P.160 Duro (the hard version)

... it wasn't so amusing to try others.

Update: For every item I'll compare it with Tabac which lots of people have used before and benchmark against.

Ingredients: AQUA, STEARIC ACID, PALMITIC ACID, TALLOW, COCOS NUCIFERA, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, PARFUM, POTASSIUM CARBONATE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, TETRASODIUM EDTA

Price: I feel sorry for the previous reviewer who paid €20 for the brick. I paid €6!
That's right, that's €0,60 for every 100 grams. Since it is one of the softest hard soaps (it feels like playdo or the hard grease or butter you put in a frying pan) you obviously use more than a real hard soap, but 1 kg will go a very long way.
<-> Tabac: If you can directly import it like I did, P.160 scores way above Tabac. Otherwise it will be on par. (cheaper but you use more)

Quality: Considering price versus quality, this must be ranking at or very close to the top. Even it is was sold at a much higher price, it would still be ranking there.
It is primary sold to professional Italian barbers, and the fact that most Italian men have the same tough beard as I have (no, I'm not Italian), it must be an excellent product.
<-> Tabac: Both Tabac and P.160 deliver, but if you consider price/quality then P.160 wins.

Scent: It's like mixing some amaretto and marzipan and smeering it all over your face. It's a very sweet almond scent and very candylike. You could easely trick some friend in taking a bite from it by telling them it is marzipan.
But once you've lathered though, it becomes faint and more neutral so nobody will be really knocked over or start vomiting even if you really hate almond or the tasty by-products mentioned above.
So don't let the scent be a factor in your decision to actually buy this soap or not.
<-> Tabac: Tabac wins, but only if you don't dislike the scent of Tabac since P.160 is more neutral once lathered.

Lather: Tallow is a primary ingredient and it shows. A few swirls is enough to make a nice creamy thick lather directly on the face in a minimum of time.
Very forgiving in getting the water/soap ratio right.
I used a feather blade in a slim and I never felt the blade near my skin. I was bladebuffing on the jaws (ATG) en J-hooking in the neck to fool the flat whiskers and to my surprise, the blade doesn't even always take all the soap away.
It provides a really nice cushion and the result was that I didn't even felt the Proraso splash after the shave!
<-> Tabac: Tabac wins, but only because it's lather is just a bit more creamy.

Efficacy: I don't really know what to put here except that this soap get's the job done.
It's softening the beard well and I guess it might be a soap for even the most sensitive skin types. But since I have a neutral skin type, don't take my word for it.
<-> Tabac: Both Tabac and P.160 do what they are supposed to do and both do it excellent.

Moisturizing: It's a soap that really combines the pro's from the soaps and the creams. It wasn't drying my face at all. I used a Proraso splash after the shave and it feels almost as moist as with a balm without the greasy feeling you have with some. I guess this makes it an allround soap for all skin types, season and geographical place.
It doesn't dry your skin in winter and in summer you could easely do with just a splash.
<-> Tabac: P.160 wins here. It is very friendly to the skin.

Final thought: Considering the quality of the lather, the moisterizing capabilities and the unbelievable low price for this huge brick, you could use it for all the grooming of your body for those who would want to (sporters ie) or share it with the wife to shave her legs, armpits, bikini line and if you're really unfortunate ... her moustache.

Surprised there wasn't a review yet of this very nice product I felt obliged to give it a try.
Starting with the only real problem of this soap: the really huge size it comes in. On the market for professional use means it is only available in a daunting 1kg pack. With an inbelievable (low) price tag...I paid just over 20 euro's for this brick. Good news is that some vendors are slicing it and sell it in 100 gram units.
First thing you notice is the scent, a very, very, sweet almond scent. It allmost smells like candy. It is not overpowering in any way; certainly not after lathering it. I found it a very pleasant smell.
Lathering goes easy, though not as easy as let's say Arko or Tabac. It is a bit more work to get a little less result. But the lather works great and it makes the blade glide very comfortable over your skin.
This soap has taken an important place in my rotation (well, I have to with this much in stock...) and is one of the skin-friendliest soaps I have ever used.All in all a great product with only one problem...