If money is no object, can you build a rotation of 5 shave soaps that you would recommend?

[2ltdjorn]

Would it be easier to sort seasonally?

Spring
Winter
Fall


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[mawashi]

I like your answer! You'd get some unique soaps to use, support your friends here... Win-win in my book.

I've seen some of the posts on soapmaking and I am humbled by the skill involved... Especially those involving scent mixing.

Absolutely, totally over my head as I pretty much suck at chemistry. Cooking food is easy cooking soap... No way lol!

I appreciate your confidence. Very kind of you.

I used to build my own fishing rods so I understand the joy of making something you enjoy.

I'm liking this idea! ^^^^^^

I really don't know which makers have soaps with matching AS. The only soap I've bought like that was Stirling.
Electric Sheep was a strong, bright scent. I liked the more traditional scent of the Baker Street as well (which is what I actually got a tub of with matching AS).

Ok, so let's look at this from a high level view. You're going to want the very best performing products and you're going to want to satisfy some basic scent categories. I'm crazy particular when it comes to this stuff, so a lot of what people would universally classify as tier 1 stuff doesn't make the cut for me. So if you stick to what I use, you're going to be limited.

As far as what you can purchase goes, I'd choose soaps from Grooming Dept, Tallow & Steel and Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations Premium formula.

Aftershaves I'd choose splashes from either Tallow & Steel or Maol Grooming and for balms I'll use the L'Occitane Cade one or the six dollar Neurtogena Post shave lotion from the local Walmart as it's very good and contains an SPF which is nice here in Arizona. The Art of Shaving ones are very good but very pricey at their stores. Much, much cheaper on the popular auction site.

So now that I've narrowed your products down significantly....

With the addition of some self made soap (mawashi, how'd you know), these are the products that I use.

In terms of picking scents for you, performance is determined easily but in terms of scents we all smell things differently, so what I like you might not and vice versa. If you were to ask me for an exceptional performing citrus soap I might have some suggestions but going into this I can't tell you that you're going to love a particular scent as much as I do.

With that being said, I'd probably try to satisfy many scents and cover a wide range while pairing some items that would work well with one another. Maybe grab something woody, a citrus, a floral, something green, and maybe something else. It doesn't really matter, just mix the scents up a bit to add some variety.

The problem is that a lot of what I use personally are limited run items or hard to get stuff. For example, Grooming Dept doesn't seem to make the same scents all that often. They make a new scent, sell out of in and then they're onto something else. So you basically buy the scents blindly and hope that you like it. Not a complete risk though as the scents are really well done and the tubs tend to sell quickly on the BST. Most of the scents are very enjoyable and not too over the top so they're easy to like.

What I would do is buy the Maol Grooming in Helio, Frankenlime and Woods aftershaves and then pair these with scents from Grooming Dept. The Wilde Flowers is nice as well so maybe consider that one also. I'd also purchase a neutral scented aftershave balm like the Cade one from L'Occitane. I'd then look to Tallow & Steel for some sets that interest me. The Tallow & Steel aftershaves are exceptional as well so if you pick a soap from there do buy the matching aftershave. Boreal is really nice from Tallow & Steel. It's a forest scent that I suspect would be appealing to a lot of people.

From there on just mix and match the products to find combinations that you might like. The reason I like these products so much is because they actually do have a positive noticeable difference on my skin. After using them for a week or so you'll see a noticeable improvement in your skin.

There are a couple soaps like Martin de Candre Fougere and PannaCrema Nuavia Blue that I have on hand because they are exceptional scents. I usually reach for Nuavia Blue on special days like my Birthday or wedding Anniversary because I love the scent that much. When using Martin de Candre performance can be upped by using some Grooming Dept preshave which can turn a lesser soap into an outstanding performer, so it's good to have on hand. I don't feel the need to use it with my regular soaps though as the performance is already there. The Nuavia soaps aren't slouches in terms of performance as most would consider them to be a tier 1 soap.

Anyway, not exactly what you wanted but I hope this helps.

I got lost after tier 1...

After trying out Jetpilot's kind PIFed soap I am blown away at how unique it was and cos it was made by someone I got to know its a special soap to me.

Happy shaves guys,

Mawashi

 

[JeffJ]

Antica Barberia Colla
Czech and Speake Oxford and Cambridge
Pre de Provence
DR Harris Arlington
Floris 89 (It's $$ plus I would have to pay to have it reformulated before buying it)

 

[dfoulk]

I didn’t know you were a soap maker, David. Are your products commercially available?

Just a personal hobby for myself at the moment. Cool because I can gear the soap towards my likes and dislikes. It also gives me an appreciation for some of the scents that these makers are putting out. Wow, I'm a long way away in that regard.

 

[Sharp_Obsession]

I like Noble Otter, Saponifico Varesino, Martin de Candre (no after shave), Grooming Dept (complimentary AS, but not matching) ... and more!!!

But if money was no option I would shave only with Pannacrema Nuavia. It can be used as Pre-Shave, Soap, and Post-Shave. I like the Verde and Nero best. The Blu is solid too. I still need to add the Rossa.

