Another great review. Unfortunately imgbb has shafted you, which is their business model... 
WEEKLY SHAVING SOAP REVIEW
- Thread starter Bladerunner7
- Start date
Bladerunner7
Member
Will reload it. Thanks Mate
Bladerunner7
Member
STRIKE GOLD SHAVE / THE RAZOR COMPANY – GRANT
First Look - A photograph of Ulsysses S Grant, the 18th President of the United states (1869 – 1877) stares back at me from the soap tub cover, the brand name, soap’s title, weight and ingredients take up the rest of the space. The proof of collaboration sits on the side label with The Razor Company’s logo. There is nothing extraordinary about the artwork and packaging of Strike Gold Shave ‘Grant’ but like all other products by the company, it is instantly recognizable with its unique identity. Works for me.
Side note – Lifelong shaving enthusiast Frank Misa immersed himself into the world of straight razors in 2005, spending a good two years joining forums, attending meet ups and learning from the Old School masters. In 2007 he started professionally honing razors. His deep love for fragrances led him on a shaving soap and after shave making journey soon after with a close connection to Van Yulay. Frank’s products scream American patriotism as a theme and there’s a good reason for that, him being a retired police officer, a firefighter and a proud American. There’s a noble side to this Artisan as well, the aim of his business was to provide the highest quality products at affordable prices to service veterans and new shavers as well while making himself available to all shavers seeking help for straight razor shaving.
First Whiff – On opening the container of Grant, the scent hits me in the nose like a perfume bomb, a strong smoky Pineapple note takes center stage arm ion arm with a fresh and invigorating Bergamot . A second whiff and I detect hints of Citrus, Apple, Blackcurrant, Jasmine, Saffron, Oakmoss and Rose which soon lead to a deeper musk, amber and woody background. The fragrance profile described by the Artisan are Bergamot, Blackcurrant, Apple, Pineapple, Lemon, Jasmine , Saffron and Pink Pepper at the top, Birch , Patchouli, Jasmine, Rose, Pineapple and Juniper Berries in the middle and Amberwood, Musk, Oakmoss, Ambergris, Vanilla, Cedarwood and Ambroxan at the base. Grant is supposed to be a hybrid scent of two iconic perfumes, Creed Aventus and Baccarat Rouge 540. Frank Misa has nailed a winner here by capturing the invigorating scent notes of Creed Aventus and the woody, soft floral and ambery notes of Baccarat Rouge 540 perfectly. This is one of the best smelling shaving soaps in my den and a winner like most other TRC collaborations with artisan soap makers.
First Lather – My tools for creating a lather were a new Frank Shaving honeycomb G7 synthetic brush and the HC & Co SS lather bowl. I added a heaped teaspoon of soap and two tablespoons of water before swirling the brush clockwise and anti-clockwise for 60 seconds. Adding another tablespoon of water, I left the pasty lather to hydrate for two minutes. Returning back to the bowl, I gently swirled the brush clockwise for two minutes and noticed that the result was rather thick, so another tablespoon of water followed. In retrospect, I probably used a tad bit more of product. Another 60 second of brush rotations and I had a creamy, extremely dense and rich lather in front of me, think Greek Yogurt with most of the whey removed. It was unreal.
First Performance – When painting the first few strokes of lather on the face I noticed that the fragrance strength remained strong without any change off the puck. I had five days of growth to cut through and using my Stirling Hyper Aggressive with a Wizamet blade, I had a smooth first pass. The post first pass residual slickness was top notch. A second pass with a BBS result followed and the soap made the razor glide effortlessly on my cheeks. I have used Strike Gold soaps before with average slickness but this soap was at another level by itself. The TRC / Strike Gold Shave version of Grant features the Patriot Base with minimal ingredients, namely Stearic Acid, Tallow, Goat Milk, Water, Shea Butter, Kokum Butter, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Castor oil, Glycerin and Tusah Silk. The quality and amount of each ingredient used is so well balanced that this soap comes away as an Elite product in terms of performance.
First Opinion – The TRC/ Strike Gold Shave version of Grant which uses the older Patriot base blew me away with its fragrance, lather and performance. If I found another one of these, I would grab it in an instant and would recommend that you do the same.
