I’m not pointing any fingers buttttt Grooming Dept feels a touch opulent. I’m not saying it’s wrong... I’m just curious is all.
Artisan's Vs traditional
- Thread starter Jim cunningham
- Start date
I started out with the traditional soaps like TOBS, DR Harris, Tabac, etc., but once the artisans started to proliferate several years ago, I pretty much bought nothing but artisans. Most of my traditional soaps were sold or given away as they didn't see any use. They just couldn't match the performance of the new stuff for me. Having said that, Tabac can hold its own against any modern soap, and I've tried 'em all. I will always have Tabac.
All of the soap that I've tossed in the last 2-3 years has been 'Artisan'. The latest two were a tub of WK coconut, which was ok but not more than that, and something from Lisa's - I forget what it was but the smell reminded me of cheap bodega incense; rose something or another and it made me want to yack. The soap was ok but nothing to rave about.
Before that there were others from WK, and something from DG; a soap made for a FB group but I forget which one. Smell was ok, performance was ok, but neither aspect made me feel like I need to have it. There were 3 from B&M that I honestly disliked, Lavanille was one, I forget the other two. Did not like the frags and the soap seemed more like a science project than actual soap. I am going to try their latest base soon but my expectations are realistic. I've tossed a bunch of Stirling too... just 'meh' for me.
That said - I have two WK soaps in rotation, with another two from Crowne & Crane. The rest are Old School soaps; a couple of which, for me, solidly outperform the 'new' stuff. Most of my shaves, by a wide margin, are with vintage soaps.
I like and enjoy a hard puck; artisan soaps are always soft and mushy and more like a cream to me, and I never really liked creams. The scent in artisan soaps is almost always over the top, or too complex, or smell like yech. I don't want or need a soap's scent to overtake the bathroom, or me for that matter. The overwhelmingly garish and gaudy approach to fragrance is so not my style. One of the Crowne & Crane soaps I enjoy is unscented. The other is a mild pine type of thing. Sometimes, when I open a fresh tub of B&M I feel like I need a Scott Pack.
TL,DR - I use new soaps and old soaps but most new soaps I buy go in the garbage after a short trial period.
Before that there were others from WK, and something from DG; a soap made for a FB group but I forget which one. Smell was ok, performance was ok, but neither aspect made me feel like I need to have it. There were 3 from B&M that I honestly disliked, Lavanille was one, I forget the other two. Did not like the frags and the soap seemed more like a science project than actual soap. I am going to try their latest base soon but my expectations are realistic. I've tossed a bunch of Stirling too... just 'meh' for me.
That said - I have two WK soaps in rotation, with another two from Crowne & Crane. The rest are Old School soaps; a couple of which, for me, solidly outperform the 'new' stuff. Most of my shaves, by a wide margin, are with vintage soaps.
I like and enjoy a hard puck; artisan soaps are always soft and mushy and more like a cream to me, and I never really liked creams. The scent in artisan soaps is almost always over the top, or too complex, or smell like yech. I don't want or need a soap's scent to overtake the bathroom, or me for that matter. The overwhelmingly garish and gaudy approach to fragrance is so not my style. One of the Crowne & Crane soaps I enjoy is unscented. The other is a mild pine type of thing. Sometimes, when I open a fresh tub of B&M I feel like I need a Scott Pack.
TL,DR - I use new soaps and old soaps but most new soaps I buy go in the garbage after a short trial period.
Have to agree with you here. Most of my artisan products have ended up in the bin. Lost interest and desire to buy more. Occasionally I'll buy the hype that roars across the forum but it is rare and the results are always the same.
I'm a Gen X so you know what that means. I don't care. I'll keep using Arko and the rest of my old stuff.
That's been similar to my experience. I can't think of an artisan soap I have tried that I've thought was worth the asking price.
Most of them smell like cooking grease or a barnyard more than any kind of fine fragrance.
