Art of Shaving - Sandalwood Soap

Price: This is probably the most expensive soap I have purchased thus far, so I felt I should downgrade it. It is not as expensive as others, but for me this is pricey. Quality: Absolutely top-notch. No complaints at all, except that I would prefer a stronger Sandalwood scent. That is my only gripe. Scent: While nice, it could definitely have stood to be stronger. I liked it, but wish it was more pronounced. It is definitely masculine, though, just very light. Lather: Thick and cushioning. It was very easy to produce a thick, rich, moisturizing and cushioning lather. It was super-slick and my razor glided right over it. Efficacy: Very nice. This easily earns a spot in my soap rotation, and will probably be a strong contender for traveling soap, something that my lifestyle actually necessitates. Moisturizing: I would be so bold as to say that this is in league with MWF in terms of moisturizing. My face felt soft and supple hours after my shave, more so than usual.

luv this soap
have same 1 in wood bowl
high usa quality

Art of Shaving soap provides excellent lubrication. It's the most protective soap I've found. The lather is luxurious, rich, and soft. It mixes rather easily with water, forming a clean solution and a rich lather without being greedy of the water, so it's able to tolerably wet the beard, without drying out itself. And my face feels good after using it. For the basic needs of shaving, there's little room for improvement.

While this is a very high quality tallow soap, there's also a softer component to the soap which is either a positive or a negative, depending on what you want. This softer component seems to come from coconut or palm oil. I'd compare this soft side to D R Harris, which is primarily vegetable mixed with tallow. Harris provides a luxurious, but rather soft-feeling lather, which can be too soft or not viscous & protective enough. AoS flips this around, being primarily tallow mixed with vegetable. The result is a thicker, more protective lather than Harris, but one that's not quite as soft feeling. I mentioned that this softer component is well blended with the tallow, so the result feels like a homogeneous product. I'd contrast this with Tabac which feels on the face like there are other ingredients floating and oozing around in the mix. You don't get this feeling from AoS, but you do get the benefits of a softer, more luxurious feeling lather. The one place where the separate ingredients show themselves is when forming a thin lather. While AoS takes water on early and slowly, there's a point at which it just barely forms slight curds and the soap feels slightly drier as you add water. I'd guess this is the point at which one component starts to saturate, while the other is still on its water slurping curve. The only practical down side is that there's a spot at which you can ruin your lather. For me, there's an additional issue. I like to use the full range of lathers, from a drippy mess, to a very thick and dry lather. AoS isn't very useful in that wet, but not quite dripping, barrier range, unlike Czech & Speake which doesn't have this clumping stage. All of this is nitpicking for most people, but I'm deducting a point for it from lather. I'm also deducting a point from efficacy for this softness, knowing full well that some people would add a point for this.

One other slight miss is that it's not the easiest soap to clean off, but it's well above many other tallow soaps in ease of cleaning. It seems as if there's a direct relationship between protection and ease of cleaning, so this probably can't be helped. For this, I'm deducting another point from lather. Perhaps that's the wrong place to deduct, and it certainly seems closer to a 10 than an 8 in lather, but I'm stuck as to where else to remove the point.

The AoS scents are acceptable, even quite good, if not outstanding. I'm not a big fan of scents one way or the other, and couldn't tell you offhand which one is in my den, since I have all four scents. The lemon may be the truest to life, but it also has oils that may be unpleasant on some faces. The lavender is a bit much, smelling a bit artificial, not quite like flowers. The unscented smells frankly, but cleanly & honestly of tallow. The one in the shaving area turns out to be sandlewood. It's not a bad scent at that. It's mildly scented--more mildly scented than the others--so a hint of the frank tallowness comes through. I think lightly scenting it was the right choice. Despite the good marks for scent, I'm deducting a point for quality because AoS don't meet a high standard in scents across the varieties.

The price is on the high side, outside what I'd consider mainstream acceptable, but not quite in the luxury price range. A bowl will double the price, but it's one of the nicer, higher craftsmanship bowls available, with nice wood and finish, and this step will complete the transition to a luxury product.

For the record, NYC water is one of the softest in the world, with a mineral content almost dangerously low.

I find this soap to have all the performance I could hope for in a shaving soap.

The lather is so easy to generate and provides such a dense, slick, cushion that makes shaving to BBS a non-irritating treat. There are some very good vegetable based soaps out there but, to me, a fine tallow based product just performs on a higher level.

These soaps are expensive but the bowl is teak so it should last a lifetime. Once you are buying refills it still isn't cheap but this soap is as good as I've tried and I've tried a few (few dozen ).

The sandalwood scent is mild. I'm ambivalent about sandalwood anyway so I won't knock the soap for that. I'm going to try the Lemon scent next.

