Review Mini Menth Showdown

[Mark1966]

Razor: Wilkinson Sword Sticky
Blade: Personna Lab Blue (2)
Brush: Vintage butterscotch Simpson
Soap/Cream: Stirling Soap Company - Glacial Obsidian
Aftershave: Mennen Skin Bracer

An interesting scent, I LOVED the aniseed smell in the sample pot, liked it a little less during the lathering. Conversely my wife nearly gagged - 'You're not putting THAT on your face are you?'

I said that the Yeti Snot delivered a menthol hit - well this well and truly out did it. Not in an eyes burning way though - in a face cooling tingling way. Even after the cold water rinse post shave my face still felt way cool

Menthol hit? Yes, yes and yes.

Performance - Stirling do good soaps and this is no exception..

Menthol Rating:

Overall Rating: If you can get past the smell I would recommend this over the Yeti Snot for a 'good' smack of menthol

 

[StueyB]

I love the scent of the glacial, obsidian. Pair it with proraso green pre-shave and a menthol post shave or after shave and your face will be cool for ages post shave.

 

[Mark1966]

I love the scent of the glacial, obsidian. Pair it with proraso green pre-shave and a menthol post shave or after shave and your face will be cool for ages post shave.

Yes I like it too - but polarising. Get it, polarising? See what I did there ?

 

[borked]

Yes I like it too - but polarising. Get it, polarising? See what I did there ?

After a forensic level of scrutiny and subsequent investigation concluded, it was obvious from the overwhelming evidence at hand, an attempt at humour was made. The relevant party was encouraged into rehabilitation. It was noted that this new "Sabbatical" fad he admitted to experumentinf with, was most likely the catalyst behind his demise into such a realm.

 

[Mark1966]

Razor: Wilkinson Sword Sticky
Blade: Personna Lab Blue (4)
Brush: Vintage butterscotch Simpson
Soap/Cream: SuperMax Ultimate 3 Menthol Shaving Cream
Aftershave: Mennen Skin Bracer



Found this cream in putting together the PCTB3a yesterday, thought I should add it into the showdown.

I squirted an almond size blob into my palm and lathered. Nice lather, rich and thick, reminiscent of a number of products like Derby, Ingrams etc all around the same price point. All in all a decent lather for the price. Not top shelf but certainly acceptable and a good value shaving cream.

Menthol hit? Did I forget to mention the menthol? Yeah, so did the manufacturer ...

Not sure if this is an old tube I've had for a while and the potency has died or whether it is just for effect, but my toothpaste has more menthol than this

Performance - Decent value for money cream

Menthol Rating: (being generous)

Overall Rating: It will work and do a decent job - but much better alternatives available. Menth heads need not bother

 

[bald as]

I can understand why [Godrej Menthol Mist] is so highly regarded by many people. It produces an excellent lather that when applied correctly without skimping has very good glide and cushion. I found Proraso Green actually too hot/cold in the menthol area and left my skin feeling burnt. The menthol hit with this cream is well balanced and the scent is fresh.
The real kicker though is the price @ $2.99 per 70gm tube from my local Indian grocer here in Adelaide. I have been using my first tube now for nearly a month and still have over half the tube left.

 

[Mark1966]

There is a small sample of the Godrej Menthol Mist in the PCTB3a - Paste & Cut Travelling Box #3 - Reviews and Comments for those keen to try it.

I agree with @bald as regarding it being a value for money performer - but can't recall what menthol hit, if any, it had, but I suspect it will be fairly mild

 

[bald as]

Middle of the road @Mark1966

 

[Mark1966]

Razor: Weber Polished Head on Bulldog Handle
Blade: Vintage NOS Schick Super Platinum (1)
Brush: Vintage butterscotch Simpson x 2
Soap/Cream: Stirling Soap Company - Glacial Obsidian & Stirling Soap Company - Glacial Obsidian
Aftershave: Mennen Skin Bracer

After the weak 'menthol' in the SuperMax I was curious about the hits I'd gotten from the two serious menthol contenders previously. How to test them against each other though? Hmmm, why not side by side!

Firstly, yes, I've changed up the razor and blade to an old favourite combo - the wonderful Weber Polish Head on Bulldog Handle and Shick SP - fantastic implement, get one if you can.