Cover Art Work & Presentation – 7 / 10
Lather Quality – 10 / 10
Fragrance – 10 / 10
Cushion & Protection – 9 / 10
Slickness – 9 / 10
Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10
Value – 10 / 10
Total Point Score – 63 / 70
Verdict – Smell like a million bucks
Availability – New base available at www.strikegoldshave.com
LesC
Member
@Bladerunner7, great review, I’d not heard of them before but reading your review and their webpage About Us, I couldn’t help myself and ordered “honest” Abe shave soap and alcohol free a/shave splash. 
great review, as I’ve said before I keep my own score minus your cover art as it’s the product that counts for me!!
great review, as I’ve said before I keep my own score minus your cover art as it’s the product that counts for me!!
Bladerunner7
Member
Les, Thanks much Mate. You did well as I love Honest Abe too. Well selected.@Bladerunner7, great review, I’d not heard of them before but reading your review and their webpage About Us, I couldn’t help myself and ordered “honest” Abe shave soap and alcohol free a/shave splash.
Bladerunner7
Member
DOVO – CITRUS LION SHAVING CREAM
First Look - Soap in butter paper, soap on a rope, soap in a plastic container, soap in a porcelain tub and now soap in a full-fledged lather bowl, what a joy, the first time I laid my eyes on the packaging of the Dovo Citrus Lion shaving cream. The label on the cover of the bowl is simple with company name, shaving cream title and the Ariana &Evans logo at the bottom, will get to that later. While there is no artwork to talk about, the reusable stoneware ceramic bowl made in Portugal with a thick cork cover makes the presentation of this package a total winner for me.
Side note – The "DOVO" Stahlwaren company was founded in Solingen, Germany, in 1906, by Carl Dorp and Carl Arthur Voos. Initially, it was a pure straight razor factory with forge and hollow grinding. Like Sheffield in the United Kingdom which is known for its Steel quality, Solingen in Germany is known as the Çity of Blades’ with Dovo being one of the brands that put it on the world map. Today Dovo produces not just staright razors but DE razors, shaving accessories and now shaving software too. Fun fact - Dovo in Belgium is an acronym for the Belgian military's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and in Veenendaal, Netherlands, the name of a football team where DOVO stands for ‘Door Ons Vrienden Opgericht’ (Founded by Our Friends).
First Whiff – On taking off the thick cork cover, a fresh citrus fragrance was projected out of the bowl, it was fairly light and pleasant. I took a strong whiff and was charmed with the citrus heavy and fresh cologne like fragrance. I caught a hint of basil, orange, lemongrass and rose resting behind a fresh tangerine like scent, there were a few woody notes present and they complemented the soap’s fragrance profile well. The notes present in the soap are described as Mandarin and Bergamot in the opening, Basil, Bitter Orange, Lemongrass and Bulgarian Rose in the middle with Himalayan Cedar, Amber, Haitian Vetiver and Australian Sandalwood taking up the base. This is a soap that could serve as a great pick me up in the mornings and one that can be used in all four seasons. The citrus notes are the most dominant but the herb, floral and woody elements make this mid strength fragrance a suave masculine scent.
First Lather – The label states shaving cream but the content inside is more like a firm croap. I was totally excited that I could bloom te product in its container which I did with a tablespoon of warm water for three minutes. Adding a tablespoon more of water, I started working the soap with my Semogue 1470 boar brush. I had a pasty lather with just a minute of brush rotations. I let the lather sit in the bowl for a minute before I resumed swirling the brush just clockwise for two minutes. I was impressed with the creamy and fairly dense lather the soap produced. This is a very easy soap to work with and the lather density can be dialed in according to preference with the amount of water added.
First Performance – The first few strokes of the lather on my face and I knew that I was in for a good shave. Using the Alpha Shaving Outlaw razor and a Kai blade, my first WTG pass was super smooth. I paused to check if the blade was making contact with the skin as I barely felt it but the stubble was gone for sure. A second ATG pass was even easier with the razor gliding effortlessly over the neck and jawline areas. I finished with a two pass BBS on five days of growth and the shave was smooth as silk. I felt my cheeks post shave and the residual slickness was good enough to do a few touch ups without irritating the skin. Dovo's 'Citrus Lion' is a stellar performer and packs in some quality ingredients like Stearic Acid, Aqua, Kokum Butter, Shea Butter,(Vegetable) Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Castor Oil, Rice Milk, Sodium Hydroxide, High Oleic Organic Sunflower Oil, Palm Oil, Avocado Oil, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba Oil, Coconut Milk, Sodium Lactate, Coconut Oil, Beer, Colloidal Oatmeal, Agave Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbedensis Leaf juice, Fragrance, Xanthan Gum, Hyaluronic Acid and Slippery Elm.
