SOTD : Saturday 19th October - Friday 25h October 2019.

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Prep: Valobra Glycerlanolina soap,Antica Barbieria Colla Almond Oil Pre-Shave Cream
Brush: Omega Pro 48 Boar
Soap: Signature Soaps Valentia
Razor: Mergress XL (2)
Blade: NOS Personna P74 Med Prep (10)
Post: Thayers Cucumber Witch Hazel, Antica Barbieria Colla Almond Oil Balm
Scent: Portus Cale Black EdT

First shave with a Signature Soaps shaving soap. The soap was kindly PIF'd to me from @Satanfriendly - thanks, Chris; you are a Gent.

These soaps are not the NSS Signature Soaps that have been around for a few years; it seems they have been released in the last few months. The Maker's website states that he is based in Bolton. The soaps are very much vegan, with the exception of a goat milk soap designed for Eczema and Psoriasis sufferers. The website summarises the products as follows:
"My specialist range of luxurious handmade soaps, shower, bath and body care products are all handmade with the purest ingredients and are free of SLS, Parabens, and other commonly used nasties to provide you with a product that is gentle, mild, moisturising and conditions your skin. My products are made in small batches, in accordance with my Cosmetic Safety Assessments and fully meet all EU Regulations and Standards for the manufacture of cosmetic products."

So, to the shave. The soap is a croap, of similar texture to Declaration Grooming soaps. The Sandalwood and Vetiver notes of the scent are very much to my taste - very natural and dry, and nicely rounded out by the Bergamot. The soap lathers very easily, and can take a lot of water. If in doubt, keep adding, as it has excellent persistence. My Omega 48 was now engulfed in an overflowing bowl of shiny lather, and it was time to shave.

Now, to preface my thoughts, I should state that I have tried similar small batch Artisanal soaps here is Oz such as Washpool Farm and Beauty and the Bees, and was not impressed with their performance, so I began this shave with some trepidation. This is not to say that we don't have brilliant artisan soaps here in Oz - APR and Squadron for example are both superb, but the Signature soap seemed to have the same vibe as the former soaps I mention. I should also mention that >90% of my soaps are tallow-based, but I do have a soft spot for some veggie soaps such as ABC, MDC, and Saponificio Varesino.

Well, boy oh boy - was I in for a surprise with this shave! The lather was very slick, and in no time at all, I have a beautiful paint-like layer of lather covering my face and neck. The cushion and razor glide with this soap was excellent - so comfortable and easy to shave with. And the biggest surprise of all (being a vegan soap) - very good residual slickness. I rarely see this with non-tallow soaps.
Three very comfortable passes, and I was absolutely BBS. My previous two shaves had been with soaps that I rate very highly, and I had only achieved DFS+ with three passes, so I continued to be impressed by this soap. To cap things off, a nice post-shave feel. Maybe not quite as luxurious as Grooming Department or Tabula Rasa, but still very good.
 
9NXC3GI.jpg


Prep: Valobra Glycerlanolina soap,Antica Barbieria Colla Almond Oil Pre-Shave Cream
Brush: Omega Pro 48 Boar
Soap: Signature Soaps Valentia
Razor: Mergress XL (2)
Blade: NOS Personna P74 Med Prep (10)
Post: Thayers Cucumber Witch Hazel, Antica Barbieria Colla Almond Oil Balm
Scent: Portus Cale Black EdT

First shave with a Signature Soaps shaving soap. The soap was kindly PIF'd to me from @Satanfriendly - thanks, Chris; you are a Gent.

These soaps are not the NSS Signature Soaps that have been around for a few years; it seems they have been released in the last few months. The Maker's website states that he is based in Bolton. The soaps are very much vegan, with the exception of a goat milk soap designed for Eczema and Psoriasis sufferers. The website summarises the products as follows:
"My specialist range of luxurious handmade soaps, shower, bath and body care products are all handmade with the purest ingredients and are free of SLS, Parabens, and other commonly used nasties to provide you with a product that is gentle, mild, moisturising and conditions your skin. My products are made in small batches, in accordance with my Cosmetic Safety Assessments and fully meet all EU Regulations and Standards for the manufacture of cosmetic products."