I'd said previously that the Yeti Snot certainly delivers a menthol hit, from the tingling on application of the lather for the first pass, to the almost eye watering feeling on the second pass to the face slap with the cold water rinse post shave. The Glacial Obsidian my earlier review suggested well and truly out did it. Not in an eyes burning way though - in a face cooling tingling way. Even after the cold water rinse post shave my face still felt way cool.

This morning I did two lathers and one side of my face each. They must have know they were in a comparison test as BOTH rose to the occasion - WOW, what a blast!! Seriously, it was like I'd doubled the menthol although they were never mixed together.

Revised scores:

Yeti Snot Menthol Rating:

Glacial Obsidian Menthol Rating:

The Yeti Snot up to the previous Glacial Obsidian rating, with the Glacial Obsidian increasing only a fraction to be one ahead.

Subjective and unreliable? Probably - but hey, it was fun!!!

Overall Rating: Get one? Get both? Can you get past the scent on the Glacial Obsidian?

Hopefully another couple of samples will arrive today I can add into the 'mix' so to speak - maybe hold off until then before purchasing (if you trust my judgement that is!)

 

[eggbert]

In the US summer they do a couple of other Glacial varieties. Planning to buy one or more of them later in the year.

 

[Lifes a Peach]

Hey @Mark1966 and @eggbert - any chance that your skin becomes desensitised to the menthol if used on a daily basis?

Original Source Mint & Tea Tree shower gel left my body feeling tingly and cool. It stopped doing that after a week or so. Put it away and come back to it a month later and the tingles are back. I'd expect the menthol to behave in the same way but I could be wrong.

 

[pyrokov]

Hey @Mark1966 and @eggbert - any chance that your skin becomes desensitised to the menthol if used on a daily basis?

Original Source Mint & Tea Tree shower gel left my body feeling tingly and cool. It stopped doing that after a week or so. Put it away and come back to it a month later and the tingles are back. I'd expect the menthol to behave in the same way but I could be wrong.

Personally i find that my skin permanently (well, as permanent as a couple month's lack of use) gets desensitised to menthol, however my eyes do fairly quickly become sensitive to menthol and i get a bit of eye wateriness.

 

[Mark1966]

Well @Lifes a Peach I wouldn't really know as I'm not really a menthol fan. Proraso occasionally is as much as I normally get.

 

[borked]

Menthol is most certainly something that your skin become accustomed to, based upon my experience.
It's a part of why us Menth heads chase ever ridiculous amounts in shave software, so we can feel it!

 

[bald as]

I have noticed that the Menthol hit of Godrej Menthol mist has decreased to just above "normal" soap levels compared to a very significant smack in the face to begin with.

 

[Mark1966]

Razor: Weber Polished Head on Bulldog Handle
Blade: Vintage NOS Schick Super Platinum (4)
Brush: Vintage butterscotch Culmak reknotted with TGN finest
Soap/Cream: Shaver Heaven - Arctic Mango
Aftershave: Mennen Skin Bracer

I received some more samples from the wonderful @SydBJW to add to the review - the first of these is Shave Heaven Arctic Mango.

I think that this is actually my first use of a Shaver Heaven soap. I've got some but haven't cleared the space in my draw to add to my regular rotation. That has got to change - this is a great soap! Well done to @Anthony for the soap's performance, truly top shelf and I now know why so many people rave about it.

On the other hand ...

The scent is doing my head in! It simply doesn't seem 'right' - not a hint of what you would normally associate with menthol, just this rich, smooth, luxurious peach/mango smell. Certainly if you don't like the sometimes 'harsh' traditional menthol scents this is for you.

Now, to the menthol, the focus of this review.

This is not intended to be a big kicking menthol blast and that is a fairly true assessment. Certainyl nowhere near the imagined menthol of the SuperMax and probably a touch above the baseline Proraso. I'd give it:

Menthol Rating:

Comparative scores:

SuperMax Ultimate 3: (being generous)

Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol:

Shaver Heaven - Arctic Mango:

Yeti Snot:

Glacial Obsidian:

Clearly there are two camps here - one for regular users and one for menth heads BTW the Skin Bracer really didn't match well with the Arctic Mango, completely different scent profile.

