Considering that he wants to get back into making fragrances now that he has his "final" base done, it would seem like a good time to get Gothique EdP back. By the reviews on Fragrantica, it sounds like actual frag heads are waiting to get their hands on it too.
Barrister and Mann's new Omnibus base: discussion and reviews
- Thread starter SterFry
- Start date
Thank you, sir! That is a scent I think I would enjoy very much!
Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
You’re most welcome. I hope it returns.
If i recall he did a run of it last winter in soft heart. Might have been one of those back door reddit links and not available on the main website. I got the impression it was a very lightly scented soap and if that's what i need then i'm using my Arko stick anyway. Glad you talked me into trying Leviathan blindly- its an amazing scent and just gets better.
This morning, I used a bit of Japanese Binchotan charcoal soap as a pre-shave. I rubbed the soap cube on my face, and then lathered over it with the Leviathan. I was rewarded with a fluffy, picture-worthy lather! It was a terrific lather. So much cushion. So much fluff. Could have dont 6 passes with my loaded, face-lathered brush. My Wolfman 1.55 glided around my face like a Tech. Well sort of.
The 1.55 is still a beast. But it was a smooth and comfortable shave. And ridiculously close results as well. The Leviathan has a bit of a learning curve. I did use a bit more water today as well. So that may have also contributed. But the overall feel of the lather still retained that sticky quality that makes it unique. And the post shave feel is wonderful. If feeling my own face all day is wrong, then I dont wanna be right! 
Used Leviathan for the first time today. I've been using Stirling mutton base for the past week so it would be hard to impress me. I really like the characteristics of the lather as described here many times (goo-like).
I see it's available in Canada now in full tubs, so I'm sure I'll pick one up.
Very nice shave today this soap and the scent are just amazing
-Blackland Vector
-Feather Pro (4th)
-AP Shave Co Brass XL 26mm Pelagic Typhoon badger
-Capt Choice Copper Bowl
-PAA Ice Cube
-Barrister and Mann Leviathan trifecta
this soap and the scent are just amazing-Blackland Vector
-Feather Pro (4th)
-AP Shave Co Brass XL 26mm Pelagic Typhoon badger
-Capt Choice Copper Bowl
-PAA Ice Cube
-Barrister and Mann Leviathan trifecta
Fougere Angelique was a little too bright for me. I have never tried Gothique so I need a sample. I also want a sample of Seville as I've never tried it. Of the classic scents only Cologne Russe really spoke to me. I've also never tried Cheshire. I love tea, but, never desired a soap to smell like it. I would have liked Hallows in Omnibus, but, I knew not to expect it. I still have some in both Excelsior and Soft Heart though so that's okay.
Fougere Gothique EdP is up on B&M, but the sample size is out of stock. Maybe when he get's time to decant 
- Thread starter
- #250
I finally received my order yesterday (the shipping delay was not Will's fault) and I just completed my first shave with Leviathan. The hardness of the soap in the container I would place at about a 6 on a 1-10 scale with cream being 1 and quad milled being 10.
Loading the brush was easy and it really brought the smell out. I loaded for about 20 seconds right off the puck. Loading Omni reminded me of loading reserve in that a gooey texture initially forms before transitioning to a dense lather. While reminiscent of Reserve, it's very easy to load and lather.
Shortly after going into a face lather it became apparent just how creamy and low structure the lather is. I absolutely loved face lathering this stuff. It's these types of soaps that compel me to wake up late at night just to build a practice lather (if I do it during the day my girlfriend makes fun of me). It is the single creamiest lather I have ever experienced in a shave soap. I also lathered my head for a head shave.
Next I started adding water...then more water...them more. It took it in stride and never became unstable. Some people have mentioned a characteristic of where Omnibus wants to stick to your face and now I know what they mean. I don't know how else to describe it but you can just feel that the lather is stable despite being absolutely loaded with water. For a moment I even wondered if I should have added more water, but the moment I took a couple strokes with my Artist Club razor the lather immediately began to hang down from then drip from the razor in the way that highly hydrated lathers do. It was incredible. While the lather is on my face it feels dense and well adhered to the skin with no risk of running or dissipating but the moment I shave it off my face it wants to fall into the sink. Just incredible and totally unique to Omnibus.
The primary slickness was very probably the slickest soap I've ever used. I'll be doing some side by sides in the future but even after one use I'm pretty sure it's the slickest soap I own where primary slickness is concerned. I agree that this will be a perfect base for straight razor users... Which I am.
The secondary slickness was also incredible which I wasn't expecting as I had read on this thread that a couple guys found it to only be in the "very good" range but that was not my experience. I would say Omnibus's residual slickness is tied with DG's Milksteak until I can do some side by sides. If it doesn't beat Milksteak I reckon it'll be damn close.
After my second pass on my face I inspected the lather on my head. It looked and felt exactly how it did when I first lathered it. More than enough stability than I'll ever need. Though for the sake of transparency I am a relatively quick shaver (about 7 minutes per pass).
The post shave it phenomenal, but I was expecting this. I am apprehensive to say it's the best post I've ever felt. Not because it isn't the best I've felt, but because it's also kinda different than most. There's definitely a talc like characteristic to it that is different enough to make this a bit of an apple to orange comparison where post is concerned. I'm any case though the post is absolutely elite. Aftershave splash/balm skipping elite.