So how did Dovo come up with such an amazing shaving soap with a fine mix of ingredients ? Stupid me for missing out on the Ariana & Evans logo on the label. This soap is made by Peter Charkalis of A&E and performs like his VR 2base and the non tallow version of the Ultima 2 base, both of which can dance toe to toe with the best tallow offerings, well so did Citrus Lion.
First Opinion – Dovo Citrus Lion is presented as a shaving cream but it looks, feels and performs like any other top shelf shaving soap. To take this product as an effort by a razor company to add some random software to their catalogue would be a grave mistake. This is a top performer with a classy masculine fragrance that provides all the cushion, protection and residual slickness required for a super smooth shave. The packaging concept of using the container to bowl lather adds to the uniqueness of the product. This is a must have in every wet shavers den.
Cover Art Work & Presentation – 10 / 10
Lather Quality – 8 / 10
Fragrance – 7 / 10
Cushion & Protection – 9 / 10
Slickness – 9 / 10
Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10
Value – 10 / 10
Total Point Score – 61/ 70
Verdict – "Danke schön Dovo' but let's rename it to 'Shaving Soap'.
Availability – https://cutthroatclub.com.au , https://www.westcoastshaving.com , https://dovo.com and other online retailers.
Vittoria
Member
Great review @Bladerunner7 and a stella chioce of Razor/blade.
I was thinking a point may go to the razor in Slickness and Post Shave Feel area.
Cheers.
I was thinking a point may go to the razor in Slickness and Post Shave Feel area.
Cheers.
Bladerunner7
Member
Have to agree with that my friend, was a pure joy to get back to the original Outlaw and its superb shave delivery. For me, the Pick of Steve-O's razors.Great review @Bladerunner7 and a stella chioce of Razor/blade.
I was thinking a point may go to the razor in Slickness and Post Shave Feel area.
Cheers.
Bladerunner7
Member
ELYSIAN SOAP SHOP – ATLANTIS BLUE
First Look - Poseidon’s trident in shades of Blue like it was sitting on an ocean bed surrounded by a gold rim, the brand name and soap’s title take up the rest of the space on the label. I absolutely love the presentation and simple yet detailed artwork of Elysian Soap’s Atlantis Blue. It looks regal, calming and definitely worthy of the Greek ruler of the Seas, Poseidon.
Side note – Shannon Constantine Logan, the artisan and founder of the Elysian brand is a journalism and media arts grad who has written award winning business books, produced music videos and a film before venturing into the craft of soap making during the pandemic. Her Elysian brand may be relatively new in the wet shaving world but her top tier shaving soap base, skin nourishing products and unique fragrance blends done in collaboration with friend and perfumer Jay Mann have made her products a cult favorite among wet shavers.
First Whiff – The Top notes of Elysian Blue include Grapefruit, Pear and Eucalyptus while the Heart features Ginger , Lily Of The Valley, Pineapple Essence, Violet and Marine with Frankincense, Amber, Mysore sandalwood and Hinoki Wood taking up the base. At first whiff I get the grapefruit and pear coming through with just a hint of the eucalyptus. I hold the open tub at my nose for a while longer and the pineapple, violet and marine notes take over. There is a subtle presence of Ginger and Lily of the valley but they stay in the background as the amber and woody notes shine through. The sandalwood and Hinoki wood bind all the other fragrance notes together to give this sporty aquatic fragrance a unique character. Frankincense is a strong fragrance and my humble nose fails to detect its presence The winning notes (pun intended) of Blue are grapefruit, pineapple and violet which when blended with the that amber and woody base make it stand out from all the other aquatic fragrances available in the perfume world. This is a fragrance that could be used in all seasons with a leaning towards summer and I'm sold on it.
First Lather – Using my HC & Co Lather bowl , I smeared a teaspoon full of soap at the bottom, added two tablespoons of water and worked my Bear and Blade chubby synthetic clockwise and anti-clockwise for a minute. That was good enough to get a low structure and smooth lather, adding a table spoon more of water to the mix, I left it to hydrate for two minutes. I returned to the bowl with another two more minutes of pacey brush swirling before I was rewarded with a thick, dense and creamy lather. Blue like all Elysian soaps doesn’t need too much work and one can dial in the lather’s consistency according to preference, it can handle more or less water. More product and less water is my preference with this soap. Caught a wave on the lather in the brush pic, thought it matched the soap's persona.