Overall Rating: Make sure you have some Shaver Heaven in your den.

 

[Dale.Whiley]

Comparative scores:

SuperMax Ultimate 3: (being generous)

Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol:

Shaver Heaven - Arctic Mango:

Yeti Snot:

Glacial Obsidian:

Clearly there are two camps here - one for regular users and one for menth heads BTW the Skin Bracer really didn't match well with the Arctic Mango, completely different scent profile.

Overall Rating: Make sure you have some Shaver Heaven in your den.

I have never used menthol soaps before. When I got gifted with a tub of Extreme Arctic Mango (here & here) i found that after a few uses I seemed to be building an immunity to the "blitzkrieg" attack of my initial few uses; still cooling but no longer numbing. I am wondering if the order in which you use the soaps will have an effect on your scoring. At the completion of all menthol soaps, perhaps you should revisit your coldest performers and re-score with your immunity built up.

 

[Mark1966]

I have never used menthol soaps before. When I got gifted with a tub of Extreme Arctic Mango (here & here) i found that after a few uses I seemed to be building an immunity to the "blitzkrieg" attack of my initial few uses; still cooling but no longer numbing. I am wondering if the order in which you use the soaps will have an effect on your scoring. At the completion of all menthol soaps, perhaps you should revisit your coldest performers and re-score with your immunity built up.

But in your case the immunity was a good thing!

Good point you raise Dale. Looking back over the thread

3 Feb - Prosaso
4 Feb - Yeti Snot
5 Feb - Glacial Obsidian
6 Feb -
7 Feb - SuperMax
8 Feb - Yeti Snot and Glacial Obsidisan (revised both UP)
9 Feb -
10 Feb -
11 Feb - Arctic Mango
12 Feb - Arctic Mango Extreme (proposed)

I think that the couple of gaps in there have probably helped to keep it balanced and I am expecting that there will be two distinct groups -

The cool kids
SuperMax Ultimate 3
Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol
Shaver Heaven - Arctic Mango

The frigid ones
Yeti Snot
Glacial Obsidian
Arctic Mango Extreme

Although I don't want to jump to conclusions about the last one. Within the groups it might be arguable - but I would contend not between them.

Anyway, we shall see how and go - and I might cycle back through the second group before I finish

 

[Mark1966]

Razor: Weber Polished Head on Bulldog Handle
Blade: Vintage NOS Schick Super Platinum (5)
Brush: Vintage butterscotch Simpson
Soap/Cream: Shaver Heaven - Arctic Mango Extreme
Aftershave: Mennen Skin Bracer

Do you remember the kid at school with THAT Gemini?

It look like a s^%$box, the only hint at its true character being the mag wheels - but even those were second hand and not really the shiny car-bling you see on the 'real' street machines. As you hoped inside the droopy interior lining hanging from the roof and the occasional tears in the vinyl seats gave you no indication of what you were in for, the first hint coming only as he started the engine and the whole car shuddered as the engine shook in its mounts when the accelerator was depressed.

Shaver Heaver Arctic Mango Extreme is a little like that Gemini, hiding its menthol bushel once more under that alluring peachy/mango light, lulling you into relaxing in that warm soft glow before smacking you with a two x four of menthol - in much greater concentrations than the normal version.

Performance was first class as expected, menthol clearly in higher levels than the normal version. This is definitely in the frigid group. Not quite the hit of the others in that group, but with your mind still spinning while trying to reconcile the gentle scent and the menthol hit you might not want more.

What about the menthol, the focus of this review. I'd give it:

Menthol Rating:

Comparative scores:

SuperMax Ultimate 3: (being generous)

Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol:

Shaver Heaven - Arctic Mango:

Shaver Heaven Arctic Mango Extreme:

Yeti Snot:

Glacial Obsidian:

 

[eggbert]

Finally got my hands on some Arctic mango extreme.
I'd say the peach is more prevalent than the mango but the menthol does come through.
As @Mark1966 said, it is not quite as cool as the stirling glacial, or yeti snot soaps. But but bad at all.
Typical great lather that you always get from @Anthony's soap.
Finished my shave off with the regular Arctic mango balm. It has wife approval.