I received my shipment of Barrister & Mann Cheshire shaving soap on Monday after having ordered it well after the close of business Thursday night. It's my first experience with their product, as I've always stuck with creams and soaps from major European firms (Proraso, TOBS, D.R. Harris, and Geo. F. Trumper's products take up the majority of the room in my den). After giving it a solid once over for the past two mornings, I'm proud to report that this stuff's definitely moving into heavy rotation. It loaded well enough with my Semogue 830, but (to my surprise) it absolutely loved my Simpson Berkeley 46. The lather's yogurt thick, super slick, and quite stable. The added lanolin, allantoin, silk protein, and Vitamin E really left my face feeling really moisturized after the shave. The best part of this particular soap, though, has to be the scent. They describe it as an essential oil-only fragrance blend that smells of "a combination of bergamot, clary sage, lavender, and patchouli," and that it's reminiscent of Earl Grey tea (that's actually a really great comparison). I have no earthly idea what clary sage smells like, but I can say that bergamot is the dominant note here with the additional scents serving to round out the scent with a bit of a peppery, flowery undertone. It's a beautiful scent that stays strong throughout the entire shave and into the first part of the day. The puck itself is soft enough to be pressed into whatever container you might use, but still firm enough that it sits up on the feet inside my great grandfather's glass shaving mug with no noticeable distress. Priced at $11, this stuff's a great deal for a large 3.75 oz puck that should last quite a while. If that wasn't enough, they even threw in a very generously sized sample of Solstice, their summer scent. I can safely say that I'll be doing business with these guys again in the very near future!
Barrister & Mann Cheshire Shaving Soap
- Thread starter wsteineker
- Start date
They are producing fantastic soaps. The quality of lather is outstanding, equally as good as anything I have ever tried, but the scents really set them apart. The Ferox soap is now my number 2 favorite soap behind Tabac. If you haven't tried any of their stuff you are missing out,
Excellent choice! B&M can hang with the best!
You just cannot beat the speed of delivery and service that Barrister and Mann provide. I have yet to wait more than 3 days here in North TX to receive my shave soap. I think they are making some of the best shave soaps that you will find and they are my pick for winning the 2013 Newcomer award. Great Review.
+1 . Barrister & Mann has got it right! Love their Seville.
I really want to get a puck of the Seville.
Dang it, guys. You're making it very, very difficult to hold off on buying yet ANOTHER sampler pack from a vendor.
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- #8
Give in, boss. It's shaving soap. You love it and you need it. Why say no when it feels so good to say yes?
I wish their ordering process was a bit easier. Then I would have already ordered a puck
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- #10
They've just launched their new website and, in doing so, streamlined the ordering process. Get over there and get yourself a brand new puck of awesome!
So other than the scents, how do these compare to Mike's?
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- #12
I'd say the lather is as good but easier to produce.
I'd say they compare favorably to Mike's. Similar lather and skin care qualities and maybe a touch easier to lather.
They don't seem to sell Ferox anymore, or at least not under that name. What fragrance is it?
The skincare of B&M should be superior, at least according to the ingredient list
| Mikes Natural Soaps | Barrister & Mann |
| Tallow | Tallow |
| Glycerin | Glycerin |
| Kokum Butter | Kokum Butter |
| Shea Butter | Shea Butter |
| Avacado Oil | Coconut Oil |
| Kaolin Clay | Silk Protein |
| Lanolin | Lanolin |
| Castor Oil | |
| Coconut Milk | |
| Allantoin | |
| Vitamin E |
- Thread starter
- #15
Ferox was the spring seasonal scent. It's been replaced with Solstice, which is a rose/lemon/mint/black pepper scent that'll knock your socks off! As for skin conditioning, I've only sampled Mike's soaps. That said, the B&M products really seem to soften and condition better than anything I've ever used. I think they do a better job in that department than MWF, but that's just me. As always, YMMV.
Eh, ingredients are only a part of it. I can mix up some hops, barley, water and yeast, but it certainly wouldn't be anything palatable.
I'd drink it
I am a fan of Mike's and have several of his shave soaps and bath soaps, but for me Barrister and Mann have taken over the spot that was long held by Mike. I find these soaps much easier to lather, the slickness is better as well as the benefits to my skin it seems as my face just feels so much better than when I shaved with Mike's. Like I have said I am a fan of Mike's , but I must admit I like Barrister and Mann better and that is just my preference.
I'd drink it
Hahah, next time I'm in the UK I'm holding you to that!
Just broke down and ordered the samples. Then I realized I'm gonna be out of town next week...how long do they take to ship?
- Thread starter
- #20
To the UK? Not sure. I'll say that I got mine here in the US in less than three business days.
