The competition started with 16 unscented or scent-free soaps and the list has been narrowed to the final two. The format is simple: I shave four times with a soap in roughly a week, rate each soap’s performance using the criteria below and compare the results.
For this final round I used a Merkur 34C exclusively. It’s my favorite razor and the Sharpologist product sales rankings show that a lot of other shavers are also 34C fans.
The Contestants
Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements (PAA) Scentsless CK-6
From the website (Ed Note: affiliate link): Now you can enjoy a Scentsless (scent-free) take on our super slick, thick, and mega moisturizing CK-6 Formula! This is especially good news for folks that are sensitive to fragrance oils…or are married to one.
Ingredients: Potassium Stearate, Glycerin, Potassium Cocoate, Aqua, Potassium Kokumate, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Shea Butterate, Potassium Castorate, Sodium Stearate, Potassium Cocoa Butterate, Potassium Avocadoate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum (Capuacu) Butter, Astrocaryum (Murumuru) Seed Butter, Platonia Insignis (Bacuri) Seed Butter
Wholly Kaw Bare Siero (Tallow)
From the website (Ed. note: affiliate link): Unscented tallow soap in Siero base. Hops Extract is added to provide biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic providing relief for inflammation and prevention of spider veins. Omega-6 Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid, the only long chain fatty acid which the body needs but cannot synthesize have long been recognized as essentials for healthy looking skin.
Ingredients: Potassium Stearate, Sodium Stearate, Water, Donkey Milk, Water Buffalo Milk, Donkey Milk Whey, Water Buffalo Milk Whey, Glycerin, Potassium Tallowate, Sodium Tallowate, Potassium Ricinoleate, Sodium Ricinoleate, Potassium Shea Butterate, Sodium Shea Butterate, Garcinia Indica (Kokum) Butter, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter, Hydrolyzed Linseed, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Lanolin.
Overall Impressions
Points awarded on a scale of 1 to 5 for each factor:
1: Poor
2: Fair
3: Good
4: Very good
5: Excellent
Feature: Lack of Scent
| Soap | Points |
| PAA Scentsless Formula CK-6 | 5.0 |
| Wholly Kaw Bare Siero (Tallow) | 5.0 |
Both were fragrance-free to my hay fever-season sense of smell.
Feature: Easy lathering
| Soap | Points |
| PAA Scentsless Formula CK-6 | 5.00 |
| Wholly Kaw Bare Siero (Tallow) | 5.00 |
Both loaded easily with either a badger or synthetic brush and both produced good amounts of high quality lather.
Feature: Lather moisture retention
| Soap | Points |
| PAA Scentsless Formula CK-6 | 5.00 |
| Wholly Kaw Bare Siero (Tallow) | 5.00 |
Both held up well for the entire shave.
Feature: Lubrication
| Soap | Points |
| PAA Scentsless Formula CK-6 | 5.00 |
| Wholly Kaw Bare Siero (Tallow) | 5.00 |
Excellent performance from both.
Feature: Protection
| Soap | Points |
| PAA Scentsless Formula CK-6 | 5.00 |
| Wholly Kaw Bare Siero (Tallow) | 4.75 |
Very slight edge to PAA Scentsless.
Feature: Post-shave Skin Feeling
| Soap | Points |
| PAA Scentsless Formula CK-6 | 5.00 |
| Wholly Kaw Bare Siero (Tallow) | 4.88 |
Same result as with protection.
Final scores
Winner: PAA Scentsless Formula CK-6 over Wholly Kaw Bare Siero (Tallow) by a score of 30 to 29.63.
Final Thoughts
A few parting observations:
- As I used the winning soaps more frequently, their lather and the overall shave quality improved, both of which I attribute to getting in more practice with each soap.
- Shaves in the summer produced better results than shaves in winter, no doubt due to the difference in air humidity and its influence on my skin’s dryness.
- I understand that comparisons like this series of articles are based on my subjective experiences with the products and YMMV. Another user could have had different results with the individual products, but the final four soaps—Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Scentsless CK-6, Talbot Shaving Trust, Wholly Kaw Bare Siero (Tallow) and Zingari Man Sego Unscented—are all excellent. You’ll get great shaves from any of them.
Excellent series — it has been enjoyable to follow along. Thanks for doing such a meticulous comparison. PAA CK6 is certainly excellent, but what a close finish! Any of these soaps in your finals are great.
The formula CK-6 soaps are about the best I have ever used.
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