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+1 to all of that. Keep going. Don't give up.
When you get to the point of wanting to give up, that's when you are almost there. Push through, and you will see.
One piece of advice i would give...

You say the Tabac was slick, so I would discount the lather as the problem, although sometimes IME if you don't get enough water in the lather you can get into trouble. Tabac id lovely stuff, though,...