Phoenix & Beau "Obsidian" - Shave of The Day & Review

Greetings gents!

Welcome to another post, with another video review of a fantastic soap.  Below is a brief outline of the tools used today.

SOTD 6/8/16
Phoenix & Beau Obsidian, Cadman 26mm Silvertip, RazoRock Bazooka, Astra SP (25), Cold Rinse.
Simply stunning shave, scent to die for, performance that is second to none.

Please let me know your thoughts!

FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau Denali Shaving Soap

So ladies and gentlemen, I have been trying a new soap, designed with summer in mind, to give you a nice chill!  Check out the video to see my thoughts!

And to see how it compares to another stalwart in the shaving world (Proraso Green) in terms of cold, check out the below video where I simultaneously face lather both soaps.

If you have any questions about either soap, please feel free to comment on the relevant video or here and I will do my very best to assist!

Thanks again all,

Nick

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau Albion

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Albion Shaving Soap - It's soap that enables you to shave!

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
I've been testing Albion over the last 5 days to ensure I get to know it's foibles and idiosyncrasies.  For the first two days I bowl lathered, and the second two days, I face lathered.  Day 5 I chose my favourite method out of the two to lather...what is it I hear you ask?  Well, the video review below will show!

SCENT:
Albion was listed as having a predominantly bergamot, lavender and grapefruit profile, with patchouli in there to bind everything together.  My initial response to the long slow inhale was wow.  This is a very fresh and light scent, ideal for those who prefer a milder scented soap.  Upon shaving with Albion for the first time, I was greeted with a very familiar aroma.  A split second later I identified it as Earl Grey tea, which makes perfect sense given the presence of bergamot.  It is a classy, light, elegant scent, very nice indeed.

LATHERABILITY:
As is typical with Phoenix & Beau soaps, Albion lathers with criminal ease.  A short 30 second load provides more than enough lather for 5 passes EASILY.  I've learned that soaking my Cadman 26mm silvertip, then two gentle shakes provides the PERFECT amount of water to lather a P&B soap without the need for additional water.  Rich, creamy lather is produced with this level of water in a bowl.  For face lathering however, I suggest starting with less water as the sheer volume of lather created can overwhelm you if you're not prepared for it :D

PERFORMANCE:
There is a stylised image of Her Majesty on the lid of Albion, and the performance matches the expectation of a soap more than worthy of a Royal Warrant.  Those in Buckingham Palace need to try this soap, it would EASILY earn this accolade.  Slick as you like, more protective than a 20 man protective detail, there is no flaw in the performance at all.

POST SHAVE:
I'll say it again, a soap that provides a fantastic post shave is paramount for me.  Albion does not disappoint.  I'm sitting here stroking my face, trying to find a chink in the armour, but am coming up empty handed.  I cannot fault the post shave feel at all.  Smooth, no dryness, no tightness, nada.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
So, what do I think of Albion?  Well, it is plain as the nose on my face that it is a brilliant addition to not only my shave den, but the product line from Phoenix & Beau.  It has a delectable scent, performance that other soaps can only hope for, and a post shave feel that leaves you feeling GREAT!  After the initial shave, I thought I'd want a stronger scent, however, like a fine Earl Grey tea, the subtlety of the aromas is key, for it is meant to be gentle.  Give Albion a try, it is truly fantastic.

A Phoenix & Beau Spitfire SOTD Video

Welcome gents!

I've lovingly prepared a video shave of the day today.  All the info is in the video, check it out guys and I'd very much appreciate your likes and subscribes!

 

Thanks again guys!

Nick

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau 'Spitfire' Soap

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Spitfire - A tallow shaving soap with the apparent ability to bend time.

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:

SCENT:
When the soap was announced, I almost anticipated the profile as it was delivered.  I expected leather, and tobacco, but not so much the gin (juniper).  It makes perfect sense, the sharpness penetrates the smooth leather to bring balance to the profile.  The tobacco is almost a supporting scent to my nose, acting as a mixer if you will.  All in all, it evokes the true spirit that must have existed in the squadrons of pilots who so bravely piloted Reginald Mitchell's masterpiece (Reginald Mitchell is a local hero around these parts, Stoke on Trent).  This is top draw scent profiling, I can see EXACTLY what Kerry was aiming for here.  One thing to note, like many soaps that are a great blend of fragrances, face lathering changes how you perceive them.  Try it, I personally love how it changes this scent, bringing to me, more tobacco to the front.