First Performance – Charmed by the fragrance and lather, it was over to soap’s performance. The inclusion of Cashmere in place of Tussah silk in Blue had me excited and as I painted the first few strokes of lather on my cheeks. The first pass with my Stirling hyper Aggressive razor and a Kai blade was smooth as silk, a quick check on my cheeks revealed the possibility of buffing without any lather due to the residual slickness being superb. I lathered up again while noticing that the fragrance strength had increased a bit and the second pass was breeze as well. The Kai blade in a Stirling Hyper aggressive is for those seeking the spirit of adventure but when using the soap, it performed like a disciplined and well-mannered shaving tool. The glide, cushion and protection of this soap is top notch but where it hits its stride is the post shave feel which is up there with the best shaving soaps I have used.
The ingredients of the soap are listed as Distilled Water, Aloe Vera, Grass Fed Beef Tallow, Stearic Acid, Babassu Oil, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Mango Butter, Shea Butter, Glycerin, Kaolin Clay, Cashmere, Hyaluronic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cane Sugar, Essential Oil, Fragrance. While the addition of Mango Butter, Hyaluronic Acid, and Aloe Vera by Shannon Logan to her already top performing base means more skin nourishment, the substitution of cashmere for Tussah silk is a master stroke. Lanolin allergic wet shavers can now rejoice as cashmere does mimic the qualities of lanolin without the dark cloud of allergens hanging over a sensitive skin wet shaver’s head.
First Opinion – Shannon Logan’s Elysian brand made strides from early days due to the Artisan’s strong focus on cushion, protection, glide and a first in class post shave feel. Blue takes all this a step further with a shaving soap that features Elysian’s Elite base yet. The fragrance of this soap will appeal to the young and old alike or for that matter, anyone desiring a suave and cool scent. For me, Atlantis Blue remains one of the best releases of 2025. Highly recommended for every wet having den.
Cover Art Work & Presentation – 9 / 10
Lather Quality – 9 / 10
Fragrance – 8 / 10
Cushion & Protection – 10 / 10
Slickness – 9 / 10
Post Shave Feel – 10 / 10
Value – 10 / 10
Total Point Score – 65 / 70
Verdict – Poseidon would be proud
Availability – https://www.elysiansoapshop.com/ , www.therazorcompany.com , www.wetshavingstore.com
First Look - Poseidon’s trident in shades of Blue like it was sitting on an ocean bed surrounded by a gold rim, the brand name and soap’s title take up the rest of the space on the label. I absolutely love the presentation and simple yet detailed artwork of Elysian Soap’s Atlantis Blue. It looks regal, calming and definitely worthy of the Greek ruler of the Seas, Poseidon.
Side note – Shannon Constantine Logan, the artisan and founder of the Elysian brand is a journalism and media arts grad who has written award winning business books, produced music videos and a film before venturing into the craft of soap making during the pandemic. Her Elysian brand may be relatively new in the wet shaving world but her top tier shaving soap base, skin nourishing products and unique fragrance blends done in collaboration with friend and perfumer Jay Mann have made her products a cult favorite among wet shavers.
First Whiff – The Top notes of Elysian Blue include Grapefruit, Pear and Eucalyptus while the Heart features Ginger , Lily Of The Valley, Pineapple Essence, Violet and Marine with Frankincense, Amber, Mysore sandalwood and Hinoki Wood taking up the base. At first whiff I get the grapefruit and pear coming through with just a hint of the eucalyptus. I hold the open tub at my nose for a while longer and the pineapple, violet and marine notes take over. There is a subtle presence of Ginger and Lily of the valley but they stay in the background as the amber and woody notes shine through. The sandalwood and Hinoki wood bind all the other fragrance notes together to give this sporty aquatic fragrance a unique character. Frankincense is a strong fragrance and my humble nose fails to detect its presence The winning notes (pun intended) of Blue are grapefruit, pineapple and violet which when blended with the that amber and woody base make it stand out from all the other aquatic fragrances available in the perfume world. This is a fragrance that could be used in all seasons with a leaning towards summer and I'm sold on it.
