Funny you think of them as pretentious. To me, they're some of the most natural and full shaving scents I've come across. It may be just the scent strength but I feel like they're more THERE than a lot of other soaps I've smelt. Especially a lot of the barely there disappearing acts that fragrance oils can pull. T&S scents seem voluminous and as I've said I love the way they open up in complexity when lathered.
Tallow + Steel Scents
- Thread starter agrippas
- Start date
Funny you think of them as pretentious. To me, they're some of the most natural and full shaving scents I've come across. It may be just the scent strength but I feel like they're more THERE than a lot of other soaps I've smelt. Especially a lot of the barely there disappearing acts that fragrance oils can pull. T&S scents seem voluminous and as I've said I love the way they open up in complexity when lathered.
Oh man, I hope you like it! The performance is as to be expected from Tallow + Steel, but scent is such a personal thing. Fingers crossed that you enjoy it as much as I do!Congratulations on your purchase of Sicily. Hope you enjoy it. I should have a tub of Sicily and a "re-stock" of Madagascar delivered by the end of the week . (Sicily on the recommendation of Rrose Selavy, thank you) If Sicily performs anywhere close to Madagascar and has an acceptable scent, it's joining the rotation immediately. Madagascar's base is just simply outstanding. Anyway, its Spring or Summer somewhere
Just my thoughts. Good luck
Be careful calling the scents "natural". This thread has already had its share of back-and-forth regarding the use of that word.
Be careful calling the scents "natural". This thread has already had its share of back-and-forth regarding the use of that word.
Meh, I went back and had a look. Seems to be a circular, subjective argument of misdirection and semantics in the first few pages. At the end of the day, the day is ending (that expression makes me cringe hence the addendum) but everything is "natural" at one level or another. Maybe nature distilled would be a better expression. Or we could just say that typically essential oils seem to have more body and substance to their smell than fragrance oils. At least in my limited exposure to this world.
I'm curious as to what's actually happening scent wise for people. Obviously, a person's senses are their own experience and differ but I wonder if it's been studied and if we actually know what happens. IE: why, to some people, cilantro tastes like soap and is foul and some (myself included) can't get enough of it. I'm also curious as to my experience with T&S as when I first smelt the two tubs I have I really did find them odd and off-putting and now after using both they seem to smell slightly different and I really enjoy sticking my nose in for a whiff.
I have a co-worker that used to work in the men's skincare industry ten or so years ago. We were chatting and the topic of shaving accoutrement came up. He wasn't at all aware of the fact that there was a wave of newer artisans making high quality soap, aftershaves and balms. I brought him a bunch of samples (Barrister & Mann, Chatillon Lux, Wholly Kaw, etc.) and I also gave him a bottle of Tallow + Steel Kyoto aftershave to try. He read the bottle's label and expressed surprise that there were so many great, high quality ingredients and no nasty chemicals. He also commented that he felt that the scent was entirely reflective of the type of ingredients used. Of all the stuff that I gave him, he was most impressed with Tallow + Steel.
I'm not exactly sure why I just typed all of that, other than to say "different strokes for different folks".
Hi @Rrose Sélavy, did you know that Tallow and Steel is doing a few collaborations on some upcoming soaps? The first one is with West Coast Shaving to be released sometime in February. I hope WCS will carry that one, I live in Canada and the shipping fees would be lower if I bought from WCS than Tallow and Steel itself based in Canada! I'll give you a headsup once I know more about the release date.
Sign me up! Between that, the re-stocking of Karve razors and the upcoming Barrister and Mann's WCS exclusive, I'm going to be giving them a LOT of my money in February. Thanks for the heads-up!
Used Sicily for the first time this morning. Definitely a keeper
I have a co-worker that used to work in the men's skincare industry ten or so years ago. We were chatting and the topic of shaving accoutrement came up. He wasn't at all aware of the fact that there was a wave of newer artisans making high quality soap, aftershaves and balms. I brought him a bunch of samples (Barrister & Mann, Chatillon Lux, Wholly Kaw, etc.) and I also gave him a bottle of Tallow + Steel Kyoto aftershave to try. He read the bottle's label and expressed surprise that there were so many great, high quality ingredients and no nasty chemicals. He also commented that he felt that the scent was entirely reflective of the type of ingredients used. Of all the stuff that I gave him, he was most impressed with Tallow + Steel.
