Review of 70+ Soaps

[BaylorGator]

How is your progress with the straight razor coming along? I am getting close to my 200th straight razor shave (will get there in the middle of next week) and am still enjoying it, and probably still learning, at least a little.

Thanks for asking. After 30-60 on and off straight shaves I finally took a dedicated month of focusing on nothing but straight razor shaving. That definitely took me “over the hump” where I am very comfortable doing it, and don’t need to think about it too much. Muscle memory kind of kicked in. The only exception is I’m still unable to achieve a BBS on the neck. I think time, practice, and a little experimentation will cause inctremental improvement there where it’ll just click at some point.

 

[BaylorGator]

Not meant as a shot across your bow as I generally like your takes, but I have to say if you can't obtain it (and I have tried) it goes into the dustbin of soaps which "may" be great but are certainly not worth fretting about. See Grooming Department.

I hear you. I am a huge GD fan (and will continue to be), but there are so many good soaps out there now, it’s not worth the “treasure hunt/lottery ticket” aspect of getting hard-to-acquire soaps unless you just enjoy that part of it. I haven’t found a soap yet that couldn’t produce a BBS with proper shaving technique. Some just make the journey of getting there much more enjoyable.

 

[RayClem]

I hear you. I am a huge GD fan (and will continue to be), but there are so many good soaps out there now, it’s not worth the “treasure hunt/lottery ticket” aspect of getting hard-to-acquire soaps unless you just enjoy that part of it. I haven’t found a soap yet that couldn’t produce a BBS with proper shaving technique. Some just make the journey of getting there much more enjoyable.

Both Talbot Shaving and Bufflehead make soaps in such small batches on a part-time basis that they are essentially impossible to obtain. Thus, I do not consider them viable options.

It is my understanding that Grooming Department is currently in an R&D phase trying to come up with an even better soap. Thus, Mohammad is not currently making soaps for sale. Hopefully, his research will be successful and he will resume making soaps soon. Since GD has some vendor outlets, once manufacturing resumes, you should be able to obtain the soaps.

 

[Southsider]

Both Talbot Shaving and Bufflehead make soaps in such small batches on a part-time basis that they are essentially impossible to obtain. Thus, I do not consider them viable options.

It is my understanding that Grooming Department is currently in an R&D phase trying to come up with an even better soap. Thus, Mohammad is not currently making soaps for sale. Hopefully, his research will be successful and he will resume making soaps soon. Since GD has some vendor outlets, once manufacturing resumes, you should be able to obtain the soaps.

I am told that in Missouri they say show me. I have played the game, trying to time up an order of GD. Why I even went by Pasteur's in September, asking for Talbot's to no avail.

I have a tub of Grooming Department Absinthe & Leather and enjoy it so I know what it is like. On the other hand, I am able to easily order Mikes', Eufros, Declaration Grooming, Wholly Kaw, Noble Otter, Ariana & Evans, Sudsy Soapery, Tallow & Steel, WSP, Storybook Soapworks, Saponificio Varesino, B&M and other top tier soaps, each of which I like as much or more than GD. I now have several limited edition unobtainium soaps and used one yesterday, B&M Seville in Reserve base. It was certainly fun but, sadly, did not make me feel as though I slept in a Holiday Inn Express last night. Perhaps that particular experience will follow use of The Holy Black Tangerine Creeper. Perhaps not.

I wish Mohammad well but I am not going to get exercised or fret that I just cannot seem to lay my hands on more of his excellent soap.

 

[Glaze3]

I am told that in Missouri they say show me. I have played the game, trying to time up an order of GD. Why I even went by Pasteur's in September, asking for Talbot's to no avail.

I have a tub of Grooming Department Absinthe & Leather and enjoy it so I know what it is like. On the other hand, I am able to easily order Mikes', Eufros, Declaration Grooming, Wholly Kaw, Noble Otter, Ariana & Evans, Sudsy Soapery, Tallow & Steel, WSP, Storybook Soapworks, Saponificio Varesino, B&M and other top tier soaps, each of which I like as much or more than GD. I now have several limited edition unobtainium soaps and used one yesterday, B&M Seville in Reserve base. It was certainly fun but, sadly, did not make me feel as though I slept in a Holiday Inn Express last night. Perhaps that particular experience will follow use of The Holy Black Tangerine Creeper. Perhaps not.

I wish Mohammad well but I am not going to get exercised or fret that I just cannot seem to lay my hands on more of his excellent soap.

