Catie’s Bubbles Spanish Holiday Shaving Soap Review
Catie’s Bubbles might be one of the few good things to come out of New Jersey. I kid, I kid. As a Philadelphia guy, making fun of the Garden State is something I’m compelled, almost involuntarily, to do. Catie’s Bubbles had been on my radar for a long time. Probably for over a year, but I only finally got around to trying their shaving soap. I picked up a few, so I would expect more reviews in the future. But I decided to kick it off with the Spanish Holiday shaving soap.
Lather
This soap lathers beautifully. A few weeks ago, I received some flak for my criticisms of another shaving soap’s lather. The implication was that I wasn’t putting in enough effort. Call me crazy for wanting a shaving soap that lathers without requiring a Master’s in chemical engineering. Catie’s Bubbles’ Spanish Holiday is just that. I was able to load my brush and build lather directly on my face with little effort or guesswork.
To me the standout strength of this soap is the slickness. If I had to pick something to improve with this soap, I would choose the cushion. A few too many times I was acutely aware of my blade against my skin. But the slickness, that was superb. Spanish Holiday even handled my Muhle R41 better than any other soap I’ve used with it so far. I’ll admit, I’ve been struggling with that razor a bit, but this soap really helped to put the aggressive beast in its place.
Scent
Catie’s Bubbles describes the fragrance as containing notes of coriander, rosewood, and musk. I found it to be clean, powdery, and slightly herbal, which I attribute mostly to the coriander. However, it was a little light for my taste. (I tend to prefer a stronger scented shaving soap.) I would compare this soap to a lighter version of La Toja, which is not surprising given the name Spanish Holiday. (You can read my review of La Toja here.)
Overall, I really enjoyed Spanish Holiday shaving soap, and definitely recommend it. The slickness is superb, making this an ideal soap for single blade shavers. Catie’s Bubbles also offers a complementary post-shave toner with a matching fragrance, and I’m always on the lookout for new scent combinations!
Regards,