First Lather – Using my HC & Co Lather bowl , I smeared a teaspoon full of soap at the bottom, added two tablespoons of water and worked my Bear and Blade chubby synthetic clockwise and anti-clockwise for a minute. That was good enough to get a low structure and smooth lather, adding a table spoon more of water to the mix, I left it to hydrate for two minutes. I returned to the bowl with another two more minutes of pacey brush swirling before I was rewarded with a thick, dense and creamy lather. Blue like all Elysian soaps doesn’t need too much work and one can dial in the lather’s consistency according to preference, it can handle more or less water. More product and less water is my preference with this soap. Caught a wave on the lather in the brush pic, thought it matched the soap's persona.
First Performance – Charmed by the fragrance and lather, it was over to soap’s performance. The inclusion of Cashmere in place of Tussah silk in Blue had me excited and as I painted the first few strokes of lather on my cheeks. The first pass with my Stirling hyper Aggressive razor and a Kai blade was smooth as silk, a quick check on my cheeks revealed the possibility of buffing without any lather due to the residual slickness being superb. I lathered up again while noticing that the fragrance strength had increased a bit and the second pass was breeze as well. The Kai blade in a Stirling Hyper aggressive is for those seeking the spirit of adventure but when using the soap, it performed like a disciplined and well-mannered shaving tool. The glide, cushion and protection of this soap is top notch but where it hits its stride is the post shave feel which is up there with the best shaving soaps I have used.
The ingredients of the soap are listed as Distilled Water, Aloe Vera, Grass Fed Beef Tallow, Stearic Acid, Babassu Oil, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Mango Butter, Shea Butter, Glycerin, Kaolin Clay, Cashmere, Hyaluronic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cane Sugar, Essential Oil, Fragrance. While the addition of Mango Butter, Hyaluronic Acid, and Aloe Vera by Shannon Logan to her already top performing base means more skin nourishment, the substitution of cashmere for Tussah silk is a master stroke. Lanolin allergic wet shavers can now rejoice as cashmere does mimic the qualities of lanolin without the dark cloud of allergens hanging over a sensitive skin wet shaver’s head.
First Opinion – Shannon Logan’s Elysian brand made strides from early days due to the Artisan’s strong focus on cushion, protection, glide and a first in class post shave feel. Blue takes all this a step further with a shaving soap that features Elysian’s Elite base yet. The fragrance of this soap will appeal to the young and old alike or for that matter, anyone desiring a suave and cool scent. For me, Atlantis Blue remains one of the best releases of 2025. Highly recommended for every wet having den.
Cover Art Work & Presentation – 9 / 10
Lather Quality – 9 / 10
Fragrance – 8 / 10
Cushion & Protection – 10 / 10
Slickness – 9 / 10
Post Shave Feel – 10 / 10
Value – 10 / 10
Total Point Score – 65 / 70
Verdict – Poseidon would be proud
Availability – https://www.elysiansoapshop.com/ , www.therazorcompany.com , www.wetshavingstore.com
Bladerunner7
Member
Hi All,
This will probably be my last soap review of the year as I hit the road for the next few weeks. It has been a challenging year at my end with losing very close friends, travel, work and an unforeseen injury which pretty much knocked the wind out of my sails. Given that, the issues I've had with uploading pics and some very immature comments and actions from a fellow member had me rethinking the effort of sharing my joy for shaving soaps here.
This thread was started with encouragement from @alfredus and my dear friend @Errol . Over the last year and a half I have made made good mates here and feel at home being.a part of this forum more than anywhere else. The reason for this thread was just to share my love of soap, it was never intended to be a contest or a claim of being a shaving soap guru which I am not and neither would like to be. As a wet shaving enthusiast sharing experiences and information on wet shaving gear is what keeps us interested in this hobby and helps us build bridges through the connections we make. Take Errol's reviews for example which always helps one make wise decisions on a razor purchase.
To address another comment made awhile back about my soap collection and me having some catching up to do, I don't collect or hoard soaps or for that matter have two of the same kind in my den at a given time. To me this is illogical and denies me the joy of trying out a new product or formulation. I'm a frugal lad and and would rather share my stuff then boast about the quantity I have in my den. Every wet shaver has their own preference and as a disclaimer at the start of this thread, I made it known that all my reviews were based on my own personal experience.
This thread is also read by the Artisans who painstakingly put their time, research and effort into crafting products we wet shavers can enjoy. Sometimes a soap may scale the heights of being elite or it may fall along the wayside, regardless of that, respect for the artisans is important and I would request that we keep that in mind. it is heartbreaking enough to see so many amazing artisans shut shop this year, Southern Witchcrafts, Spearhead, declaration Grooming etc. to name a few.
