Arko Soap any good?

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Not tried the stick folks but what is the bowl soap like? It's cheap but is it any good. I know cheap does not necessarily mean crap as I like Prorasso and TFS soaps but would welcome your feedback.
 
The bowl is the same soap as the stick from all I have read/heard. I have used a stick or two and IMO it's a fine soap. Expect none of the Nancy Boy post shave feel so many fetishize nowadays nor an artistic scent, but it shaves just dandy and on the cheap to boot. ;)

I have the bowl, which I bought from a Turkish supermarket for about £1.50 or so. I've not used the stick which I have read is softish and maleable, but the soap in the bowl is on the hard side of things.

The scent can be a bit aggressive to begin with for the lemon/bathroom cleaner scent but that goes after a while, and it's not a scent that sticks to ones skin though.

As for post shave feel, some state that it is too drying. IMO, Arko can be a soap that is very easy to underhydrate and if one does it can be drying. However it is not a soap that leaves one's skin feeling greasy post shave, which I find to be a good thing as my skin is a bit on the greasy side of things at the best of times.

I've read/heard the Derby soap is near enough the same as Arko for performance without as much of it's characteristic scent.
 
Very distinctive scent, which has been compared (not unkindly) to urinal cake disinfectant. Brings me out in a burning rash, and many users find it too drying on the skin for continued everyday use. Lathers so easily and profusely it could be hazardous to leave it stored anywhere near a wet brush.

JohnnyO. o/.
 
For the price point it is the best performing soap. It is very forgiving and is the best soap I've used in hard water areas, it even worked in Gran Canaria using desalinated water. Smell is secondary to performance for me.
 
The bowl is exactly the same as the stick....lathers very well but, as others have commented, can be a little drying. However, I've used more expensive soaps that have performed worse so, for the money....a good punt.
As for the smell? I would say...lemon sherbets, or CIF bath cleaner, but not urinal pucks!
 
The scent isn't to everyone's taste but it performs fine.

My local barber uses it, so to me it a barbershop scent, though the Cif reference is pretty much spot on!

I have a couple of sticks grated into a small Tupperware bowl and it lathers up so easily. When it comes to price versus performance, it's a no brainer!

[emoji1303]
 
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