1. Product name: RazoRock MCMXXIV Italian Master Barber Limited Edition Artisan Shave Soap
2. Country of origin: Italy
3. Container size: 225ml (7.6 ounces)
4. Price: $19.99
5. Cost per ounce: $2.63 per ounce
6. Fragrance: Does it have a scent? Classic Italian Almond
7. Texture: Describe the look and feel. Smooth soft soap
8. Protective: Does it protect against razor burn and chafing? Yes
9. Lubrication: Is it slippery? Did it help the razor slide smoothly? Yes
10. Efficiency: Does it do what was expected to help me shave? Yes
11. Endurance: Does it require reapplication during or between passes? Yes
12. Washable: Does it wash off face & razor easily afterward? Yes
13. Moisturizing: Does it add/restore moisture? Yes
14. Time elapsed: How long did it take to shave, from prep to cleanup? 15 to 20 minutes
15. Brush lather: Will a brush make it lather in a bowl? Yes
16. Brush cleanup: Does it easily rinse out of a brush? Yes
17. Remarks:
First, let’s start with the ingredients: Stearic Acid, Tallow, Water, Cocos Nucifera, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Potassium Carbonate. If this looks familiar, it’s virtually the same ingredients as Cella, listed in a different order.
The soap is a limited edition of 100 available only from The Italian Barber in Canada. I got # 64/100. It comes in a hefty rectangular block wrapped securely in clear plastic. The soap’s in a white box. Inside the box, the outer wrapper is black tissue paper adorned with RazoRock’s logo on a sticker. I cut off a chunk and easily pressed it into an empty red Cella tub for ease of use.
My hope was that this soap performs as well as Cella, with a more acceptable fragrance to my sense of smell. The shave proved that to be true. I loaded with a wet brush and face-lathered. I had used a pretty wet brush to start with, and it didn’t take long for the brush to create a tight crisp avalanche of lovely whipped cream lather without having to dip the brush in the water.
I was very impressed by two facts. I use a small brush-sized scuttle with very warm water. First, the warmth of the scuttle did not cause the lather in the brush to deteriorate and dissipate. (Note: P160 for example, dissipates severly in the warm scuttle between passes. I don't use it for that reason.) Second, I didn’t have to revisit the soap for subsequent passes. The lather in the brush remained active and readily provided far more than enough lather for three full ample re-latherings.
The soap performed quite well, in my opinion as good as Cella, with a fragrance that is different from Cella’s but more pleasing to me. Looks like a winner in my book!