This!

 

[Sharp_Obsession]

@BaylorGator have you come across Australian Private Reserve yet?

 

[BaylorGator]

@BaylorGator have you come across Australian Private Reserve yet?

I haven't. I'm actually slowing my roll a bit at this point, as I'm pretty sure I will never finish any of the tubs in my den...

 

[BaylorGator]

In somewhat related news, last week I took a sample of T&S West Indies with me on a business trip to the West Indies. I'm not a traditional Bay Rum fan at all, as I find the bay (some say cloves) too pronounced, but I like the T&S, as it balances out the bay with Citrus nicely. I was considering buying a tub when, coincidentally, I shaved with Shannon's Soaps - Bay Patchouli and Grapefruit this morning. What's coincidental about that you ask? Shaving with them back to back, revealed the Shannons is very similar in scent to the T&S West Indies. It's a little more subtly scented, but the balance of Bay and Citrus for sure puts it in the same "family" and made for a really enjoyable shave. Also, the Shannon's is pretty darn good stuff. Decision made. I won't get the T&S WI until the Shannon's runs out (if that happens in my lifetime).

 

[BaylorGator]

Well it has been some time since I've posted to this thread, but I do have a couple unreviewed samples and one potentially inbound soap coming. Besides, 84 reviews didn't seem like a good number to end on. Stay tuned...

 

[Keto]

Yes sir, please carry on your quest.

 

[jdp93]

Hey, there's a blast from the past. I'll be tuned it...

 

[RobDoffrey]

 

[Jaidmaster]

@BaylorGator : "I'm back - I'm back in the saddle again!"

 

[ksblazer]

Cool

Always enjoyed reading you're reviews.

 

[Charlie R]

Oh yea, never done here baby

 

[Darktrader]

 

[BaylorGator]

Before going on to do a few more reviews, a bit up an update. Several months back I paused (and considered stopping) my soap reviews in order to focus on my skills with a straight razor. Surprisingly, this exercise resulted in my now getting significantly closer shaves with a DE than ever before, and changed my preferences of favorite DE razors to much more aggressive razors and aggressive blade settings. It also ended up pushing the envelope hydration more than I had before. For those not familiar with "the dark side", many straight shavers (myself included) like to hydrate their soaps a lot more when using a straight razor in order to increase the amount of slickness and glide they get from the soap. Some soaps don't handle this all that well; others drink up water and get slicker than snot. So going forward, that's one of the parameters I'm testing with the next few (or however many) soaps that end up in this review. I'm doing one DE shave with a bit more "santa beard" looking lather, and one straight razor shave with a more hydrated, slick version created with the same soap. Is this one additional testing parameter going to mean that the following reviews are "apples and oranges" compared to my previous reviews? Maybe, but I have 2 thoughts on this: 1. I'm not going back to review all 84 of them again, and 2. After several months of straight shaves with my "Keeper" soaps, they have performed extremely well for both types of lather. If I find something that changes my mind about a previously reviewed soap, I'll post it, but the soaps I've rated highest seem to excel in all circumstances. I would expect some "mid grade" soaps to be slightly upgraded or downgraded based on how well they handle additional hydration, but I've kind of lost my interest in "mid grade soaps" anyway. My goal now is less to find new soaps I haven't tried, and more to whittle down my excessive collection to the ones I like the very best. So, with that said, off we go to soap #85...

 

[BaylorGator]

So, the last 2 days I've shaved with Saint Charles Shave soap. I got this sample along with several other brands that were pif'd to me by another forum member some time ago. Prior to receiving/trying them I knew virtually nothing about them. This soap is very soft and white with almost a rubber-like consistency to it. The only soaps I've felt like this are lanolin based, so I'm guessing this may be as well, although I'm open to info from anyone who knows more than me on this one.

As for performance, this one didn't excite me much. It produced a reasonably nice, thick "santa beard" lather for the DE shave (which I like), but it didn't provide for much slickness or residual slickness. It was certainly good enough to get a good DE shave out of, but not as good as many other I've tried. For my straight shave I added more water, and the lather became very thin and bubbly, despite using plenty of product and taking my time incorporating more water. In fact, the lather dissipated on each pass before I could finish a full pass. This sample was rose scented, and I will say that it absolutely smelled like I stuck my nose right in the middle of a rose and took a big whiff, so if rose is your thing, you may really enjoy the scent of this soap. Not sure if the other scents are as dead on as this one or not, but the soap just didn't give me good enough performance to find out. As always, YMMV.