LATHERABILITY:
I tested this soap with various brushes in both the bowl and on my face, and find this soap to be on par with the rest of the P&B range.  Easy to load, easy to build, and almost foolproof.  It doesn't take long at all to get a bowl or face full of rich, dense lather at all.  Top marks yet again Kerry, guard this soap recipe with your life!

PERFORMANCE:
Excuse the Uncle Albert moment here, but during the war, you needed an airplane that could do it all, and do it all well.  During a shave, you need that too.  This soap (as I've come to expect from P&B) delivers in spades in terms of slickness and in cushion.  The soap allows the blade to glide across the face with almost reckless abandon, it is that good.  I wouldn't of course recommend complacency when using any soap, but you get that level of reassurance that when you're feeling the results of the mess hall from the night before, Spitfire will guide you through the dogfight and safely out the other side.

POST SHAVE:
When you have a great shave, you feel good, and when your skin feels good post shave, you feel even better.  Here we have a soap that delivers that feel, gives that glorious finish that really shouldn't be possible given what your skin has been through. 

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
We traditional wet shavers enjoy our shave.  We enjoy not only the act of shaving, but the ritual and experience that come along with it.  There is an experience to be had here that is very different from other soaps.  Whilst some soaps have the ability to evoke powerful memories, this soap appears to have the ability to bend the space/time continuum.  You're transported to a time gone by when men were men, when you stared death in the face and radioed back to base to 'cancel two late lunches', when Britain was truly Great.  The soap itself is fantastic, the scent nostalgic, the experience?  Magical. 

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau TSR Limited Edition 'Obsidian'

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau 'TSR Limited Edition' Obsidian - It is a shave soap that invokes ancient Gods...

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
As I've come to find with all Phoenix & Beau soaps, it is a moderately soft soap, which means it loads very easily, so a shortish load (brush dependent) and you're golden.

SCENT:
I inhaled slowly from the tub and got a hit of the dirty, wet vetiver, with a hint of sweetness that I suspect was the frankincense coming through, with the almost fern like oakmoss hitting you last.  Very primal scents.  I proceeded to make a lather in the bowl with The Monster, and quickly found that the lather is of typical P&B excellence.  The scent changes in the bowl, mellowing if you will, becoming more balanced.  Upon the face, the earthiness strikes you first and foremost, with an image of smoky fire being conjoured as the complex scents dance their mystical way up your nose. 

What struck me as I'd finished the shave was the scent changed again.  Any remains of the scent left on my skin warmed to provide a woody, almost musky aroma.  A very pleasant, but unexpected twist to the dark tale of Obsidian.

A simply stunning profile of scents here, make no mistake.  I'll use this one sparingly so as not to run out...either that or I shall have to cross Kerry's palm with mucho silver and make offerings to various deities to obtain more!

LATHERABILITY:
As briefly mentioned earlier, the whole range of P&B soaps are incredibly easy to lather.  They are fairly soft soaps, so even the softest of bristles won't fail to take plenty of product.  Again, P&B is thirsty soap, so ample water is needed during the build once you've created your proto lather which is nice and elastic.  Even the greenest of wet shavers won't fail to get a good lather with this soap.

PERFORMANCE:
Unlike the moniker of this soap, there is plenty of cushion on hand with this soap, ideal for sharper blades.  When it comes to slickness, you'll find it here in abundance.  Put it this way, you thought a politicians shoulders were slick given what slides off them, they haven't got a patch on P&B soap lather!  I've found the overall shave performance quite simply sublime throughout, from the first pass with heavy growth, right down to the ATG pass in my trouble spots.  Nay a hair of drama.  Perfect.

POST SHAVE:
You'll have noticed by now from reading my reviews, that Post Shave Finish is one of my primary factors when considering a soap purchase.  Given the base soap is the great P&B tallow formula, I knew up front I was in for a treat, and I was not mistaken.  As a pleasant afternote, the warmer woody scents developed once I'd rinsed and dried my face, always a nice touch.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
I think Kerry and I need to have a 'Godfather' type moment, where I sit him down and make him an offer he can't refuse to make more of this soap (sadly a limited edition run of 50 tubs).  This is quite simply exquisite.  The imagery the name and scents invoke are quite spellbinding.  As a younger gentleman (33), previously I wouldn't have thought the scent profile would have been my particular brand of single malt so to speak, but I was captivated by the promised profile.  The performance cannot be questioned, Phoenix & Beau soaps sit atop the podium for me in every way, Obsidian is no exception.

