What soap/cream did you use today?

Kolnisch lovely

MAOL-TALBOT / Tangerine

I haven't posted for a few days because I've been working through a sample of a new scent from Sir Henry's Sundries/Black Tie Razors that Dominick sent to me three days ago.  The scent is Bay Rum and as a confirmed Bay Rum fan, I was very interested.  I first became aware of Sir Henry's a couple of years ago when I bought their #13 unscented soap and two scents, Casino Royale and El Jefe. Since then I have gotten my mitts on several other scents, each one of them excellent.  I liked the products so well that about a year ago I hooked up with the team while on business in St Louis and shared a meal of toasted ravioli, a STL icon.  What I learned is that the Black Tie Razor team is made up of individuals each with a key talent to making things work and a dedication to each customer’s needs.  But it's the Bay Rum I want to tell you about! I love the many iterations of Bay Rum available and this one is stellar.  Bay rum to me is a big old dose of bay.  Not bay fragrance but real bay.  This soap is all of that.  I get lime first, then the bay and rum kick in.  There is a hint of vanilla going on plus some other things and knowing Dom, I suspect it's Sandalwood holding down the fort.  And one of the ingredients I really like in Bay Rum is that kiss of nutmeg.  Love it, but it doesn't love me so when I smelled it I thought, “well, here's a soap that isn't going to work” thinking it would fire my skin up.  But I lathered it anyway and made a pass.  The spice scent was there but there was no tingle. 2nd pass and no reaction.  Third pass and I realized that whatever level of nutmeg he had used must be below my sensitivity threshold.  This classifies as a “hug soap” for me.  It's the kind of feel that you could leave it on your face and watch Quigley Down Under and enjoy the face hug the whole time.  I asked Dominick how he put nutmeg in the mix and didn't light me up.  He said “no nutmeg but scent wizardry”. At any rate, I hauled out the 4 bay rums I have and sniffed them side by side.  Gents, I have a new favorite Bay Rum.  It pays respect to the two scents In the title but then adds depth and refinement the others don't have.  If you are a Bay Rum fan you owe it to yourself to be on the lookout for a Sir Henry's  Bay Rum release.  He told me I'd have to wait until June sometime.  I'll be waiting!

I almost took the plunge on a new Bay Rum yesterday, after reading your review, I’ll wait for this to drop! CHEERS to your review!!

Jeeves of Hudson Street

I have had this puck for years - scent is gone now. Still lathers easily. Very creamy low profile lather. Tallow recipe of course. I need more!

Try it boys.

C U all tomorrow

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That Derby City Winter Reserve, it’s got to be one of the BEST out there!
I see your work here Tommy, that puck lost scent (nice lather tho) and you got that Bay Rum going with the Chop Shop splash!

Mystic Water Coconut Sandalwood

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I really enjoy the scent of her Coconut Sandalwood...reminds me of the beach

+1 Coconut Sandalwood!

2nd day with SV - bloomed the soap while I showered and then followed Bouki's advice - loaded a lightly damp 26mm tuxedo knot for about 30 seconds and face-painted for a good 5 minutes before dipping the tips of the knot in the bloom water - lathered/dipped again every 4 to 5 minutes another 2 times - lather was much better today but I'm sure I have a ways to go before i get it "right"

Just my opinion, but I suggest you should ditch the blooming. There is no need to soften the surface layer via blooming.
(That goes for any soap except maybe a couple (Mystic Water is one), but definitely don't bloom SV, they are very concentrated, noticably more than most others... with more usage you will likely notice it takes a lot of water to get optimal. Blooming, which loosens even more soap, would exacerbate this characteristic even more.)

Stirling Boat Drinks

Opuntia v. (Saponificio Varesino) inspired by Aventus

I got a really nice glob of yogurty lather today. Here's what I did:

1. Boiled some water in a little pot (see below)
   
2. Poured two tablespoons of boiling water onto a puck of Opuntia (beta 4.3)
   
3. Shook three twists of ground menthol onto the puck
   
4. Took a shower for fifteen minutes
   
5. When I got out, the water, menthol, and soap had coalesced into a thick gel. I loaded all of it into a 24 mm synthetic brush.
   
6. Took the mess to my face and worked it for a minute.
   
7. Started adding water from the tap, a little at first and then more generously. All in all, I probably added another two to three tablespoons.
   
8. Shaved. Che gioia!
   
9. The brush was still soapy, so I palm lathered what was left, adding lots of water. This is when things got really good and thick and dense and glossy and gorgeous. Probably should have started out lathering on my palm; and man, this soap can hold a bucket of water.
   

I have to note that my water is extra soft, so with only one exception, I've never had problems building a lather here.

Thanks for this Bouki!  I will definitely give this method a try in the near future...but I need to take at least a one-day hiatus from SV to try out a new (to me) Bay Rum AS and witch hazel

2nd day with SV - bloomed the soap while I showered and then followed Bouki's advice - loaded a lightly damp 26mm tuxedo knot for about 30 seconds and face-painted for a good 5 minutes before dipping the tips of the knot in the bloom water - lathered/dipped again every 4 to 5 minutes another 2 times - lather was much better today but I'm sure I have a ways to go before i get it "right"

Looking good man. Btw-how did  you like the Artica fragrance?

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The scent is just amazing!  I have a tendency to keep around a few soaps that, quite honestly, I'm not fond of the lather and they rarely get used.  But I keep them because i love the scent.  I certainly haven't dialed-in the lather on SV yet so I am not judging/rating the lather at this moment.  But, at the very least, this soap will not only be kept, it will be used because of that amazing scent!

2nd day with SV - bloomed the soap while I showered and then followed Bouki's advice - loaded a lightly damp 26mm tuxedo knot for about 30 seconds and face-painted for a good 5 minutes before dipping the tips of the knot in the bloom water - lathered/dipped again every 4 to 5 minutes another 2 times - lather was much better today but I'm sure I have a ways to go before i get it "right"

Just my opinion, but I suggest you should ditch the blooming. There is no need to soften the surface layer via blooming.
(That goes for any soap except maybe a couple (Mystic Water is one), but definitely don't bloom SV, they are very concentrated, noticably more than most others... with more usage you will likely notice it takes a lot of water to get optimal. Blooming, which loosens even more soap, would exacerbate this characteristic even more.)

I'm more than willing to give it a try frenchy.  One of things I love about a new soap is the experimenting with getting it the way I want it.  In the next couple of SV uses, I will try a dry load with minimal swirls to keep the soap usage low.