Shaving Product Review - Through the Fire Fine Craft "Sucker Punch" and
Krampert's Finest "Frostbite"
Today's SOTD is all about Through the Fire Fine Craft Sucker Punch #soap and the outstanding, in-your-face citrus scent profile!
Through the Fire Fine Craft doesn't get the attention they deserve, IMO - especially as it relates to their premium line of soaps - which are tallow-based and features glycerin, mango butter, cherry kernel oil and tussah silk along with all the essential oils for the fragrance. Indeed, I hadn't tried #ttffcrafts previously - but I was in Pasteur Pharmacy in NYC a week or two ago and was drawn to the bright label... Alas, I didn't pick it up at the time but couldn't stop thinking about the scent of it since, when I finally broke down and went back to grab it yesterday!
The scent is totally in-your-face citrus; mainly orange-forward. In fact, the notes are lemon, tangerine, grapefruit and blood orange. In the tub, the scent is quite strong but when lathered it mellows a bit and blends together quite nicely. I wish it were stronger, but I say that about every soap, as I like 'em strong. Most people should find the scent strength a nice, medium level. I'm a sucker for citrus! How does it compare to another popular choice - Dr. Jon's Hydra for example? Hydra is a more rounded lemon/lime/orange scent whereas Sucker Punch is decidedly more orange/grapefruit. This also has a stronger scent strength. For citrus fans, it pays to have both!
How's the performance? In short, really quite good! The soap is a pretty soft consistency, which made loading the brush easy and on the heavier side. No surprise then, that it produced copious amounts of slightly fluffy lather with quite good cushion and glide. It's not quite as fluffy as some soaps - nor is it as creamy and dense as say, B&M or CRSW soaps. It's in the middle... Though this may just be a matter of dialing it in more. As for the glide, I found the soap nice and slippery - but not as much secondary lubricity (for touchups or multiple strokes on a pass). The face feel was quite nice as well. Overall, I'd put the performance a tick or two below B&M or CRSW and really, that's saying a lot... Especially when you consider also the price of $14.99 for 4oz (in a 6oz tub). No, this is a nice soap for sure and well worth a try.
I don't have the matching splash, which I hope to rectify; though citrus scents are hard to pull off because of the volatility of the oils. They start off strong but fade quickly. For today's shave I followed with Krampert's Finest Frostbite and #Guerlain Homme L'Eau Boisée which I find a nice summery scent - a woody chypre with a backbone of vetiver with subtle smokiness (see http://tinyurl.com/hwdwyjy for more).
Hardware today included the #Mühle R89 razor fitted with a #Feather blade on shave two, while the #BSB Shaving Brush made the lather explode in the #GTP scuttle.
For citrus fans, I highly recommend Through The Fire Fine Craft Sucker Punch soap (and cologne). It's a premium, well-performing soap base at an attractive price and the scent is right up my alley - in your face orange/grapefruit... this stuff smells divine!