Shaving Whilst Travelling

Greetings all!

I write this brief article from my hotel room at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole.  Why am I here?  Well, it's for a conference dedicated to the service desk industry, and how to make it brilliant.  But I digress.

Whilst I am away, I still want to shave, so the dilemma is "what on earth does one take to shave whilst travelling?"  I say dilemma, it is more torture.  Whilst I am essentially a creature of habit, I crave variety in my shave.

Last summer whilst on a short break in Wales, I took a "one size fits all" shaving kit, and it worked well.  I took my Merkur 39C, Proraso Green Soap, Wilkinson Sword Brush, balms, creams, alum and a melamine cereal bowl to lather with a cornucopia of items I've since forgotten.  Fast forward to this week and I wanted something less bulky over all.  So what to take?

I think it is important to consider that you don't want your shave experience to suffer, so take what works well.  If you can, leave your lovely ceramic bowls and scuttles behind, and face lather.  Bring one quality soap that leaves your skin in a very happy place, that way you may not need a balm or lotion to finish.  Do bring a small brush and a single razor, but multiple blades.  A synthetic brush is ideal for travel as it is quicker drying.  By considering your shaving equipment carefully, you can limit your baggage to a manageable level (I had a single bag to take with me, limited in space).  

I have taken with me:

Merkur 39C
Astra Superior Platinum Blades
Phoenix & Beau Citra Royale
Body Shop Synthetic Brush

And that is it.  My shave is great, my skin feels superb and my overnight bag still has space for anything I want to bring back with me.  Next time you travel, think critically about your shave, you may surprise yourself about what you truly need.

Shave of the Day - A Memorial Shave

Welcome to Sorrell Shaves

Today is a hard day for me, as it marks the sixth anniversary of the day we lost my dad.  He was a great man, who taught me many things, one of which was shaving.

 

I started out at a tender young age, finding whatever razors were around at the time (usually BIC disposables, the horrible orange plastic things) and hacking away at the fuzz emanating from my young face.  When my dad cottoned on, he taught me the ways.  I started out with what I recall being a Gillette Red Tip, only to migrate to a Gillette Sensor Excel, a Gillette Mach 3 and on occasion when I was out of blades, my dads Wilkinson Sword Quattro.

That brings me on to todays shave.  With six years passing, I'd not been able to bring myself to use my dads razor, but it is something left to me and it is something he'd want me to do.  So, with that in mind, this last week I set about obtaining the things I needed to replicate a typical shave of my dads.  I had his razor handle (Wilkinson Sword Quattro), and his old brush (another Wilkinson Sword brush).  He was a regular user of either L'Occitane Cade soap or the Wilkinson Blue Bowl soap.  I had also been left his old L'Occitane bowl but this was beyond use due to corrosion, so I purchased a replacement.  Sadly, the Cade soap has been discontinued, but I had a Wilkinson Blue Bowl soap in my collection already.  I simply put the puck in the L'Occitane bowl, an acceptable hybrid of items.  I purchased Quattro Titanium blades for the first time, £7 for four cartridges!  I remembered well his use of two splashes as I grew up, Brut and Old Spice.  I had the Old Spice in my cupboard too.  I added the Phoenix & Beau Balm as I know he would have sung it's praises highly.

With that, I prepared in my usual manner with a hot towel whilst the brush soaked.  I loaded the brush heavily on the puck as I was going to face lather today.  I took the time to lather whilst I contemplated the vast amount of happy memories, and it felt like my dad was standing there with me, like the first time he showed me how to lather.  I took the razor to my face, and found that the shave passed quickly and without drama.  I performed a two pass shave as my dad taught when I was a youngster, first with, then against the grain.  The razor gave a very good shave, close and smooth.  I did have to load the brush again for the second pass, but this is typical of the small knotted brush.  Once the shave was finished, I performed my cold towel session, then finished with the balm and splash.  A good shave was had today, it was a nice way to remember my dad on this hard day.

