Mike's Natural Soaps Fall Scent

Me too. Mike's is my favorite soap but would like to get people's opinion before ordering it, mainly cuase of possible skin irritation with these types of scents.

I sometimes have issues with irritation from soap, but it's not real common for me.  The soaps that have given me problems have been spicy scents for the most part.  The Sweet Pumpkin Spice had me a little concerned about irritation, but this is the first new scent Mike has put out since I started traditional wet shaving just over a year ago, so I NEEDED to order this scent.  Mike's has  been one of my top soaps from the beginning.  Anyway, I haven't experienced any irritation from this new Fall scent at all.  I've actually never had any irritation from any of Mike's soaps.  There are eleven scents of Mike's Natural Soaps represented in my modest shaving soap collection.(My wife would beg to differ with me on the "modest" part.)  I hope this helps you with your decision.  As always, YMMV!

I found the scent itself very nice.  It's a warm scent. To me, it reminds me of when Grandma used to take the pumpkin pies out of the oven for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  That probably is kind of a cop out for a scent description.  I'm just not that good at picking out all of the layers of scents.  I can pick out the pumpkin, vanilla, ginger, and brown sugar, but maybe that's just too obvious.  Mike does a super job with the scents in his soaps.  The scents are never too light or too strong.  They seem to be right on the money to me.  As I said before, however he scents his soaps, it has never given ME any irritation, unlike some scents from other soap makers.  You already really enjoy MNS (I'm assuming great scents and great performance), so I'm probably just preaching to the choir here.  

Many thanks for your feedback!! Mike's is my favorite soal of all times due to the amazing slickness, post shave feel and no irritation from it when shaving. I will try to wait until he has the vetiver and/or Lime, to make a purchase of 3-4 soaps from him, including the fall scent. Thanks again!

Many thanks for your feedback!!  Mike's is my favorite soal of all times due to the amazing slickness, post shave feel and no irritation from it when shaving.  I will try to wait until he has the vetiver and/or Lime,  to make a purchase of 3-4 soaps from him, including the fall scent.  Thanks again!

You're welcome! Vetiver is one of my first Mike's purchases, along with Hungarian Lavender and samples.  Mike has Lime in stock now and is taking pre-orders for Vetiver. I think the price has gone up a little, but I think it's still worth it. The pre-order thing is something new to me for MNS.  He took pre-orders for Bay Rum recently also. You will have to forgive my enabling! Enjoy!

Have his soaps improved over the years? The reason I ask is I tried 2 of his samples about 3 years ago when he was fairly new and I couldn't get them to lather. The scents were great though.

Have his soaps improved over the years?  The reason I ask is I tried 2 of his samples about 3 years ago when he was fairly new and I couldn't get them to lather.  The scents were great though.

Well, I'm not sure if his soap has improved over the years, because I've only been using Mike's for about a year now.  Mike's has always lathered for me even though I have very hard water.  I just load like crazy and keep adding water until the lather is thick, slick, and yogurty.  I know when I tried his samples, I smashed the samples flat into 1 or 2 cup Pyrex/Anchor Hocking bowls to provide more surface area to load the brush.  I know of some people who have had issues lathering it, but Mike's Natural Soaps lathered for me right out of the gate.  I'm not bragging, because I certainly had my share of problems lathering when I first started using soap and a brush, but Mike's just worked for me(much to my relief.)  YMMV, as always!

Have his soaps improved over the years?  The reason I ask is I tried 2 of his samples about 3 years ago when he was fairly new and I couldn't get them to lather.  The scents were great though.

I believe Mike's soaps are VERY thirsty, especially if you have hard water like most of us do.

the problem I have with Mike's soaps aren't the products, it's the availability to get them! I really want to try Mike's bath soaps, but I cannot EVER find them in stock on his site.

Yeah I need to retry his soaps now that I'm better at loading soaps now. I guess the samples weren't the best thing to use to start out with.

I believe Mike's soaps are VERY thirsty, especially if you have hard water like most of us do.

^This. I don't have hard water and found this to be true as well.

