lather on and worked it in grabbed the razor.

BTW.. Brush, Bowl, Razor, Blade and Post Shave routine will be the same for each of these creams.

Maybe it was me but although the lather was quite thick and creamy, it wasn’t as slick as the Florena. I felt like the razor dragged a bit and didn’t glide as smoothly.

With the same WTG and XTG on my cheeks, it feels as though the shave isn’t as close as yesterday.

Neck and Jaw are as good as with the Florena. Certainly no irritation and a good DFS in both areas doing a WTG and ATG on the neck and WTG, XTG and ATG on the jaw as before.

I was much gentler on my chin today and tried not to over work the area and made sure I had real lather not just leftovers. However, I added another nick next to yesterday’s. As I said above, I think I was rushing so I could get breakfast started.

I didn’t have to add any water during the shave and the leftover lather was still good when I rinsed the bowl.

Same finish with Alum and WH but even now, only 5 hours later, my skin feels a bit dry.

The Viking Active is almost scent-free..

I’ll give Viking Active from Bulgaria an 8.5 for good lathering, good cushion but the IMO lack of slickness didn’t work for me and the lack of scent was a bit of a disappointment.

Would I buy it? Only if I could buy it cheaply; If it cost $2 a tube with $2 shipping, probably not.

Sorry, Mark. I know you like this one.
 
The Viking Active is almost scent-free..

I’ll give Viking Active from Bulgaria an 8.5 for good lathering, good cushion but the IMO lack of slickness didn’t work for me and the lack of scent was a bit of a disappointment.

Would I buy it? Only if I could buy it cheaply; If it cost $2 a tube with $2 shipping, probably not.

Sorry, Mark. I know you like this one.

Yes I do like it but no as much as the Russian - I find with all the Bulgarian creams that if I give them just a bit less water than I think they need that the lather produced is a bit more solid - which I like, and I get a bit more of a moisturising effect than I would otherwise. Some of these creams are downright odd. To give an exampke - KAPO regular gives me better post-shave skin feel than KAPO sensitive. I actually considered putting the two KAPOs into the pass-around and then decided against it which I regret a bit now as two "shoot outs" would have been interesting.

As to Florena - I think if I were to compare it to anything it'd be to Nivea, and I mean that as a compliment Nivea creams have a great price:performance ratio.

As a matter of interest have you ever triied Biotique palymra? Or at the other end of the spectrum Dettol?

An enabler? Me??? Well it was another Irishman who said that he could resist everything except temptation.

PS: I find I get far more lather out of rather less cream than I used to. So looked at that way the scuttle might just about pay for itself over the next 30 years or so. It was an economy measure. That's it, it's an economy measure. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it).
 
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Today is Lea Crema de Afeitar from Spain......

For the record, this is the set-up I'm using for this pass around test.....
Whipped Dog 24mm Synthetic Brush
Schick Stick L1 Variant Injector Razor
Schick Injector Twin Blade
Large Smooth sided Soup Bowl for lather
Alum
Generic Witch Hazel

So here's the review:

Lea Crema de Afeitar from Spain

This was the weirdest (and maybe one of the worst shaves) I've ever had.

I put a dollop of cream into my lather bowl as always and started working it with a damp brush.
Nothing.
I put a second dollop in and worked it.
Still nothing.
S I looked at the tube and saw the little round circle of white on blue that says
“sin brocha – brushless”
Aha, thinks me, I’ll try it brushless as it recommends.

I squeeze a double dollop onto my palm and rub the cream on my damp cheeks and neck and have to add another small dollop to finish coating my chin and neck. I tried working up a lather with brush to no avail.

It’s a thin white coating of cream which looks dangerously like drying quickly so, rather than wait my usual 1-2 minutes for it to soak, I grab the razor and start shaving.

The usual progression: mouth and chin, cheeks, neck, under chin.
I get a weeper immediately on my chin just under my lip.

It’s slick, I’ll give it that. And it doesn't flinch from water. In fact, it almost resists it.

I applied a second coating of Lea and proceeded to do the XTG on the cheeks, ATG on the neck and chin areas. A third coat for the ATG on the jawline.

The shave isn't as smooth as with the Florena or even the Bulgarian Viking Active but it is SAS.

This stuff doesn't want to rinse off. Three cold water rinses to get it done.

Alum – the world’s most undeniable feedback… Stinging on every part of my face.
Witch Hazel – two sprays on the neck to cool the mild burn.