 

[FloorPizza]

For those not familiar with "the dark side", many straight shavers (myself included) like to hydrate their soaps a lot more when using a straight razor in order to increase the amount of slickness and glide they get from the soap

I hate the smell of Tabac. But it is very, very slick when hydrated to a level that most would consider overly wet.

I've been a straight shaver for a long time now. I stuck with Tabac for ten years (every single shave for ten years was with Tabac), simply because of the slick lather. I hate the smell of Tabac (so bad I've said it twice now), but the snot slick lather it produces when very well hydrated is worth putting up with the smell; the straight shave you'll get is nothing short of fantastic.

I was a bit surprised to see Tabac so far down in your reviews, but then I noticed you put a lot of emphasis on scent, which made more sense.

I'd love to see you do a re-run of Tabac for a straight shave, but take the scent out of the performance review... rank it strictly on how comfortable it made your straight shave. Tabac is one of those soaps that not only loses all of its slickness when it gets even the slightest bit dry (and by dry I mean it looks like what most guys would consider normal looking lather), it actually becomes sticky. But throw some (lots, actually) water at it, and your blade literally glides over your face.

I'm really glad to see you reviewing soaps from a straight shaver's point of view going forward. It would be great for you to find us a nicely scented soap that gives the incredible slickness of Tabac.

Stirling isn't bad in this regard, but it's still just not as slick, both initial and residual, as Tabac. But the scent of the Stirlings I have tried are so good, it's worth losing some of that lube for those wonderful aromas. And it's not like they're terrible in the slickness department, either.

There's a reason Tabac has been very popular in the straight razor community for many years. I'm sure I'm not the only straight user out there that would love to hear your take on it. I know you said you're not going to go back and review the soaps you've done already, but IMO, this one might be worth the exception.

And btw, based on your reviews, I have samples of Wholly Kaw coming today. I'm looking forward to today's shave like a kid on Christmas morning.

Edit: One final thought... there is a difference in the formulations of the stick version of Tabac vs. the puck version. A post I read stated that the stick version is a better formulation (and the one I've used for ten years), so you might want to try the stick out if you decide to do a Tabac re-run.

 

[BaylorGator]

I hate the smell of Tabac. But it is very, very slick when hydrated to a level that most would consider overly wet.

I've been a straight shaver for a long time now. I stuck with Tabac for ten years (every single shave for ten years was with Tabac), simply because of the slick lather. I hate the smell of Tabac (so bad I've said it twice now), but the snot slick lather it produces when very well hydrated is worth putting up with the smell; the straight shave you'll get is nothing short of fantastic.

I was a bit surprised to see Tabac so far down in your reviews, but then I noticed you put a lot of emphasis on scent, which made more sense.

I'd love to see you do a re-run of Tabac for a straight shave, but take the scent out of the performance review... rank it strictly on how comfortable it made your straight shave. Tabac is one of those soaps that not only loses all of its slickness when it gets even the slightest bit dry (and by dry I mean it looks like what most guys would consider normal looking lather), it actually becomes sticky. But throw some (lots, actually) water at it, and your blade literally glides over your face.

I'm really glad to see you reviewing soaps from a straight shaver's point of view going forward. It would be great for you to find us a nicely scented soap that gives the incredible slickness of Tabac.

Stirling isn't bad in this regard, but it's still just not as slick, both initial and residual, as Tabac. But the scent of the Stirlings I have tried are so good, it's worth losing some of that lube for those wonderful aromas. And it's not like they're terrible in the slickness department, either.

There's a reason Tabac has been very popular in the straight razor community for many years. I'm sure I'm not the only straight user out there that would love to hear your take on it. I know you said you're not going to go back and review the soaps you've done already, but IMO, this one might be worth the exception.

And btw, based on your reviews, I have samples of Wholly Kaw coming today. I'm looking forward to today's shave like a kid on Christmas morning.

Edit: One final thought... there is a difference in the formulations of the stick version of Tabac vs. the puck version. A post I read stated that the stick version is a better formulation (and the one I've used for ten years), so you might want to try the stick out if you decide to do a Tabac re-run.

Thanks for the input. My wife considers Tabac to have an “Old Man Smell”, so a full puck/stick probably won’t be making it into the den, but you’ve definitely piqued my interest. If I run across a sample, I’ll definitely give it a spin with the straight.