B&M Waves was thoroughly forgettable in terms of its performance. One could shave with Van Der Hagen for much less cost and get a better lather.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Agree with @Gamma 100%, especially fragrances. Traditional soap making (and sausage making) has been around for millennia, the fat ratios are known and their isn’t going to be a quantum leap forward in soaps or sausages. And a lot of artisan soaps are uncured, half water.
When an artisan soap performs as well as AoS tallow (Valobra), ABC hard soap, I Coloniali Mango Oil, Pre de Provence, AND LASTS AS LONG, give me a call at the old folks home. For that matter try to find one that performs as well as 3P for $18 per 1000ml.
When an artisan soap performs as well as AoS tallow (Valobra), ABC hard soap, I Coloniali Mango Oil, Pre de Provence, AND LASTS AS LONG, give me a call at the old folks home. For that matter try to find one that performs as well as 3P for $18 per 1000ml.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I'm of the buy and use what you like camp, but determining what you like best takes some doing.
That's why I have boxes and boxes of soaps!
In order to know what we like and what works for us, well, guess what, we have to try out stuff. Lots of stuff judging by my experience and what I read. Not everyone has the same skin, whiskers, water, etc. as everyone else. In my experienced some of the high fatted soaps stop up the pipes in my old house, but not everyone has crummy old pipes.
I like soaps with great post post shave and have not found any balms which replace them, but, then again, I have dry skin.
I'm not sure there's any consensus on just what is and isn't an artisan soap. For instance, in this thread SV has been referred to as an artisan and a non-artisan soap.
The hobby is populated by collectors of all sorts and also by at least a sprinkling of minimalists, but I believe everyone should buy and use what they like.
It's also true that any of us could say we've tried them all and like Williams best - and list every soap ever made - when the only soap we've ever used is MdC. Not that anyone would do that, but just saying.
Happy shaves,
Jim
What is 3P?
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
It’s a soft Italian croap similar to Cella or Vitos.
Thanks. Hadn’t heard of that one.
There are well over 1000 shaving soaps and creams available in the marketplace. That includes a combination of brands, formulas, and scents. Thus, I doubt that anyone has tried them all. By the end of this year, I will have tried 170 soaps representing 66 formulations. Thus, I believe I have a pretty good perspective on what is available.
However, there are still soaps that others recommend that I have not yet tried. I have purchased soaps that others recommend just to see what they like about the soap. Occasionally, I will find something I really like. However, most of the time I find that the soap is an average performer with little to recommend it other than perhaps the price.
I realize that most folks do not have the financial resources to purchase as many soaps as I have, or the space to store them. I hope that by evaluating soaps and posting reviews, I can guide people to making choices that will make the best use of the resources they have available. I have several new soaps that I will begin evaluating the week after Christmas, so stay tuned for those evaluations.
However, there are still soaps that others recommend that I have not yet tried. I have purchased soaps that others recommend just to see what they like about the soap. Occasionally, I will find something I really like. However, most of the time I find that the soap is an average performer with little to recommend it other than perhaps the price.
I realize that most folks do not have the financial resources to purchase as many soaps as I have, or the space to store them. I hope that by evaluating soaps and posting reviews, I can guide people to making choices that will make the best use of the resources they have available. I have several new soaps that I will begin evaluating the week after Christmas, so stay tuned for those evaluations.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I bought a smaller container from Connaught to try it out. They sell smaller sizes of several soaps sold only in huge blocks. Link. I think out of stock at the moment.
I like trying small sizes first when I can, but I dislike the tiny sample sizes and always transfer them to a regular tub (like an empty tub).
Happy shaves,
Jim
I guess I’m old school traditional. Haslinger. Haslinger. Proraso. Haslinger. Proraso. Arko. La Toja. Speick. Haslinger. Palmolive. The end. It works for me. Maybe not everyone but for me it works. Have tried the newer artisan stuff and it was fine but like the old stuff and always find myself back there. As you can see Haslinger is my go to. Love all of theirs.
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