Hot Towel, Wilkinson Sword Blue Bowl Soap, Wilkinson Sword Boar, Wilkinson Sword Quattro, Wilkinson Sword Quattro Titanium (1), Cold Towel, Phoenix & Beau Balm, Old Spice

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau 'Balm' (post shave balm)

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau 'Balm'

From the Phoenix & Beau site:
"Our balm is something that can be used in a variety of ways, e.g. conventional skin moisturiser, post-shave, beard or moustache conditioner, post-surf, post-sun, post-ski, etc.

Carefully crafted to include conditioning and moisturising oils and waxes, we use unrefined shea butter, locally sourced organic beeswax, argan oil and jojoba oil to provide the nourishing foundation; a rich preparation which deeply moisturises and protects your skin (and facial hair). Shea butter is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, D and E. It is also UV protective and combats skin conditions such as dry skin, dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis. Beeswax is known to have anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which can help to protect the skin from the elements, smoke and airborne particulate. Our balm also contains virgin hempseed oil and black sesame oil.

Like our soaps we make our balm in small batches and with our own hands."

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
Again, from Phoenix & Beau site:
"Super moisturising with powerful conditioning properties our balm will turn from semi solid to near liquid once it reaches body temperature. A little goes a long way and so we recommend placing a pea sized amount (perhaps a little more) in to your palm. Use the back of a nail to extract it from its tin before warming it with a brisk rub of palm to palm or finger to palm - now apply / rub in to your chosen area and ensure it is thoroughly absorbed.

Equally you can apply the requisite amount to a fingertip and dab it on to the specific area you want to moisturise before using small circular motions to warm and accelerate absorption."

I use the former, and treat it like an oil based pomade, rubbing vigorously between my palms, and then apply slowly to my face.  During use, I can detect a honey scent, that is almost savoury if that makes sense.  Taking the time to rub the balm into your face pays dividends because you get nice even coverage, and can detect any areas that you may have missed during the shave.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
I'll be honest, I don't often need a balm, particularly now I am using the Phoenix & Beau range of soaps.  That said, there is always a place for a balm with such restorative qualities such as this.  There are days where I want to use a different soap that doesn't give the finish I love of P&B, so the balm is used then, like today whereby an otherwise good soap leaves my face dry.  This mornings shave was brought up to scratch in the post shave department by the use of Balm, ensuring my face is as moist as a morning dew, and twice as fresh.  Some post shave products I find I am sensitive to, leaving a slightly unpleasant tingling sensation.  I get none of this with Balm.

It also works wonderfully on cold days.  I went for a 6 mile walk yesterday in the bracing wind, something that would ordinarily leave my face dry.  I applied the balm that morning prior to the walk, and my face felt fantastic despite the cold wind and rain.

If you're looking for something to give a fantastic finish to your shave, or just to your face in general, you'd do well to give Balm a try. 

REVIEW - Bluebeard's Revenge Shavette

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Bluebeard's Revenge Shavette - a replaceable blade razor, akin to a traditional cut throat razor.

DESCRIPTION:
Well, I looked into buying a shavette to see if I had the dexterity to hold a razor of this type before pulling the trigger on a traditional straight razor.  It is a plastic scaled, steel blade holding equipped piece of kit.  The blade loading mechanism is straight forward enough.  You simply lift the top piece away, allowing access to the holder.  There is a groove in the end (otherwise known as the 'point') of the blade holder that encourages the two piece holder to come apart, exposing the blade locating pins.

Once you've loaded a blade, it is as simple (almost) process of reversing the steps taken to open.  I say almost, as the snapped blade does have a habit of moving around in the holder until you've developed the knack of holding, locating and closing the razor.  The blade type is a snapped DE blade, and when you snap the blade, there is a bit of a kink where the blade was folded then snapped.  If you don't get it quite right, the blade exposure will be uneven and therefore presents a danger to your skin.  Definitely take your time when loading blades.

I find that it pays to trial many blade types in the razor to find one that suits your beard growth and skin.  I find you need a sharp, but smooth blade in this razor.  Duller blades such as Derby tend to tug, something you really don't want when taking an exposed blade to your face.  Gillette 7 o'clock Yellow or Astra Superior Stainless work best for me.