 

[2ltdjorn]

great replies.

stocking up.

 

[les24preludes]

I started a thread on "masterpieces" amongst the shaving soaps. The top choices were these:

Pannecrema Nuavia Blue 11
MdC Fougere 11
B&M Baudelaire 8
B&M Seville 7
Wholly Kaw King of Oud 6
Pannecrema Nuavia Red 5
Tabac Tabac 4
SV Felce 4
PdP 63 4
AOS Sandalwood 4
TOBS Sandalwood 3
T&S Boreal 3
SV Dolomiti 3
SV Colonia 3
Noble Otter The Noir et Vanille 3
MdC Rose 3
MdC Original 3
Eufros Rosa Bourbon 3
DR Harris Windsor 3
DG Yuzu Rose Patchouli 3
Chiseled Face Sherlock 3
Caties Bubbles Le Piment de la Vie 3

Personally I'd take Tabac off the list and put in SV Stella Alpina. I'd also recommend all 4 Fitjar soaps. SV favourites in another poll are these - the first 5 are well worth having:

Felce 36
Stella Alpina 31
70th Anniversary 19
Dolomiti 15
Manna 14
Mirto 13
Tundra Arctica 7
Colonia 6
Opuntia 5
Flying Mango 2

 

[Raven Koenes]

I started a thread on "masterpieces" amongst the shaving soaps. The top choices were these:

Pannecrema Nuavia Blue 11
MdC Fougere 11
B&M Baudelaire 8
B&M Seville 7
Wholly Kaw King of Oud 6
Pannecrema Nuavia Red 5
Tabac Tabac 4
SV Felce 4
PdP 63 4
AOS Sandalwood 4
TOBS Sandalwood 3
T&S Boreal 3
SV Dolomiti 3
SV Colonia 3
Noble Otter The Noir et Vanille 3
MdC Rose 3
MdC Original 3
Eufros Rosa Bourbon 3
DR Harris Windsor 3
DG Yuzu Rose Patchouli 3
Chiseled Face Sherlock 3
Caties Bubbles Le Piment de la Vie 3

Personally I'd take Tabac off the list and put in SV Stella Alpina. I'd also recommend all 4 Fitjar soaps. SV favourites in another poll are these - the first 5 are well worth having:

Felce 36
Stella Alpina 31
70th Anniversary 19
Dolomiti 15
Manna 14
Mirto 13
Tundra Arctica 7
Colonia 6
Opuntia 5
Flying Mango 2

^^^ This ^^^

 

[ask4Edge]

Apsley
Oxford & Cambridge
DRH (Lavender, Almond)
SMN v3
AdP v3

 

[steveclarkus]

Tabac
MWF
Haslinger Schafmilch
Arko
Palmolive Classic Cream

 

[SCshaver]

Tallow and Steel Boreal
Tallow and Steel Sicily
Declaration Grooming Cuir Et Spices
Wholly Kaw Chypre Rose Concerto
Barrister and Mann Seville

 

[Chaddy187]

SMN it’s a cream and around 70+$ but it’s good. Real slick!

 

[FaceScraper]

the linear soap/AS i have tried.. either the soap or the after shave was lacking.

I've come to the conclusion to just find a very good mildly scented or unscented soap and follow up with a good colonge/perfume/EDT

100% agree . It’s best to get a mildly scented or unscented good soap. If it scented make sure it dissipates quickly . You can then pair it with any aftershave you like.


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[Demaratus]

Nuavia Blue
MdC Argumes
Harris Windsor or Arlington or Lavender
Tabac
Some artisan

Or, replace artisan with Speick. Could live with nothing but that and the other four.

 

[Deuce428]

trying to list some i didnt see above, these might not be my top 5 but great performers and scent imo
Acqua di Parma original formulation
Baum be cream
tabula rasa steampunk
LPL rose
soap commander courage
proraso green

 

[shadowman12]

1. Saponificio Varesino 70th Anniversary
2. DR Harris Windsor
3. Eufros Zanzibar
4. Saponificio Varesino Cubebe
5. Noble Otter Orbit

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[MrSmith83]

Vintage penhaligans tallow.
Vintage trumpers in sandalwood and rose.
A few kilos of tabac and Wilkinson sword stick.

 

[mightyeskimo]

Build me a rotation of 5 shave soaps. want strong scents with matching aftershaves. any limited releases to look for?

New to this, but have

B&M Bay Rum
B&M 42

The selection of offerings is a bit over whelming. But want to build a strong rotation.

Tabac
Mitchell's Wool Fat
D.R. Harris Windsor
Art Of Shaving Sandalwood
Razorock The Dead Sea

Wild Card- Anything by Uncle John.

 

[DannyZ]

Saponificio Varesino Mirto di Sardegna
Cold River Soap Works Glide Brazen Moment
Declaration Grooming Icarus Harmony
Mike's Natural Honeysuckle
Acqua Di Parma

 

[Norman Gunston]

Australian Private Reserve Fougère Bourbon Rose
Pannacrema Nuavia Blu
Boellis Panama 1924
Calani Oriental Plum
Barrister and Mann Leviathan

….and Tabac is pretty awesome also.