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Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements: Awesome Sauce Review

Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements: Awesome Sauce Review

Guest Writer Series |

About the artisan from the website:

“If Batman and Robin were two artisan soapmakers dating, and one was a woman, then that would be us...um no, wait...ummmmm. I'm not really good at these "About Us" pages, the whole thing seems so contrived. Plus it gives me the heebie jeebies to write in the 3rd person.

 

In short, we are two people very passionate about what we do, be it creating unique, long lasting aftershaves that blur the line between a cooling splash and a cologne or rebooting a classic safety razor or scent from the past, this is what we were put on God's green earth to do.

 

As for run on sentences, we embrace them. 

 

Fran and I have personally curated what we believe to be one of the most original, online traditional shave boutiques out there and are super excited to share our handpicked wares and life transforming creations with you...so take your time and mosey around, if you have any questions drop us a line, we are always here to help!

Support@PhoenixShaving.com

Sincerely, Your Friendly, Neighborhood Artisans,

Douglas & Frances”

Packaging:

Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements (PAA) containers, at least in CK6, come in a white, plastic tub. The top label has some artwork that is created by Douglas. You may notice a very well-known YouTubers (or wet tuber as some people call them) face on the label. That is because this individual inspired PAA to make the scent in a shave soap. The tubs also have a side label that has the base, ingredients, the company logo and address.

 

Scent:

The scent profile from the site lists “eucalyptus, menthol, citrus, lavender, talc, oakmoss. A classic Italian Barbershop Fougere scent. Woody, aromatic, camphor, minty green, clean, fresh, and masculine.” When I smell it off the tub, I get only the eucalyptus and menthol, and that remains the main notes once lathered. If you have ever smelled Proraso Green splash, this is a dead ringer (to my nose at least). The scent strength is medium, to medium strong. I would put it at about a six off the puck and about a five once lathered.

 

Performance:

The soap used for this review is in the CK6 base. If you have not used CK6, I highly recommend it. It is one of the best (if not the best, depending on who you talk to) vegan bases on the market. It can take a lot of water and does not require a lot of soap to build enough lather for three full passes. I scooped out more than enough soap, I had enough lather for three full passes on my face as well as two passes on my head.

After dialing in the hydration, I was left with a rich, creamy lather that felt dense on my face, yet plenty slick to use a shavette. The CK6 base is one that can be made to have a nice, dense lather that feels very nourishing on the face, or can be extremely hydrated for a thinner lather, if that is what you prefer.

Post Shave:

The CK6 base has a lot of butters and other “skin food” that leaves the face feeling very nourished and hydrated post shave. One could easily get by without the addition of any post shave products, but I tend to use witch hazel and the matching splash (if I have it) and either PAA Star Jelly, or Moon Soaps unscented balm. Even though post shave products are not needed with CK6, I find the matching splash adds an extra level of hydration and just adds to the experience.

 

Price:

The CK6 base is $24.95 for five ounces, which is $4.99 an ounce. If you do not want the premium CK6 base, it is available in the CK1 formula. The cost of CK1 is $14.95 for four ounces, or $3.73 an ounce. Either way, both bases will provide an excellent shave if properly hydrated.

 

Final thoughts:

PAA’s CK6 base is one of my personal favorites. I have never gotten a bad shave with that base. It is easy to lather, can take a lot of water and has that premium face feel one would expect from a high-end artisan shave soap. I really enjoy this scent also. The addition of the menthol really puts it over the top for me (I really like menthol in my soaps and splashes). Personally, I think everyone should give PAA, and especially the CK6 base

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