Artisan Shaving Soap (Mark 5) Testing...

Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

Ah yes, that's what I forgot to mention - my soft water. I'd guess that Anthony's travails have a lot to do with the fearful stuff he has to put up with.
 
Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

I used this soap over the weekend, and to be honest, there isn't much more that I can add to what has already been said. The soap is great :)

With the water in my area being pretty soft, I don't normally have too many problems with lathering (other than user error) and this soap was no different. The lather could perhaps have been a little thicker / denser, but that's more of a personal preference than a criticism of the soap. I had a really nice shave using a Bolzano blade in my new Merkur HD, did 2 passes and a few little touchups and the lather performed really well for the entire shave.

My skin felt good afterwards, a tiny bit dry maybe, but certainly no dryer than when using other soaps and certainly not uncomfortable at all. I had no redness or irritation, and not even a hint of sting when applying my usual aftershave splash.

I definitely think this soap is ready for the market, and I would definitely buy some if it were for sale.

Congratulations Artisan, a resounding success for this formula I think :)

Cheers

Jon
 
Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

WOW :eek: :eek: :shock: :shock: :D :D :shave :shave

I only went away for the weekend and 6 of my lovely testers have already reviewed the Mark 5 - Thank you Chaps :)

I'm all overwhelmed with the positives thus far - must be nearly there!!! :shave :shave :shave :shave :shave

As ever though, I must wait until I get word from those poor souls afflicted with hard water - creating the right lather for hard water is a challenge :lol:

I'm also waiting with baited breath for my first foreign testers to receive their sample bars and tell me what they think ;)

Thanks again Chaps,

Artisan :)
 
Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

Well - one of your foreign testers is waiting with baited breath until it arrives :shave

All these reviews make me very curious. Only thing - I've got soft water as well.

/marcel
 
Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

I don't mind that you have soft water mrkiii, I am interested in all feedback :D

Its just that hard water is particularly difficult to formulate soap for :ugeek:

Hope it arrives soon (and not via Australia) :lol:

Artisan :)
 
Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

Hi,

my artisan #5 arrived yesterday so this morning I took it for a spin. The setup used:

Brush: Futur
Razor: Futur @3.5 / 2.5 / 1.5
Blade: 7OC Yellow

Previous soaps/creams: MWF, ProRaso, Ralph Lauren, TBS, T&H, GFT, DVH, Palmolive, Malaspina, C&E

I put a few drops on the soap to start with. Soak brush. Take a shower. Shake some water from brush. Swirl brush on soap for 1m. Swirl brush in bowl for 2m.

Lather: OK. Not a copious amount but a good consistency.

Paint it on. Wow - there is a bit of irritation/stinging. That was totally unexpected in an unscented soap.
The stinging subsides after 30s. The only other soap to do this to me is C&E. Malaspina cream in Lav Patch. as well, but its the fragrance oils doing it as the unscented Malaspina does not sting.

Pass 1: WTG. Unfomfy. Normally I take it at 4.5-5 with a 7OC (3.5-4 with Red Personna) but it's not nice. So I take it to 3.5 and that is better. Slipperyness seems less than normal, the blade does not glide well.
Pass 2: XTG (@2.5). OK, but gliding is not so good.
Pass 3: ATG (@1.5). Nog great, not bad. Gliding is not so good.

After the shave, cold water + alum. After that, Gillette ASB. Skin feels tight afterwards. Takes about an hour.

There is enough lather for the 3 passes so no complaint there.

Verdict: this soap does not seem to be there for me with the Futur.

Variations that I'll try:
- Vie Long horse brush + EJ89 + RP blade for the shaving experience
- Barbershop bay rum for the after shave treatment

So, to be continued.

/marcel
 
Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

Hi mrkiii,

Thank you for your very detailed feedback - all feedback is really helpful, even if it isn't good. :shock:

I'm very concerned to hear that you had irritation with this soap (sorry! :eek: ), please don't feel obliged to try it again - that would be above and beyond the call of duty. :oops:

It just goes to show that a wide range of testers is needed when formulating soaps. Most thus far have been very positive (although still waiting to hear from testers with hard water), so this is an interesting development. :ugeek:

If we could work out what it was that caused your irritation, it might help you avoid products with it in in future. One way to work out a list of possibles is to look at ingredients lists. If there is an ingredient in the C&E which is also in a soap you can use, it isn't the irritant. I understand that kaolin clay, stearic acid and coconut oil are the most likely ingredients to cause irritation in the Mark 5 soap.

