[De Layne]

Hi All, I wanted to mention a shaving soap that some of you might be unfamiliar with....one that I quite like. It's made by JoAnna over at www.theshaveden.com and has been a very pleasant surprise. Let me begin by saying I have been using Colleen's soaps for many months now, and consider them a top notch product. I use two in my small regular rotation, and will also occasionally change things up with some HBS (her sandalwood/ vanilla is amazing), or something from QED (sandalwood or wild rose). That will maybe give you a reference point for my preferences. About three months ago I took a chance and ordered a few soaps from JoAnna. The performance and scent were both unknowns to me, but it's always a crapshoot with any new product. I ordered a tub of 'bay rum' and also a tub of 'lime'. I enjoyed em both, but this lime.................whew. First, the soap looks different than most glycerin based, with an off white, opaque look that seems more like the few triple milled soaps I've seen. Now, let me go on a bit about the performance. I found this soap to be a little tricky at first.........water/soap ratio kinda thing. It definitely takes more water than other soaps I've used, and working it to the 'tiny bubble' stage will mean an extra 20-30 seconds of effort. Very nice looking when it's done right. The performance is excellent......the razor glides around without effort. No irritation during or after the shave, and leaves my face feeling soft. It's a very rich looking lather, and does what it's supposed to do. Now..........here's the best part (to me). This is my very favorite lime scented soap, and I've sniffed more than a few. Some are too sweet, some too soapy, some too faintly scented, etc. This stuff is perfect for me! Nice medium strength that lasts throughout my 4 pass shave. This has become a part of my regular rotation as a result. It runs $7 for a 4 ounce tub, which is very reasonable. She's also taken a page from Collen's book and offers one ounce samples, which isn't a bad way to go the first time for anything like this. Anyway, do I need to do the usual YMMV disclaimer? This stuff has been a kick for me to use, but of course the reader will need to see for himself. Martin Hehe, no, I'm not a shill for that site. I've said similar wonderful things about Colleen's products on other forums in the past.