However, I could not rinse this cream out of my brush. Lukewarm or hot water did nothing. The bristles were clinging together like children on a roller coaster and leaning all to one side.

Two washes in hot soap-and-vinegar water before it was back to its fluffy normal nicely rounded self.

Post-shave – tight and dry skin

Lea from Spain gets a 3.5 from me. It’s slick but it’s annoying to apply and annoying to rinse. I felt like I had to rush to get the shave done before it dried out.

My first time using a brushless cream but this one is not for me. All the above reasons but at least it has a pleasant scent.
 
Today is Lea Crema de Afeitar from Spain......

Lea from Spain gets a 3.5 from me. It’s slick but it’s annoying to apply and annoying to rinse. I felt like I had to rush to get the shave done before it dried out.

My first time using a brushless cream but this one is not for me. All the above reasons but at least it has a pleasant scent.

I passed another tube of this around elsewhere - reactions were evenly divided between those who loved it and those who didn't like it and couldn't see the point of the stuff. I got good results with it but wouldn't ever buy it again as there's better brushless stuff available at the same price or lower. I was surprised - LEA stuff -especially the Lea Classic range is very good. I have a tin of their shaving cream and greatly enjoy using it.
 
Whipped Dog 24mm Synthetic Brush
Schick Stick L1 Variant Injector Razor
Schick Injector Twin Blade
Large Smooth sided Soup Bowl for lather
Alum
Generic Witch Hazel


Today I used the KAPO from Bulgaria

This cream is my favorite so far.

Kapo has an indescribable but very pleasant scent. I used a standard regulation almond sized dollop and only a couple of quick dips of water to create a sufficient amount of lather for a full 3+ pass shave.

Today I let the lather soak my face for almost five minutes sine it seemed too good to be true. I could easily have shaved with the lather that was still on my skin as it was still thick enough to give cover my skin. I brushed on a bit more and stirred it up anyway and took razor in hand.

This cream creates a nice slick lather and the razor was gliding smoothly.
Even with only a WTG and XTG nose to ear, my cheeks were even smoother than the Florena. All but BBS in those areas and if I had done another XTG and/or ATG it would have been a perfect BBs.

Mouth area, Chin and neck were easy to get to within a whisker of BBS as well with the usual WTG and ATG on those areas.

Post-shave with Kapo is moisturizing and delightfully soft. Unlike shaving with the Lea, even the Alum block didn’t sting on any part of my face. A spritz of Witch hazel and I was good to go.

Brush and razor rinsed easily.

This one is definitely a keeper.
 
Whipped Dog 24mm Synthetic Brush
Schick Stick L1 Variant Injector Razor
Schick Injector Twin Blade
Large Smooth sided Soup Bowl for lather
Alum
Generic Witch Hazel

[snip]

This one is definitely a keeper.

KAPO (incidentally I forgot to mention that it means "diamond") really is good as you say definitely a keeper. Interestingly I prefer the regular to the "sensitive" when it comes to how my skin feels afterwards.

Many thanks for another excellent review.
 
Gentlemen,
There's going to be a lot of cream left at the end of this passaround.... None of the tubes appear to have been used at all, at all.
Each of them needs so little cream, except for the Lea, to make a fine lather that each tube would last me at least 3 months, probably 4-5.

I can just imagine [MENTION=112020]Jonno7452[/MENTION].... peeking out his bathroom window, brush and scuttle in hand, watching for the Postman to coming whistling down the front walk with a box in his hand... Patience, grasshopper, it will be worth the wait.

:drool::a32::taz:
 
Gentlemen,
There's going to be a lot of cream left at the end of this passaround.... None of the tubes appear to have been used at all, at all.
Each of them needs so little cream, except for the Lea, to make a fine lather that each tube would last me at least 3 months, probably 4-5.

I can just imagine [MENTION=112020]Jonno7452[/MENTION].... peeking out his bathroom window, brush and scuttle in hand, watching for the Postman to coming whistling down the front walk with a box in his hand... Patience, grasshopper, it will be worth the wait.

:drool::a32::taz:

Lol, I am getting the scuttle for Christmas so having to wait on that too, however the rest is fairly accurate. I cannot wait for the Kapo especially as have heard good stuff about it from Mark. Pre soaking the Brush already. I can imagine that once the gentlemanly restraint is up a tube of Kapo will be one of the first things I buy! [MENTION=103776]YKMV[/MENTION] your reviews have been excellent so far Sensei!! [emoji23][emoji1303]
 
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