shave soap + brush + bowl
Our basic shave kit includes your essentials for an old-world shave. We beautifully package a fresh cut shave soap in an easy-to hold, stainless steel shave bowl and a shave brush.
This shave soap is made with stearic acid (derived from cotton seed), coconut oil, shea butter, castor oil, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, distilled water, glycerin, and our special fragrance blend of essential oils. The combination of plant-based ingredients and dual lyes lend a rich, foamy lather for a fresh, clean cut.
This shaving brush is made with fine, synthetic bristles. The hande is wooden. The shave brush is 1.97 inches in length and the handle is 1.38 inches long. This brush comes in a black 4.5 x 2 inch cylinder travel case.
This kit comes with instructions for care and use.
Specifications:
This shave soap is weighs three ounces. It comes in a round aluminum tin with a screw thread lid. They are wrapped in a recyclable paper filter and sealed with a Douglas-Smith Soap Company Sticker. They are 2.9" in diameter and 1.4" tall.
Care and Use:
Place your shave soap in an enamel, wooden or stainless steel mug or bowl. You can get a Douglas-Smith Soap Company enamel mug on this store. Soak your shave brush (also available on this store) in water. Vigorously circle the wet shave brush onto the soap (center and edges) to develop the lather into a foam. Add water to the brush if needed and continue until your desired amount of foam is reached. Brush the lather onto your face and neck. Shave and rinse. Empty any water from the mug. Leave the soap in the mug or on a soap dish to dry out completely before the next dish.
Tips and Use:
Considerations: These brushes get better with use over time. Using a handcrafted soap like our "fresh cut" shaving soap will help the "break-in" process move along faster. While the break in process is going on, the hairs on the brush will begin to loosen and a few may even fall out. Don’t be alarmed as this is perfectly normal. During this time, the bristles will begin to feel noticeably softer when they are dry. Within 2 to 4 weeks of use, it will be a well-oiled lathering machine.
BREAKING IN YOUR SHAVE BRUSH (do this to speed it up further!):
1) Fill your Douglas Smith Soap Company enamel mug with just enough HOT water and a couple squirts of dish washing detergent to cover the bristles, but not the handle of the brush.
2) Let the bristles soak in the hot water for 10-20 minutes
3) Rinse the bristles off with hot water
4) Empty your shaving mug and place your shaving soap inside with a little hot water to about 3/4 up the sides of the shaving soap. With your wet shaving brush, rapidly rub the shaving brush in a circular motion on the soap, making sure you are rubbing along the edge of the mug until you have a rich lather on your brush.
5) Leave the brush with the lather out over night. Empty the water from your mug to let the soap dry out.
6) The next morning, rinse the brush thoroughly.
Shaving with a shave brush:
- Start by running the brush under some warm to hot water to saturate the bristles.
- Fill your soap mug with warm water up to 3/4 of the size of the soap.
- Work the soap into a lather. Using rapid circular motions, work the brush on and around the soap to build a thick lather.
- Splash your face and beard with warm water.
- Spread the warm lather on your face and neck in circular motions.
- TiShave. Rinse your face and neck with warm, then cold water.
- Rinse the brush.
- Moisturize your face and neck with non-alcohol aftershave lotion of choice.