The INCI ingredients for the the Mark 5 would be:- (not in the correct order)
sodium palmate, potassium palmate, sodium castorate, potassium castorate, sodium cocoate, potassium cocoate, sodium stearate, potassium stearate, glycerin, kaolin clay.

If there is an ingredient listed above which is also in the C&E but not in any of the soaps you can use, we have the culprit.

Again mrkiii, I am very sorry for your reaction to the soap :?

Artisan :)
 
Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

Hi Artisan,

don't be sorry - it's why you solicit testers isn't it? And since I agreed to test it - I will :shave.

The one stinging sensation for me is not enough to be deterred from it. It was not nearly bad enough for that and I want to know whether the stinging was circumstance-driven or whether it is consistently reproduceable. If it is consistent - I learn something. Otherwise I can work on the soap to give a better feedback. So you will get a second report, I'll do a TBS tomorrow. That always a bit soothing. Sunday for the second attempt, with the EJ89.

I'm certain to look at the INCI of the C&E and yours. See if I can find a common component causing the problems.

/marcel
 
Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

Hi,

yesterday and today I used the soap again. Yesterday with the EJ, today again with the Futur. Both utilizing a Red Personna.

Using the Vie Long and a bit less water, I ended up with a less foamy and much slicker lather. Both times I had the light stinging I experienced before so it seems definitley due to the soap.

Both were better shaves. The shave was comfortable both times. Using a different ASB (Bay Rum & local shop specific aftershave cream) removed the tight-skin problem reported earlier.

So apart for the light stinging when applying the lather to my face, it was a good shave. I won't be a regular user of it given the options for having a no-sting shave, but the resulting shave is good.

/marcel
 
Re: Artisan's Mark 5 Shaving Soap

Thanks mrkiii, I am really grateful for your thorough feedback. :p

I does seem that you are sensitive to something in the soap, I just hope you can work out what it is. :?

So a little less water made for a slicker lather and more comfortable shave? Good to hear that from a tester, as I thought as much myself. :)

It is also good to know that it works well with a horse hair brush too. I've never tried lathering with one of those, and only have boar and badger brushes myself to test with. ;)

Artisan :)
 
Soap arrived, travelled for 1 month, geez. Had my shave today (not with this) so it's Wednesday when I'll test it... on my face, bcos I couldn't stand it not to try it :D Made a test lathering and omg omg!!!! Lathers like a dream and is slick as it can get. Can't wait to try! :hungrig
 
OK, tested :)
As per workability/latherability: it lathers up quickly for no effort, so here's a 10/10
As per lubrication: it's awesome, so again 10/10
As per durability, aka how the lather holds (if the bubbles burst after a while or not) well it does, so 10/10
As per cleanability! Yes, how it gunks up your razor... it washes off with warm water with no effort so 10/10
As per scent... so far 0/10 :D

So 10/10 for me!

I'd be curious what scents will be available :hungrig
 
Thanks tritrek, I'll take that as a positive then! :lol:

Can I just check if you have hard or soft water please? Just so I know. ;)

I was worried that the Royal Mail had managed to lose tritrek's sample, and had a spare ready to send when I got the PM telling me it had arrived. I never knew airmail could take nearly a month to arrive - maybe they were using paper planes... ;) :lol:

So it seems that the mark 5 may well be a goer, so I need to work out which scent to produce first. Do you Chaps mind giving me an idea which types of scents you generally prefer in your shaving soaps? I have a number of established essential oil blends for you to consider:-
  • Citrus Sunrise - think pink grapefruit, orange, lime, lemon...
  • Lavender - erm... lavender :p
  • Dreamtime - warm and woody with cedarwood, petitgrain, benzoin...
  • Seaspray - herby and spicey with rosemary, lemongrass, black pepper...
  • Walkabout - fresh and zesty with peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree...
  • Naked - erm... unscented. I always call my unscented soaps that :oops: [/list:u]

    Making a comment doesn't oblige you to buy one or anything, just testing to see which seems the most popular :D ;)

    Thanks again!

    Artisan :)
 
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