In use, the hinge point of the razor is fluid enough to manipulate during the shave, yet tight enough so as not to move once you have the razor in a position you are comfortable with.  The plastic scales are light weight, and the razor is comfortable to hold.  The shave experience is entirely dependent on your ability to maintain a feather light touch with the razor, and to be able to dedicate time to learning the required angles to ensure you don't cause your face to resemble a doner kebab.  And this is the downside to a shavette type razor.  The blades are extremely keen, and very much suited to a safety razor.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
In short, it's a piece of shaving equipment that absolutely demands respect.  In inexperienced or heavy hands it can cause some damage, and indeed to this day, I can still get irritation when I'm not giving it 110% of my attention.  It is a useful piece of kit however, as I can also use it to tidy up my sideburns or mow down several days of growth in a single pass much easier than a double edged razor.  Should you get one?  Well, yes.  It WILL force you to slow down and analyse your technique, and as such, develop a better technique and knowledge of your face.

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau Solaris Tallow Soap

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Solaris Soap - A tallow based soap, that gives exquisite shaves.

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
As I found with the early samples of the P&B tallow soap, this soap loads nice and easy, and gives a lather that is dense, rich, creamy and almost totally void of visible bubbles.  Using any type of shave brush, you can get a quality lather that is a joy to use...read on!

SCENT:
This is the most delicately fragranced so far of all Phoenix & Beau's offerings, but that's not to say it is lacking in scent, only that like a summers meadow, the scent is gentle, almost caressing of your nose.  The strongest note is the bitter lemon, followed by the balancing mint that brings an element of a balmy summers evening, sipping a G&T on the picnic blanket in said meadow.  Very fresh, ideal for a day where you want something slightly cooling.

LATHERABILITY:
As we've come to love (and expect), Solaris lathers up a storm very quickly indeed.  A wet brush taken to the soap brings oodles of prelather that creates this beauty in the bowl:

PERFORMANCE:
Performance is clearly something very important to Phoenix & Beau, as Solaris has all the boxes ticked.  More glide than a figure skater on ice and more cushion that your local DFS (or indeed any other sofa superstore).  I am in no doubt that this is a result of the thorough testing that occurred prior to launch, something I love about the P&B ethos, involve the customer in every stage.

POST SHAVE:
Yes, yes and more yes.  I tried a new razor today (see photo below) and found that even with a fearsome blade, there is no degradation in PSF (post shave finish).  My skin feels exactly like it should.  Top marks again.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
Well well well, a full house of brilliant soaps in the Phoenix & Beau collection.  To be honest, I had no doubt that this would be the case.  The care that goes into making these soaps is evident in every aspect.  This is an ideal soap for someone wanting a fresh scent, amazing performance and unparalleled post shave feel.  I leave you with this photo of what was a glorious shave of the day, brightened indeed by the rays of Solaris.

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau Sanskrit Tallow Soap

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Sanskrit Soap - A tallow based soap, that gives exquisite shaves.

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
As I found with the early samples of the P&B tallow soap, this soap loads nice and easy, and gives a lather that is dense, rich, creamy and almost totally void of visible bubbles.  Using any type of shave brush, you can get a quality lather that is a joy to use...read on!
SCENT:
As I've mentioned to Kerry, I had visions of how Sanskrit would smell in my mind.  The notes mentioned are contained in one of my favourite fragrances, however, Sanskrit manages to do it's own thing, and boy does it do it well.  The dominant scent to me is the lemony zest of the cardamom, with cloves coming through here and there.  The warm, sweet notes of sandalwood peek through on occasion, with the black pepper becoming the soaps parting gift as the scent begins to wane after your shave.  It is certainly a spicy scent, with a nod to scents our grandfathers would likely have been familiar with.  A grand scent indeed.

LATHERABILITY:
We have no issues here, but this is not unsurprising.  A good load produced copious amounts of prelather, which in the bowl translated to ample lather for 5 passes easily.  Built to a wet but not runny lather in almost no time, I found myself yet again with no bubbles, only creamy (in texture and almost in colour) dense lather ready to adorn my waiting face.

PERFORMANCE:
With two of P&B's soaps under my belt, I had set my bar high for this.  I had hoped that I would find the same immense levels of performance in Sanskrit as I had the others.  Well, I am pleased to say that the hope was not in vain.  The performance is there in spades.  Fantastic glide as I've come to expect from Kerry's soaps.  Cushion was spot on again.  I like to be able to just about feel the blade, to know what it is doing, otherwise I feel I might get cocky with the blade and push things too far.  I am allowed to feel the blade, but not too much.  Perfect.

