Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: “Mike’s Mixed”
Brush: Omega #10048 Boar Bristle
Razor: Cadet TP-01 long handled Open Comb with a fresh SuperMax Super Platinum blade
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and BodyShop Maca Root Face Protector
Beard care: Big Red Beard Factory Oil and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Mike’s Natural Soap, Peppermint & Rosemary
Brush: Vie-Long #14033 mixed horse-badger brush
Razor: Merkur 39C Slant with a Polsilver blade
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum Aftershave
Beard care: Big Red Beard Factory Oil and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Mike’s Natural “Mixed” Soap
Brush: Turkish No6 brush
Razor: German (likely Merkur) Bakelite Slant with a Super-Max Stainless
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and BodyShop Maca Root Face Protector
Beard care: Big Red Beard Factory Balm and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Citrus Soap
Lather: Mike’s Natural Lemongrass & Eucalyptus Soap
Brush: Vie-Long #13051M purse horse brush
Razor: Merkur 45C Bakelite with a fresh Derby
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Proraso Liquid Cream After Shave
Beard care: Big Red Beard Factory Oil and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Eucalyptus Soap
Lather: Mike’s Natural Pine & Cedarwood Soap
Brush: Vie-Long #12705N pure natural white horse
Razor: BiC Sensitive SE disposable razor
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Oil (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Orange Soap
Lather: Mike’s Natural Soap Lemongrass & Eucalyptus
Brush: Vie-Long #13051M unbleached pure horse
Razor: Phillips Philite with a Feather
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Oil (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Mike’s Natural Peppermint & Rosemary Soap
Brush: Vie Long 14055 mixed badger-horse
Razor: GEM Micromatic Clug Pruf with a GEM Stainless
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Oil (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Eucalyptus Soap
Lather: Mike’s Pine & Cedarwood soap
Brush: Vie Long 14033 mixed badger / horse
Razor: EverReady 1914 SE with a GEM Stainless
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
Back when I first heard about Mike’s Natural Soaps, I naturally wanted to try all of them… so I bought a whole boatload of samples.
Some I finished off, a couple got integrated into the tins I bought later, and some… just hung around. Got used on occasion, but not often. Part of the reason why is that chasing a small piece of soap around the bottom of a tupperware isn’t a great way to lather up, part is that there were scents that wasn’t my favourites.
In an effort to tidy up and get some use of out the leftover samples, I decided to combine them into something I call Mike’s Mixed. The process was simpler and quicker than expected, taking less than ten minutes from start to finish – including some time in the fridge, because I’m impatient at times.
Place all in a suitable container – I used an empty RazoRock jar, simply because I have it and the lid closes tightly.
Place the container with the soap in a bowl of near boiling water, and add a little less than a teaspoon of boiling water to the mix.
After a minute or so the soap melts, letting you tamp it down and get rid of any air that is trapped. Smooth the top off after removing it from the hot water.
Let it cool, make a label… and that is it. One puck of Mike’s Mixed, ready to use.
Pre-shave: Dr Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap
Lather: Mike’s “Mixed”
Brush: Turkish No6
Razor: Gem 1912 SE with a fresh GEM Stainless
Post-shave: Cool water rinse, alum, and Krampert’s Finest Bay Rum
Beard care: Big Red Beard Balm (Factory) and Big Red No7 Beard Comb
