Shaving Product Review - Hasslinger "Schafmilch" and
Barrister's Reserve "Classic"
Today's SOTD features a soap you may not have heard of, but should - Haslinger Schafmilch #soap. An excellent Mitchell's Wool Fat alternative. Followed by Barrister's Reserve Classic #aftershave!
As mentioned, you've probably seen the name Haslinger here or there... Maybe not. Surely you've heard of Mitchell's Wool Fat or simply, "The Fat" before though. Haslinger is a fine Austrian company that makes a variety of different soaps; each with unique ingredients and scent. Today's soap in particular is Schafmilch which translates to "Sheep Milk." It's actually a double-whammy, as it contains both sheep milk and lanolin. Both of which serve to give you a rich, creamy lather with outstanding face feel. Lanolin, as you're probably aware, is what "The Fat" is all about. Some people have issues lathering it however, as it's sensitive to water hardness... And those with hard water can be out of luck. Haslinger Schafmilch does not have this problem. It also has very little in the way of scent; something else some folks find off-putting about "The Fat." So to recap; easier lathering, less "sheepy" smell yet contains the goodness of lanolin. Check!
The pucks are rather small, unlike "The Fat" and come in at 60g, and measure 59x22mm. While you can get pretty much all the other Haslinger soap varieties in plastic tubs, Schafmilch is strangely not one of them. I used a generic aluminum tin for mine (pictured). The pricing is about average if you consider the $9/puck price... Taking two of those for 120g for $18 - whereas many artisans are 113g (4oz) at around that price. That said, for $9 you can pick up a puck (or several) and not be out too much, nor committed to a huge puck.
Performance-wise, it lathered up fairly easily (though it bears noting that I have zero issues with "The Fat" in this regard). It likes a bit of extra whipping, like many better soaps. I started a bit dry on the first pass and increased the water content on each subsequent pass. The first was extremely cushioning and soft. I couldn't feel the blade at all. The second pass was just about right, adding a bit of needed slickness. The third and final pass was a bit lighter in consistency but slickness didn't improve too much. In the end, this soap has outstanding cushion with decent glide. I'd compare the cushion to Speick cream; it too is super comfortable. Glide was good, and got the job done - but didn't stand out. Also as mentioned above, there's little to no scent. It smells clean, not gamy or "sheepy."
For the aftershave, I went with my latest acquisition, the exciting trio of scents from Barrister's Reserve by #BarristerMann. I chose Classic as the scent du jour. See my first impression and review of Classic for the full skinny. I love using this stuff; it truly is "the most advanced aftershave" on the market, whether by artisan - or by a commercial company. Instant soothing and healing, outstanding face feel and scents that last all day (if not more so; I often smell them in the next morning's shower).
Hardware today included the *Standard Razor* with a #PolSilver blade on shave three, the #Dovo silvertip badger brush for plush face-loving lather action, which was whipped into submission and kept warm thanks to the #GTP scuttle.
A lovely shave this morning with two quality products. If you haven't heard of either, consider this your notice... Both are worth checking out.