POST SHAVE:
As with the other two P&B soaps, I have found post-shave nirvana here with Sanskrit.  Not dry at all, in fact, quite the opposite, my skin feels like I've applied balms and creams until the cows come home.  Very, VERY good finish.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
My honest opinion?  You'll do well to find a Oxford English Dictionary, look up the word excellence and revel in everything that follows.

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau 'Citra Royale' Tallow Soap

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Citra Royale Soap - A tallow based soap, that gives exquisite shaves.

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
As I found with the early samples of the P&B tallow soap, this soap loads nice and easy, and gives a lather that is dense, rich, creamy and almost totally void of visible bubbles.  Using any type of shave brush, you can get a quality lather that is a joy to use...read on!

SCENT:
In the pot, the scent is a fresh, punchy citrus scent, with a woody undertone that invigorates the senses. Ideal for a morning shave where you need that perky lift.  When mixing your lather in the bowl, the sweet burst of lime that comes through really lifts your spirits, with the woody balance of the cedar and litsea cubeba coming through to balance the scent perfectly.  On the face, the scent is there, but not too much to become imposing or unpleasant, enough so you know it is there and catch your attention.  Very nice indeed.

LATHERABILITY:
We have no issues here.  The new pots in which the soap comes are nice and wide, allowing for very easy loading.  Once in the bowl, the lather becomes very elastic quickly, and with the addition of water, expands and becomes almost like chewing gum.  I'm a light loader as I don't like to waste a good product, a 10-15 second load gives me enough lather for 3 passes and easily enough for two more plus touch up.  A very simple soap to lather.

PERFORMANCE:
I had some amazing results from the early sample of the unscented soap, and my understanding is that the base recipe is the same.  This did indeed translate to the same performance here.  Glide for days, and just the right amount of cushion from the blade in my Merkur 39C.  There is more than enough glide to perform blade buffing on my heaviest growth, as well as allowing the blade to slide effortlessly over my problem areas below the jawline without so much as a whisker of a problem.

POST SHAVE:
This was the highlight area of the test samples, and I am pleased to announce that this has not diminished in the slightest when it comes to the production soaps.  I like to finish my shave with a cold towel and nothing else, Citra Royale allows this perfectly.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
In short, this is one amazing soap.  It performs how a soap should (other manufacturers take note!), smells divine and is VERY good value for money.  For the small price of £10.95 you get the highest performing soap I've ever used, with a scent that wakens the senses in the best possible way.

REVIEW - Phoenix & Beau Tallow Soap - Unscented.

OK, so I am posting this review over several days using different equipment and will update this post as I go.

WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Phoenix & Beau Soap, Tallow Formula (unscented for purposes of testing).

APPLICATION METHOD AND DESCRIPTION:
OK, so, I pressed the soap into an old cereal bowl quite easily, so a soft soap indeed.  I bloom it for the duration of my hot towel and scrub preparation, and use the bloom water to help load the brush.

SCENT:
I'll not comment on the unscented aspect, more what I think would work wonders for me with a soap of this nature.  I'd like to see woody, masculine scents here, so sandalwood, maybe something peppery.

LATHERABILITY:
A short bloom ensured the Body Shop synthetic brush loaded with ease.  I loaded for about 15-20 seconds, which gave ample pre-lather that I transferred to my 'The Shaving Room' bowl, added a moderate amount of water to start the building of lather.  The lather never had that large bubble phase I get with some other soaps, but I did need to add plenty of water.  The lather as it started building had an element of elasticity that I've not seen in any other soap I won.  Added a little more water to thin the lather slightly as I was using a shavette today.  The lather when formed was rich and yoghurty, built without any real effort at all.

Tomorrow (day 2) I will lather using a boar brush to see if there is any discernible difference.  I'll update accordingly with new photos and comments on lather.

DAY 2 - No issues building a lather here either.  Had to add a little more water as the brush seemed to soak up plenty during the building of lather, but not exactly a problem at all.

DAY 3 - Used the mighty Omega 49 today, and boy did this brush make mincemeat of the soap!  Knowing the lather hogging properties of this brush, I did load it for a bit longer, and proceeded to the bowl with the chewing gum consistency spoken of by others.  Plenty of water later, I was greeted with more lather than you'd need to shave a Grizzly Bear!

