Artisan Soaps, Splashes, Balms, EdTs - How many from a scent release line do you feel is enough? How many do you typically buy?

[awk_m4]

I have never bought a matching aftershave, though I have been tempted at times.

Like some of the others, I use scent-adjacent aftershave when possible. For example, if I shave with Blue Devil Soap in the Peach and Pear scent, I use PAA Star Jelly aftershave in Immortal Peach. (By the way, I agree with an earlier poster that there is something positively magical about the Star Jelly aftershaves... can't recommend highly enough.)

If I shave with a citrusy soap, I use a citrusy aftershave, etc.

I've bought tons of them. My wife disliked most so to keep things simple I'm now down to the one we both really like. I'm feeling old school in the sense that most men used just one AS and I'm liking the minimalist approach as far as aftershave is concerned. Blades, soaps, and brushes: That's another story!

 

[RSC]

I've never had a matching fragrance or aftershave, but I guess some people must go for that. I just ordered a tin of Pre de Provence No. 63 shave soap and I couldn't believe how many No. 63 products were listed on the web page:

After Shave Balm,
Beard Oil,
Body Lotion,
Eau de Toilette (Cologne),
Hair and Body Wash Shower Gel,
Hand Cream,
Shave Cream,
Shave Soap,
Soap Bar,
Soap on a Rope.

 

[SydneyShaver]

I prefer to vary the experience so I don’t tend to buy matching anything. I might buy 1 soap from a company and then buy a differently scented splash (alcohol free now, my preferences have changed). I go through way more soap than aftershave though. A bottle lasts and lasts and lasts even with daily use. I’ve never used a balm that I liked more than unscented face moisturiser, so if they only sell balms, I just stick to the soap.

 

[midwestshaver71]

I used to buy matching soaps and aftershave splashes. For a handful of favorites I would get the Edt/Edp. I ended up acquiring way too many sets. A few months back I sold off a bunch of soaps and thinned the den down to my favorite 30 (don’t ask how many I had prior). I kept the splashes and now I often mix and match. The soap scent fades right after the shave. But the splashes give me some scent variety and usually last a few hours. I only use a couple of unscented balms, and mostly in the dead of winter.

How many DID you have prior?
Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[John Stetson]

How many DID you have prior?
Inquiring minds want to know.

About 130. It was not good.

 

[Breen]

I began wet shaving in Dec ‘21 after finding a Slim Adjustable in an antique shop. I also found a bottle of Shulton Old Spice and down the rabbit hole I fell.

Wanting a decent soap to match the Old Spice splash, I got a tub of Stirling Spice soap in Jan of ‘22.

I also ordered some soap samples with matching splash samples, and since then I’ve pretty much matched soaps and splashes.

I don’t use balms, and the only matching edt I’ve ever bought was Stirling’s Bay Rum because that stuff is amazing. (thanks to @JCarr for the push, and Bay Rum edt is still on sale by the way)

There’s a few scents where I’ll change up the splash and soap, but only because there’s no match for them.

I have way too many Avon scents, and no soap to match, so I made my own Avon Deep Woods and Avon Spicy soaps by grating Arko, and letting it sit out for 5 weeks until the scent faded, then soaked the grated remains in AS until the alcohol evaporated. I’m going to be breaking those two soaps out now that the weather is cooled down.

 

[Aomalley27]

Late to the party; but, I find it somewhat tricky, not knowing if an artisans’ soap matches their splash, toner, or EDT.

Case in point; Spearhead’s Blackwatch soap smells just like a Knox incense cone (incense heavy). Whereas the splash is heavy Plum scent. Really different scent profiles from same product line. Fortunately I like the scent of both. Whereas the Seaforth Lime Soap and toner (non alcohol) and EDT all smell identical.

I’ve had some PAA’s soap that are consistent to their Splash&EDT counterparts (Twee, Cold Spices, Doppleganger Black) But some are radically different (The Doppleganger Grey soap isn’t citrus forward like the splash or EDT.... and the corresponding deodorant just smells like a glue stick. You really have to sweat before the true scent comes forth, which is citrusy)