Having said all that, the Shaving Soap reviews will resume on a weekly basis from January 2026. I would like to wish everyone and their families a Blessed and Peaceful Christmas. See You lads in 2026.
This will probably be my last soap review of the year as I hit the road for the next few weeks. It has been a challenging year at my end with losing very close friends, travel, work and an unforeseen injury which pretty much knocked the wind out of my sails. Given that, the issues I've had with uploading pics and some very immature comments and actions from a fellow member had me rethinking the effort of sharing my joy for shaving soaps here.
This thread was started with encouragement from @alfredus and my dear friend @Errol . Over the last year and a half I have made made good mates here and feel at home being.a part of this forum more than anywhere else. The reason for this thread was just to share my love of soap, it was never intended to be a contest or a claim of being a shaving soap guru which I am not and neither would like to be. As a wet shaving enthusiast sharing experiences and information on wet shaving gear is what keeps us interested in this hobby and helps us build bridges through the connections we make. Take Errol's reviews for example which always helps one make wise decisions on a razor purchase.
To address another comment made awhile back about my soap collection and me having some catching up to do, I don't collect or hoard soaps or for that matter have two of the same kind in my den at a given time. To me this is illogical and denies me the joy of trying out a new product or formulation. I'm a frugal lad and and would rather share my stuff then boast about the quantity I have in my den. Every wet shaver has their own preference and as a disclaimer at the start of this thread, I made it known that all my reviews were based on my own personal experience.
This thread is also read by the Artisans who painstakingly put their time, research and effort into crafting products we wet shavers can enjoy. Sometimes a soap may scale the heights of being elite or it may fall along the wayside, regardless of that, respect for the artisans is important and I would request that we keep that in mind. it is heartbreaking enough to see so many amazing artisans shut shop this year, Southern Witchcrafts, Spearhead, declaration Grooming etc. to name a few.
Having said all that, the Shaving Soap reviews will resume on a weekly basis from January 2026. I would like to wish everyone and their families a Blessed and Peaceful Christmas. See You lads in 2026.
I really hope that you don't stop doing your reviews based on some heartless comments. You put a huge amount of effort into each review, and your passion and thoughtfulness really show through. This place would be a lot poorer without your contributions.
I'm sorry to hear you have had a tough year, and I hope that over the break you get to spend time with the people that mean the most to you and that 2026 brings a much better year for you.
All the best Bladey, and I and most of us here I am sure look forward to your posts in future. Kia kaha, bro!
Bladerunner7
Member
Tēnā koe my friend. Your kind words are much appreciated and the reviews will continue for sure in 2026.Looking forward to the break more than anything else and for 2025 to pass me by.
LesC
Member
SpeedyPC
REALLY needs to posts SOTD pics ...
Grand Society
2017 Sabbatical Fail
2018 Charity Auction Winner
SpeedyPC
REALLY needs to posts SOTD pics ...
Grand Society
2017 Sabbatical Fail
2018 Charity Auction Winner
Vittoria
Member
Thank you @Bladerunner7 for your reviews and the research you put into it, I have enjoyed so much reading them and following them.
I have even purchased some of them and each time you are right on the money
Big 2025 cheers to you.
I hope you have a joyous 2026.
I have even purchased some of them and each time you are right on the money
Big 2025 cheers to you.
I hope you have a joyous 2026.
LesC
Member
Just received the 2 soaps that “Jack Jarvis” (Nittaya Thongvised) makes, the scent I can sense Lavender and Clove and ? else, 1st shave with the Cadwgawn, bloomed etc as per instructions, lovely smell, slick enough for a Kamisori and great skin feel with cold water face wash. The Thai Ginger Zest smells lovely, and know @Vittoria and yourself “won’t” be dissappointed. I look forward to your 2026 reviews as I’m doing a Sabbatical you “enabler”JACK JARVIS – CADWGAWN ORIGINAL RECIPE
First Look - The brand name, soap title, weight of the product, country of manufacture and the sketch of a ship adorn the tub’s cover of Jack Jarvis Cadwgawn. There’s a vintage look in the artwork with a leaning towards seafarers, merchants or traders on the high seas. This could very well be the cover of a Bay Rum shaving soap as well but it isn’t. I do like the artwork much and the black and white simplicity add a touch of elegance to the tub. By the way, the coconut shell was for illustration purposes only.