So, to the shave. The soap is a croap, of similar texture to Declaration Grooming soaps. The Sandalwood and Vetiver notes of the scent are very much to my taste - very natural and dry, and nicely rounded out by the Bergamot. The soap lathers very easily, and can take a lot of water. If in doubt, keep adding, as it has excellent persistence. My Omega 48 was now engulfed in an overflowing bowl of shiny lather, and it was time to shave.

Now, to preface my thoughts, I should state that I have tried similar small batch Artisanal soaps here is Oz such as Washpool Farm and Beauty and the Bees, and was not impressed with their performance, so I began this shave with some trepidation. This is not to say that we don't have brilliant artisan soaps here in Oz - APR and Squadron for example are both superb, but the Signature soap seemed to have the same vibe as the former soaps I mention. I should also mention that >90% of my soaps are tallow-based, but I do have a soft spot for some veggie soaps such as ABC, MDC, and Saponificio Varesino.

Well, boy oh boy - was I in for a surprise with this shave! The lather was very slick, and in no time at all, I have a beautiful paint-like layer of lather covering my face and neck. The cushion and razor glide with this soap was excellent - so comfortable and easy to shave with. And the biggest surprise of all (being a vegan soap) - very good residual slickness. I rarely see this with non-tallow soaps.
Three very comfortable passes, and I was absolutely BBS. My previous two shaves had been with soaps that I rate very highly, and I had only achieved DFS+ with three passes, so I continued to be impressed by this soap. To cap things off, a nice post-shave feel. Maybe not quite as luxurious as Grooming Department or Tabula Rasa, but still very good.

Happy to read your words and that your thoughts are much the same as many up here in 'The right way' up part of the world.

Same as for @Clint64 it was my pleasure to send the samples on to you. And I think you have sufficient for the wet shave meets you mentioned.

Be well
 
Thursday SOTD

Lea Sensitive Cream
Zenith Synthetic
Rockwell 6C R4
GSB (1)
N Locio'n Aftershave

Having only recently acquired Lea Cream and shave sticks, (bought while on holiday in Spain) I'm really enjoying using them. The cream is easily whipped up into a creamy lather, and I quite like it's clean scent.
Zenith Synthetic and 3D printed bowl made lather building a very fast process.
I ended up with way too much lather, and went for three passes instead of my usual WTG/ATG routine.
Finished with N Locio'n Aftershave - another product I picked up in Spain last week.
This stuff really suits my skin, with excellent hydration, (possibly the marine algae content, and very similar to Arctic Kinesia ASL)
 
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Date:- 25 October 2019

Pre-shave:- Cold Water straight from the tap
Bowl/Scuttle:- Captain's Choice
Brush:- WCS Two-Tone Tall (Blue & White) Extra Dense Synth. 26/56mm knot
Soap/Cream:- Ariana & Evans ~ Which One's Pink
Razor/Blade:- Karve CB SS 'D' / Wizamet Polsilver Brown Stainless #4
Post/After-shave:- T.N. Dickinson Witch Hazel Astringent mixed into the 240ml bottle with Natural Glycerin (20), Tea Tree Antiseptic (10), Lavender (15) & Peppermint (10 drops)
Fragrance:- Tommy Hilfiger for Men
 
25/10/19

Razor: Rex Ambassador #2.5
Blade: Treet Platinum (2)
Brush: Yaqi Purple Haze Mew Brown
Soap: Signature Soaps Britannia
Pre: Proraso Red
ASL: Osma Alum
ASB: Proraso Blue
Scent: Next Tonic

Another face feeler today. The Britannia is one of the most unusual (but pleasant) shaving soap scents I've ever used. As expected, it performed flawlessly.

The Treet Platinum has proven itself a good blade in a few of my razors and no exception with the Rex. 100 for £6.99!
 
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