Moisturizing qualities are as good as you'll find in a soap that doesn't contain lanolin or tea tree oil. My gold standards in moisturizing soaps are MWF and Prairie Creations Facial Blend.

PS - If you have been reluctant to try an AOS soap spend 10 dollars on a Valobra shave stick and you'll get a good idea of how well these perform.

This was a gift, an early Christmas gift. I might never have experienced it, otherwise. The name, Art of Shaving, has always seemed presumptuous to me, so I put their products in a frame that allowed me to forget about them. Until now.

I have read the reviews and forums comments. But, that frame I constructed meant AoS is assigned "not interested." It is strange how subtle bias works.

Well, hush my puppies. This soap is spectacular! It is the arguably best I have tried. There are a couple of other pricey products I haven't tried, and the thought of something better than AoS soap is untriguing. Is that possible?

What can I add to the excellent reviews already posted? Not much.

I gave it a 10 rating for moisturizing. It is winter now, and the air is dry. It's that time of year when I have to use lotion on my ankles or I will scratch them all day. Hours after using this stuff my face feels as moist as a springtime shower.

The lather is as thick and rich as any super-lather I have concocted. I loaded the brush from the puck held in my hand, and built the lather in the scuttle. Quickly it became like a lavish cream. This soap deserves a wooden bowl, if any does.

In a way, the cost of this soap is irrelevant. The only area I marked it down is the scent. I am not getting a lot of sandalwood scent, but what I get is very nice. If only they made a vetiver!

If I could give higher than a 10 rating on quality, efficacy and lather I would. This soap is absolutely outstanding and I have yet to find an equal out of the many (tallow) soaps I have tried. I have also used the scentless variety and I own a lavender puck but haven't used it yet.

The scent is very, very pleasant but for me the shining characteristic is the lather and efficacy of shave. The lather is ultra-dense and creamy and uber protective. My everyday ATG shaves are so comfortable it doesn't even feel like I shaved.

For me the search for a shaving soap has ended. I have settled on using this exclusively. If you haven't tried AoS soaps yet you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. The pucks are a little expensive, but well worth it for the best. Also, if you don't know already, AoS soaps are made in Italy by Valobra and are the same as Valobra shaving stick just a different scent. They also are the same as Czech & Speake shaving soaps.

This soap is either a cure for SSAD, or an complication. On one hand a soap so good will make you stop looking for the Unicorn because THIS soap IS the unicorn. Easy to lather, great tallowy goodness, a clean ingredient list, awesome performance and a solid scent.

I tend to get burned by the scents of many soaps (CAde, Mama Bear's, CE Sienna, AOS Creams, TOBS Creams) But not this one, zero burn, zero reaction, my guess is because it uses only essential oil not fragrance oil.

Yes this soap is a little pricey, but it is well worth it for me. I just bought the refil and milled it into a glass dish from target to save a little cash. Now the problem is that this high quality soap has made me venture out and purchase more high quality soaps....so when does the SSAD end???

First off, this soap gives me the closest shave of any cream or soap that I've tried.

Price-It is an expensive soap at $45 for soap and bowl.

Quality - The highest quality soap that I've used.

Scent - Not my favorite sandalwood, but I think it may be a true sandalwood scent.

Lather - Lathers very easy and produces a very nice lather, not quite as nice as some creams.

Efficacy - I think this is where it shines. The slickness isn't overwhelming but the protection it provides is unbelievable while allowing the blade unbelievably close.

Moisturizing - Nothing exceptional.

If you want a high quality soap then this is it.

I had great hopes for this soap...I never liked the scent and there was a very distinct clay note that was very over-powering. I couldn't get over that..With that said, the soap lathers like a dream.

I agree with what you all are saying. This stuff is the bomb. Would never have spent that much but it was a gift. Now I don't know if I can live without it when it runs out

I received my AOS Sandalwood about two weeks ago, and have been using it consistently.

The soap is fantastic, although initially its expensive, the quality, scent and performance can't be beat. I'd rate the lather 12 if it was an option, incredibly easy and produces mountains of luxurious tallow based lather with little effort and product.

The scent is different to the Trumpers Sandalwood, I can't pick a preference as they are both exceedingly good in their own right.

Overall, I rate AOS ahead of the other soaps in my rotation MWF, Tabac, Proraso, and an equal with D R Harris + Trumpers.

Price: This soap is expensive especially if you get the very nice teak bowl. The refills are about $25 and if you get the bowl it is upward of $40! Granted it does contain tallow and will last a very long time. I also use glycerin soaps and they are a fifth of the price and work equally as well for me. Some of the well know English soaps are within the same price ballpark as AOS so it is not the most expensive soap. However for me, the price of this soap makes is a special occasion soap (though I do really enjoy when I use this soap!). I have seen this soap on sale on Amazon.