I believe Mike's soaps are VERY thirsty, especially if you have hard water like most of us do.

the problem I have with Mike's soaps aren't the products, it's the availability to get them!  I really want to try Mike's bath soaps, but I cannot EVER find them in stock on his site.

Yes, I should have been clearer in my previous post.  When I said, "I just load like crazy and keep adding water until the lather is thick, slick, and yogurty.", that's what I was trying to get at.  I think one has to load more than some other soaps(especially if you have hard water) and if the lather from Mike's isn't really slick, just keep adding water a little at a time and keep working the lather with your brush.  Mike's definitely takes a whole lot more water before it breaks down than just about anything else I've tried.

Availability can be a problem too.  From what I understand, Mike makes soap on the side, because he enjoys making the soap.  I don't know him personally, that's just what I've read.  I was able to grab a couple bars of his Rose & Cedarwood shea butter bath bars a little while back and they were outstanding!  I really enjoy the Rose & Cedarwood shaving soap, so it was a no brainer for me to pick up the bath bars when he had them available.  The bath bars are worth a shot if you find them in stock.  

Yeah I need to retry his soaps now that I'm better at loading soaps now.  I guess the samples weren't the best thing to use to start out with.

What I usually tell people who are interested in trying his shaving soap is to pick out some scents that sound good to you and when you catch some in stock, just grab one or two.  The scents are really good and the performance is awesome once you have it dialed in.

I know I sound like a huge fanboy and I am.  I don't have any affiliation with Mike's Natural Soaps other than I bought some very early on in my traditional wet shaving adventure and it just clicked for me.  I just honestly enjoy it and shortly after I tried it, I turned a local friend onto it and he seems to agree with me.  I still use Mike's shaving soaps.  It's not used exclusively by me, because I'm too much of a shaving soap nut to settle on just one, but it gets plenty of action.

Yeah I need to retry his soaps now that I'm better at loading soaps now.  I guess the samples weren't the best thing to use to start out with.

have you tried blooming the pucks before using them? that seems to soften the top layer to make it easier to lather up. blooming has become a de facto standard for me for anything inside a tub/container.

I believe Mike's soaps are VERY thirsty, especially if you have hard water like most of us do.

the problem I have with Mike's soaps aren't the products, it's the availability to get them!  I really want to try Mike's bath soaps, but I cannot EVER find them in stock on his site.

Yes, I should have been clearer in my previous post.  When I said, "I just load like crazy and keep adding water until the lather is thick, slick, and yogurty.", that's what I was trying to get at.  I think one has to load more than some other soaps(especially if you have hard water) and if the lather from Mike's isn't really slick, just keep adding water a little at a time and keep working the lather with your brush.  Mike's definitely takes a whole lot more water before it breaks down than just about anything else I've tried.

Availability can be a problem too.  From what I understand, Mike makes soap on the side, because he enjoys making the soap.  I don't know him personally, that's just what I've read.  I was able to grab a couple bars of his Rose & Cedarwood shea butter bath bars a little while back and they were outstanding!  I really enjoy the Rose & Cedarwood shaving soap, so it was a no brainer for me to pick up the bath bars when he had them available.  The bath bars are worth a shot if you find them in stock.

it'd be nice if Mike had an option on his site to email you when he adds products back to his store. as far as I know, this functionality does not exist.

 

Yeah I need to retry his soaps now that I'm better at loading soaps now.  I guess the samples weren't the best thing to use to start out with.

What I usually tell people who are interested in trying his shaving soap is to pick out some scents that sound good to you and when you catch some in stock, just grab one or two.  The scents are really good and the performance is awesome once you have it dialed in.

I know I sound like a huge fanboy and I am.  I don't have any affiliation with Mike's Natural Soaps other than I bought some very early on in my traditional wet shaving adventure and it just clicked for me.  I just honestly enjoy it and shortly after I tried it, I turned a local friend onto it and he seems to agree with me.  I still use Mike's shaving soaps.  It's not used exclusively by me, because I'm too much of a shaving soap nut to settle on just one, but it gets plenty of action.

nothing wrong with really enjoying a product, imho. Mike is a really nice guy and he seems to make a very nice product that a lot of people love (if they can find it!)...

andrewjs18 Thanks for fixing my post!