Side note – Not much is known about the Jack Jarvis brand except that an artisan soap maker based in Chiang Mai, Thailand makes these by hand in small batches, using the best natural ingredients and essential oils available. Cadwgawn pronounced as Ka-Doo-Gan tells of a legendary tale where great grandpa's original shave soap recipe was handed to Jack Jarvis on the voyage from Sydney Australia to Cadwgawns last known port of Thailand.I'm still trying to figure that one out.
First Whiff – The soap’s original recipe is a supposed to feature a beautiful mix of exotic oils, and essential oils. At first whiff I was charmed by its pleasant yet very unique fragrance. The main notes featured in it are Lavender, Clove and Rosemary. The lavender dominated the opening but it was different, not the powdery kind but more herbal in its projection, a second whiff and the subtle clove came through, not intense like in a bay rum formulation but very gentle in its presence. The lavender and clove notes seemed to be dancing over a bed of rosemary and once again not the sweet and intense rosemary used in cooking but one that was made for perfumes, gentle, invigorating and addictive. With every whiff of the soap I could get a citrus presence, unlike lime or mandarin or lemon, this was more exotic. That citrus in the background seemed to bind the main three players together to create something very unique , a fragrance unlike the regular cologne, leather, tobacco, woody and floral offerings available. I tip my hat off to the Artisan for creating a scent that stands out from the crowd in a very bold manner.
First Lather – On opening up the tub, I knew at first glance that this was a hard soap and I had to scrape away rather than scoop. Once I had an amount equivalent to a full teaspoon, I smeared the soap at the bottom of my bowl and bloomed it in two tablespoons drinkable hot water for five minutes. Using a damp Semogue Boar brush in my HC & Co SS lather bowl I did a minute of clockwise and anti-clockwise rotations before leaving the paste to hydrate for a minute. Returning to the bowl I added a tablespoon more of water before proceeding with two minutes of firm but gentle brush swirling. The result blew me away, a dense, glossy and luxurious lather, I checked the contents of the soap again to make sure there was no tallow and there was none. This soap lathered up like a rich tallow and I was impressed with it. The soap needs to be bloomed well and I guess if it were done in the tub itself and brush loaded, it might provide an even richer lather.
First Performance – While I was painting the first few strokes of lather on the face, I could swear once again, that this was a rich tallow soap. So I had another look at the ingredients which included Organic oils of Coconut, Olive, Grape Seed and Argan, Organic Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Glycerine, Silk Amino Acids, Betonite Clay, Wild Honey, Stearic Acid, Vitamin E and Essential oils of French Lavender, Citron peel, Rosemary and Clove. With my doubts of any tallow infiltration ruled out, I proceeded to use a Rex Ambassador on a four setting with a Wizamet blade. I had an enjoyable two pass BBS on five days of growth. The cushion and protection provided by the soap were excellent with the residual slickness making it easy to buff a few spots. The lather maintained its form and consistency till the time I rinsed the bowl out with water. The post shave result of this soap was great too, even after splashing on some Clubman Pinaud AS, my skin felt refreshed and pampered for a few hours without the drying effect that the after shave can sometimes have.
First Opinion – The humble and fairly unknown Cadwgawn by Jack Jarvis was a sleeper hit for me in the artisan shaving soap arena and along with it’s out of the box fragrance and quality vegan ingredients, it delivered a stellar performance on par with some of the best tallow offerings available today. Being a 240 gram pour, this soap is terrific bang for your buck, grab yourself a tub while you can, you won’t be disappointed.
Cover Art Work – 8 / 10
Lather Quality – 8 / 10
Fragrance – 8 / 10
Cushion & Protection – 8 / 10
Slickness – 7 / 10
Post Shave Feel – 8 / 10
Value – 10 / 10
Total Point Score – 57 / 70
Availability – www.thailandwetshave.com (Remember to translate the page to English)
Cheers
Les
Bladerunner7
Member
Awesome Les, love these soaps. Old school formulas with unique fragrance notes and they perform so well.Just received the 2 soaps that “Jack Jarvis” (Nittaya Thongvised) makes, the scent I can sense Lavender and Clove and ? else, 1st shave with the Cadwgawn, bloomed etc as per instructions, lovely smell, slick enough for a Kamisori and great skin feel with cold water face wash. The Thai Ginger Zest smells lovely, and know @Vittoria and yourself “won’t” be dissappointed. I look forward to your 2026 reviews as I’m doing a Sabbatical you “enabler”
Cheers
Les