Quality: Top Notch all the way. The packaging for the AOS line is quite nice and very upscale. Nothing simple here. The packaging really does give you the sense that you are purchasing something of high quality. The teak bowl is beautiful and well made and a very nice compliment for the soap. The soap was nicely stamped "The Art of Shaving."

Scent: WOW, I'm not a sandalwood expert, but I really do like the scent of this soap. Some sandalwoods are mixed with other scents and make them a bit purfumy. AOS has a very nice scent that is not overpowering to me and really seems exotic. It lingers on the face for a while. I don't use any scented AS so as not to mask the scent of this soap on my face.

Lather: WOW again! Once a small amount of paste is on my brush (about 30 sec of swirling on the puck) it only takes about 1-1.5 min. of face lathering to produce a thick, rich lather. I have enough for 3 full passes plus some touch-up. This soap lathers easily, quickly and consistently. I always get nice peaks in my lather when I face lather!

Efficacy: WOW for the third time! This is the most protective soap I have. This soap has amazing cushion qualities. No redness, no irritation, just lots of consistent glide and cushion for a comfortable shave.

Moisturizing: AOS touts this soap for normal to dry skin types. I have combination skin. I find this soap to be adequately moisturizing. My face is neither dry or really well moisturized (not compared to MWF). This is not a complaint as this soap does not dry my skin. I usually have to put a small amount of balm on after the save.

Overall: If you can afford the price, I'd highly recommend this soap. I'm very pleased with performance of this soap and intend to always have some on hand. I still think of this soap as a special occasion treat, but if gotten on sale, it would be my everyday soap.

This article here led me to purchase this puck. I only bought this soap because it is tallow (#1 ingredient!), and triple milled.

I found a decent sale price of $37 shipped in the bowl. The bowl is very handsome and a pleasure to look at and hold. The scent is more of a sweet sandalwood, but not a fake sweet. I do believe they use a small quantity of sandalwood EO. A better scent and presentation than Tabac, however the price is not. The lather takes a little longer to work than Tabac, but that doesn't bother me. The efforts are well rewarded with moist peaky lather. Moisturizing and Efficacy are top notch as any good triple milled soap, just make sure you make your lather properly.

Quite possibly the best current production soap out there. World Class!

This soap is a part of my regular rotation for one reason (as already hinted at): the very best sandalwood fragrance of any soap or cream I have tried.

Nevertheless, the soap is overpriced (same with Trumpers); for half the price or less I can purchase a soap of equal or better performance (MWF, L'Occitane, DR Harris, etc). Yes, this soap lathers with the best of them. Yes, it provides a nice cushion. It does not moisturize as well as the above mentioned soaps (only speaking for the sandalwood here).

I keep coming back to it because of the scent, which is unrivaled.

I dont trust in company who sale product more spensive than other company who have in the market for more 200 years

There are several wonderful soaps in my rotation (Cade, Proraso, IK), but this is the one that haunts my shaving dreams. The tallow is like nothing else-creamy, dense, easy to lather.

The scent is out of this world. I am picky about Sandalwood. I like the C&E version (sandalwood plus spice), but I am not as fond of the Trumper version, which has a bit of a stale basenote, at least to my nose. This one is dry, dry, dry, with little sweetness. It is heavenly. The scent does linger a bit on the skin, which is just fine with me..as I love catching a brief waft of it at odd moments during the day. I usually won't use any cologne on the days I shave with this, even though there is nothing to say that you could not...I just like the scent...as does my wife............

Price is steep, to be sure, but the puck is dense triple milled stuff and looks to be lasting a very long while.

As for efficacy, it provides both cushion and slickness. Provides both protection and glide, even though I find you don't have quite the "between pass" slickness to allow you extra blade strokes. Got to watch my technique here a bit..which is a good thing.

Moisturizing is ok. Not drying, but not particularly nourishing for the skin.

Definitely worth a try. This one is a keeper. One of the best out there. I just hope that now that AOS has been bought by Proctor and Gamble they don't reformulate it.

Cheers!

It's pricey, but I got mine with the bowl during an Amazon 1/2 price sale for $22.50.

It's an excellent quality soap with a lovely Sandalwood scent (very similar to the EDT). I gave scent a '9' because it could be stronger and there are slight soapy / clay notes too.

It makes a great lather.

Efficacy: Great shave! Very protective.

Not particularly moisturizing.

Overall: I'd highly recommend it for anyone who likes sandalwood a lot (especially if on sale).

This soap is great!! Easily one of my favorites. IMHO, if you are one that just can't get with Tabac for whatever reason (mine was that it was too drying) this is the perfect alternative. It lathers the same as Tabac, in my opinion, and is more moisturizing.

Want to try this stuff!!

I think it is over priced because Taylor of Old Bond Street sells the same bowl for much less. At least it looks like the same bowl I can't tell the diff