I'm not exactly sure why I just typed all of that, other than to say "different strokes for different folks".
This is good to know, and I don't doubt it. That's why I have a bunch of artisan soaps, I just feel they are better for my skin. Tallow & Steel is probably my best soap, alongside Wholly kaw donkey and Declaration grooming.
I received my first ever T&S today. I picked Boreal on a whim, could've been any other scent available at the time.
It was sitting on the table for about an hour or so, and I was walking around the jar like a cat would around bowl of cream.
And then I shaved. No... I experienced the shave with Boreal. And I am going to do it again tomorrow.
This is the proverbial good stuff gentlemen.
It was sitting on the table for about an hour or so, and I was walking around the jar like a cat would around bowl of cream.
And then I shaved. No... I experienced the shave with Boreal. And I am going to do it again tomorrow.
This is the proverbial good stuff gentlemen.
So ........ what’s everyone thinking about Dark Two?
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
my 2 cents ... dark two is a hit for me the best scent they have next to the coke version they had recently. i also say this without experiencing Sicily - recently ordered that too. ( i smell tested the others.
as for dark two ... its an amazing scent ... complex but natural and not trying too hard to be complex. its sweet and spicy .... i get something different every time i smell it. chocolate. licorice maybe ... it took me one use to get the soap dialed in right. soap is amazing in that i can do a first pass then go again and the residual slickness left on my face after doing a pass allows the razor to just glide right over my skin. i do a double take .... there is no soap there!
I received my Dark 2 last week and have a few test lathers as well as 2 shaves with it. I never experienced the original Dark but many described it as being similar to a Peppermint Patty. To me that means the two dominant notes in the original Dark were peppermint and chocolate. I would not say that about D2. As with many T&S soaps, the top notes are very different than the base notes. The top notes here are a nice balance between cocoa, coffee and peppermint. I would not call it a "food" scent because there is no sweetness to it, more the base scent elements. The peppermint does not dominate and I would never think to call it a Peppermint Patty. More importantly, the top notes disappear rather quickly and the spicy notes, in particular the Vetiver, linger long after the shave is done. In reading the label and all of the descriptions I would never have guessed that the Vetiver would be the scent that remains after the shave is done, but that is what I am getting here.
I would add that I consider this a year-round scent. Nicely balanced. Very interesting. Top Shelf.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Finally received lemon set today! Felt like it took forever to arrive but10 days i think.
Anyway whoa totally blown away with the scent off the puck and aftershave. Amazing! I will use it tomorrow
Anyone else try lemon yet?
Anyway whoa totally blown away with the scent off the puck and aftershave. Amazing! I will use it tomorrow
Anyone else try lemon yet?
I’m guessing you’re talking about LemonSpice exclusive for Top of the Chain? Not Sicily? Orders began July 27th, but shipping didn’t start until July 31st. So less than a week from Canada isn’t bad. I haven’t tried it. I’ve considered it, but haven’t pulled the trigger. I’m very curious to hear your thoughts after you use it.
Used the Lemon Spice today for the first time. The scent is actually just as described. If you like lemon citrus scents, this is a very nice one. A very natural, sweet lemon with a slightly hard to describe spicy influence. Very, very nice warm weather scent. The shave was spectacular as always with T&S. The aftershave is nice also and matches the soap very well. I know T&S products are on the higher end of artisans cost wise but this soap certainly takes shaving from the mundane to an enjoyable experience and for me, that's the goal.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
yes sorry. Lemon spice. I had no idea what top of the chain was. I noticed it after i ordered.
i agree 100% with @steelhead52
Quality is outstanding. I wish i discovered t&s right away i would have actually saved money.
The lemon scent is spot on. Not pledge like at all. Lathering the soap created a nice warm scent i wanted to eat! This is my first t&s aftershave i added menthol to. The as matches the soap of course. Face feel amazing. The scent isnt overpowering in fact i wanted more staying power because i liked it so much. I was a tiny bit sad lemon spice came out this late in the summer but the spice and scent profile wil make this a year round one for me in fact a nice pick-up for winter
Three thumbs up on this one!