This is the remaining lather from day 3 shave!  So much lather left, might not use this brush with the soap long term.

DAY 4 - Back to the Body Shop Synthetic brush today, with a little added glycerine.  No difference in lathering at all.

DAY 5 - As per yesterday, Body Shop Synthetic brush, no glycerine, usual bloom - fantastic lather

PERFORMANCE:
This for me is key.  Having read some of the initial comments on the quality of the lather, I had high expectations.  With that in mind, I chose a shavette for DAY 1 shave.  I painted the lather over my prepared (hot towel and face scrub) skin and proceeded to take short, deliberate strokes with the razor.  I could tell instantly that the lather protected the skin when taking off two days growth (I purposely didn't shave yesterday to give a good test).  I felt confidence in the lather to let the razor slide over the skin also.  I performed a two pass shave with the shavette, and not once did I feel tense or unsure of the soaps abilities to allow a safe, close shave.

DAY 2 - With the 39C and a 7th shave Astra SS, I felt this a good test for the soap.  The blade wasn't as sharp as I like, but the lather protected diligently, gave ample glide and no drama at all.

DAY 3 - Used the DE89 today and a fresh Astra SS.  First use of the razor meant there was an element of figuring out the nuances of this razor, so a good test for the soap.  The lather coped well with the lack of intuition for the razor, ensuring plenty of glide and cushion where needed.  Whilst the razor isn't my favourite, the lather certainly ensured there was no 'falling off a bike' type problems.

DAY 4 - Merkur 39C and Astra SS (2) with the glycerine enriched lather.  Oddly, I prefer the soap in its raw state, the glycerine didn't really add much to the shave that I could notice, testament to the initial very high quality lather of the soap.

DAY 5 - The lather was exceptional as usual, and with the added protection of my home blend pre shave oil, I think I've got a combination that will be impossible to beat when it comes to the shave quality.

POST SHAVE:
DAY 1 (shavette) - Here's the second most important thing for me.  Some soaps leave me tight and dry.  This was the polar opposite.  Not dry in the slightest, no taught sensation at all.  Top marks there.  The third and final element of post shave for me is alum feedback.  Previous history with shavettes showed strong to severe feedback under the jawline, with mild to moderate above.  This was massively reduced to zero feedback above the jawline, with mild to moderate below, testament to the protective qualities of the lather.

DAY 2 - As with day 1, plenty of good things to say about the post shave finish.  No dryness, tightness or any other drama you can speak of.  All looking good!

DAY 3 - Post shave experience is as good on day three as it was on the preceding days, superb finish.  Definitely a market leader in my humble opinion.

DAY 4 - Still a very good finish, not improved by the addition of glycerine to the lather.

DAY 5 - Sublime finish today, with the same level of softness and zero dryness as I've come to expect from this soap.

CONCLUSIVE COMMENTS:
DAY 1 (shavette) - Well, it's a definite thumbs up here so far.  The soap gave fantastic protection against the fearsome shavette.  Not once did I feel any decline in protective qualities, every aspect of the test sample stands up so far.  Loads and lathers well, protects and offers superior glide.

DAY 2 (Merkur 39C) - A great shave despite having a blade not at its peak in terms of sharpness.  I'll load a fresh blade tomorrow in to the DE89 for a fresh blade test.

DAY 3 (Edwin Jagger DE89) - Whilst the razor isn't my favourite (touch ups needed), the lather didn't let me down, it protected against any issues that can be found when using a razor for the first time.

DAY 4 - (Merkur 39C) - A great shave was achieved this morning, even with a sense of rushing the shave a little so we could visit the inlaws.  Still cushioned and protected as it has consistently done.

DAY 5 - (Merkur 39C) - Quite simply the best shave I've had in terms of performance and post shave finish.  If the scents I like will be included in the product that goes to market, then this will be an unbeatable product in my humble opinion.  Currently awaiting the product to go to market so that I can purchase...


UPDATE - Well, Phoenix & Beau launch on Monday 29th February, and I've already earmarked all four launch scents (including this unscented option).  I strongly urge you to try them out.  By doing so not only will you be using a vastly superior quality soap, you'll be supporting an English artisan.  The site is http://www.phoenixandbeau.uk/ and will be live on Monday at 6am!  You'll be silly not to!