I am able to see the dark bits reported earlier by others here and there within the soap itself, but as I understand it this doesn't influence the performance. I did have to fight the urge to pick them out with a toothpick through.
So there you have it. If further shaves go like this one then I believe Omnibus is, at least, among the best bases ever produced if not the best overall. It's certainly my new favorite. Well done.
Loading the brush was easy and it really brought the smell out. I loaded for about 20 seconds right off the puck. Loading Omni reminded me of loading reserve in that a gooey texture initially forms before transitioning to a dense lather. While reminiscent of Reserve, it's very easy to load and lather.
Shortly after going into a face lather it became apparent just how creamy and low structure the lather is. I absolutely loved face lathering this stuff. It's these types of soaps that compel me to wake up late at night just to build a practice lather (if I do it during the day my girlfriend makes fun of me). It is the single creamiest lather I have ever experienced in a shave soap. I also lathered my head for a head shave.
Next I started adding water...then more water...them more. It took it in stride and never became unstable. Some people have mentioned a characteristic of where Omnibus wants to stick to your face and now I know what they mean. I don't know how else to describe it but you can just feel that the lather is stable despite being absolutely loaded with water. For a moment I even wondered if I should have added more water, but the moment I took a couple strokes with my Artist Club razor the lather immediately began to hang down from then drip from the razor in the way that highly hydrated lathers do. It was incredible. While the lather is on my face it feels dense and well adhered to the skin with no risk of running or dissipating but the moment I shave it off my face it wants to fall into the sink. Just incredible and totally unique to Omnibus.
The primary slickness was very probably the slickest soap I've ever used. I'll be doing some side by sides in the future but even after one use I'm pretty sure it's the slickest soap I own where primary slickness is concerned. I agree that this will be a perfect base for straight razor users... Which I am.
The secondary slickness was also incredible which I wasn't expecting as I had read on this thread that a couple guys found it to only be in the "very good" range but that was not my experience. I would say Omnibus's residual slickness is tied with DG's Milksteak until I can do some side by sides. If it doesn't beat Milksteak I reckon it'll be damn close.
After my second pass on my face I inspected the lather on my head. It looked and felt exactly how it did when I first lathered it. More than enough stability than I'll ever need. Though for the sake of transparency I am a relatively quick shaver (about 7 minutes per pass).
The post shave it phenomenal, but I was expecting this. I am apprehensive to say it's the best post I've ever felt. Not because it isn't the best I've felt, but because it's also kinda different than most. There's definitely a talc like characteristic to it that is different enough to make this a bit of an apple to orange comparison where post is concerned. I'm any case though the post is absolutely elite. Aftershave splash/balm skipping elite.
I am able to see the dark bits reported earlier by others here and there within the soap itself, but as I understand it this doesn't influence the performance. I did have to fight the urge to pick them out with a toothpick through.
So there you have it. If further shaves go like this one then I believe Omnibus is, at least, among the best bases ever produced if not the best overall. It's certainly my new favorite. Well done.
I have a 2nd tub of Leviathan coming. I'm about 2/3s through with my tub already. I have to load less soap to make it last longer but I'm enjoying it too much. I've never used a soap as much as this. Usually cycle through a few others but haven't touched them, even my beloved tabac.
Had to get the EdT and balm. The EdT is good but I like the soap's scent the best. EdT isn't very strong scented.
Had to get the EdT and balm. The EdT is good but I like the soap's scent the best. EdT isn't very strong scented.
Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
Fantastic, thorough review. I am curious, though — what brush did you use?
- Thread starter
- #253
Out of curiosity, do you know roughly how many shaves you’ve done to go through 2/3 of the tub?
Out of the eight B&M scents I have tried angelique is my favorite and it's not really even close.
Somewhere around 23 shaves. But, i'm a heavy loader and i use mostly 24 mm badgers. I'm picking up enough lather for 5 passes each load. I have to force myself to load less or hope to grow tired of Leviathan because i'm burning through it too quickly. That said, omnibus isn't a hard soap and it's not very different from excelsior in terms of its' hardness and will last roughly the same. Everyone has different loading and shave habits so its tough to say how many shaves you get with a whole tub. A stingy loader could get 100 shaves from a tub of this soap. Almost impossible to quantify it.
Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
After using Leviathan with both badger and synthetic brushes, I’m convinced that synthetics are significantly better with this base — way more efficient and much easier to control water ratios. My DG brush just does not want to release the lather. It’s that whole ‘sticky’, ‘glue-like’ ‘low structure’ thing that must be the culprit.
With a synthetic, this base absolutely shines in every way.
With a synthetic, this base absolutely shines in every way.
That's interesting! I've not used a natural on it yet, but what you say makes sense. I've been trying to use up a very old tub of BM Hallows this week, which has worked well with all kinds of brushes, and then plan to go back to the new Leviathan to compare. If boars don't work well with it I'll be disappointed.
Fougere Gothique in Omnibus has dropped at Maggard's. After shave not available yet.
Which synthetics are releasing lather the best?
