I’ll be posting a lengthy and detailed and objective comparison as soon as I get time to but wanted to hear back what others think about these shave soaps. And which soaps I SHOULD have bought instead if my intent was to do a top tier shave comparison. Thanks!
Top Tier shave soap purchase comparison
- Thread starter Zule
- Start date
I’ll be posting a lengthy and detailed and objective comparison as soon as I get time to but wanted to hear back what others think about these shave soaps. And which soaps I SHOULD have bought instead if my intent was to do a top tier shave comparison. Thanks!
You have some ultra nice soaps there.
Is the barrister la vanille the new excelsior base or the old glissant?
Is the barrister la vanille the new excelsior base or the old glissant?
- Thread starter
- #3
It is the new base. I saw some bad reviews on it. But without going into too much detail before I do official review, the performance and post shave was top notch using a boar or badger. I know it seems odd to note that but I find lather to form a tad different in each type of brush due to how I lather. Also, the smell is one of my favorite smells I’ve had for a shave soap. I passed the soap around to some guys at work who were interested in wet shaving so I wanted to show them the different smells of each shave soap to pick the one they wanted to borrow. All three guys thought that particular shave soap smelled the best.
- Thread starter
- #4
Also, I just purchased the Dragonsbeard from Oleo and looking forward to getting it in the mail. I don’t need any of these shave soaps. I already have a huge collection. But the curiosity in me drives the purchase. Also, it’s like buying clothes online. It’s not like you can go to a shave shop and lather up different soaps to try before you buy. It’s always a crapshoot based on hearsay. So I’m contributing by trying to add objective critical analysis to help others form their purchase decisions since few are crazy enough to just go out and buy a bunch. Or maybe they are???? Dunno.
These things are always subjective. However, I think you’re off to a good start for having spread your selection among several of the more popular artisan brands. Just stick to figuring out what you like about the lather itself and don’t get lost in the scent. I say that because I did a similar comparison with WK’s King of Oud and was turned off by what smelled like Oxy pads to me. So much so, I have shied away from trying other scents of theirs but it’s a great performing soap. I’d suggest picking a scent you know you like then choose varying brands’ versions of that. I did another comparison going with only Bay Rum as my base scent. Helped me to focus on performance first and scent profiles second.
I’d also suggest doing a comparison incorporating lesser known or underrated artisans as well. I can think of several that are better performers than the selection you have with some not being tallow based but again this is subjective. That’s not to say the current selection isn’t great stuff at all.
Personal suggestions to try in no particular order: Murphy and McNeil, Zingari Man, Little Tim’s, Phoenix & Beau, Cold River Soap Works, Mickey Lee’s, Eleven, Panta Rei, Turtle Ship, Nancy Boy, K Shave Worx, Gingers Garden, and Grooming Department. Or better yet all of them, get your SAD on lol!
19K?
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Btw, op, be careful loading the dg buffalo base. I forgot how soft it was and gummed up my brush something fierce. It’s a great soap though.
Looks like most of the top-tier usual suspects, with Grooming Dept and Tallow+Steel most notably missing. Looking forward to your thoughts
Great soaps! Look forward to your reviews!! 
+1 for M&M
Grooming Dept, Tallow & Steel, and Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations (Premium version) are (in my opinion) better than all that you have chosen.
Another vote for Grooming Dept.
While Grooming Dept and Tallow + Steel have been my favorites for a while now, I like your selection and think they are all wonderful soaps. I have recently been using M&M a lot and have been getting some of the closest, irritation free shaves I have ever experienced.
Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
+3 on the Murphy & McNeil.
Grooming Dept, Tallow & Steel get my vote great stuff
- Thread starter
- #15
Well damn. Looks like I gotta wait a couple paychecks before I go all out and get those other ones. Whomever said the best things in life are free was not a wet shaving aficionado.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
X2 here as well
Nice collection. I assume you’ll be using the same brush, blade and razor to standardize your comparisons.
Perhaps, as someone said, you could take a scent say Sandlewood and use “Try That Soap” to match competitors and put out request for samples from board members to do your comparisons. Even if you are using expensive soaps it would be interesting to compare them with the less costly budget friendly offerings. It’s a big undertaking but even this 8-10 soap comparison looks great.
Best of luck AJ
Perhaps, as someone said, you could take a scent say Sandlewood and use “Try That Soap” to match competitors and put out request for samples from board members to do your comparisons. Even if you are using expensive soaps it would be interesting to compare them with the less costly budget friendly offerings. It’s a big undertaking but even this 8-10 soap comparison looks great.
Best of luck AJ
- Thread starter
- #18
The plot thickens. Just pulled out my wallet and got used soaps on eBay of Magnolia and Oud (Grooming Dept), Tallow and Steel Maya, And a new Dragonsbeard. I kind of hate myself a bit for spending my money on things I don’t need, but I guess there are worse financial vices than shave soap.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Here is my list of top soaps. You have most of them covered. Listed in alphabetical order.
Ariana and Evans Yogurt base- check
Barrister and Man- Excelsior base- check
Cold River Soap Works Glide- missing
Declaration Grooming- I put the Icarus base slightly above the regular base, but the bison tallow base is so close I have to give you a check here.
Grooming Department- Missing- definitely one of the top artisans, but Mo's business plan is different. Everything seems to be one off batches.
Murphy & McNeil- If you like the others, you MUST try this one. This is the standard against which I now measure all my other soaps.
Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations- missing. Not quite as good as the best, but an excellent soap.
Noble Otter- not quite as good as the best, but still excellent. I love the scent you picked.
Oleo Soapworks- not quite as good as some, but well worth trying
Wholly Kaw- I rank the Bufala base slightly better than the donkey milk, but they are so close, I will give you a check here as well.
There are two other soaps on the way to my den that I have never tried. Gentlemen's Nod is a new artisan who seems to have a terrific vegan soap. Australian Private Reserve is another soap that gets great reviews.
Tallow and Steel makes great performing soaps, but the scents can be polarizing. Some love them and some hate them. I have not been willing to take the risk.
Ariana and Evans Yogurt base- check
Barrister and Man- Excelsior base- check
Cold River Soap Works Glide- missing
Declaration Grooming- I put the Icarus base slightly above the regular base, but the bison tallow base is so close I have to give you a check here.
Grooming Department- Missing- definitely one of the top artisans, but Mo's business plan is different. Everything seems to be one off batches.
Murphy & McNeil- If you like the others, you MUST try this one. This is the standard against which I now measure all my other soaps.
Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations- missing. Not quite as good as the best, but an excellent soap.
Noble Otter- not quite as good as the best, but still excellent. I love the scent you picked.
Oleo Soapworks- not quite as good as some, but well worth trying
Wholly Kaw- I rank the Bufala base slightly better than the donkey milk, but they are so close, I will give you a check here as well.
There are two other soaps on the way to my den that I have never tried. Gentlemen's Nod is a new artisan who seems to have a terrific vegan soap. Australian Private Reserve is another soap that gets great reviews.
Tallow and Steel makes great performing soaps, but the scents can be polarizing. Some love them and some hate them. I have not been willing to take the risk.
