Valobra shaving soap company (as well as AOS NOS, and C&S)

[kxthor]

I tried some Art of Shaving NOS and it did not bother my allergies. Since Valobra made it I'm curious if there other soaps would not bother me as well. I'm wondering if all the above soaps have the same base maybe? They are all tallow based soaps right?

To someone that has used all of the above do they all lather similarly? I really enjoyed the lather that I got off the AOS NOS.

 

[sarimento1]

Hello, Sir KxThor!
Congrats on your good experience with the Art of Shaving NOS soap (which flavor?)!

Indeed, I've enjoyed both AOS and Valobra soaps.
Lather is similar, but, I have to admit, slight edge to AOS.

Whether which might bother your allergies, this is something you will have to experiment for yourself.
This is a totally personal evaluation.
But, enjoy the journey!

 

[kxthor]

Hello, Sir KxThor!
Congrats on your good experience with the Art of Shaving NOS soap (which flavor?)!

Indeed, I've enjoyed both AOS and Valobra soaps.
Lather is similar, but, I have to admit, slight edge to AOS.

Whether which might bother your allergies, this is something you will have to experiment for yourself.
This is a totally personal evaluation.
But, enjoy the journey!

I have a couple of pucks of the sandalwood. For it being my first try the lather was really excellent. Nice and thick. The scent was not excessively strong. Painted nicely with there balm.

 

[sarimento1]

OK, so keep with a proven soap!

 

[Ad Astra]

Have the AoS sandalwood (old stock three pack) and the branded Valobra fougere. Identical performance and that same clay scent from the tallow base.

I am more a fan of the performance than that Valobra tallow funk, let me put it that way.


AA

 

[haggis2a]

I'm a big fan of the Valobra Menthol soap. The scent is nothing to write home about, almost non-existent, but then I have to be careful with strong scents so I don't mind that there is no appreciable menthol kick. However, the lather is easy to build and performs extremely well.

I dabble with plenty of other soaps and creams, some of which may provide better scent, or slickness, or cushioning but none of them excel across the board so I keep going back to the Valobra. It's one of those soaps that is pretty good in every aspect without being a world-beater, but overall is a great package. The sum of the parts, and all that...

 

[Hooman]

Sir Kxthor, Greetings! I have also been looking at that Valobra tallow-based puck as I was briefly discussing it with you. I found a great thread here where a member was undecided between Valobra and Haslinger. Here is the link:

Valobra or Haslinger

After reading that and further research, I decided to go for Haslinger. Valobra has solid reputation and I will one day try it. The only thing pulling me back a bit from Valobra unscented for now is the 'tallow funk' Ambassador Astra was referring to, people say it smells like clay and I have no idea how that smells like.

In case you wish to buy one, Connaught Shaving has them on their ebay store, great price and free shipping. I'll watch this thread to see what others say about valobra, thanks for creating it )

 

[Ad Astra]

@Hooman , I'd pick Haslinger over it, too.

The performance of both is amazing, I just shaved with Valobra. But one of the few things the internet can't do is let you smell things ... I've heard the tallow funk described as a "dirty shirt smell." Whatever it is, I bet it's the reason AoS went with a different vendor/formulation.


AA

 

[BigJ]

Congrats! Great to find a product that works.

In your situation, I would definitely give Valobra a try, it is an excellent soap. (From a huge Haslinger's fan!!)

 

[imcnok]

I have about 20 soaps/creams I choose from and whenever I use AOS sandalwood, it's a treat .

I don't own any sandalwood aftershaves so I pair it with unscented splashes and balms.

 

[TheVez2]

The old stock Tallow AOS formula is one of the greatest soaps ever made. I've never tried the reformulation, because I have enough OS to last me. I did try the Valobra Fougere, and was disappointed with the performance, so I got rid of it. Since it was mentioned above, I recently tried Haslinger, and its way better than AOS! I highly recommend you try it!

 

[steelhead52]

I find no difference in performance from Valobra, AOS Tallow, or C&S. All perform splendidly. I enjoy the C&S scents the best, but the price is prohibitive compared to Valobra. Valobra, Haslinger, and Tabac are 3 of my favorite classic soaps. I rank Valobra just a hair above the other two but all are great soaps. All three of these companies produce a consistently good product and have been doing it for a long time. I haven't had any irritation problems with any of the Valobra products.

 

[TheVez2]

I don't own any sandalwood aftershaves so I pair it with unscented splashes and balms.

Pair it with Captain's Choice Sandalwood AS or Balm..... simply amazing!

 

[dfoulk]

Performance wise the old version AOS soap is the same as the Valobra soap or at least to me it is. So the NOS AOS soap is the same as the Valobra soaps in the blue tubs. There's a less expensive almond one that's packaged differently and it's said to be a lesser performing formula.

The negative with the Valobra soaps is they tend to have a clay like smell to them and they are lightly scented so the clay scent is present with most all of them. I don't find it all that appealing. The AOS Sandlewood is their very best scent and the one that best covers up this earthy note, so in my opinion it's the very best Valobra made soap to date.

 

[Ad Astra]

...

The negative with the Valobra soaps is they tend to have a clay-like smell to them and they are lightly scented so the clay scent is present with most all of them. I don't find it all that appealing. The AOS Sandlewood is their very best scent and the one that best covers up this earthy note, so in my opinion it's the very best Valobra made soap to date.

This and this. I keep it uncovered in the hope the clay note will fade. I've got four (!) of the AoS Sandalwood: three NOS and a new reformulated one (yet untried. Too many half-used soaps around here!).

I'd never get rid of the Valobra soaps though, except by one shave at a time ... they work very well.


AA

 

[ackvil]

AOS old stock is one of my favorite soaps. It's been a while since I tried Valobra, but I liked it. As for C&S, it is one of the best soaps made. If you stay with the refill it is a decent value since it the soap is 90 grams. However, the best value of all is Haslinger. One of the best soaps at a reasonable cost. I haven't tried the new forumula yet. However, B&B member Marco, whose opinion I respect, has given the new formula a good review.

 

[Hooman]

Based on the respected opinions of Sir Ad Astra and Lord Marco who wrote a very eloquent review of Haslinger's new formula recently, I will order Haslinger Aloe Vera or Marigold within the next few days. For me Haslinger won over Valobra unscented for the time being. My Barrister and Mann Latha unscented is not performing very well at least after I tried SV's Dolomiti which set the standards very high for me. Even after trying Haslinger, I doubt it would perform as well as Dolomiti.

 

[crank]

I'll take the performance and clay smell of Valobra over the livestock smell of haslinger schafmilch any day.

 

[kxthor]

Just ordered a puck of C&S O&C. So excited for it to come in

 

[Ad Astra]

They are both excellent performers; scents are subjective as always.


AA